We had a relaxed start to our day today, enjoying the amazing views from the Brookses terrace and playing with the kittens. Eventually we meandered down to Chris and Wendy’s favorite cafe for breakfast pastries. I had some kind of amazing pistachio creation — apparently they are famous for pistachios here — and we enjoyed the fresh-squeezed orange juice. (Since we frequently see oranges hanging from the trees here, my guess is that it’s VERY fresh.)

After breakfast we took a short drive over the hills to take in some more amazing views. This region is extremely mountainous, with artistic pillars of rock jutting out dramatically. Sometimes buildings are constructed right into the rock, with it not being clear exactly where the rock ends and the building begins. In between are fields of crops and flowers covering the steep hillsides. We stopped to take some pictures of a large flock of sheep and enjoy the chiming of the hundreds of little bells that they wear around their necks.

Our main event of the day was a tour and tasting Wendy had arranged for us at a nearby winery. Our guide, Aldo, was friendly and knowledgeable, and the setting was amazing. The family that owns the winery bought and restored a hilltop villa — on the highest point for miles around — to use as a tasting room. There were breathtaking vistas in every direction. We tasted five of the wines, all made from grapes exclusive to this region of Sicily. Aldo also had a feast of local delicacies for us, with the winery’s own olive oil and locally made breads, meats, and cheeses.

On our way back, Chris and Wendy wanted to make a stop to introduce us to their friend Gianni. He is an artist with a country house near the winery. It’s the perfect setting for an artist, with lovely views and an amazing garden that we wandered around in. Gianni showed us many of his paintings — he’s working on a series of noteworthy women from around the world — and bonded with Tom over art. He even gave Karen and I each a painting to bring home.

We were all a little too tired to venture out for dinner, so we ended the day with delicious pizza from a nearby pizzaria. We’re preparing for an early start and a full day tomorrow.