Calpoke

Hi, Sally. Our ship, the Noordam, is only in port from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Mario says he will pick us up at 7:30; we'll arrive in Castelmola around 8 or 8:15, and stay there for 30-45 minutes before heading down to Taormina where we'll visit for a couple of hours. There, he says, he can either give us a map or walk around with us giving detailed explanations, whichever we prefer. Then we'll leave in time to maybe have a quick drive around Messina, ending at the astronomical clock for its noon display. That's about twelve minutes long, and he says we'll then be a three-minute walk from the ship.

 

So all in all, a little more than a 4-1/2 hour stint with Mario. I'm sure he would use your time any way you would like. He drives a 2007 Mercedes Vito van, 9 passenger (including the driver). When I asked him about our being left stranded up in Taormina (I told you I grilled him pretty good), his reaction was, "What?? Just abbandon (sic) you?" Then he said not only would he be "mean" to do that but also stupid since he doesn't get paid until the end of the tour.

We are also taking the Noordam cruise in September. Your tour with Mario sounds good. Do you have room for four more in his taxi or did you fill it up?