Life so sweet in a different world

+
+
16 Escape.com.au
Sunday Herald Sun, July 15, 2012
heraldsun.com.au
Escape.com.au
Sunday Herald Sun, July 15, 2012
17
Celebrity escape
C
M
Y
K
PAGE 16 SHS 15-JUL-2012 ES
LABOUR OF LOVE:
The bar terrace at
Villa Angela has
views over
Taormina to the
Ionian Sea (right);
and the exterior
may be modern
(left) but rooms
feature
traditional Sicilian
furnishings (far
left).
later that I entertained serious thoughts
about making a permanent move there.
We were introduced at a concert in
the north of Italy – he had travelled with
friends from Sicily and was staying at our
hotel. Antonio was quick to tease
because he knew I had been to Taormina
several times but had never set foot in his
family’s restaurant.
I later visited him (and his restaurant,
La Botte, where I have been feasting on
spaghetti alle vongole ever since). It was
the start of a friendship (and later
business partnership) and as a regular
lodger in his Taormina apartment, I
tasted a life so sweet that I wanted a
piece for myself. And it was here that we
hatched our idea for a hotel.
Initially we looked at a decrepit
pensione in the heart of the town – I had
a notion we could transform the old
building. But this was Sicily – as rich in
history and art as it is poor in
infrastructure and bureaucracy – and
the practicalities were always going to
outweigh the romance of the project.
After two years of searching in vain
for a suitable property, it finally dawned
on me that it might be easier to build
something new. Fortune had it that
beside Antonio’s family home was one
of the few substantial plots available
with planning permission.
High above Taormina, it looked out
over the townhouses that seemed to
cling impossibly to the steep slopes
below, while beyond it offered
wonderful vistas of the Ionian Sea and
Mount Etna. It was the perfect setting.
From the outset, we were determined
to maintain an ancient feel, using only
Sicilian fabrics, materials and craftsmen.
The walls may have been new, but the
local Caltagirone ceramics spoke of the
past. We used Sicilian stone and wrought
iron for the main structure and local
chestnut wood for the furniture, while
the grounds and terraces were planted
with more than 50 indigenous plants.
With 27 rooms, the hotel offers an
intimate experience while blending with
its surroundings. It was a labour of love. I
had been warned by Sicilian friends not to
expect business to be completed in a
hurry, particularly as a foreigner.
Life so sweet in
a different world
It was in a small hillside town on Sicily’s east coast where this
Simple Minds frontman found reason to write music again
I WAS 14 when I first realised the world
was not all black and white.
To a young child growing up in
Glasgow in the 1970s, life was all too
monochromatic compared with the
explosion of colours I saw from a coach
window on a school trip to Rimini.
In the four decades since, I have been
driven by curiosity about what the world
has to offer. But it is to Italy, specifically
Sicily, that I have kept returning.
In the early years of Simple Minds I
had a girlfriend in Rome who shared my
wanderlust. She would take me on these
crazy, spontaneous drives down from
Rome through Naples, Campania and
Calabria – in those days they were the
badlands of Italy, afflicted by crime, but
that was part of their appeal.
Through her, I got to know and love
Italy, and gradually began to gravitate
towards Sicily. I first set foot on the
island in 1982. We had a small gig in
Messina, in the northeast.
JIM KERR
Performing in a run-down sports field
not far from where the ferries docked,
the band was a long way from finding
fame and fortune. But it was the
historical significance of the place that
made that concert memorable.
Just a stone’s throw from where we
played lay the Straits of Messina – the
narrow stretch of water that separates
Sicily from the tip of Italy and the focus
of nearly every major Mediterranean
war.
In the three days I spent on the island,
I was struck by how, with its history of
invasion and occupation, it can seem at
any one time part of Africa, Asia or
Europe. Sicily is as near to Libya or
Tunisia as it is to Rome, and you can see
those North African influences in the
architecture and the food.
It happened to be my birthday and I
remember being taken out to this
amazing place for lunch in Taormina. I
forget the name but, as fate would have
it, it was just 100m from where I would
later build my hotel, Villa Angela. With
the band still struggling to make money,
I never imagined that one day I might be
welcoming wide-eyed Glaswegians to
my terraced restaurant.
I kept returning to the island, and in
particular Taormina, Sicily’s former
Byzantine capital; but it was not until I
met Antonio Chemi more than a decade
Continued Page 18
WORLDWIDE DESTINATIONS
The Ultimate Touring Experience
A
incl ll
usiv
e
5 sta
luxu r
ry
EUROPE RIVER CRUISE
Edam
Amsterdam
EUROPE RIVER CRUISE
Nijmegen
Amsterdam
Maastricht 14
Ghent Antwerp
Cochem
Heidelberg
Hockenheim
Bernkastel
Mannheim Speyer
Strasbourg
Alsace
Breisach
3
Paris
Bamberg
Nuremberg
Cesky Krumlov
14
Regensburg
Budapest
Reichsburg Castle • the vineyards of
Alsace • Middelburg’s Delta Works
• the canals of Amsterdam
DISCOVER:
Amsterdam • Bernkastel’s wineries
• Strasbourg • the Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg • Heidelberg Castle
EXPERIENCE: A private soiree at Rastatt Palace
• waffles, beers and chocolate in
Belgium • dine in a Dutch village
2
2
2
Kamloops
Rocky Mountaineer Rail Journey
Jasper
2
Juneau
ENJOY:
Wachau Valley • Rhine Gorge
• windmills at Zaanse Schans
• the masterpieces of the Louvre
DISCOVER:
Amsterdam • Salzburg • Budapest
• Nuremberg’s WWII sites
• Vienna’s Spanish Riding School
EXPERIENCE: A private Viennese concert at Palais
Liechtenstein • a private medieval
dinner at Marksburg Castle
Lake Louise
Banff
scenictours.com.au
*Conditions Apply. Prices based on per person in AUD, twin share ex MEL. For new bookings only, not available in conjunction with any other offer including group discounts. Subject to availability, offers are strictly limited and are available on set departures until sold out and may be withdrawn at any time. Surcharge may
apply on credit card transactions. Taxes and charges are subject to change without notice. Once issued, air tickets are subject to amendment and cancellation fees as established by the applicable airline. Flights are subject to availability of appropriate airline class and once sold out surcharges may apply. Flights are non-refundable
and must be booked through Scenic Tours. Scenic Tours reserve the right to ticket the booking upon receipt of deposit. South America: Partner Fly Free offer based on LAN Airlines Economy S Class, except for SAIE based on Economy N Class including taxes of $150pp. International flights and air taxes are additional
unless stated otherwise. Price inclusive of internal flights and air taxes once tour commences. LAN Economy S and N Class tickets attract limited Frequent Flyer Points. A non-refundable deposit of $3,000 per person is required within 7 days of booking. Offers available until 31 October 2012 or 181 days prior to departure
just pay taxes from $820pp
From $11,145*pp twin share RPCL
ENJOY:
2
SOUTH AMERICA
Machu Picchu
3 Sacred Valley
3 Cuzco
1
BRAZIL
3
Iguazú Falls
Rio de Janeiro
ARGENTINA
ARGENTINA
Luxury Alaskan Cruise • cultural
presentation in Sun Peaks • walk
the Capilano Suspension Bridge
DISCOVER:
Athabasca Glacier on an ‘Ice Explorer’
• the highest Rockies peak • bears
and moose in Jasper National Park
EXPERIENCE: Live local music and entertainment at
the exclusive Rocky Mountain Round
Up • Rocky Mountaineer Rail
Sun
Whistler Peaks
Vancouver
Victoria 2
1
2
1
1
Kamloops
3
2
Rio de Janeiro
2
2
2
1
Rocky Mountaineer 2
3
ANTARCTIC
EXPEDITION
CRUISE
Ushuaia
just pay taxes from $820pp
From $15,028*pp twin share RPRA.A
Alaskan Cruise • exclusive lecture
on Black Bears • Sternwheeler
cruise on board the ‘Discovery III’
DISCOVER:
Athabasca Glacier on an ‘Ice
Explorer’ • bald eagles, moose and
bear in Alaska • North Pole
EXPERIENCE: Live local music and entertainment
at the exclusive Rocky Mountain
Round Up • Arctic Circle flight
Punta Arenas
Patagonia
3
2
Ushuaia
El Calafate
Pleneau
Island
27 day Patagonian Adventure
& Icons of South America
PARTNER FLY FREE*
including taxes
From $18,615*pp twin share
ENJOY:
SAIP
Cruise the Perito Moreno Glacier
• three night stay in the Explora
Hotel Salto Chico
DISCOVER:
Machu Picchu • Iguazú Falls • Lake
Titicaca • Buenos Aires • Torres del
Paine National Park, Pategonia
EXPERIENCE: Sumptuous cuisine in Rio de Janeiro
in a Brazilian churrascaria or tapas in a
samba bar
Antarctic Expedition
Cruise
10
Drake Passage
Deception Island
Lemaire
Channel
Torres del Paine
National Park
Lake Louise
Banff
PARTNER FLY FREE*
Buenos
Aires
Buenos Aires
Jasper
25 day The Rockies, Voyage
of the Glaciers & Arctic Circle
ENJOY:
2
CHILE
ms Sapphire PrincessSM
2
FLY FREE*
PACP
BRAZIL
2
Santiago
7
22 day Magnificent Canadian
Rockies & Alaskan Cruise
FLY FREE*
1
Lima
Iguazú Falls
Skagway
Ketchikan
1
Seattle
including taxes
From $10,640*pp twin share
2
PERU
10
Sun
Whistler Peaks
1
Vancouver 2
Passau Dürnstein
Vienna
Linz
Melk
Bratislava
21 day Paris to Prague
& Europe River Cruise
AMBA
PERU
Lima
Machu Picchu
3 Sacred Valley
3 Cuzco
1
1 Puno
7
Zurich
including taxes
From $7,095*pp twin share
1
Lake Titicaca
Glacier Bay
Victoria
FLY FREE*
SOUTH AMERICA
Ketchikan
3 Prague
Salzburg
15 day Romantic Rhine
& Moselle River Cruise
Call 1300 SCENIC 1300 723 642
Miltenberg
Würzburg
Rothenburg
Black Forest
Basel
ENJOY:
ms Oosterdam
Cologne
Rüdesheim
Arctic Circle Flight
2
2
Fairbanks
Denali Nat. Park
College Fjord
Düsseldorf
Marksburg
Rüdesheim
CANADA & ALASKA
Mt McKinley 1
Anchorage
Whittier
Juneau
Tracy Arm
Sitka
Middelburg
Bruges
Trier
Luxembourg
+
CANADA & ALASKA
Volendam
Brown Bluff
Weddell Sea
Cuverville
Neko
Paradise Bay
ANTARCTICA
(See inset)
30 day South American
Antarctic Adventure
PARTNER FLY FREE*
including taxes
From $26,890*pp twin share
SAIE
ENJOY:
An exclusive 10 night luxury cruise
to Antarctica on board Le Boréal in a
Deluxe Verandah Stateroom
DISCOVER:
The wildlife-rich waters of Drake
Passage and the South Shetland
Islands • Machu Picchu
EXPERIENCE: Escorted zodiac expeditions onto
the ice to meet sea lions and
penguins • Andes Mountains
visit scenictours.com.au/specialist for your nearest Scenic Tours specialist travel agent
whichever is first, unless sold out. Europe: Port charges are included up to $400pp. Airfares in economy Q class Singapore Airlines, airline taxes are included up to $820pp. Should Singapore Airlines not be available for any reason Scenic Tours reserves the right to substitute another airline. Fly Free ERC offers available in
E/D category cabins for tours of 15 days or more. Offer available until 30 September 2012 or until sold out. Canada: Fly Free and Partner Fly Free on Air Canada economy S class. Book & deposit by 19 October 2012. Price based on the following departure dates: AMBA: 16 October 2013 departure, E category cabin (no
balcony). PACP: 3 March 2013 departure, D category cabin (no balcony). RPCL: 21 April 2013. Not inclusive of air taxes to the value of $820pp, RPRA.A: 6 May 3013, inclusive of taxes to the value of $820pp. SAIP: 25 February 2013 SAIE: 22 January 2013. For full terms & conditions refer to brochure. Prices correct
as of 9 July 2012. Licence No. 2TA 002 633 ABN 85 002 715 602. QUOTE CODE: SNPR558
+
+
+
18 Escape.com.au
Sunday Herald Sun, July 15, 2012
heraldsun.com.au
Celebrity escape
From Page 17
C M Y K
SHS 15-JUL-2012 PAGE
18
ES
Although I did not do the rock star
thing of turning up in a Ferrari
announcing that I was there to build a
swanky new hotel, there was still a
minefield of bureaucracy to negotiate.
Celebrity counts for nothing in a
society such as Sicily, where getting
anything done is about who you know.
So I decided to stop surrounding
myself with English speakers and
immerse myself in all things Sicilian,
though the red tape still provokes the
odd Glaswegian expletive.
But the labour has been worth it.
Even after 13 years I am still
constantly amazed by how a small
place can encompass so much.
Taormina is often called Sicily’s
answer to France’s Saint-Tropez –
certainly the city’s main artery, the
Corso Umberto, is teeming with highend fashion boutiques and lavish
antique stores, alongside the quaint
pasticcerie and gelaterie.
You might spot Antonio Banderas,
Rod Stewart or Michael Douglas
returning from the beach for an early
evening stroll, sipping a cocktail at the
15th-century San Domenico Palace
hotel or dining at one the expensive al
fresco restaurants and bars.
But Taormina offers so much more
than this. The city’s architecture is
dazzling, from the rococo Chiesa di
San Giuseppe and romantic Piazza IX
Aprile to my personal favourite, the
Teatro Greco, one of the most
beautiful and inspiring venues I have
had the fortune to perform in.
Perched on a rocky outcrop
RINGSIDE SEAT: A table with a view of Mount Etna at Villa Angela’s restaurant.
overlooking the sea, this ancient
amphitheatre is worth the airfare
there alone.
The region has played a big part in
my return to making music again. Ten
years ago I felt a bit lost and distanced
from everything. But my move here
prompted a change in my outlook on
life and the inspiration for one of the
songs on our 2006 album, Black and
White 050505, which I called Different
World. It pays tribute to how for the
first time in years I wake up every
morning feeling energised.
As a band, we did much of the work
on that album here in Taormina.
There is more by way of antiquities
in this corner of Sicily than in the
Greek capital. I love the secret gardens
and alleyways that take you away
from all the hustle and bustle, where a
wall that looks at first fairly
unremarkable turns out, on closer
inspection, to be part of a Greek
temple to Zeus; or another street
where a modest plaque is the only
record that D.H. Lawrence resided
there and allegedly wrote part of Lady
Chatterley’s Lover.
As well as music, the region has an
extraordinary sense of history.
A great time to come is during the
film festival in June. It marks the start
of a summer of music, theatre and art.
What is refreshing is the intimacy.
Actors and directors share the streets
with the public. There is none of the
‘‘us’’ and ‘‘them’’ mentality of a
Cannes or Monaco. One year Judi
Dench and Maggie Smith sat among
us at the screening of Ladies in
Lavender in the Teatro Greco – it was a
memorable evening.
The region has always had links
with film, from the time Cary Grant,
Ava Gardner, Ingrid Bergman and
Sophia Loren frequented the San
Domenico Palace in the 1960s, to the
filming of scenes from The Godfather.
But what the guide books won’t tell
you about is the place I treasure most.
Nearly every morning I jump on a
scooter and ride for 20 minutes along
the winding tracks above the town
deep into the countryside. Here
farmers harvest their corn by hand
and wooden ploughs still furrow the
fields, pulled by sweating oxen. When
I have time I love nothing more than
to trek and camp in these green hills,
the medieval rural idyll a refreshing
contrast to Taormina’s modern riches.
For me, Sicily is at its finest out of
season, in the northern spring or
October, when the crowds have eased
and the mercury has fallen just
enough for the first signs of snow on
Etna. It marks the time of grape
harvest, which for a teetotaller like me
is of less interest than the olive harvest
later in the month.
The whole community including
visitors will help harvest the olives
until 1pm. It’s back-breaking work, but
you are spurred on to fill your baskets
by the smell of freshly baked bread,
anchovies, tomato, oregano and olive
oil of your lunchtime banquet. All the
locals bring their own dishes, which
are laid out in the long grass for
everyone to enjoy.
I haven’t dared venture my own
cuisine yet but one day the Sicilians
will learn the pleasures of haggis and
Irn-Bru.
Staying there
Villa Angela, Taormina, see
hotelvillaangela.com
Simple Minds, Devo and The Church
play A Day on the Green and indoor
shows nationally in December. For
tour dates and information, see
adayonthegreen.com.au
F B 1 2 3
e
c
n
e
i
r
e
p
x
E , CAMBODIA
VIETNA M
& LAOS
Our difference
goes a long way
SAV
$ 400E*
PE R C
VIETNAM
INSIGHT
OU PL
SAV
$ 618E*
PE R C
E
VIETNAM
REVEALED
OU PL
E
SAV
$ 639E*
PE R C
OU PL
CAMBODIA &
VIETNAM EXPLORER
E
SAV
$ 644E*
PE R C
OU PL
LAOS &
CAMBODIA EXPERIENCE
E
PER PERSON
11 DAYS FROM $1814* TWIN SHARE
PER PERSON
18 DAYS FROM $2780* TWIN SHARE
PER PERSON
14 DAYS FROM $2875* TWIN SHARE
PER PERSON
14 DAYS FROM $2899* TWIN SHARE
Gain a deeper understanding of magical
Vietnam with a more in depth journey
through its historic cities, provincial culture
and glistening coast.
INCLUDES 9 nights hotel accommodation
s!NOVERNIGHTSTAYON(ALONG"AY
s"REAKFASTDAILYLUNCHESDINNER
s3IGHTSEEINGINCLUDINGENTRANCEFEES
s4RANSFERSs%NGLISHSPEAKINGLOCALGUIDES
s7ESTERN4OUR,EADER^
Delve further into Vietnam and allow the
diverse landscapes of this alluring country
to unfold slowly before you, offering an
array of cultural gems, smiling locals, and
MOUTHWATERINGCUISINE
INCLUDES 16 nights hotel accommodation
s!NOVERNIGHTSTAYON(ALONG"AY
s"REAKFASTDAILYLUNCHESDINNER
s3IGHTSEEINGINCLUDINGENTRANCEFEES
s4RANSFERSs%NGLISHSPEAKINGLOCALGUIDES
s7ESTERN4OUR,EADER^
A journey through Cambodia and Vietnam
will uncover magical moments in places
you least expect. From the bustling streets
of Saigon to Phnom Penh, to the charm and
history of Hoi An and Siem Reap.
INCLUDES 13 nights hotel accommodation
s"REAKFASTDAILYLUNCHES
s3IGHTSEEINGINCLUDINGENTRANCEFEES
s4RANSFERSs%NGLISHSPEAKINGLOCALGUIDES
s7ESTERN4OUR,EADER^
&LOATDOWNTHE-EKONG2IVERTOAREMOTE
RIVERSIDELODGEIN,AOS"EENLIGHTENED
IN,UANG0RABANGTRAVELALONGANANCIENT
Khmer highway to the unequalled sight of
dawn’s first light falling upon the incredible
4EMPLESOF!NGKOR
INCLUDES 13 nights hotel accommodation
s"REAKFASTDAILYLUNCHESDINNER
s"OATTRIPSONTHE-EKONG2IVER
s3IGHTSEEINGINCLUDINGENTRANCEFEES
s4RANSFERSs%NGLISHSPEAKINGLOCALGUIDES
s7ESTERN4OUR,EADER^
Valid for sale to 05 Aug 12.
Valid travel 01 Nov - 21 Dec 12 +.
Valid for sale to 05 Aug 12.
Valid travel 01 Nov - 21 Dec 12 +.
Valid for sale to 05 Aug 12.
Valid travel 01 Nov - 21 Dec 12 +.
Valid for sale to 05 Aug 12.
Valid travel 01 Nov - 21 Dec 12 +.
60 YEARS
EXPERIENCE
WE ARE THE TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS!
SUPERIOR SERVICE
WE TAKE CARE OF YOUR EVERY NEED
GREAT VALUE
WE FIND YOU THE BEST DEALS
BIGGEST CHOICE
WE DO THE HARD WORK FOR YOU
BOOK WITH
CONFIDENCE
WITHOUT A TRAVEL AGENT YOU’RE
ON YOUR OWN
!SK THE TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS
DON’T FORGET YOUR
CASH PASSPORT.
132 757
AVAILABLE NOW!
FLIGHTS
+
HOLIDAYS
TOURS
CRUISES
harveyworld.com.au
INSURANCE
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
CAR HIRE
GIFT CARDS
GIFT REGISTRY
*AGENTS MAY CHARGE SERVICE FEES AND/OR FEES FOR CARD PAYMENTS WHICH VARY.#ONDITIONSANDSEASONALSURCHARGESAPPLY0RICESAREPERPERSONTWINSHAREANDINCLUDESAVINGSWHEREAPPLICABLE6ALIDFORSALETO!UG6ALIDFORTRAVELASSPECIFIED>7ESTERNTOURLEADERREQUIRESAMINIMUMOFPASSENGERS + Advertised price
ANDSAVINGSAREBASEDONLOWSEASONDEPARTURESBETWEEN.OVn$EC(IGHSEASONSURCHARGESAPPLYTODISCOUNTEDDEPARTURESBETWEEN$ECn-AR0RICESINFORMATIONARECORRECTATTIMEOFISSUEANDSUBJECTTOAVAILABILITYANDCHANGEATTIMEOFBOOKING7HEREAIRFARESAREINCLUDED!USTRALIANTAXESANDAIRPORTRELATEDCHARGESARE
INCLUDEDANDMAYVARYDEPENDINGONFLIGHTROUTINGS0RICESMAYFLUCTUATEDUETOCHANGESINCHARGESTAXESANDCURRENCY0RICESDONOTINCLUDETAXESORCHARGESCOLLECTEDDIRECTLYBYTHIRDPARTIES&ORCURRENTINFORMATIONONTRAVELLINGOVERSEASANDOFFICIAL'OVERNMENTTRAVELADVISORIESVISITWWWSMARTTRAVELLERGOVAU¸2EGISTEREDTRADEMARKOF(ARVEY7ORLD
4RAVEL'ROUP0TY,IMITED MULTI CURRENCY CASH PASSPORT: !CCESS0REPAID!USTRALIA0TY,TD!".!&3,ARRANGESFORTHEISSUEOFTHE#ASH0ASSPORTINCONJUNCTIONWITHTHEISSUER(ERITAGE"ANK,IMITED!".!&3,!#,9OUSHOULDCONSIDERTHE0RODUCT$ISCLOSURE3TATEMENTFORTHERELEVANT#ASH
0ASSPORTAVAILABLEATWWWCASHPASSPORTCOMAUBEFOREDECIDINGTOACQUIRETHEPRODUCT!NYADVICEDOESNOTTAKEINTOACCOUNTYOURPERSONALNEEDSFINANCIALCIRCUMSTANCESOROBJECTIVESANDYOUSHOULDCONSIDERIFITISAPPROPRIATEFORYOU3TELLA4RAVEL3ERVICES!USTRALIA0TY,IMITED!#.,ICENCE.OS.374!!#41,$
4!'6)#7!4!3!44!
(74?6)#?3(3
+