To make weekends fun and something to look forward to, Jo and I are thinking of going to different places, now that we know where to catch the bus and where it goes to. We are hoping to go back to Siracusa and Ortigia in the daylight and also to go further north up the coast to Messina, Milazzo and even across to the not-so-far-away mainland (the toe of the boot).

On Friday evening we went into the centre for drinks. As it is still warm here, everyone just walks up and down outside all evening - some sit at tables outside bars and cafes but the streets of Catania were thronging with young people. It reminded me of Christmas shopping on Oxford street, it was that busy. It was quite alien to me and so I simply watched it all. I am not sure exactly how you're supposed to talk to new people when they're all going somewhere but I expect we will check it all out at some point. I am still trying to set up a daytime conversation exchange with someone so I can practise speaking Italian and also help them with their English, whilst drinking coffee and eating nice things.

On Saturday my Italian seemed to have deserted me (as my English is slowly doing as well) - but I managed to get some folders etc in a nearby stationers and finally get all my pieces of paper in order. This feels much better and so I hope that lessons will take less time to plan with each new week. Jo and I treated ourselves to ice cream and a couple of small cakes (pasticcini) at the local cafe. They had an amazing array of small choux pastries and other delights. We chose one with coffee icing and another shaped like a swan.  We were also quite excited to find a cheaper food shop. I was so excited to see frozen chips and sprouts (not for the same meal).

On Sunday we hopped on the Taormina bus again but this time got off one stop earlier at the coastal resort of Giardini Naxos. The beach here (or, at least the part we found) is shingle, tiny grey pebbles with some sparkly bits and to our amusement, some bits of old kitchen tiles perfectly rounded by the sea but with the design still visible on the back. The beach was not that busy but sometimes the loud conversations of Italians drifted over - they do nothing quietly. It was quite relaxing and the sea was still nice for a dip - it was very clear again.  A small plane or two flew over very low and the odd jet ski and boat sailed past further out to sea. Etna, to our right, was hidden by cloud. Here, like Isola Bella at Taormina, you are asked if you want to buy something every five minutes, by immigrants from African countries and China - they all speak Italian. Usually people think we are German or Scandinavian as many come on holiday to Sicily, but when they find out you are from England they always guess London. So we were pleased when one man, who had been to England, reeled off a whole load of place names, even Nottingham, when he was asking.

Towards the end of the afternoon the skies clouded over - at one point there were the strange clouds above - so we packed up and went to a cafe. This time I tried ice cream in a brioche, (pistachio and almond) an ice cream sandwich.

I am relieved to say the temperature seems to be going cooler this week. I have two new classes (both one-to-ones) - one of which is helping someone who is going to take an exam to be an English literature teacher in a school. I am helping her to analyse passages from books and other texts. It was a refreshing change from teaching grammar. The other new woman is taking a rather technical exam which students take to show their proficiency for universities or working abroad in an English speaking country. Meanwhile, one of my pre-intermediate adult classes asks lots of questions and so it is becoming clear to me that English is quite a confusing and complicated language - I really have to swallow a grammar book to understand it sufficiently. There are simply loads of resources online and in book form to help you but it is having the time to absorb them all and use the best ones for the class.