It has been a great evening.

I expected a quiet evening with beautiful photos, maybe too quiet for a big audience. It was an emotioning evening for all, instead.

We all remained fascinated by some of the most extraordinary images of volcanoes all around the world and we all remained conquered by Wolf’s volcanic personality and love he has for what he does and for people around him.

I am very sorry I had not my camera with me and I have nothing to publish about yesterday evening.

I can just report you some of his words (as I remember them) following question we did him: what about “safety” for people who want to follow your steps? No half terms: “risk“, he said, “you can’t do these photos without risking your life and I risk mine because I feel happy and life gave me more than I could expect.”; and what about going there with a guide? Even here a “non politic” answer: “Yes but alone you and your guide, no groups… and a guide as Alfio Mazzaglia; you have to be just you and him to feel his emotion and his passion for volcano at every step and share them”.

Don’t think he wishes to see people killed by Etna, no. You have to consider also this statement: “approach to Etna with small steps, come on Etna for several years and every time get closer. After many years you will begin to be part of it”. So risk, yes, but just when you are already in a close relationship with your volcano as Wolf is and it takes long years.

Not an invitation to take stupid risk but an invitation to be adopted by a volcano and be prepared. About Wolf’s experience when hot steam and gases hurt you unexpected to have been a Formula 3 pilot and to still that old fireproof suit under your clothes can make the difference.

Photo courtesy by mr. and mrs. Krabusch, to the left Wolf Müller, to the right one of his best friend, Nino Mazzaglia, “Funivia dell’Etna” (cabel car) director.

The notorious volcanologist Wolf Müller will be in Nicolosi.

On July, 28th at 09:00 p.m. in volcanologic museum “Museo vulcanologico di Nicolosi” he will present his photographic travel on most beautiful and active volcanoes of the world.

This show will be not technical but artistic.

It is a great occasion to meet this carismatic man adopted by our volcano several years ago.

Access is totally free… but I know he loves Etna red wine

(photo of SiwssEduc.ch)

After watching Beck’s photo of Catania as seen by hotel’s terrace Jana and Jiri Wuensche sent me their shoot by same position.

Photo is just few hours old and it has been sent thanks to free wireless hotel offers.

Thanks to them for this nice photo.

By their own words: “Nearly like from Mulholland drive… maybe even better ”

EDIT: I add a link to Giuseppe Castiglia’s “Che bedda Catania” (how beautiful is Catania) - Che bedda Catania

After hacker attack I can re-publish lost new with Oliver’s photos. It said:

Oliver Beck went back to Germany just in time to see his football team arrive once more close to the dream and loose it. After my holiday in Germany few weeks ago and after seeing so many people loving their national I am sad for them all.

Luckly he didn’t forget to send us his pictures.

Inspired by mr. and mrs. Krabusch shoots he decided to capture some moments of life on a volcano.

One of his photo shows Catania by night seen by his room. Isn’t it nicer than Los Angeles?

Website was down for two days due to an hacker attack.

We are back online thanks to a backup but I’ll have to replace Oliver Beck’s photos.

We hope hacker will choice Etna for his next holidays now he has seen how beautiful is our volcano.

It’s like summer and winter. Twice per year we wait mr. and mrs. Krabusch CDs and we enjoy their ‘eye’ to catch in photos all strange thing we have on Etna.

Photos added to our gallery as Krabusch May 2010

‘Sud-Est’ crater was showing activity in past days.

I can give this new just today due to a travel to Germany to visit country from where most of our guests come from (and it is an extraordinary country!).

Here there is Oliver Beck e-mail dated June, 19th:

“Hi Davide,

seems there was a new collapse event this morning at the pit on the east flank of SEC. See attached webcam-image. Perhaps this ist the start of new activity at SEC, perhaps collapse continues. We have to wait and see. I’am looking forward to my holiday at your hotel and hope this ash launches develop to strombolian activity.”

This morning a local guide (not an Etna guide) told us it was not possible to reach the top due to possible activity. I called cable car station and they told me: “false”.

There is not particular activity so if you hear anything different please contact me.

Today Geo Etna Explorer decided to visit ‘our’ cave.

It was a test and now I have some data.

- even a not well equipped group can easily reach this cave. It will be even easier in future after more people will discover this cave and will trace a comfortable path.

- a complete excursion with a slow group requires 55 minutes as expected. Alone and fast you can do a complete tour in less than 30 minutes, anyway.

- first ‘jump’ in cave is about two meters. Even not prepared people can enter first cave level without help due to many handholds and footholds. Less problems than I thought.

- second jump is very difficult without a stair (or proper equipment). It is still possible to go down without but I strongly suggest to don’t do that. A volunteer should definitively put a stair there, isn’t it?

- ’surprise’ at end of this path (see last new) adds much to this excursion and makes it a complete and various tour.

Here some photos of today’s trip.

Together with two friends we gave a closer look to cave which stays close to hotel.

We planned how to leave a semi permanent stair with less impact possible for cave.

Beeing a small group it was possible to descend inside to discover that it is bigger I remembered and that to enter in main room there is a second jump with needing of a second longer stair.

It was possible to go inside without stairs but it is not a wise idea and. Without it this can be an hazardous procedure.

After third excursions to cave in four days I finally decided a possible tour. In less than one hour (even just thirdy minutes with a good step) it would be possible to appreciate:

- pillow lavas (soft shape lavas)

- “Pahoehoe” lavas (flat lavas on which you can walk very easily)

- “A’a” lavas (sharp lavas)

- several lava rivers (looking at them you will figure out when lava was still melted and flew inside its natural banks)

- a cave with three different arms to south and south-est and a big room to north (cave entrance is at center of their crossing)

- “bonus” on way back to hotel it is possible to reach Orazio and Antonio Nicoloso chalet. What’s special? It has been covered by lava in 1983 but Nicoloso brothers digged about 20 meters and …no, I will not publish any photo, you’ll have to discover by yourself wether they found anything or not

About cave problems next time we’ll have to do some cleanings. People who discovered this cave in past years decide to sponsorship it with Pepsi cans and other garbage. Why?