This year’s trip began auspiciously with our hotel just a stone’s throw from the bridge taking us over to the beautiful island of Ortigia. After taking in the wonderful Mediterranean views (including a few yachts), we moved a little further in-land to learn about the ruins at Siracusa and the surreal Baroque brilliance of Noto. Over the next few days, the boys encountered many different sites that betrayed Sicily’s crucial historical position as an invader’s stop-off point between North Africa and Europe, most notably the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento and the temples and amphitheatre at Segesta and Selinunte. Our last two days were spent in the city of Palermo, learning about Sicily’s principal city and the nearby architectural jewel of Monreale. All of this walking and learning necessitated, of course, a pizza lunch and some paddling in the blue Mediterranean waters at Mondello. It was a great opportunity for the Year 8 and 8S boys to spend a week with their NCS friends in a stunning setting.