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THE PEAK of Stromboli lurked behind my hotel, black smoke seeping from its top, making me more fearful as the hours passed. The total absence of vegetation on the volcano’s upper half gave it a daunting and desolate feel.
I had signed up to climb to the summit of the volcano that comprises most of this small, carless Italian island, strung in between Sicily and the nation’s boot, and issues the black sand that covers its beaches. Stromboli is one of several active (in its case, hyperactive) volcanoes in Italy, from…