FUN-photos: Rimini to Palermo, Italy

November 11, 2013 by · Comments Off on FUN-photos: Rimini to Palermo, Italy 

We arrived in Rimini the afternoon of October 15th. We were there for the TTG Incontri Travel & Tourism Industry Show where Susan spoke. On the morning of the 19th we picked up another car and headed south with our first stop in San Marino and then on to Sorrento for 3 days where we visited Capri, the Blue Grotto, Pompeii & Herculaneum. We continued south along the Amalfi Coast with stops in Positano & Amalfi and spent the night in Tropea. We drove to Villa San Giovanni where we picked up the ferry to Sicily. Our first stop there was Taormina for 2 days, then off to Ragusa for 2 days with stops on the way in Giardini-Naxos, Siracusa & Noto. Our last 2 nights were spent in Terrasini, a small seaside town next to the airport since we had a very early flight out on the 29th. We stopped and saw the Greek ruins in Agrigento & Segesta as well as seeing the fabulous church in Monreale on the outskirts of Palermo.

If you click on the first picture it will allow you to create a slide show. And it turns out they are in ascending order (in other words, the first is actually the last) So if you click the back arrow you will see them in order. Enjoy!

FUN-travel: Sorrento to Zambrone/Tropea, Italy

October 29, 2013 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Sorrento to Zambrone/Tropea, Italy 

Day 37 – Tuesday, October 22 – Sorrento to Zambrone, Italy – hazy turns to full sun – high 75 – low 59

Positano, Italy 2013 2

Positano

What I LIKE

  • *7:30 – more good macchiato

    Positano, Italy 2013 12

    Positano

  • 9:30 – breakfast
  • 10:00 – ready to go
  • Pierpaolo has friend Max w/hotel in Zambrone for us to connect with
  • **front desk calls for 5:00 meet up there
  • ***Chris taking really long time bringing car up from garage
  • ask front desk how you get out
  • she views camera & opens door for him
  • ask front desk how to  go w/car & directs us to faster road south
  • English radio in car
  • more really steep road w/switchbacks
  • glad we have automatic!
  • 11:00 – arrive Positano – JTC!
  • find parking right in town – only $4 Euro for 1  hour
  • wander through maze of small streets
  • 11:45 – hot cappuccino break
  • 12:00 – ready to go
  • 12:30 – arrive Amalfi – eat to go sandwich @ fountain by sea
  • walk around town – more JTC!
  • +1:30 – more hot capp @ stand up bar – $5 Euro
  • share bar w/bicycling buddies
  • took picture for my brother who loves to cycle w/his buddies
  • ++1:45 – ready to head south
Positano, Italy 2013 6

Positano

  • more teeny, tiny road snakes down & out of Amalfi coast
  • +++4:35 – gas/cappuccino/cheese & arugula panini break
  • 5:00 – continue
Amalfi, Italy 2013 18

Amalfi

  • big mountains give way to rolling hills
  • lots of tunnels
  • #7:00 – arrive hotel – il Borgo de Principe (after passing it, coming to a dead end road & doing u turn)

    Amalfi, Italy 2013 16

    Amalfi

  • front desk gives us biz card for restaurant in Tropea (10 kms)
  • leave big bags in car – too much hassle!
  • 8:00 – we find it! good signage & directions from locals – Il Convivio – in medieval section of town
  • Negromare 2010  vino rosso – have no idea where it’s from – $23 Euro – calabrian salad (basically like greek w/o feta & olives) – lasagna (swinging out & trying something new) – so so Chris thinks mine is better – bread is like pizza w/o toppings – tartuffo for dessert (for mama & whitey) – ball of vanilla ice cream filled w/chocolate syrup & rolled in powdered chocolate – capp for Chris – $43 Euro
  • 9:15 – OWF – attempt to find way back!
  • need to go left & arrow points right only
  • when in doubt play stupid & go where you need to
  • 10:00 – arrive w/no map or GPS – unbelievable!
  • 12:00 – night night

JTC – Just Too Cute!
OWF – Oh What FUN!

Amalfi, Italy 2013 12

Amalfi

What I DON’T LIKE

  • *Chris wakes me up 6:15 – thinks it’s 7:15!
  • **traffic is crazy & roads under construction
  • Don’t arrive until 7:00 pm & miss meeting Max
  • ***he’s stuck – garage door won’t open
  • +asked to sit @ table in Piazza & told had to eat so left & found this place

Sorrento, Italy 2013 7

  • ++not ready for the long drive
  • +++lots of roadwork – only 1 lane for long stretches
  • #GPS can’t locate hotel
  • we’re so late Max has gone
  • no internet @ hotel
  • missing my bed big time!
Amalfi, Italy 2013 19

Amalfi

FUN-fact – Amalfi means the “Devine Coast” and Positano is said to be the most “Devine Town.”
More FF – Flavio Gioia, who invented the compass, was born in Amalfi.
Not so FF – Calabria reminds us of Mexico.

FUN-travel: Sorrento, Italy – Full Day 2

October 28, 2013 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Sorrento, Italy – Full Day 2 

Day 36 – Monday, October 21 – Sorrento, Italy – Day 2 – full sun – high 75 – low 59

Herculaneum, Italy 2013 8

Hall of the Augustals – Herculaneum

What I LIKE

Herculaneum, Italy 2013 24

Herculaneum

  • 7:15 – try macchiato & much better!
  • 9:30 – breakfast & to go sandwich
  • I ask directions for driving out of garage – WWIT!
  • Elisabetta @ front desk is the best
  • BI – assumes we’re taking train to Herculaneum & Pompeii
  • *10:37 – train on time
  • only costs $2.20 pp one way
  • faster & no traffic nightmare
  • 11:25 – arrive Erculano station
  • not sure where it is so just follow the crowd down hill
  • 11:35 – get tickets – $10 Euro for 1 site or $20 Euro for all 5 sites
  • only going to Pompeii – but hey, save $2 Euro
  • **free booklet describes the ruins
  • lovely Brit gives me his map – says no need to pay for audio – booklet has same info
  • 12:00 – start walk down – area approx 4 big blocks by 4 big blocks – just some of the things we saw:
  • Barrel Arches – vaulted rooms – port warehouses – discovered in 1980 w/300 skeletons
  • House of Relief of Telephus – 2nd largest – between columns hang plaster casts of marble to ward off evil
  • Taberna – public dining w/marble covered counter held large jars inserted w/hot food
  • House of Neptune & Amphitrite – glass paste wall mosaic of Neptune & Amphitrite
  • Hall of the Augustals – frescos depict Hercules
Herculaneum, Italy 2013 20

House of Neptune & Amphitrite

Herculaneum, Italy 2013 42

Barrel Arches

  • ***1:30 – finish
  • +1:50 – arrive train station
  • chat with lovely couple from Perth while waiting
  • 2:37 – take train to Pompeii
  • 2:57 – arrive & entrance is right there
  • I was here 15 years ago – Chris’ 1st time
  • wander streets – amazing how big city was!
  • 4:00 – overwhelmed & done
  • beer break – Heineken 22 oz – $5 Euro
  • stations very well marked for tourists & they announce sites
  • ++4:25 – get a seat
  • 4:55 – arrive
  • 5:15 – see couple eating pizza & ask how good – they say driver recommended it (next couple to sit down after us says same thing)
  • nothing fancy – 3 high top tables on narrow sidewalk
  • Pizzeria Franco – diavola & caprese salad – more homegrown tomatoes –2005 Vigna Piano d’Angelo – the BEST so far! $53 Euro
Herculaneum, Italy 2013 22

Taberna

  • 6:30 – back to hotel
  • pack & get ready for next big adventure
  • +++10:15  night night

BI (brilliant idea!)
WWIT (What Was I Thinking!)

Herculaneum, Italy 2013 26

House of Relief of Telephus

What I DON’T LIKE

  • *SRO & packed like sardines
  • **have to buy audio guide to get map
  • ***some things I want to see closed for renovation
  • +ask for directions & miss 1:53 train – have to wait for next one
  • ++4:17 – train late
  • +++twinkle no longer dancing in distance
Pompeii, Italy 2013 8

Pompeii

FUN-fact –Unlike Pompeii, which was buried under a layer of ash and lapilli 6 to 7 meters deep,  Herculaneum was submerged by a mud and lava flow measuring up to 25 meters deep. It is the mud that preserved everything it came in contact with, effectively sealing it and petrifying it.
More FF – Herculaneum was a very affluent community with large villas filled with rich collections of art and sculptures.
More FF – Herculaneum and Pompeii became a UNESCO site in 1997.

FUN-travel: Sorrento, Italy – Full Day 1

October 27, 2013 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Sorrento, Italy – Full Day 1 

Day 35 – Sunday, October 20 – Sorrento, Italy – Day 1 – full sun – high 75 – low 59

Capri, Italy 2013 6

Capri Port

What I LIKE

Sorrento, Italy 2013 4

Sorrento

  • 7:00 – wake up
  • 7:15 – machine cappuccino – so so
  • *9:40 – breakfast
  • 10:20 – begin Sorrento adventure
  • **10:45 – walk down to dock for boat to Capri
  • 11:15 – arrive
  • find ticket booth for boat to Blue Grotto
  • ***11:45 – boat reservation
  • 11:55 – takes off
  • +12:15 – arrives Blue Grotto
  • ++1:00 – transfer to smaller boat – only holds 4 + driver w/oars
  • wonderful – sings opera inside w/other guide/drivers
  • clearly enjoying his job!
  • 1:15 – head back to port
  • +++1:30 – arrive & thirsty
  • get funicular tickets – talk man into taking $12 US
  • 2:10 – beer break
  • 2:30 – short walk around town
  • 3:00 – funicular down
  • #3:15 – boat reservation back to Sorrento
  • 3:45 – arrive
  • walk back up to Sorrento town
  • 4:00 – late lunch/dinner @ Aurora Restaurant on Piazza Lauro – 2008 Sole di Sesta – sicily syrah $30 – caprese salad & diavola pizza – not the best – $53 Euro
Capri, Italy 2013 14

Blue Grotto Entrance

  • 5:15 – walk around shops
  • 7:00 – back to room for happy hour on balcony
  • more unbelievably beautiful twinkle on the bay!
  • not hungry – so another cheap food day
Capri, Italy 2013 17

Blue Grotto

 What I DON’T LIKE

  • *no fresh fruit – only canned
  • **costs $70 Euro for 2 – only cash
  • ***costs $27 Euro for 2 – only cash
  • +there’s a big back up of boats waiting
Capri, Italy 2013 25

Capri Town

  • ++park entrance fee for grotto is $25 Euro for 2 – only cash
  • +++out of cash – just blew through $122 Euro!
  • ATM in Capri @ top of hill – over 30 min walk & don’t have enough time
  • #not enough time in Capri – should have booked the 4:30 back
zCapri, Italy 2013 27

Capri City Center

FUN-fact – Unlike the other islands in the Gulf of Naples, Capri’s origin is not volcanic but sedimentary.
More FF – One of its first fans was the Roman Emperor Tiberius, who spent the last years of his life here.
Not so FF –And rumor has it he liked to be “entertained” by little boys in the blue grotto.

FUN-travel: San Marino to Sorrento, Italy

October 26, 2013 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: San Marino to Sorrento, Italy 

Day 34 – Saturday, October 19 – San Marino to Sorrento, Italy – overcast, foggy turns to full on sun – 60 to 70’s

San Marino, San Marino 2013 11

San Marino

  • 2:00 – road heads west into big mountains
  • colorful array of fall foliage
  • getting warmer as we go
  • *3:00 – gas stop @ service area (AKA car/truck stop)
  • 3:40 – pizza break @ next service area (this is not Pizza Hut)
  • really good! – 2 huge homemade pizzas only $7.90 Euro
  • +5:45 – coming into Napoli
  • it’s 75 degrees!
  • only 30 more miles to go
  • 7:00 – still in gridlock traffic
  • know we’re close to center of town
  • **pull over @ 1st acceptable hotel – Hotel Central
  • ask how much & to see room
  • lovely Elisabetta takes me to
  • ++4th floor w/balcony facing bay of Naples – quiet – (2 blocks from sea)
  • clean & no cucarachas – only $120 Euro
  • Chris starts whining (thinks internet should be free)
  • she throws it in @ no charge because we stay 3 nights
  • 7:15 – order 2 cold Perroni beers @ bar
  • unpack &  repack bag for much nicer weather to come
  • +++go back to bar for wine glasses for room
Sorrento, Italy 2013 1

Sorrento

  • checked TripAdvisor & we got a very good rate!
  • Comfort Inn 3 star next door actually has high TA ratings

    zSan Marino, San Marino 2013 13

    San Marino

  • 9:00 – shower perked me up
  • 9:15 – sitting on balcony drinking nice bottle of wine from Mauro
  • could be best twinkle ever seen!
  • like dazzling, shimmering jewels dancing in the distance!
  • see fireworks too!
  • full moon coming up
  • not really hungry so munch on Kirkland almonds I brought
  • cheapest food day ever!

What I DON’T LIKE

  • * hungry & food choices don’t look that good
  • + looking for internet café to book room for Sorrento & can’t find one
  • **have to get out of this car!
  • tolls cost $31.50 Euro to get here
  • 6:00 – traffic comes to a grinding halt on the narrow, twisty, winding road to Sorrento6:30 – still not there yet
  • & really tired of being in car so long
  • ++parking is $15 Euro per day extra & they charge $15 Euro for internet (3 days)
  • slightly obstructed view – 3rd story roof next door & several TV antennas
  • only have plastic cups in room
  • +++told Maitre‘d won’t let us have them, so take pina colada glasses to room
Sorrento, Italy 2013 3

Sorrento

WATCH (What Are The Chances) – Chris parks car @ Hotel Central & sees internet café across the street!

FUN-fact – New addendum to my travel motto: It’s 5:00 somewhere, and I want to be somewhere by 5:00!
More FF – Sorrento is magnificently situated on the top of a rock plateau which drops sheer to the sea below and is rich in citrus fruits, gardens and vegetation.