Monthly Archives: November 2012

November 21, 2012 · 2:39 pm

Day 14 – Pompeii!!

Pompeii ruins

Pompeii ruins

12th June 2012

Today we’re heading to Maiori on the Amalfi Coast but first we get to explore the ancient ruins of Pompeii. Now this is one place I’ve been looking forward to visiting for a VERY long time. I first read about Pompeii when I was about ten or eleven and have been fascinated ever since. I dragged my two daughters down to the Melbourne Museum to see “A day in Pompeii”   a few years ago, well, maybe not quite dragged as there was shopping involved too. They were keen to see the exibition but couldn’t believe how long I stayed inside. I happily missed a few extra hours shopping in exchange for more time soaking it all in and anyone who knows me would agree that happily missing out on shopping is highly unusual.

Oranges and Lemons - fresh lemonade at Pompeii

Oranges and Lemons – fresh lemonade at Pompeii

We had a great guide today, both knowledgeable and entertaining, I am definitely coming back one day to visit the museum in Naples. Apart from actually being at Pompeii at long last the next best thing there was the freshly made lemonade from the stalls just outside the site – really hit the spot being such a hot day.

I don’t know why but I just can’t find the words to describe today’s visit like every other day, for me it was just special. I felt terribly silly, but on the way there I was almost in tears a few times because I was so happy. Suffice to say – it was excellent.

Oops! On the Amalfi Coast road

Oops! On the Amalfi Coast road

And then – the road along the Amalfi Coast – amazing! Just driving on this road is an experience not to be missed. I’ve been on some pretty narrow, windy roads but this one was particularly crazy. As usual, Andrea was superb, calm and relaxed, which is more than could be said for some of my fellow passengers. There were a few clenched hands on the seats and anxious faces at times, but I was too enthralled by everything we saw along the way to be worried.

The funniest thing was that when we reached a normal road again the tour guide thanked and congratulated Andrea on his performance and informed us – it was the first time he had ever driven it – wow!!

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November 18, 2012 · 6:33 pm

Day 13 – Assisi & Spoleto

11th June 2012

View from outside Assisi Italy

View from outside Assisi Italy

Nice late start this morning – 9am. I asked the tour guide this morning if it mattered if I didn’t go on the tour of St Francis’ Basilica today, he said no but thought I should give it a try to get “a sense of it”. I don’t know what he meant but I stayed with them – guess it wasn’t too bad but I can’t reconcile the story of St Francis forsaking his wealth with the scale of the basilica let alone the wealth in the church as a whole. I will say I took some photos of the square just below the church that I’m pretty pleased with – the terrible weather really helped.

Artist at work Assisi Italy

Artist at work Assisi Italy

After our tour of the basilica it poured rain for a while (was that a message, hahaha?), so I ducked into a café for a coffee and caught up on some messaging. It eased off after a while and the cooler change was nice for walking. I liked the town of Assisi and found plenty to keep me occupied for a few hours. For all my whingeing about tours of churches I ended up buying my grand-daughters a guardian angel bracelet each and my eldest daughter a tin poster with a drawing of an angel and “I believe in angels” on it. I know they will love them so that’s what matters – plus they don’t take up much room – I’m beginning to wise up to the finer points of gift buying when overseas.

on the Ponte delle Torri, Spoleto

on the Ponte delle Torri, Spoleto

On the way back to Spoleto we stopped on the other side of the viaduct so we could walk across it to the town. It’s humbling to think we’re walking across this bridge that is 80 or 90 metres high that was built thousands of years ago,  just gives me shivers at times to contemplate the fact we’re walking in the footsteps of so many others. On a more touristy note Margaret has assigned herself as my own private photographer, she is horrified that I don’t have many photos of myself everywhere we go.  I have started to give in and let her take a pic of me sometimes  even though I dislike posing for them, so today’s one was on the Ponte delle Torri. 

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November 17, 2012 · 4:30 pm

Day 12 – Siena & Spoleto

10th June

Siena Italy

Siena Italy

Next stop for our big orange bus was Siena. We had about a ten minute walk from where we parked to the Piazza del Campo. We, along with possibly every other visitor to Siena, took some photos along the way looking over the city at a magical spot near the Proserpino Cafe. I took a photo of the shop because there is a town in Queensland called Proserpine!

Anyhow, the highlight of Siena for me was lunch in a little restaurant somewhere down a back street. I had a local specialty(I’ve forgotten the name already) but the family told me it is a mixture of meats cooked on the bone and gained widespread use during and after the WW2 because of the shortage of meat. I’m not usually a fan of casserole type dishes but this one I enjoyed. I was pretty pleased with myself for getting off the beaten track and I loved talking to the family members at the restaurant – if you could call it talking, lots of smile and nod going on from my end.

Piazza del Campo before the lunchtime crowd descended

Piazza del Campo before the lunchtime crowd descended

We were introduced to Siena’s traditional panforte cake at a little shop just off the Piazza del Campo. I liked the cake but the elderly gentleman who owned the shop was the real star, he was very charming, a real darling. Apparently while we were in the cake shop our own resident older gentleman, Terry, came to the designated meeting point, couldn’t find us and went off to other corners of the piazza thinking he was in the wrong spot. We waited outside for five or so minutes but he didn’t show so we had to return to the bus one short. Again, we were all craning our necks trying to find him but it’s just impossible in the crowds to pick anyone out. When we got halfway back to the bus the tour guide set us on our way and he ran back to have another look. Terry arrived in a taxi just a couple of minutes after we got there, clever man decided that would be the quickest way back. I don’t think I would have thought to do that. I felt so sorry for him, he was really apologetic and you could see he felt badly but I’m pretty sure almost everyone took the time to tell him not to worry which was nice.

Sleepers on the bus

Sleepers on the bus

I can’t believe how everyone goes to sleep on the bus in the afternoons, I sometimes think it would be nice to have a nap but then I think I might miss something so no sleeps for me! Jenny and I had each other just about in hysterics this afternoon talking about times we’ve fallen asleep and woken or been woken up doing embarrassing things like dribbling or talking. I have no idea how but we ended up doing our impressions of the Titanic scene where Kate Winslett is standing on the bow with her arms out, and then about 10 minutes later I looked over and here she was fast asleep – good one Jen!!

We arrived in Spoleto with plenty of daylight left for exploring, I found the remains of the Roman amphitheatre just behind the hotel and saw the locals having their afternoon chat sessions outside their shops and houses. Welcome drinks and nibbles tonight went down well, it was a big day.

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November 14, 2012 · 10:33 pm

Day 12 – San Gimignano

10th June 2012

I was a little sad to say goodbye to my lovely hotel room and Montecatini today. It’s been great to have 5 nights in one place and have little day trips around the region. I doesn’t feel so much like a packaged tour when you’re not moving every day or so. We’re off to Spoletto for two nights with stops at San Gimignano and Siena today.

View from San Gimignano Italy

View from San Gimignano Italy

We drove through some really pretty country on the way to San Gimignano, “Town of Towers”, lots of patchwork paddocks and green hills. I must have thought Europe would be wall to wall towns and cities and it keeps astounding me how, for such a small area, there is so much open country in Italy.

There is a Torture Museum as well as a Death Penalty Museum – maybe we should all be on our best behaviour! There were also quite a few wooden statues of naked men along the street we walked in on, I’m not sure what their significance is but I guess there’s an interesting story in there somewhere – another one for my next visit. I seemed to pack a fair bit in to the short time we spent here although I’m not sure everyone would agree with me.

Hidden garden, San Gimignano Italy

Hidden garden, San Gimignano Italy

I had morning tea at a cafe in the main piazza and spotted Andrea throwing a coin in the wishing well – although he wouldn’t own up to making a wish. I meandered around the back streets and found some lovely gardens and interesting old wheels and took photos of course. I bought a dress and t-shirt and some photographic prints of old San Gimignano, had a taste of gelato from “the only gelato shop in the top 10 best gourmet places in the world” and generally just soaked up the quaint atmosphere.

Men's meeting, San Gimignano

Men’s meeting, San Gimignano

I love how the Italians congregate outside and sit around talking and laughing. I came across a group of older men sitting on assorted old chairs near the main square obviously having their morning chat and watching the world go by. Seeing them made me chuckle, they looked so laid-back and happy.

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