Sampling Some of Sicily and Bits of Italy Beyond
Jan 4th, 2018, 01:25 PM
#121
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No, annhig, we didn't have a guide. I can see how a guide would be really valuable in a place like Pompeii. There were many offering their services on the day we were there, but we decided to wander around on our own.
The Train from Naples to Pompeii and Back
Taking a train from Naples to Pompeii seemed like a pretty straightforward option. We started out after breakfast, taking a cab called by the hotel to the station, where we easily found the lower level with the Circumvesuviana commuter train, bought our tickets and located the correct platform. The platform didn't seem especially crowded, but when the train to Pompeii pulled in and we tried to board, we found all the cars were crammed full of passengers. Finally, we squeezed onto one car, where we were packed tightly together, right at the doorway. Not a pleasant situation, but none the less, we were soon involved in an interesting conversation with a nice Brazilian woman, who was jammed up right next to us and trying, like we were, to make the best of things. It did seem that not one more human being could possibly be inserted into that railway car. But a few stops down the line, the doors opened and two more people climbed on board, a man who looked to be a laborer and a small, younger woman who seemed to be traveling with him. The man, to our surprise and dismay, squeezed himself between Steve and me, with his face just inches from Steve's. "Do you want to kiss or something?" Steve quipped, disconcerted by the man's close proximity. The man didn't move, and the woman with him stood in front of me, next to Steve. I motioned to her that we could change places so she could move next to her partner, but she didn't seem to want to shift from her space. Uncomfortably, we traveled along, stopping at a few more stations. At one point, the train stopped, the doors opened and a transit policeman boarded our car. Immediately, the man and woman crowding us exited the train. Almost right away, the policeman indicated to Steve that he should be carrying his backpack on his front, not on his back. He also motioned toward Steve's pockets, letting him know that he should not be carrying anything he wouldn't want to lose. At this point, we realized that my purse, which I always carry crossbody style, was unzipped, as was Steve's back pocket. Fortunately, all my purse contained was a comb, a small bottle of sunscreen, some pages ripped out of a guidebook, and a wad of used Kleenex tissues. Steve's back pocket also contained nothing worth anything. It didn't take much to figure out that the man pushing close to Steve, and his female partner, were probably up to no good. A few stations later, that assumption was pretty much confirmed. Two stops after the transit cop exited our car, this pair hopped on again, obviously working the train. Luckily, they hadn't found much on us worth their trouble, but this was the closest we had ever come to being victimized while traveling.
Thankfully, the train ride back to Naples in the late afternoon was much less crowded and we scored two seats, side by side. Facing us in one of the two seats opposite ours was a workman who seemed to be on his way home after a day's labor. We hadn't gone far on our return journey when we noticed three young people (two men and a girl) boarding the train, conferring a minute together before splitting up and going their separate ways. One of the young men stayed in the back of the car we were in, and we forgot about him. That is, until Steve took out his iPhone to show me the photos he'd taken in Pompeii and I noticed this man suddenly making his way down the aisle. At the same time, the man sitting opposite us made eye contact with Steve and shook his head, looking pointedly at the phone in Steve's hand. Heeding the man's warning, Steve stuck his phone away and the young man continued down through our car. At that point, our seat mate, who didn't speak much English, continued to shake his head while exclaiming to us, "No good! No good!" Then he made a pantomime of snatching a phone from someone's hand. We appreciated his warning, and for the rest of the journey, we chatted back and forth, haltingly, with him. "No work in Naples" he told us, saying he travelled back and forth to a job in Sorrento every day. He was happy to hear that we were from New York, although we didn't try to explain we were from upstate, not the big city. Before he got off at his stop, he warned us again that some in his city were up to "no good, no good!" We thanked him for his advice and wished him a very good night.
We made it back to our hotel without incident after another wild taxi ride from the station. Upon checkin at the hotel, we had received a voucher for a free drink in their pretty courtyard, so we settled down, among the greenery and statuary, on a comfortable wicker sofa and ordered glasses of wine. It felt so good, after our busy day of sightseeing, to relax with a chilled glass of white wine accompanied by plump green olives and a bowl of special Neapolitan crackers. Perfection!
The Train from Naples to Pompeii and Back
Taking a train from Naples to Pompeii seemed like a pretty straightforward option. We started out after breakfast, taking a cab called by the hotel to the station, where we easily found the lower level with the Circumvesuviana commuter train, bought our tickets and located the correct platform. The platform didn't seem especially crowded, but when the train to Pompeii pulled in and we tried to board, we found all the cars were crammed full of passengers. Finally, we squeezed onto one car, where we were packed tightly together, right at the doorway. Not a pleasant situation, but none the less, we were soon involved in an interesting conversation with a nice Brazilian woman, who was jammed up right next to us and trying, like we were, to make the best of things. It did seem that not one more human being could possibly be inserted into that railway car. But a few stops down the line, the doors opened and two more people climbed on board, a man who looked to be a laborer and a small, younger woman who seemed to be traveling with him. The man, to our surprise and dismay, squeezed himself between Steve and me, with his face just inches from Steve's. "Do you want to kiss or something?" Steve quipped, disconcerted by the man's close proximity. The man didn't move, and the woman with him stood in front of me, next to Steve. I motioned to her that we could change places so she could move next to her partner, but she didn't seem to want to shift from her space. Uncomfortably, we traveled along, stopping at a few more stations. At one point, the train stopped, the doors opened and a transit policeman boarded our car. Immediately, the man and woman crowding us exited the train. Almost right away, the policeman indicated to Steve that he should be carrying his backpack on his front, not on his back. He also motioned toward Steve's pockets, letting him know that he should not be carrying anything he wouldn't want to lose. At this point, we realized that my purse, which I always carry crossbody style, was unzipped, as was Steve's back pocket. Fortunately, all my purse contained was a comb, a small bottle of sunscreen, some pages ripped out of a guidebook, and a wad of used Kleenex tissues. Steve's back pocket also contained nothing worth anything. It didn't take much to figure out that the man pushing close to Steve, and his female partner, were probably up to no good. A few stations later, that assumption was pretty much confirmed. Two stops after the transit cop exited our car, this pair hopped on again, obviously working the train. Luckily, they hadn't found much on us worth their trouble, but this was the closest we had ever come to being victimized while traveling.
Thankfully, the train ride back to Naples in the late afternoon was much less crowded and we scored two seats, side by side. Facing us in one of the two seats opposite ours was a workman who seemed to be on his way home after a day's labor. We hadn't gone far on our return journey when we noticed three young people (two men and a girl) boarding the train, conferring a minute together before splitting up and going their separate ways. One of the young men stayed in the back of the car we were in, and we forgot about him. That is, until Steve took out his iPhone to show me the photos he'd taken in Pompeii and I noticed this man suddenly making his way down the aisle. At the same time, the man sitting opposite us made eye contact with Steve and shook his head, looking pointedly at the phone in Steve's hand. Heeding the man's warning, Steve stuck his phone away and the young man continued down through our car. At that point, our seat mate, who didn't speak much English, continued to shake his head while exclaiming to us, "No good! No good!" Then he made a pantomime of snatching a phone from someone's hand. We appreciated his warning, and for the rest of the journey, we chatted back and forth, haltingly, with him. "No work in Naples" he told us, saying he travelled back and forth to a job in Sorrento every day. He was happy to hear that we were from New York, although we didn't try to explain we were from upstate, not the big city. Before he got off at his stop, he warned us again that some in his city were up to "no good, no good!" We thanked him for his advice and wished him a very good night.
We made it back to our hotel without incident after another wild taxi ride from the station. Upon checkin at the hotel, we had received a voucher for a free drink in their pretty courtyard, so we settled down, among the greenery and statuary, on a comfortable wicker sofa and ordered glasses of wine. It felt so good, after our busy day of sightseeing, to relax with a chilled glass of white wine accompanied by plump green olives and a bowl of special Neapolitan crackers. Perfection!
Jan 4th, 2018, 01:50 PM
#122
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Candace, thank you so much for resuming this report!! Adding my thoughts of relief that your Mom is better.
Wow--I didn't know about the red open top bus between Amalfi and Ravello!! And am in suspense as to to your feedback on the second night of Sorbillo pizza, and if being at GIno's vs the cousins' place was notably different A friend who knows Naples well said, don't worry, just about any pizza you get will be great!
We too are staying at Piazza Bellini, at a B and B near your hotel. Sound like you enjoyed the location. Thank heaven for the locals who look our for you vs the "no good" people!
Wow--I didn't know about the red open top bus between Amalfi and Ravello!! And am in suspense as to to your feedback on the second night of Sorbillo pizza, and if being at GIno's vs the cousins' place was notably different A friend who knows Naples well said, don't worry, just about any pizza you get will be great!
We too are staying at Piazza Bellini, at a B and B near your hotel. Sound like you enjoyed the location. Thank heaven for the locals who look our for you vs the "no good" people!
Jan 4th, 2018, 02:13 PM
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Love your description of Pompeii! I felt like I was there walking with you. And the train ride certainly was an experience you will never forget! Imagine the “no good” people’s surprise when they realized what you had in your purse!
Jan 5th, 2018, 08:12 AM
#124
Two stops after the transit cop exited our car, this pair hopped on again, obviously working the train. Luckily, they hadn't found much on us worth their trouble, but this was the closest we had ever come to being victimized while traveling. >>
I wondered if the experience you were going to talk about was something like this - I didn't see any theft going on, but one of the Circumvesuviana trains we got onto was boarded by a man and a few children; he played some sort of instrument while they went up and down the carriage asking for money, and I did wonder if they were up to no good. Thank goodness you didn't lose anything of value.
I wondered if the experience you were going to talk about was something like this - I didn't see any theft going on, but one of the Circumvesuviana trains we got onto was boarded by a man and a few children; he played some sort of instrument while they went up and down the carriage asking for money, and I did wonder if they were up to no good. Thank goodness you didn't lose anything of value.
Jan 5th, 2018, 01:16 PM
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CaliNurse, that red open topped bus was a good option going from Amalfi to Ravello, but not so good coming back, as it didn't run very frequently. The Piazza Bellini location in Naples was atmospheric and convenient. I think you will enjoy it, along with all the wonderful pizza options in Naples.
Karen, being in Pompeii was an experience I will never forget. Also, we won't forget the train rides to get there and back, and the "no good" people, along with the local man who was kind enough to look out for us.
Annhig, it is hard to know who is up to "no good" in those situations. The lesson we learned is that you can't be too careful when you travel, whether on a jammed packed train like the one we rode on the way to Pompeii, or on a train with several empty seats like the one back to Naples. Letting your guard down is never a wise thing to do, we found.
Our Last Night in Naples (with Pizza) and on to Rome:
Dinner, we decided, would be pizza at Gino Sorbillo's, after having enjoyed lunch the day before at his cousin Antonio's place. Who would serve the better pie? After our glass of wine in the courtyard of the hotel, we walked down the Via dei Tribunali to a little grocery where we purchased some bottles of water. The shopkeeper recognized us from the day before when we had stopped in to buy sandwiches, and greeted us like old friends. Because his shop was near Gino Sorbillo's, Steve asked him about the lines that typically form in front of the restaurant before it opens at 7:00. At the hotel, the desk clerk had suggested that we get there by 6:30 in order to get in line for a table. Steve wondered if the shopkeeper agreed with that advice. "Yes, yes," he agreed, but adamantly cautioned us that Gino's prices were "too much, too expensive!" to pay for pizza. We already knew, having looked at the posted menu, that Gino's charged the same as Antonio's: 5 euros for a margherita pizza and 6 euros for a diavola pizza. A steal, in our mind, as we pay 3 times as much at our local pizzeria at home. Keeping our opinions of the cost to ourselves, we thanked him for his help and went on our way.
Soon after taking the water bottles back to the hotel, we took our place in line at Gino's promptly at 6:30, and at 7:00 we were among the first group seated. Almost immediately, a waiter took our order, and in no time my margherita and Steve's diavola pizzas were delivered to the table. So which pizzeria had the best product? Steve voted for Gino's cousin, Antonio, and I voted for Gino, but it was a very close call. Basically, I guess, you would say it was a tie. Wonderful pizza, wherever. As CaliNurse's friend said in the entry above, just about any pizza you get in Naples will be great!
After dinner, we took our time wandering back to the hotel. It was Saturday night on the Via dei Tribunali in Naples, and things were hopping. A man was serenading passersby from a balcony, couples were strolling arm in arm, young people were enjoying drinks at street side tables and the crowd was thickening. Eventually, we made it back to our room and settled in for the night. At noon the next day, we would catch the train to Rome.
This was our third visit to Rome, but the first time we would be renting an apartment. The apartment we chose was on the Via Guilia, a great location with easy walking to many major sites. But, as we have experienced a few times before with HomeAway rentals, contact with the owner was a last minute deal. Despite our efforts the previous week to get a response from her, as we still needed specific information such as the actual address, a phone number, and instructions regarding access to the property, we didn't hear back until the day before our arrival. Such a situation is stressful to me. I am always envisioning us arriving in a new place with no clue where to go to find the apartment we rented months before. Ultimately though, we did make contact, and the owner was waiting when our taxi pulled up in front of her building. The apartment was attractive and comfortable. The only disappointment for me was the lack of a street view. The beautiful full length windows in the living room looked out onto another building a short distance across the narrow little side street below. No people watching here, but it was quiet.
Our landlady took the time to walk us back out to the street so she could point out how we should proceed to various sites, and she walked with us as far as the Piazza Farnese before she departed. It was a beautiful, sunny Sunday afternoon in Rome. We went back to the apartment to take a few minutes to get organized, then decided we needed to find a good place for a nice Sunday lunch.
Karen, being in Pompeii was an experience I will never forget. Also, we won't forget the train rides to get there and back, and the "no good" people, along with the local man who was kind enough to look out for us.
Annhig, it is hard to know who is up to "no good" in those situations. The lesson we learned is that you can't be too careful when you travel, whether on a jammed packed train like the one we rode on the way to Pompeii, or on a train with several empty seats like the one back to Naples. Letting your guard down is never a wise thing to do, we found.
Our Last Night in Naples (with Pizza) and on to Rome:
Dinner, we decided, would be pizza at Gino Sorbillo's, after having enjoyed lunch the day before at his cousin Antonio's place. Who would serve the better pie? After our glass of wine in the courtyard of the hotel, we walked down the Via dei Tribunali to a little grocery where we purchased some bottles of water. The shopkeeper recognized us from the day before when we had stopped in to buy sandwiches, and greeted us like old friends. Because his shop was near Gino Sorbillo's, Steve asked him about the lines that typically form in front of the restaurant before it opens at 7:00. At the hotel, the desk clerk had suggested that we get there by 6:30 in order to get in line for a table. Steve wondered if the shopkeeper agreed with that advice. "Yes, yes," he agreed, but adamantly cautioned us that Gino's prices were "too much, too expensive!" to pay for pizza. We already knew, having looked at the posted menu, that Gino's charged the same as Antonio's: 5 euros for a margherita pizza and 6 euros for a diavola pizza. A steal, in our mind, as we pay 3 times as much at our local pizzeria at home. Keeping our opinions of the cost to ourselves, we thanked him for his help and went on our way.
Soon after taking the water bottles back to the hotel, we took our place in line at Gino's promptly at 6:30, and at 7:00 we were among the first group seated. Almost immediately, a waiter took our order, and in no time my margherita and Steve's diavola pizzas were delivered to the table. So which pizzeria had the best product? Steve voted for Gino's cousin, Antonio, and I voted for Gino, but it was a very close call. Basically, I guess, you would say it was a tie. Wonderful pizza, wherever. As CaliNurse's friend said in the entry above, just about any pizza you get in Naples will be great!
After dinner, we took our time wandering back to the hotel. It was Saturday night on the Via dei Tribunali in Naples, and things were hopping. A man was serenading passersby from a balcony, couples were strolling arm in arm, young people were enjoying drinks at street side tables and the crowd was thickening. Eventually, we made it back to our room and settled in for the night. At noon the next day, we would catch the train to Rome.
This was our third visit to Rome, but the first time we would be renting an apartment. The apartment we chose was on the Via Guilia, a great location with easy walking to many major sites. But, as we have experienced a few times before with HomeAway rentals, contact with the owner was a last minute deal. Despite our efforts the previous week to get a response from her, as we still needed specific information such as the actual address, a phone number, and instructions regarding access to the property, we didn't hear back until the day before our arrival. Such a situation is stressful to me. I am always envisioning us arriving in a new place with no clue where to go to find the apartment we rented months before. Ultimately though, we did make contact, and the owner was waiting when our taxi pulled up in front of her building. The apartment was attractive and comfortable. The only disappointment for me was the lack of a street view. The beautiful full length windows in the living room looked out onto another building a short distance across the narrow little side street below. No people watching here, but it was quiet.
Our landlady took the time to walk us back out to the street so she could point out how we should proceed to various sites, and she walked with us as far as the Piazza Farnese before she departed. It was a beautiful, sunny Sunday afternoon in Rome. We went back to the apartment to take a few minutes to get organized, then decided we needed to find a good place for a nice Sunday lunch.
Jan 5th, 2018, 07:17 PM
#126
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Mille graze Candace for reporting back on the Napoli pizza pie contest! I, like you, will order Margherita. We'll line up by 6:30 pm!
Thank you for the description of Via dei Tribunali and its crowds, and for your thoughts and description that Piazza Bellini is a good location. (We'll be in Bellinihouse B and B which, according to Google Maps, is right across the street from where your hotel is).
Looking forward to your Rome report.
Having never used Airbnb for rentals, i hadn't experienced the last minute communication. That would drive me nuts!!!!
Thank you for the description of Via dei Tribunali and its crowds, and for your thoughts and description that Piazza Bellini is a good location. (We'll be in Bellinihouse B and B which, according to Google Maps, is right across the street from where your hotel is).
Looking forward to your Rome report.
Having never used Airbnb for rentals, i hadn't experienced the last minute communication. That would drive me nuts!!!!
Jan 6th, 2018, 07:08 AM
#127
Yes, thanks for the description of the competing pizza joints. The one we went to, just across the road and round the corner from NAM, was probably neither - who knows? - with a shop selling takeaway pizzas underneath and a cafe on the first floor. I have no other neapolitan pizzas to compare it with but it was very good.
Those sorts of last minute arrangements stress me out too and as it's usually me whose made those arrangements, I always feel responsible. But so far it's always worked out ok, though I've never had anyone leave it as late as the day before to confirm, thank goodness.
looking forward to reading more about Rome. I can never get enough of Rome!
calinurse, the BBC's series of Italy Unpacked just got to Rome with the first programme [of two] broadcast last night. there is an Open University Guide you can order linked with the programme, either by post or on line:
http://www.open.edu/openlearn/romeunpacked
I don't know if you can get BBC On Demand to watch the programme - shame if you can't as they are very interesting presenters, one mainly art, the other food. Thoroughly recommended.
Those sorts of last minute arrangements stress me out too and as it's usually me whose made those arrangements, I always feel responsible. But so far it's always worked out ok, though I've never had anyone leave it as late as the day before to confirm, thank goodness.
looking forward to reading more about Rome. I can never get enough of Rome!
calinurse, the BBC's series of Italy Unpacked just got to Rome with the first programme [of two] broadcast last night. there is an Open University Guide you can order linked with the programme, either by post or on line:
http://www.open.edu/openlearn/romeunpacked
I don't know if you can get BBC On Demand to watch the programme - shame if you can't as they are very interesting presenters, one mainly art, the other food. Thoroughly recommended.
Jan 6th, 2018, 01:35 PM
#128
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Thanks, CaliNurse and annhig, for all your comments. It is great sharing my trip with interesting fellow travelers. We do get BBC On Demand, so I am going to look for the Italy Unpacked series myself.
Sunday Lunch in Rome:
The sunshine was delightful as we walked back to the Piazza Farnese. One restaurant in the piazza, Ar Galletto Ristorante, seemed to be a popular choice. When we inquired about a table for lunch the waiter looked dubious but after a moment found us a place. We were seated outside in the sun, which was perfect on such a beautiful day. The servers were friendly, and I ordered a fried artichoke for my first course. On a visit to Rome years before I had indulged in a memorable fried artichoke, and I looked forward to trying one again. This time the artichoke had some tough bits and wasn't the unforgettable treat I had sampled the first time. My second course was pork in crust which I thought might be similar to beef Wellington, with pork instead of beef. Again, the food was not quite what I expected. There were equal parts of meat and fat attached to the pork bone on my plate. The meat was tasty, and probably the fat is a delicacy to some people, but I should have ordered something different. Steve, on the other hand, loved his meal, marinated artichokes for starters and roasted lamb with potatoes as a second course.
The best part of our lunch, however, had nothing to do with the food. Seated next to us was a lovely lady and her daughter, visiting Rome together from London. Because we all spoke English, we started exchanging pleasantries and by the end of the meal, we parted like friends. The mother had immigrated to England from India, and her daughter, who was 25 years old, she told us, was born in the UK. We had a wonderful, open, and interesting conversation with them all through our dinner, covering a variety of topics from the strength of family to the joys of motherhood. Mother and daughter had a lively discussion about their different perspectives on life in London. They both talked about their strong bonds to family still in India. They had traveled extensively in the United States and had visited many places, like Alaska, that we have yet to see. The daughter, a beautiful, very gracious young lady, seemed to us like she would be comfortable anywhere in the world. What a great way to be as the world grows smaller.
We so enjoyed their company at lunch. It is amazing how quickly a bond can be formed with complete strangers when you are traveling. On this trip, we met other interesting people I am remembering fondly still. Waiting in line to buy tickets to Pompeii, we started chatting with a young couple from Iran who currently had residency in Italy. We talked for ten minutes as the line moved slowly forward, and it was so interested to hear about Iran and its culture from these friendly strangers. I told them how I had often heard about how beautiful and scenic their country is. They assured us that if we ever traveled there, we would be warmly welcomed by the Iranian people. Wouldn't we love to do that someday. Another time, as we waited in line for the bus back to Amalfi, we passed the time pleasantly with two charming ladies from Great Britain. They often traveled together to the continent, leaving their husbands behind in England. They called themselves "Thelma and Louise", and were both funny and fun, as they commiserated with us about politics and their political disagreements with their grown children. Another couple, from New Zealand, were on a 3 month tour around the world. They fell into step with us as we were walking from Atrani to Amalfi one afternoon, and entertained us along the way with great quips about all they had seen and done so far. We have a soft spot for New Zealanders since a couple from that country had rescued us once in Scotland, when we were stranded with no means of transportation to a train we needed to catch to our next destination. Overhearing our consternation, they offered to give us a lift, driving at least 20 minutes out of their way to see us safely delivered to where we needed to be.
Traveling is, I believe, eye opening not just for the beautiful sites we are privileged to see but for the good people we are privileged to meet.
Sunday Lunch in Rome:
The sunshine was delightful as we walked back to the Piazza Farnese. One restaurant in the piazza, Ar Galletto Ristorante, seemed to be a popular choice. When we inquired about a table for lunch the waiter looked dubious but after a moment found us a place. We were seated outside in the sun, which was perfect on such a beautiful day. The servers were friendly, and I ordered a fried artichoke for my first course. On a visit to Rome years before I had indulged in a memorable fried artichoke, and I looked forward to trying one again. This time the artichoke had some tough bits and wasn't the unforgettable treat I had sampled the first time. My second course was pork in crust which I thought might be similar to beef Wellington, with pork instead of beef. Again, the food was not quite what I expected. There were equal parts of meat and fat attached to the pork bone on my plate. The meat was tasty, and probably the fat is a delicacy to some people, but I should have ordered something different. Steve, on the other hand, loved his meal, marinated artichokes for starters and roasted lamb with potatoes as a second course.
The best part of our lunch, however, had nothing to do with the food. Seated next to us was a lovely lady and her daughter, visiting Rome together from London. Because we all spoke English, we started exchanging pleasantries and by the end of the meal, we parted like friends. The mother had immigrated to England from India, and her daughter, who was 25 years old, she told us, was born in the UK. We had a wonderful, open, and interesting conversation with them all through our dinner, covering a variety of topics from the strength of family to the joys of motherhood. Mother and daughter had a lively discussion about their different perspectives on life in London. They both talked about their strong bonds to family still in India. They had traveled extensively in the United States and had visited many places, like Alaska, that we have yet to see. The daughter, a beautiful, very gracious young lady, seemed to us like she would be comfortable anywhere in the world. What a great way to be as the world grows smaller.
We so enjoyed their company at lunch. It is amazing how quickly a bond can be formed with complete strangers when you are traveling. On this trip, we met other interesting people I am remembering fondly still. Waiting in line to buy tickets to Pompeii, we started chatting with a young couple from Iran who currently had residency in Italy. We talked for ten minutes as the line moved slowly forward, and it was so interested to hear about Iran and its culture from these friendly strangers. I told them how I had often heard about how beautiful and scenic their country is. They assured us that if we ever traveled there, we would be warmly welcomed by the Iranian people. Wouldn't we love to do that someday. Another time, as we waited in line for the bus back to Amalfi, we passed the time pleasantly with two charming ladies from Great Britain. They often traveled together to the continent, leaving their husbands behind in England. They called themselves "Thelma and Louise", and were both funny and fun, as they commiserated with us about politics and their political disagreements with their grown children. Another couple, from New Zealand, were on a 3 month tour around the world. They fell into step with us as we were walking from Atrani to Amalfi one afternoon, and entertained us along the way with great quips about all they had seen and done so far. We have a soft spot for New Zealanders since a couple from that country had rescued us once in Scotland, when we were stranded with no means of transportation to a train we needed to catch to our next destination. Overhearing our consternation, they offered to give us a lift, driving at least 20 minutes out of their way to see us safely delivered to where we needed to be.
Traveling is, I believe, eye opening not just for the beautiful sites we are privileged to see but for the good people we are privileged to meet.
Jan 6th, 2018, 01:54 PM
#129
oh Candace, how well you have distilled for me one of the main reasons I like to travel. Yes it's nice to see new places, eat delicious food and experience new things, but what really makes a trip is the people we meet.
Jan 9th, 2018, 02:13 PM
#130
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Annhig, I agree 100 percent! What really makes a trip is the people we meet.
Mayday in Rome:
A few years ago, we spent Mayday in Madrid and enjoyed the pomp, parades, and big celebrations that took place that day in Spain's capital, so we looked forward to being in Rome for this holiday. The day dawned bright and beautiful. Our plan was to walk to the Palatine Hill, which we had not visited on previous trips. First, though, we wanted to browse the Campo dei Fiori market not far from our apartment, in case we came across something enticing to add to our dinner that night. After the market at Ortigia in Sicily, which we had enjoyed so much, the Campo dei Fiori market seemed somewhat lacking, selling more trinkets than we cared to look at. Failing to find anything we could include in our evening meal, we set out for the Palatine Hill. It was a long walk but enjoyable. We followed the Tiber for a ways. The brown water of the river swept by energetically, full of strength in springtime, and flowed around the Isola Tiberina with some force. The walkway up to the Palatine Hill was cool and shaded, and the view of the forum from the top was worth the trek. At the site of the Imperial Palace, the remains of brick walls and marble paving stones worn smooth, caused me to wonder about the original builders, those stonemasons and bricklayers whose work so long ago I could touch now.
Taking a different route back, we were pleased to find that the Piazza Venezia in the city center was closed to traffic for the holiday. With the frenzy of crazy traffic in front of it gone, the Monument to Victor Emmanuel loomed even greater, a monumental monument for sure. Shining white in the sun, decorated with large Italian flags unfurled colorfully against a very blue sky, the huge structure became a gigantic symbol of the holiday, as groups of happy passersby took advantage of the lack of traffic to pause for pictures in front of it, a vantage point impossible any other time.
Our only problem with Rome on Mayday was that most shops and supermarkets were closed and we needed wine and some ingredients for the meal Steve was planning to whip up for dinner in our apartment. Eventually we did find a little mini market open for business, although the clerks were not happy, I think, to be working on the holiday. No matter, we did find everything we needed to make Steve's chicken Parmesan. Delicious!
Tomorrow would be our last full day in Rome. I was full of the melancholy I always feel at the end of a trip, but also determined to make our last day a good one.
Mayday in Rome:
A few years ago, we spent Mayday in Madrid and enjoyed the pomp, parades, and big celebrations that took place that day in Spain's capital, so we looked forward to being in Rome for this holiday. The day dawned bright and beautiful. Our plan was to walk to the Palatine Hill, which we had not visited on previous trips. First, though, we wanted to browse the Campo dei Fiori market not far from our apartment, in case we came across something enticing to add to our dinner that night. After the market at Ortigia in Sicily, which we had enjoyed so much, the Campo dei Fiori market seemed somewhat lacking, selling more trinkets than we cared to look at. Failing to find anything we could include in our evening meal, we set out for the Palatine Hill. It was a long walk but enjoyable. We followed the Tiber for a ways. The brown water of the river swept by energetically, full of strength in springtime, and flowed around the Isola Tiberina with some force. The walkway up to the Palatine Hill was cool and shaded, and the view of the forum from the top was worth the trek. At the site of the Imperial Palace, the remains of brick walls and marble paving stones worn smooth, caused me to wonder about the original builders, those stonemasons and bricklayers whose work so long ago I could touch now.
Taking a different route back, we were pleased to find that the Piazza Venezia in the city center was closed to traffic for the holiday. With the frenzy of crazy traffic in front of it gone, the Monument to Victor Emmanuel loomed even greater, a monumental monument for sure. Shining white in the sun, decorated with large Italian flags unfurled colorfully against a very blue sky, the huge structure became a gigantic symbol of the holiday, as groups of happy passersby took advantage of the lack of traffic to pause for pictures in front of it, a vantage point impossible any other time.
Our only problem with Rome on Mayday was that most shops and supermarkets were closed and we needed wine and some ingredients for the meal Steve was planning to whip up for dinner in our apartment. Eventually we did find a little mini market open for business, although the clerks were not happy, I think, to be working on the holiday. No matter, we did find everything we needed to make Steve's chicken Parmesan. Delicious!
Tomorrow would be our last full day in Rome. I was full of the melancholy I always feel at the end of a trip, but also determined to make our last day a good one.
Jan 13th, 2018, 12:44 PM
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Our Final Full Day in Rome:
On our final day in Rome we were again blessed with brilliant blue skies. We decided to spend the day just wandering, with a few goals in mind. Our first goal was to make our way to the Piazza Navona to see Bernini's wonderful Fountain of the Four Rivers devoid of the metal scaffolding that had obscured it on our last visit. This time, the morning sunlight set the marble glowing, and every curly beard and muscled shoulder was wonderfully highlighted, which set us up beautifully for our next goal, a mini pilgrimage to view a few of the many Caravaggio paintings to be found in Rome. Again for us, light provided the drama, as the artist's striking use of it created glows and glimmers and deep shadows that so brilliantly captured the intensity of the moment illustrated by the painting before us. Seeing those paintings in the churches they were made for, the "in situ" experience, was special. At San Luigi dei Francesi, we viewed the three pieces depicting St. Matthew's journey to sainthood, " The Calling of St. Matthew", "The Martyrdom of St. Matthew", and "St. Matthew and the Angel", all wonderfully interesting in the way the paintings combined the figures and facial expressions of a few men (and an angel) with their simple but dramatic gestures to tell his story. Our next stop was the church of Sant' Agostino to see the "Madonna del Loreto", or the pilgrims' Madonna. I loved this painting. The lovely Madonna looked down kindly at a peasant couple as she shared her special baby with them. The man's dirty feet indicated his humble state while the woman's glowing profile showed her joy at gazing at this child. Contrasting the poverty of the crumbling building and pilgrims' clothing with the richness of emotion felt by all three subjects of its subjects, this painting really was wonderful, so simple and so moving. I could have stood looking at this picture for a long time but a few minutes was all we had before a tour group took over the space.
Instead of trying to see the two Caravaggio paintings displayed at the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo on this trip, we decided to save them for next time. Heading back to our apartment, we put together a simple lunch from leftovers and relaxed a bit before starting out on a fairly long walk to the Vatican and perhaps a visit to St. Peters Cathedral. The afternoon was warm and sunny, and St. Peters Square was teeming with tourists. We had been into the Cathedral a few times on previous trips, so we decided to exit the Square and take a round about route back to the apartment. Another goal for the day had been to shop for a few additional gifts for our kids. As we meandered through some small side streets, we had good luck with our shopping, finding some nice little treasures plus a few delicious additions to our last meal in Italy. I don't remember what we ate but it was bittersweet, as we were sorry to leave this beautiful country. After 25 days, however, we were also ready to go home.
Although the actual travel day on the trip home is always something we dread, this time, except for our 5 hour layover at JFK, it was not too bad. We flew home from Rome on Delta Airlines and we were actually pretty impressed with the customer service at checkin the guidance provided by airline personnel who pointed the way for us all along the process from the time we entered the terminal til we arrived at the gate. Nicely done!
On our final day in Rome we were again blessed with brilliant blue skies. We decided to spend the day just wandering, with a few goals in mind. Our first goal was to make our way to the Piazza Navona to see Bernini's wonderful Fountain of the Four Rivers devoid of the metal scaffolding that had obscured it on our last visit. This time, the morning sunlight set the marble glowing, and every curly beard and muscled shoulder was wonderfully highlighted, which set us up beautifully for our next goal, a mini pilgrimage to view a few of the many Caravaggio paintings to be found in Rome. Again for us, light provided the drama, as the artist's striking use of it created glows and glimmers and deep shadows that so brilliantly captured the intensity of the moment illustrated by the painting before us. Seeing those paintings in the churches they were made for, the "in situ" experience, was special. At San Luigi dei Francesi, we viewed the three pieces depicting St. Matthew's journey to sainthood, " The Calling of St. Matthew", "The Martyrdom of St. Matthew", and "St. Matthew and the Angel", all wonderfully interesting in the way the paintings combined the figures and facial expressions of a few men (and an angel) with their simple but dramatic gestures to tell his story. Our next stop was the church of Sant' Agostino to see the "Madonna del Loreto", or the pilgrims' Madonna. I loved this painting. The lovely Madonna looked down kindly at a peasant couple as she shared her special baby with them. The man's dirty feet indicated his humble state while the woman's glowing profile showed her joy at gazing at this child. Contrasting the poverty of the crumbling building and pilgrims' clothing with the richness of emotion felt by all three subjects of its subjects, this painting really was wonderful, so simple and so moving. I could have stood looking at this picture for a long time but a few minutes was all we had before a tour group took over the space.
Instead of trying to see the two Caravaggio paintings displayed at the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo on this trip, we decided to save them for next time. Heading back to our apartment, we put together a simple lunch from leftovers and relaxed a bit before starting out on a fairly long walk to the Vatican and perhaps a visit to St. Peters Cathedral. The afternoon was warm and sunny, and St. Peters Square was teeming with tourists. We had been into the Cathedral a few times on previous trips, so we decided to exit the Square and take a round about route back to the apartment. Another goal for the day had been to shop for a few additional gifts for our kids. As we meandered through some small side streets, we had good luck with our shopping, finding some nice little treasures plus a few delicious additions to our last meal in Italy. I don't remember what we ate but it was bittersweet, as we were sorry to leave this beautiful country. After 25 days, however, we were also ready to go home.
Although the actual travel day on the trip home is always something we dread, this time, except for our 5 hour layover at JFK, it was not too bad. We flew home from Rome on Delta Airlines and we were actually pretty impressed with the customer service at checkin the guidance provided by airline personnel who pointed the way for us all along the process from the time we entered the terminal til we arrived at the gate. Nicely done!
Jan 13th, 2018, 12:48 PM
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All flights were on time, and 24 hours after we left the apartment in Rome, we were falling into bed at home, exhausted but with bright and beautiful memories of a great trip.
Thanks for following along. Writing a trip report is a wonderful way to remember a trip. Now, I can work on planning our next one!
Thanks for following along. Writing a trip report is a wonderful way to remember a trip. Now, I can work on planning our next one!
Jan 13th, 2018, 01:49 PM
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And thank you so much for taking the time to write such a lovely and evocative trip report! We visited Rome in the 1970's! It was so long ago that I would love to return, and it makes sense to combine Rome with a trip to Sicily and the Amalfi Coast. My oldest daughter visited the Amalfi Coast with a a friend when they were 20 (and backpacking around Europe), and she keeps telling me we have to go there! I don't need any convincing, but there is so much to see in the world. If only we were rich!
Jan 14th, 2018, 07:12 AM
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Karen, I really appreciated, as I wrote my trip report, the kind comments you made along the way. I hope you have the opportunity to visit these wonderful regions of Italy someday, too.
You are right. There is so much to see in the world. If we had unlimited funds and could go on forever, maybe it would not be so tough to choose our next destination. But here we are, retired, and in our seventies, so choices have to be made carefully, as we probably don't have decades of travel opportunities still ahead of us.
As for our next trip, we are hoping to go to Alaska this summer with my sister and brother-in-law. Then, for our 50th wedding anniversary next February, we hope to plan a really special trip to commemorate that big event, maybe to Asia or the South Pacific. Wouldn't that be special? Can't wait to start planning that one!
You are right. There is so much to see in the world. If we had unlimited funds and could go on forever, maybe it would not be so tough to choose our next destination. But here we are, retired, and in our seventies, so choices have to be made carefully, as we probably don't have decades of travel opportunities still ahead of us.
As for our next trip, we are hoping to go to Alaska this summer with my sister and brother-in-law. Then, for our 50th wedding anniversary next February, we hope to plan a really special trip to commemorate that big event, maybe to Asia or the South Pacific. Wouldn't that be special? Can't wait to start planning that one!
Jan 14th, 2018, 08:00 AM
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Your trip is perfectly feasible by car.
Scopello is a tiny place. I suppose you plan to do all possible hikes in the Zingaro Park or may be a day trip to Segesta and/or Seilinunte. You could also travel from Scopello via these places to Agrigento.
May be you visit the Roman villa of Casale on your way from Agrigento to Siracusa.
Within 5 days at Siracuse, you can do some trips to the Baroque towns of Noto, Ragusa and Modica or to the Vendicari Park (and the Roman villa there).
If you are interested in Pompei, Naples is a must, as the best frescoes and other stuff from Pompei are exposed there in a museum.
Scopello is a tiny place. I suppose you plan to do all possible hikes in the Zingaro Park or may be a day trip to Segesta and/or Seilinunte. You could also travel from Scopello via these places to Agrigento.
May be you visit the Roman villa of Casale on your way from Agrigento to Siracusa.
Within 5 days at Siracuse, you can do some trips to the Baroque towns of Noto, Ragusa and Modica or to the Vendicari Park (and the Roman villa there).
If you are interested in Pompei, Naples is a must, as the best frescoes and other stuff from Pompei are exposed there in a museum.
Jan 15th, 2018, 08:47 AM
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Adelaidean, the simplicity and serenity of the last Caravaggio painting we looked at, the Madonna of the Pilgrims, was a powerful combination and I won't forget it. If I have a chance to return to Rome someday, I would want to revisit this painting.
