Sunday, Sept 27

Got checked into a nice apartment, after getting lost in Palermo last night. Nice lady, who did not speak English motioned to watch our luggage on the city bus, and then let us know when to get off the bus. Unfortunately either she told us wrong or the bus did not stop at the stop. So we crossed the square when we got off, as per our directions. Unfortunately wrong square, and 180 wrong way. Finally arrived at apartment. French owner, and probably Nigerian worker (he spoke the English sort of). We were horrified at the garbage cans full, and trash laying in the streets. We were warned again by the apartment worker about pickpockets.

This morning we went directly next door to the Internet cafe. Owner in there puffing away on his cig. A lot more smokers in Europe. Got our plane tickets printed for tomorrow. Will try to do the tickets for Tuesday tomorrow, 30 hour max for check in for those. 

Then I was mean to Jerry, made him go out and we purchased tickets for hop on and off bus. Had lunch between tour busses. Now back at apartment relaxing.
Will stay tomorrow near airport at Best western hotel. Originally we were going back into Rome, but decided not to travel the 30 km to train station. Seen that station enough, and we are leaving on a 6:30 flight anyway. One interesting thing is the silverware. Coffee or tea spoon very small, cereal spoon very large. Below the silverware pics are the garage sales. There were garage sale like spots down some streets. They just set out their stuff next to the gutters full of garbage. Not all areas were this way it turns out. The last pic is also off the bus of a historic building.

Saturday, Sept 26 to Palermo

The B&B owner took us to the train station. We had gone down the day before and discussed routes with the local ticket guy. Decided to go the longer route as it was the shorter time.. There was a two hour layover, which would give us time for lunch. The route went south to Catannia where we would change trains, to go northeast through the center of Sicily. The train was supposed to leave at 10:17. On the train schedule board were the letters "SOP". I asked a local woman if she knew what that ment, she did not. Finally a policeman came along and told us we were going by bus to Catannia. Now you have to realize there are several stations along this train line that the train would have stopped. Both before it got to us and between us and Catannia. It might have been only 60 km by train, but by bus it was not. When the bus arrived a little after 11am, it would go into each town from the highway to the train stations. Drop and pick people up. Our long layover was no more! We arrived about 1:00. The ladies with us for a day outing in Catannia had missed the connecting train. Don't know what they did. Our connecting 1:30 train was there already. Grabbed  some little pizza looking items and climbed on board. Interesting farm country as we cut inland.

Friday, Sept 25 Taormina to Castlemolea

We got on a Hop on and Hop off bus and went up to a town that was even smaller and higher than Taormina. Below is our B&B. Below that is a store of an artist in the hill town above ours. Then I took a photo of his work, he uses palette knife. Below that should be the pear cactus fruit. Tastes like watermelon with seeds. For dinner we dressed up and headed up to town. The restaurant we figured was not open yet, most open at 7:30pm. So we followed signs to the Roman Theater. Really cool, even though we are both tired of ruins. What was interesting was it had been carved into the rock, and had great views of both sides of the water surrounding the point of land we were on. Not only that there was a wooden stage set up, with seating over the old stones. On stage were ballet dancers doing warm up exercises. We sat and watched, and thought of those who we wished were here to enjoy this moment with us. Earlier we both had had a moment of realization that our trip was coming to an end. We both got emotional, sad to be leaving and our adventure to end. But also, happy to be headed home.

 

Thurs, Sept 24 Taormina Sicily

Booked a fire and water tour with Around Aetna tours last night, and meet the bus at 8am. Quite a hike up from our B&B. Taormina on a map or internet looks flat. Surprise! It has one street by the beach, and everything else clings to the top of a hill. Very old town, the Romans had a theater here and vacationed here too. It has always been a tourist hang out. One I tire is us up on Mount Etna. We took a four wheel drive truck up. The wind was blowing so hard at the top we could not go all the way up. I got out and took a couple of pictures, but it was too windy and too high of elevation to climb around. We were at 8000 feet. The next hike around cinder cones was lower and more protected. The cinders were really loose! The picture of us is at the cinder cones. The middle pictures are of me in Castlemola and and view of the valley from that town.The bottom picture is where I zoomed down to the group at the top near vents.

Weds, Sept 23rd, Train to Scicily

Interesting day. Last night we were once again talking with the front desk about our train the next day. I had brought my ticket with me to verify the connections in the morning. "But Madam" she says, "your connecting train to Sicily is at a different train station in Pompei." Their driver did not come in until 8 am, and she felt that was not enough time in Pompei to change stations. She calls a taxi company, the fee would be $60' and there were no cars available. She thinks again and makes a phone call. She will have the evening clerk who will be getting off work then, take us. I think she came.in early, and he drove us to the station. Worked well, as we already had our tickets, as we had been warned the ticket machine did not work. Which we verified when we arrived with two women trying to get their money back out. Train was on time to Pompei. Got off and asked the ticket guy how to get to the trainItalia station. The one we had arrived on was a private company, the train Italia is an national train line. He said turn right out of station, then left on main road to the station. Must have been another left at the church, but did not here that part. No problem, got so we go a ways, then verify the directions with someone new. Works well if you can find English speaking person or you can say "statione"! When they ask further questions in Italian you show them your ticket or say takin Italiana. Worked, did find two English speaking, and two non, and a policeman, who I don't think did, but pointed well! After about 30 minutes we arrived. I did take a picture of the Pompei ruins as we walked by. Too early for tourists at 9:30 in the morning. Then we waited for the train. It was 5 minutes late, then 10. By the time we got on and arrived at the connecting town we had 2 minutes to get from one train to another. I had given us 30 minutes, and the train had used it all being late! We ran, jumped on the second car, which by luck was ours. We did good considering we had to go down stairs to below the trains to get a cross the tracks to another platform! Close call. Next connection would have delayed us by hours.  Train ride after that went well until we reached the strait between mainland Italy and Sicily. The train engine unhooked. Now when this happens you still have some electric, but no air conditioning. Two windows in the entire car would open. I cannot imagine in mid summer how hot it would be. Sat there for like 1.5 hours. Stupid! They loaded us quickly, and were put cars and all on a ferry . Then we could go upstairs and watch the water crossing for about 30 minutes. Then back in the hold where usually there are cars, and back on our train car. We get pushed back onto shore, and again no air conditioning, and we wait until after four pm. The whole process started at before 2pm! Now the train is moving, the announcement says where we are going, after a short 20 minutes they announce the stop we want in Italian only. We ask an Italian couple, they say yes they announced the stop. We get up, because the stops are very short or quick. The trian goes a short distance and stops. But the station name is wrong, and no one gets off. We figure it is a single lane track and we are waiting for a train. Nope, nothing passes. Then the train starts again, almost reaches the train station, and stops again. Only one track, no reason we can see. Set there for twenty minutes with us standing at the door. We were supposed to arrive at 4:30' arrived at5:30.  We had been told there are strikes sometimes, and sometimes they do what is called a white out strike. They just stop for periods of time for protest. Very long day.

M

Tuesday, Sept 22 just around town

we had the shuttle van take us across and up to the main town. Decided against Pompei or the Amalfi coast. Got the local train ticket for tomorrow and wandered around town. Found a nice man from Scotland. He comes here each year for about 10 days to visit his friends. The wife was his friend in England and later married an Italian from this area. In fact the family owns our hotel! He is in the picture below waving at us from the friends house. She is 92 by the way! Then we walked back using stairs and a path. Hard to walk on because it sloped and was uneven. Had lunch and drinks at the boat area. They are working on the dock, sand first, then blocks just like Mexico! The first picture you can barely see our new friend on the upper porch through the lattice.

Monday, Sept 21 Boat to Capri

Picked the ferry up right below our hotel

 It was supposed to be there at 8am, problems with boat, so it did not arrive until almost 9' and it was not the fast boat. But beggars cannot be choosers, we at least got our ride out to the Island of Capri. Long day as the returning ferry did not pick us up until the scheduled 5:10 from Capri. We were done with fitting the crowds by about 1pm. I know I would not want to be there when it is busier, like August. Water was too rough so we did not get to go to the Blue Grotto. We were able to do a 1hour ride, spots were really rough at times. Then we waited for almost an hour to go up to a town on top. The line for the chair lift to the mt top was way too long, so had lunch and wandered the streets. Came back to the harbor to tons of tour groups. Picked a restaurant and drank cobra libra season (coke, rum, slice of lime or in this case lots of lemon).

Sunday, Sept 20' Assisi to Vico Equense

This town of Vico Equense is south of Naples near Sorrento. Took the train from Assisi at 7:30 this morning to Rome. Caught a train 20 minutes later, after arriving, to Naples. To the local train from Naples to Vico Equense. Got off the train and were starving, found a place to have pizza. I picked sausage, cheese, and broccoli. In Italy no sauce unless you order the cheese and red sauce pizza called Margaretta. Broccoli turned out to be Spinach. Really good, or because it was one o'clock I thought it was. Asked the hostess if she could call our hotel for us to get a ride. They sent their shuttle van right over and we picked up four more shoppers on the way to the hotel. Well, my hotel choice for Lake Como was a ten. This one here is one also. We have a balcony one second floor,first for Europe, with A view of the beach and Naples Bay! We went exploring and then had cobra libra drinks down by the pool and beach.

Saturday 19th, Assisi

Did most of our sightseeing yesterday. Did climb up to the fortress today, ate grilled steak for lunch. Looked a lot like thin rib steak, a lot like Mexico. It was good, was tasting for meat, tired of pasta. Jerry had pork escalones with mushrooms, and mashed potatoes. Rested up at our hotel, then went back out for some snacks for our train ride tomorrow, watched the sunset light up the front of the church. Had pizza by the square. While we were there looked like there must have been a civil wedding in a large building. When the bride and groom came out there was an explosion and flower pedals flew over them, and people threw rice. They must not know of the new way of throwing bird seed. Pigeons would have preferred it. Picture below is the monastery for the Saint Francis monks, and his tomb. Below that is what looks like Roman temple, that the Christians converted into their church. Outside is deceiving, very pretty inside. One picture is the fort on the hill. Had some neat mode ail times dresses and robes. The last one is the shower in our hotel. Nice hotel, but tiniest bathroom yet. The chalk drawing was done by a young man, it was in the main square. The; shower floor was the bathroom floor.

Friday, September 18 to Assisi

Took the train North for about an hour and then got off and switched trains to go to Assisi. Bought tickets at the tobacco/magazine shop(seem to always be sold at these. Then took the crowed bus, we stood with lots of tourists. I forgot I marked the location of our hotel on the map, so in talking with another tourist there are 6 stops through town. At the first stop I ask the drivers assistant. First time we'd seen this in Europe. He said he'd let us know what stop. He did, and gave me directions in either broken Italian or Italian. The go straight through arch was clear. Lucked out as this turned out to be longer but the down hill route to our hotel. Keep asking people along the way, especially when road forked into two roads. Kept going straight. Found the square, and and information office, sense the directions along the way only got me to the square. A block later we were there, and so was the owner of the hotel. It was noon and our room was ready. Good timing as he immediately locked. Up and went down around a corner to their small restaurant. We had lunch with them, while I looked at my Rick Steves guidebook. Discovered the main monastery/cathedral is closed sat/sun. So went back up and put on a skirt. We then started sightseeing, though Jerry has had enough of castles, and churches, and if you don't believe me ask him! Here is a picture of logs along the train track. Then of the smallest bathroom we've had yet!

Thursday, Sept 17 Orvieto

Spent the day doing the sites around town. Had a combo card, so we checked those off. Below are pics of the Thrusday market we found, when we climbed the clock tower. A picture of some of the beautiful local ceramics, and of the old cave we visited. Then had lunch at the entrance. Owner spoke no English but we got along fine, even found a desert wine to take back to our apartment. One picture is of the cliffs along the city.

Weds, Sept 16 Civita di Bagnoregio

Took shuttle bus down to the edge of upper old town, we are up on a hill. Then took another bus to this other hill town. Bus left here, went down to the train station at the bottom of the hill, and promptly dies. After a few tries the driver gets it running again and off we go down curves, winding roads. Got off the bus and did not have a clue where we were at so we followed the locals. We were dropped off next to a large parking lot. Turns out there is a map in that parking lot and a small shuttle bus comes and goes from there. Anyway, walked about a block, found a sign. Turns out we could not have got lost as there are only two through streets, and one dead ends at the overlook to the hill we were headed. Used to be a lot more soil and area connecting these two hill towns, but the allies bombed the connection in ww2. To get a cross, you walk down, and then back up, quite a hike.
It was like walking back in time, very small, very pretty after you hiked up. There was not much to the town before crossing over. But the hardware store was fun.