Day 87 - 91
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDY PANS!!!! Hope you had a terrific day! We thought about you all day...and had a retsina for you!!! Lots of love from your lil sis and Greg xxx
Thanks so much Annie for all your emails and Kitty's Song. We finally printed it and will read it on the boat! Will email from there! BIG HUGS Love ya sissy, xxx
*******************************************************
Cyclades. Greek Islands
Hiya's...we'll we're back from the Greek Islands..so weird, but we sailed into Pireaus Port thinking we'd just get an internet connection while we wait for our ferry to Lesvos (which is an overnight trip, 12 hours) but there's no internet around...and because we've got a few hours to kill, Greg said why don't we just catch a train to Monastraki and use the connection there!
So! We're back in Athens...it was a very familiar feeling getting off at the train station to a place we called home for a few days. That's how it seems now to...we're so transient that we're settling into places within an hour and where our packs are...our home is!
And so...we looked up at the Acropolis and thought...yes, we've been here before! Silly hey...and we're back at the same internet place..and we're trying to print out Kitty's Song that Annie sent..and no printer. That'd be right eh..just when you desperately want to do something...you can't! Arrghh....
So he's headed upstairs to see if he can print there...(I've just sent him an email from here hehehe)
About the GREEK ISLAND.
They were truly beautiful! We had a wonderful 5 days on Santorini and on Mykonos. And we didn't want to leave. In fact, we both felt quite depressed this morning when we knew that we were heading out again....but everytime we do think that, the next place is just as, if not more, beautiful. So we hold on to that..
Santorini was the first place we stopped at, after our last night was spent in Athens listening the the Pommy's wailing way at having lost the Milan, Liverpool soccer game. It went on for ages..no kidding. But what happened was there were a heap of ridgy didgy fans that couldn't get in because there were so many fake tickets. Consequently, the Liverpoolians revolted and the police were sounding sirens in the square just to stop them 'wailing'! So the last night in Athens was a sleepless night!
The ferry, Blue Star, was a fast ferry. Left at 7.25am and arrived 81/2 later. We had a cabin but we were separate, so Greg was in with 2 other guys, i was in with 2 other girls (the only tickets left!)..and so we ended up sitting outside on deck..and at one stage when i did go back to the cabin there was a girl and a guy in there!! Gawd....
At least i got my book read, Treasures, that Greg is now reading! (I picked up yet another one of Mauve Binchys books, Quentins!)
We stopped at Paros and Naxos (loved your story about this island sis!) and passed Irakia and Los. All beautiful islands.
We were glad to have accomodation sorted...so when we arrived, our name was up in lights and we just went with our driver. And talk about a beautful hotel. We were ON TOP Of THE CLIFF..and the hotel was called Kafieris...so beautiful. Our view was magical. We could see out to the Caldera where the volcano here eruped in the 60's so it was still very black soil. We felt like we were on holidays....truly. We dined on moussaka finally, drank retsina..and just loved it..and just soaked the place up.
Walked to Ios, saw a donkey riding with a cart and came back to the most magnificant sunset..
So romantic..
And so was Mykonos as well. We had to find our own accomodation here..aDamianos, which is a family guest house. Their were heaps of signs as we got off the boat..at all places that looked the same so we just picked the first person that 'accosted us'!
And we picked well! Our apartment, once again, overlooked the bay..and was just beautiful. And only 50 euros a night. We saw on the door it went up to 140 Euros in the high season. There were other apartments in the same complex too..for 40 euros but not as big and comfortable, but certainly as gorgeous. People who came to stay there from South Africa said they stayed at place up the road for the same price and it was a DUMP. (They had to stay where we were because they missed their boat out!)
We hired a quad bike and what a lot of fun that was! We drove to all the beaches on the islands and sunbathed and just lapped up the water and the beautiful sunsets once again. And got sunburnt!
The Greek islands are magical. I'm so glad we decided to go..it wasn't originally on our list but once in Athens, we just couldn't NOT go.
The people are so friendly here in Greece too. Honestly, we've just found they have a great sense of humour and although our Greek is crap, their english is terrific!
Not we're off to Lesvos..and it'll be interesting to see what happens...we don't know if ther's internet there or not...but we want to go to Limnos (Lemnos) as well.
Will let you know...and will let you know how we go with Turkey too..Jaak, we're already a bit dubious about Turkey and how to get there, so we'll be checking the hostility out that's for sure....Greg has also had a horrific experience in Turkey (which i'll tell you about AFTER we've been) so we're going to be careful. If we don't feel safe catching a boat, we'll fly back to Athens and on to Istanbul..so don't worry :-)
And yes, we'll be in Northern Europe in Julyish...We'll email you from Lesvos if we can find a internet cafe!
Okies..time to go!
xoxoxoxox
PS We tried Souvlaki at Pireaus and it was great! (we were hesitating..but it's fresh here in Greece!)
Wednesday, 30 May 2007
Saturday, 26 May 2007
ATHENA STILL...
Day 85,86
Athens, Greece (Athena as the Greeks call it!)
FIVOS HOTEL
Mum, great that your internet is up and running again!! :-)
Just heard from Andy Pans...that the DOCKERS WON!!!
Freo...way to go..FREO!!! hahaa..Fremantle Dockers are legends! hehe
Have to find who they played now! And i'll be able to...this computer is set with English language!
That's one thing about Greece, even though the language is difficult to understand and to read, most Greeks know English so we've been very spoilt. They seem very modern actually and we love being here because they're so friendly and helpful. Even to the extent that if you even look slightly lost, they come over to help.
And i mean, what about staying in Nanna's apartment on Thursday night, the night of the big soccer game. Due to the fact that she'd gone to Meteora to stay with other relatives.
That was an experience and a half for sure. We could see Nanna's little icons everywhere, being one of 98% Greek Orthodox that are in Greece. It was quite strange...seeing pictures of her and her family on the walls...the lounge that had a bowl of lollies in it, the kitchen, the wardrobe that we knew were full of her clothes. The only downfall being that we had to use a bucket to flush the toilet. Something she had obviously been doing without complaint because noone seemed to know this is what she had been doing.
That was hospitality at it's best. To allow us to stay there, when everywhere else we tried, and they tried, were full. The daughter welcomed us when she knew we were to be trustedd (and we found she was embarrased by us staying in Nanna's room because she didn't think it had been cleaned, but her father had organised the cleaners to change Nanna's bed for us and to leave us fresh towels). Such generosity and we'll always remember that hotel with much fondness and gratefulness for sure!
We've found Athens such a friendly place. The little restaurant where we've been having dinner each night gave us dessert last night (after remembering the previous night we didn't eat the antipasta AFTER the meal!) What a gorgeous family that run the restaurant. And what YUMMY food. Still haven't eaten the greek souvlaki or moussaka yet but apparently the greek islands have these in abundance. Moussaka doesn't seem to be a common menu item..and when we asked a greek lady she told us the whole recipe...so it could be that it's made more in the home than in restaurants!
We bought a little bottle of ouzo and bread cruskits from a shop here called the Lesvos shop today. And we bought dried apricots, figs and chocolate from the markets! We also couldn't resist the round roped breadsticks that seem to on the little carts on all the street corners here as well. So tonight, we have a feast!
Something peculiar to Greece, that we've noticed so far, are the showers! There are NO shower curtains or screens in any of the bathrooms! It's just a little cubicle and we've certainly sprayed water everywhere we've been....oh dear.
Oh and also, in every fast food outlet (where we go to get salads!) there is also beer. The alcohol laws in Europe are very lax. I'm wondering what their road toll, alcohol related illnesses etc are like here...maybe it's low..who knows ?
Yesterday we ventured up to the Acropolis in the rain and at first i was thinking..should we really be making the effort in the rain?? YES! It was an eye opener..it's really weird but just when you get monument fatigue (or monumental fatigue) something so fascinating for words pops up that you think, yes it was worth it! There is so much history attached to the Acropolis and just being there really makes the Greek myths and legends feel very real.
Acropolos, we learned means high city! acro = high and polos = town! And from our very centrally based hotel we can see it lit up at night. It's great! I'd recommend this hotel..even with it's weird bathroom and small rooms!!!
Today we went to the archelogical museum as well to see a lot of the artefacts that has been uneathered here in Greec, at the Acropolis and at other burial sites and now ruins of Greece.
I can't wait to go to the Greek Islands tomorrow! We met a wonderful Canadian couple at breakfast this morning who enlightened us about accomodation etc on the Islands and it's all very reasonable, unbelievably! We thought it'd be really expensive. We've got the next two nights sorted, in Sardinia, as there is a Greek holiday on Monday so that's a good thing at least!
But after that..we're off to Mykinos and then Lesvos and Lemnos. Lemnos is where Grandpop spent time as a medic in the first world war, in 1915 so i can't wait to see that island as he was a very special to me. From there we will go to Gallipoli to also see where he was a medic in the same war.
I'm in an internet cafe at the hotel at the moment and it's one of those that has a heap of people watching tv behind me..and i feel as if people are watching over my shoulder. It's quite disconcerting. Greg's reading the paper in our room upstairs so i'm off to join him...early morning tomorrow!
And it's time for me to sign out anyway. It's 3 Euro for half an hour on here..and i don't have any more change to put in the meter.
Will let you know how the Greek Islands go...
Hugs and luvs to all, we hope all is going well for you all!! Email us! :-) We love to hear how you guys are going as well.
xxx
Athens, Greece (Athena as the Greeks call it!)
FIVOS HOTEL
Mum, great that your internet is up and running again!! :-)
Just heard from Andy Pans...that the DOCKERS WON!!!
Freo...way to go..FREO!!! hahaa..Fremantle Dockers are legends! hehe
Have to find who they played now! And i'll be able to...this computer is set with English language!
That's one thing about Greece, even though the language is difficult to understand and to read, most Greeks know English so we've been very spoilt. They seem very modern actually and we love being here because they're so friendly and helpful. Even to the extent that if you even look slightly lost, they come over to help.
And i mean, what about staying in Nanna's apartment on Thursday night, the night of the big soccer game. Due to the fact that she'd gone to Meteora to stay with other relatives.
That was an experience and a half for sure. We could see Nanna's little icons everywhere, being one of 98% Greek Orthodox that are in Greece. It was quite strange...seeing pictures of her and her family on the walls...the lounge that had a bowl of lollies in it, the kitchen, the wardrobe that we knew were full of her clothes. The only downfall being that we had to use a bucket to flush the toilet. Something she had obviously been doing without complaint because noone seemed to know this is what she had been doing.
That was hospitality at it's best. To allow us to stay there, when everywhere else we tried, and they tried, were full. The daughter welcomed us when she knew we were to be trustedd (and we found she was embarrased by us staying in Nanna's room because she didn't think it had been cleaned, but her father had organised the cleaners to change Nanna's bed for us and to leave us fresh towels). Such generosity and we'll always remember that hotel with much fondness and gratefulness for sure!
We've found Athens such a friendly place. The little restaurant where we've been having dinner each night gave us dessert last night (after remembering the previous night we didn't eat the antipasta AFTER the meal!) What a gorgeous family that run the restaurant. And what YUMMY food. Still haven't eaten the greek souvlaki or moussaka yet but apparently the greek islands have these in abundance. Moussaka doesn't seem to be a common menu item..and when we asked a greek lady she told us the whole recipe...so it could be that it's made more in the home than in restaurants!
We bought a little bottle of ouzo and bread cruskits from a shop here called the Lesvos shop today. And we bought dried apricots, figs and chocolate from the markets! We also couldn't resist the round roped breadsticks that seem to on the little carts on all the street corners here as well. So tonight, we have a feast!
Something peculiar to Greece, that we've noticed so far, are the showers! There are NO shower curtains or screens in any of the bathrooms! It's just a little cubicle and we've certainly sprayed water everywhere we've been....oh dear.
Oh and also, in every fast food outlet (where we go to get salads!) there is also beer. The alcohol laws in Europe are very lax. I'm wondering what their road toll, alcohol related illnesses etc are like here...maybe it's low..who knows ?
Yesterday we ventured up to the Acropolis in the rain and at first i was thinking..should we really be making the effort in the rain?? YES! It was an eye opener..it's really weird but just when you get monument fatigue (or monumental fatigue) something so fascinating for words pops up that you think, yes it was worth it! There is so much history attached to the Acropolis and just being there really makes the Greek myths and legends feel very real.
Acropolos, we learned means high city! acro = high and polos = town! And from our very centrally based hotel we can see it lit up at night. It's great! I'd recommend this hotel..even with it's weird bathroom and small rooms!!!
Today we went to the archelogical museum as well to see a lot of the artefacts that has been uneathered here in Greec, at the Acropolis and at other burial sites and now ruins of Greece.
I can't wait to go to the Greek Islands tomorrow! We met a wonderful Canadian couple at breakfast this morning who enlightened us about accomodation etc on the Islands and it's all very reasonable, unbelievably! We thought it'd be really expensive. We've got the next two nights sorted, in Sardinia, as there is a Greek holiday on Monday so that's a good thing at least!
But after that..we're off to Mykinos and then Lesvos and Lemnos. Lemnos is where Grandpop spent time as a medic in the first world war, in 1915 so i can't wait to see that island as he was a very special to me. From there we will go to Gallipoli to also see where he was a medic in the same war.
I'm in an internet cafe at the hotel at the moment and it's one of those that has a heap of people watching tv behind me..and i feel as if people are watching over my shoulder. It's quite disconcerting. Greg's reading the paper in our room upstairs so i'm off to join him...early morning tomorrow!
And it's time for me to sign out anyway. It's 3 Euro for half an hour on here..and i don't have any more change to put in the meter.
Will let you know how the Greek Islands go...
Hugs and luvs to all, we hope all is going well for you all!! Email us! :-) We love to hear how you guys are going as well.
xxx
Thursday, 24 May 2007
SAD LIVERPOOLIANS...
Day 84
Athens
Here we are again..at the internet cafe, waiting for our flight changes to take place (darling girl in Perth is organising it for us via email!) and Athens is quiet. Deathly quiet. Liverpool lost to Milan 2-1. hehe
Liverpoolians were drunken, jovial and upbeat..before about 11pm that was...THEN, deathly quiet outside as Milan won the grand final. But they soon became raptuous again as they sang mounfully in the streets. The poms certainly know how to celebrate in defeat or in victory! They just love a beer i think. I've never seen anything like it actually. 17,000 liverpoolians bought tickets to watch the game here in Athens.
Okies. Our flight stuff is here..so we'll blog later..we have the Acropolis to see...
Yeeha. We're in Greece longer...so we'll get to go to Sardinia and Mykinos .. as well as Lesvos! Turkey leg is a WEEK later. Mum..hope you can get your internet going again. Sissy, i'll msg mum about Turkey being extended.
Hope you're all great and you had a GREAT BIRTHDAY Tony!!!! We'll have one of those retsina's for you!!!
Talk later!
xxx
Athens
Here we are again..at the internet cafe, waiting for our flight changes to take place (darling girl in Perth is organising it for us via email!) and Athens is quiet. Deathly quiet. Liverpool lost to Milan 2-1. hehe
Liverpoolians were drunken, jovial and upbeat..before about 11pm that was...THEN, deathly quiet outside as Milan won the grand final. But they soon became raptuous again as they sang mounfully in the streets. The poms certainly know how to celebrate in defeat or in victory! They just love a beer i think. I've never seen anything like it actually. 17,000 liverpoolians bought tickets to watch the game here in Athens.
Okies. Our flight stuff is here..so we'll blog later..we have the Acropolis to see...
Yeeha. We're in Greece longer...so we'll get to go to Sardinia and Mykinos .. as well as Lesvos! Turkey leg is a WEEK later. Mum..hope you can get your internet going again. Sissy, i'll msg mum about Turkey being extended.
Hope you're all great and you had a GREAT BIRTHDAY Tony!!!! We'll have one of those retsina's for you!!!
Talk later!
xxx
SOCCER FEVER IN ATHENS!
Day 83
Athens, Greece
We arrived by train and just when i was thinking there was so much BLACK around...on the train, in the streets, on the elderly greek ladies..everywhere in Greece...THEN, we arrive in Athens..
AND IT IS RED!!
And it's red because it's LIVERPOOL FEVER! No kidding, as we got off the train all we saw was liverpool flags, scarves, liverpool shirts (red) Liverpool madness.
It's the grand final of the UEFA Champions final here at Olympic stadium in Athens, Greece. AC MILAN vs Liverpool. It's madness.
"Bring Maddy Home" banners everywhere...(she was the little girl who went missing in Portugal on May 3rd and who now has a world wide search on for her...) Is that search extending to Australia? It's been big news here in Europe since she went missing and the Daily Mail and Daily Express has news about her each day.
Anyway, this soccer madness really affected us..because, all rooms were booked OUT!
We searched high and low in the pouring rain for accomodation and do you think we could get in anywhere? Just when we were about to give up and leave Athens for a place out of here...the lady at the reception of one of the hotels we were making enquiries at started helping us...ringing around at other places, to no avail...
THEN...her father, (obviously the one who wears the pants!) a really gorgeous greek man said (to his daughters abhorrance) we could use his old mother's apartment if we wanted to. She was 97! Nanna has gone to Meteora (which is why we think he took a liking to us because we'd just said we'd come from there!)
So! Here we are..in Nanna's apartment!!!! Just for one night. As an emergency measure. Talk about Greek generosity.
Tomorrow night we're off to another hotel as they said they were still fully booked and we were able to get into another place for the following nights...
But how was that!! SHould see the place...........toilet doesn't quite work .. there's a bucket that flushes it.. poor granny.. but at least we have a place to sleep!
And dinner tonight was so YUMMY!
Chicken, greek salad (fetta on top), homemade fries,
Sound familiar...we enjoy this meal so much, we keep ordering it. Tomorrow, time to try other greek food..like souvlaki and oops i forgot the name..but another popular greek dish anyway. We've tried Halva..ohlala...and i do have to say, Greek coffee..well it's not quite the same as the Italian espresso i'm afraid to say.
The guy at the restaurant we went to, сalled, 'φιλσψα' generously gave us a plate of antipasta..AFER our meal..i'm sure because we ordered ouzo! But...anchovies and anchovie flavoured potato just didn't really go down well....when dessert was really all we wanted..but we were very grateful of the hospitality.
People in Europe have been extremely hospitable to us. Must be our Euro look do you think? NOt sure..but they are! And we're not complaining!
We had a drama today trying to organise trips to the islands..but there's a holiday on the 28th, a Greek National day, so we're not sure if we can make it to Santorini or Mykonos..but we may come back. It's a great place for a 'holiday'! You know, that holiday from travelling that i was talking about...a week or two in the greek islands..oh yes :-)
We're still trying to get to Lesvos (home of George) but have to wait and see if we can extend our flight to Turkey. We want to go to Lemnos (where Grandpops served in WW1) which is near Lesvos. We'll see what happens...we need MORE TIME HERE!!!
Go Italy in the grandfinal!!!
And go DOCKERS! :-)
xxx
ps Greg says, "Go Eagles!!!" .......................
Athens, Greece
We arrived by train and just when i was thinking there was so much BLACK around...on the train, in the streets, on the elderly greek ladies..everywhere in Greece...THEN, we arrive in Athens..
AND IT IS RED!!
And it's red because it's LIVERPOOL FEVER! No kidding, as we got off the train all we saw was liverpool flags, scarves, liverpool shirts (red) Liverpool madness.
It's the grand final of the UEFA Champions final here at Olympic stadium in Athens, Greece. AC MILAN vs Liverpool. It's madness.
"Bring Maddy Home" banners everywhere...(she was the little girl who went missing in Portugal on May 3rd and who now has a world wide search on for her...) Is that search extending to Australia? It's been big news here in Europe since she went missing and the Daily Mail and Daily Express has news about her each day.
Anyway, this soccer madness really affected us..because, all rooms were booked OUT!
We searched high and low in the pouring rain for accomodation and do you think we could get in anywhere? Just when we were about to give up and leave Athens for a place out of here...the lady at the reception of one of the hotels we were making enquiries at started helping us...ringing around at other places, to no avail...
THEN...her father, (obviously the one who wears the pants!) a really gorgeous greek man said (to his daughters abhorrance) we could use his old mother's apartment if we wanted to. She was 97! Nanna has gone to Meteora (which is why we think he took a liking to us because we'd just said we'd come from there!)
So! Here we are..in Nanna's apartment!!!! Just for one night. As an emergency measure. Talk about Greek generosity.
Tomorrow night we're off to another hotel as they said they were still fully booked and we were able to get into another place for the following nights...
But how was that!! SHould see the place...........toilet doesn't quite work .. there's a bucket that flushes it.. poor granny.. but at least we have a place to sleep!
And dinner tonight was so YUMMY!
Chicken, greek salad (fetta on top), homemade fries,
Sound familiar...we enjoy this meal so much, we keep ordering it. Tomorrow, time to try other greek food..like souvlaki and oops i forgot the name..but another popular greek dish anyway. We've tried Halva..ohlala...and i do have to say, Greek coffee..well it's not quite the same as the Italian espresso i'm afraid to say.
The guy at the restaurant we went to, сalled, 'φιλσψα' generously gave us a plate of antipasta..AFER our meal..i'm sure because we ordered ouzo! But...anchovies and anchovie flavoured potato just didn't really go down well....when dessert was really all we wanted..but we were very grateful of the hospitality.
People in Europe have been extremely hospitable to us. Must be our Euro look do you think? NOt sure..but they are! And we're not complaining!
We had a drama today trying to organise trips to the islands..but there's a holiday on the 28th, a Greek National day, so we're not sure if we can make it to Santorini or Mykonos..but we may come back. It's a great place for a 'holiday'! You know, that holiday from travelling that i was talking about...a week or two in the greek islands..oh yes :-)
We're still trying to get to Lesvos (home of George) but have to wait and see if we can extend our flight to Turkey. We want to go to Lemnos (where Grandpops served in WW1) which is near Lesvos. We'll see what happens...we need MORE TIME HERE!!!
Go Italy in the grandfinal!!!
And go DOCKERS! :-)
xxx
ps Greg says, "Go Eagles!!!" .......................
Wednesday, 23 May 2007
MONASTERIES in KASTRAKI
Day 82
Kalambaka
Hotel Astoria
After waking up late...and eating breakfast of turkey and cheese sandwiches that we got from the local supermarket just up the road from our hotel....we took it easy...which we needed to do, after our exhausting last few days.
When we found the bus to Meteora where the huge rock pinnacles with the monasteries are, we were told they had finished for the day! It was 11am!
So we had to use our lateral thinking brains and work out what to do. Catch the local bus to Kastraki, 2km's away from here in Kambalaka....and then walk to the monasteries from there. Afterall, we're fit!
And that's what we did. Kastraki is a beautiful little town. We asked prices at some of the accomodation there and they said it was 35 Euro for the night, which we thought was pretty reasonable. We saw a hotel called, "Sydney" too. It had a map of Australia on it...with Perth and Geraldton on there as well!
Anyway...we headed up to the monasteries which were perched on top of the ominous and huge mountainous rock pinnacles...honestly they really loomed. So imposing. Greg was so impressed he overloaded the camera. Must be a man thing I reckon..being so impressed by all these towering natural structures! It was impressive though...so i shouldn't mock!
We trekked our way up, talked to some british people about the directions (none) and basically just followed the erect rock towers looming at us! We tried to stay off the main roads as they were high up, winding, and the buses going up there made me feel a bit scared to say the least.
We climbed up to 6 of the monasteries and entered two. The first one being St Nicholas which was something very different to anything i've ever seen. Amazing. I'm still in wonderment at how these monks lived there. They are genuinely the hardest (and had to be) places to enter. Hidden monasteries. I could just imagine them secretly praying in there. We were allowed in but i had to put on a skirt as part of the law. (it said on a notice) I'm glad they had sarongs for those of us women wearing pants. The second monastery was St Catherines that was perched on top of a tall rectangular mountain.
We spent a lot of time reflecting at the top of these rocks. Imagining the lives of these monks. We saw the Nunnery where current day nuns still live as well. That is a new building, but they still go to pray at the old monasteries.
We headed back on a track that was just that..a track. On a little known road. I was thinking, i'm glad mum knows where we are in case a search party needs to look for us! It was so peaceful though. Caves, tortoises crawling around, snakes, frogs.....and fantasic views of Kastraki below. We enjoyed the walk.
Two hours later, after also walking around Old Kastraki with the cobblestone streets and old colourful greek buildings with the imposing mountainus backdrop we were sitting at a resturant in Kastraki drinking local greek wine and eating grilled chicken, homemade patatas and greek salad. Followed by ouzo, the greek drink we were first introduced to by George and Robyn and eating icecream.
We laughed hysterically as we recalled our conversation from the night before...when we were discussing having a 'holiday' from travelling!!!!
No kidding. We are finding some parts of travelling very challenging. And it can be quite exhaustive. But we want to see as much as we can for the time period we have..and we are planning to be in the UK by the beginning of June! And we still have Turkey to see! (where Grandpop was in WW2).
The stress of it!! Hahahahaha!
So...we were thinking...we need to stay put for a week or two somewhere, where we can just relax, eat and sleep! A ship cruise? Back to a place we've been? Somewhere we haven't been?...Back home to Australia? haha!
But for now...here we are...in a greek internet cafe, along with about 15 teenagers playing their internet computer games, blogging and plotting! Or...really, we are 'blotting' because Greg's missing bits out of what he's plotted for us to do, and i'm missing bits out of the blogs because the keyboard i'm using is absolutely impossible and this is taking me twice as long to type! Oh, Greg said he just saw the U Tube clip you sent Marguerite..and he loves the message and is happy you thought of us :-)
You know, there might be little reflections of travelling being tiring..(we've all heard the adage, 'need to go home to have a holiday' after we've been away) but then, we think of how much we have already accomplished, the most fantastic places we've seen and been to already, a quarter of the way through our journey. And how compatible we are and how we are living in the 'now' and living our dream...and we realise just how blessed we both are.
Athens next!
PS Thanks CWDazzla, for the email! Miss you heaps xx
Kalambaka
Hotel Astoria
After waking up late...and eating breakfast of turkey and cheese sandwiches that we got from the local supermarket just up the road from our hotel....we took it easy...which we needed to do, after our exhausting last few days.
When we found the bus to Meteora where the huge rock pinnacles with the monasteries are, we were told they had finished for the day! It was 11am!
So we had to use our lateral thinking brains and work out what to do. Catch the local bus to Kastraki, 2km's away from here in Kambalaka....and then walk to the monasteries from there. Afterall, we're fit!
And that's what we did. Kastraki is a beautiful little town. We asked prices at some of the accomodation there and they said it was 35 Euro for the night, which we thought was pretty reasonable. We saw a hotel called, "Sydney" too. It had a map of Australia on it...with Perth and Geraldton on there as well!
Anyway...we headed up to the monasteries which were perched on top of the ominous and huge mountainous rock pinnacles...honestly they really loomed. So imposing. Greg was so impressed he overloaded the camera. Must be a man thing I reckon..being so impressed by all these towering natural structures! It was impressive though...so i shouldn't mock!
We trekked our way up, talked to some british people about the directions (none) and basically just followed the erect rock towers looming at us! We tried to stay off the main roads as they were high up, winding, and the buses going up there made me feel a bit scared to say the least.
We climbed up to 6 of the monasteries and entered two. The first one being St Nicholas which was something very different to anything i've ever seen. Amazing. I'm still in wonderment at how these monks lived there. They are genuinely the hardest (and had to be) places to enter. Hidden monasteries. I could just imagine them secretly praying in there. We were allowed in but i had to put on a skirt as part of the law. (it said on a notice) I'm glad they had sarongs for those of us women wearing pants. The second monastery was St Catherines that was perched on top of a tall rectangular mountain.
We spent a lot of time reflecting at the top of these rocks. Imagining the lives of these monks. We saw the Nunnery where current day nuns still live as well. That is a new building, but they still go to pray at the old monasteries.
We headed back on a track that was just that..a track. On a little known road. I was thinking, i'm glad mum knows where we are in case a search party needs to look for us! It was so peaceful though. Caves, tortoises crawling around, snakes, frogs.....and fantasic views of Kastraki below. We enjoyed the walk.
Two hours later, after also walking around Old Kastraki with the cobblestone streets and old colourful greek buildings with the imposing mountainus backdrop we were sitting at a resturant in Kastraki drinking local greek wine and eating grilled chicken, homemade patatas and greek salad. Followed by ouzo, the greek drink we were first introduced to by George and Robyn and eating icecream.
We laughed hysterically as we recalled our conversation from the night before...when we were discussing having a 'holiday' from travelling!!!!
No kidding. We are finding some parts of travelling very challenging. And it can be quite exhaustive. But we want to see as much as we can for the time period we have..and we are planning to be in the UK by the beginning of June! And we still have Turkey to see! (where Grandpop was in WW2).
The stress of it!! Hahahahaha!
So...we were thinking...we need to stay put for a week or two somewhere, where we can just relax, eat and sleep! A ship cruise? Back to a place we've been? Somewhere we haven't been?...Back home to Australia? haha!
But for now...here we are...in a greek internet cafe, along with about 15 teenagers playing their internet computer games, blogging and plotting! Or...really, we are 'blotting' because Greg's missing bits out of what he's plotted for us to do, and i'm missing bits out of the blogs because the keyboard i'm using is absolutely impossible and this is taking me twice as long to type! Oh, Greg said he just saw the U Tube clip you sent Marguerite..and he loves the message and is happy you thought of us :-)
You know, there might be little reflections of travelling being tiring..(we've all heard the adage, 'need to go home to have a holiday' after we've been away) but then, we think of how much we have already accomplished, the most fantastic places we've seen and been to already, a quarter of the way through our journey. And how compatible we are and how we are living in the 'now' and living our dream...and we realise just how blessed we both are.
Athens next!
PS Thanks CWDazzla, for the email! Miss you heaps xx
GREECE!!!
Day 81
Our ferry ride to Greece was something out of some kind of movie...we left at 5pm and arrived at 7am, tired, sore and wishing we hadn't had two nights in a row travelling...with broken sleep, no showers, and grazing on biscuits and water!
And to really to it off, the ferry to Igoumenitsa which was an industrial truck carrier! Whwn we bought our ticket she did say the loading gate was a bit of a distance from the terminal. So we headed off, along with two girls travelling from Canada who latched themselves to us, fearing the unknown...
The trucks got loaded, a Contiki bus loaded with travellers got loaded, then we walked up the ramp to get loaded. Couldn't fit in the lift, so walked up 5 flights with our packs to find out where our 'deck space' where we were to sleep was positioned.
We were thankful there was actually a large room, with seats, that we could spend the night on! Contiki travellers had cabins we found out later, how did they get so lucky?? And, they spent the night drinking in the 'lounge' so we dreamed of popping into those bunks and squatting there!
And...there was dinner in the dining area too. So we had spaghetti and greek salad. And kept to our 'no drinking when travelling' plan and had frizzante water.
Back to our chairs. We really couldn't sleep, too much spitting and chucking of some of the drinkers for me. And farting and snoring. It was horrible.
Arriving in the port of Corfu, where the Contiki mob got off, was spectacular though. The scenery from the deck at 6am was just beautiful. Righ there, in the Adriatic Sea. I had to pinch myself to realise we had arrived at one of the Greek Islands.
Then to the place where we were headed. Igoumenitsa. On the border of Albania and Greece.
Once we arrived we messaged George. His homeland. It felt special.
We then walked into town to catch the bus to Ioaninna. Arrived at 10am. Our plan was to stay the night in Meteora, the mountainous town where the 24 monasteries were built on top of large mountains by christians escaping their persecutors in the 16th Century. And where there are now 6 monasteries.
So, we caught the bus from Ioaninna and passed the beautiful lakes and mountains and headed for Kambalaka via another bus stop and bus change.
Meteora is 6km's away.
And tomorrow we head there!
Our ferry ride to Greece was something out of some kind of movie...we left at 5pm and arrived at 7am, tired, sore and wishing we hadn't had two nights in a row travelling...with broken sleep, no showers, and grazing on biscuits and water!
And to really to it off, the ferry to Igoumenitsa which was an industrial truck carrier! Whwn we bought our ticket she did say the loading gate was a bit of a distance from the terminal. So we headed off, along with two girls travelling from Canada who latched themselves to us, fearing the unknown...
The trucks got loaded, a Contiki bus loaded with travellers got loaded, then we walked up the ramp to get loaded. Couldn't fit in the lift, so walked up 5 flights with our packs to find out where our 'deck space' where we were to sleep was positioned.
We were thankful there was actually a large room, with seats, that we could spend the night on! Contiki travellers had cabins we found out later, how did they get so lucky?? And, they spent the night drinking in the 'lounge' so we dreamed of popping into those bunks and squatting there!
And...there was dinner in the dining area too. So we had spaghetti and greek salad. And kept to our 'no drinking when travelling' plan and had frizzante water.
Back to our chairs. We really couldn't sleep, too much spitting and chucking of some of the drinkers for me. And farting and snoring. It was horrible.
Arriving in the port of Corfu, where the Contiki mob got off, was spectacular though. The scenery from the deck at 6am was just beautiful. Righ there, in the Adriatic Sea. I had to pinch myself to realise we had arrived at one of the Greek Islands.
Then to the place where we were headed. Igoumenitsa. On the border of Albania and Greece.
Once we arrived we messaged George. His homeland. It felt special.
We then walked into town to catch the bus to Ioaninna. Arrived at 10am. Our plan was to stay the night in Meteora, the mountainous town where the 24 monasteries were built on top of large mountains by christians escaping their persecutors in the 16th Century. And where there are now 6 monasteries.
So, we caught the bus from Ioaninna and passed the beautiful lakes and mountains and headed for Kambalaka via another bus stop and bus change.
Meteora is 6km's away.
And tomorrow we head there!
TRAVEL-TRAVEL-TRAVEL!
Day 79-80
Saturday Night
Our itineray from Catania was a nightmare!
We envisaged leaving Catania via train but found out it was retardo..then cancelled till Monday! There were police everywhere. We counted 30 and decided there was some kind of blitz on and we were glad we weren't one of the ones who had already bought a ticket, only to lose it when it was cancelled, as others tearfully did.
We didn't want to stay in Catania any longer, especially at 90 Euro a night so enquired about bussing it to Bari (where we wanted to catch the ferry to Patras.
So! We bussed it.
To Messina at 17.30pm. Then Messina at 11.55pm to Napoli 6.20am in a sleeper cabin. Napoli Sunday 6.55am to Caserta 7.35am. Then Caserta 9.20am to Bari 12.23pm.
Once in Bari (another friendly Sicillian town!) we found the ferry we wanted to catch at 8pm had been cancelled. Drats. It didn't go again until the following night Tuesday).
All this travelling for naught!
What to do?
We decided to forfeit our Eurail trip to Patras (which was free) and catch an overnight ferry to Igoumrnitsa for 43 Euro.
And that's what we did!
Another night with no sleep........
But at least we'd be in Greece by the morning!
Saturday Night
Our itineray from Catania was a nightmare!
We envisaged leaving Catania via train but found out it was retardo..then cancelled till Monday! There were police everywhere. We counted 30 and decided there was some kind of blitz on and we were glad we weren't one of the ones who had already bought a ticket, only to lose it when it was cancelled, as others tearfully did.
We didn't want to stay in Catania any longer, especially at 90 Euro a night so enquired about bussing it to Bari (where we wanted to catch the ferry to Patras.
So! We bussed it.
To Messina at 17.30pm. Then Messina at 11.55pm to Napoli 6.20am in a sleeper cabin. Napoli Sunday 6.55am to Caserta 7.35am. Then Caserta 9.20am to Bari 12.23pm.
Once in Bari (another friendly Sicillian town!) we found the ferry we wanted to catch at 8pm had been cancelled. Drats. It didn't go again until the following night Tuesday).
All this travelling for naught!
What to do?
We decided to forfeit our Eurail trip to Patras (which was free) and catch an overnight ferry to Igoumrnitsa for 43 Euro.
And that's what we did!
Another night with no sleep........
But at least we'd be in Greece by the morning!
CATANIA- MOUNT ETNA
Day 79
Catania, Sicilly
Hotel Savona
We left gorgeous Capo D'Orlando to head off to Catania to see Mt Etna...
First our train was 'retardo' at the station by about 40 minutes...so we waited and messaged and then caught our train to Palermo...we spent time there on one of those whizbang hop on hop off buses that enable you to see the whole place in 2 hours. I love the audios on these...and found out Palermo is named after a port. We went to the port after that to check it all out..
We debated whether to stay there the night, or to continue onto Catania....and Catania won out. We caught a bus there...because the trains were on strike (again!)
Not a good idea.
Arriving at midnight....with no accomodation was a nightmare. We scoured the streets for somewhere to stay...and all the places close to the bus station were full! As we went up and down lanes we heard rats, saw washing appear flapping in front of us..and generally just felt scared!
Finally we came across a few people hanging out at a ristorante and asked them...and understood trying hard to understand italian (or more like, Sicillian dialect) and finally headed off where they motioned. Still no luck. We asked people at a place that was full, Kings Hotel, and they directed us to Hotel Savona after ringing to confirm they had space. At 90 Euros a night. 20 metres away.
We searched high and low for this place, asking taxi drivers who said it's just over there. We looked and thought we must have been either pathetically tired or just naive or just plain blind. Finally a group of guys tried to direct us...and as we looked up there it was, in front of us. Musthave been 5km's from Kings. Some 20 metres! (We've realised that distance means nothing in Italy!)
WHat a night. At least everyone tried to help. Sicilians are just so helpful, happy lovely people. Of anywhere we've been, it's definately here that is most hospitable. From the extra's they serve at dinner at no charge, to just looking at you and saying bonjourno or bonasera. Friendly, gorgeous people.
And we really saw this at the Savona.
We enquried about going to Mt Etna..at almost 1am in the morning, and he organised a landrover to pick us up first thing in the morning!
Hotel was great, definatly 4 star and a lovely night sleep...and had great brioche and fruit for breakfast!
We headed out to Mt Etna after breakfast. First to Taomina, 2 hours from Catania, to pick up some other people (and met a great lady of 77 called Lilly, from Manchester UK who gave us her number, and told us to visit her when we're there!) Mt Etna was spectacular. We went into one of the old craters, adorned with hard hat and mini headlights...and saw all the once lava flows....Afterwards when we got to the freezing top we were so glad we made the effort to see this volcano..
The vegetation in the area is so rich. Anywhere kissed by lava takes 400 years to revegetate but when it does..its amazingly green and lush. The view was incredible.
We ate lunch there..Sicillian dishes...rice stuffed with fetta and tomato..pacareno, aronchinni..yum.
Travelling home in the landrover....we ate honey lollies and nut caramel from a place that had bee hives, and where we stopped on the way back...took pics for Pa here!
Also heard Dockers lost to the Cats! But...were consoled (thanks Bob) when we heard the Eagles lost to them last week too!!!!
It's goodbye to Sicilly. A place we've loved. And goodbye to Italy.
We'll be back one day..
Catania, Sicilly
Hotel Savona
We left gorgeous Capo D'Orlando to head off to Catania to see Mt Etna...
First our train was 'retardo' at the station by about 40 minutes...so we waited and messaged and then caught our train to Palermo...we spent time there on one of those whizbang hop on hop off buses that enable you to see the whole place in 2 hours. I love the audios on these...and found out Palermo is named after a port. We went to the port after that to check it all out..
We debated whether to stay there the night, or to continue onto Catania....and Catania won out. We caught a bus there...because the trains were on strike (again!)
Not a good idea.
Arriving at midnight....with no accomodation was a nightmare. We scoured the streets for somewhere to stay...and all the places close to the bus station were full! As we went up and down lanes we heard rats, saw washing appear flapping in front of us..and generally just felt scared!
Finally we came across a few people hanging out at a ristorante and asked them...and understood trying hard to understand italian (or more like, Sicillian dialect) and finally headed off where they motioned. Still no luck. We asked people at a place that was full, Kings Hotel, and they directed us to Hotel Savona after ringing to confirm they had space. At 90 Euros a night. 20 metres away.
We searched high and low for this place, asking taxi drivers who said it's just over there. We looked and thought we must have been either pathetically tired or just naive or just plain blind. Finally a group of guys tried to direct us...and as we looked up there it was, in front of us. Musthave been 5km's from Kings. Some 20 metres! (We've realised that distance means nothing in Italy!)
WHat a night. At least everyone tried to help. Sicilians are just so helpful, happy lovely people. Of anywhere we've been, it's definately here that is most hospitable. From the extra's they serve at dinner at no charge, to just looking at you and saying bonjourno or bonasera. Friendly, gorgeous people.
And we really saw this at the Savona.
We enquried about going to Mt Etna..at almost 1am in the morning, and he organised a landrover to pick us up first thing in the morning!
Hotel was great, definatly 4 star and a lovely night sleep...and had great brioche and fruit for breakfast!
We headed out to Mt Etna after breakfast. First to Taomina, 2 hours from Catania, to pick up some other people (and met a great lady of 77 called Lilly, from Manchester UK who gave us her number, and told us to visit her when we're there!) Mt Etna was spectacular. We went into one of the old craters, adorned with hard hat and mini headlights...and saw all the once lava flows....Afterwards when we got to the freezing top we were so glad we made the effort to see this volcano..
The vegetation in the area is so rich. Anywhere kissed by lava takes 400 years to revegetate but when it does..its amazingly green and lush. The view was incredible.
We ate lunch there..Sicillian dishes...rice stuffed with fetta and tomato..pacareno, aronchinni..yum.
Travelling home in the landrover....we ate honey lollies and nut caramel from a place that had bee hives, and where we stopped on the way back...took pics for Pa here!
Also heard Dockers lost to the Cats! But...were consoled (thanks Bob) when we heard the Eagles lost to them last week too!!!!
It's goodbye to Sicilly. A place we've loved. And goodbye to Italy.
We'll be back one day..
Friday, 18 May 2007
RAV's BIRTHDAY!!
Day .. (have't got my diary to check what day we're on, just finished breakfast and now we're off!) See you soon!
Friday 18th May
Aww..Rav is seven today!!!
Will post the blog about the doggies later...(heard from their new owners..and they are really happy!)
Will blog/email when i can..hope all's going well with you guys
Lots of love xxx
Friday 18th May
Aww..Rav is seven today!!!
Will post the blog about the doggies later...(heard from their new owners..and they are really happy!)
Will blog/email when i can..hope all's going well with you guys
Lots of love xxx
ISOLE EOLIE O LIPARI Eoleoan Islands
Capo D'Orlando
Eolioan Islands
Thursday Day
The weather came good! We were able to get to two of the seven islands!
We Ferried to the Eoilian Islands (spelt in so many italian ways i'm not sure how they are spelt anymore!)
Lipari and Vulcano Islands
I'll write more about our trip there on the ferry, with 200 school kids, and our climb up the volcano 'Vulcano' when i can get to another internet point...we're off now to Palermo and Catania...
NB To self Remember the story about the seven systers and venus and Ingrid Bergman and Rossolini's love story!
xxx
PS Thanks for emails guys, will reply when i can...absolutely love them..and espresso in Sydney sounds wonderful Silvia!
Eolioan Islands
Thursday Day
The weather came good! We were able to get to two of the seven islands!
We Ferried to the Eoilian Islands (spelt in so many italian ways i'm not sure how they are spelt anymore!)
Lipari and Vulcano Islands
I'll write more about our trip there on the ferry, with 200 school kids, and our climb up the volcano 'Vulcano' when i can get to another internet point...we're off now to Palermo and Catania...
NB To self Remember the story about the seven systers and venus and Ingrid Bergman and Rossolini's love story!
xxx
PS Thanks for emails guys, will reply when i can...absolutely love them..and espresso in Sydney sounds wonderful Silvia!
THE MAN AT THE CEMETERY Capo D'Orlando
Wednesday Day ..
Capo D'Orlando
Hotel il Mulina
We decided to look for the ancestoral names at the cemetery!
And when we arrived......the man at the front desk was fast asleep..we searched and seached for the names we were looking for and couldn't find them..
So we had to wake the man...
We knocked so hard the door practically fell down!!!
Then he awoke, red eyes wide eyed, dribbles down his shirt..it was a deep sleep he was awoken from...
And then the comical evening began..
And i don't have time to finishas we're heading off and we have a train to catch..so will later...
Capo D'Orlando
Hotel il Mulina
We decided to look for the ancestoral names at the cemetery!
And when we arrived......the man at the front desk was fast asleep..we searched and seached for the names we were looking for and couldn't find them..
So we had to wake the man...
We knocked so hard the door practically fell down!!!
Then he awoke, red eyes wide eyed, dribbles down his shirt..it was a deep sleep he was awoken from...
And then the comical evening began..
And i don't have time to finishas we're heading off and we have a train to catch..so will later...
Wednesday, 16 May 2007
CAPO D'ORLANDO
Sicilly, island of Italy
(If you look at Italy as a long boot, we're on the ball the boot is kicking!)
Capo d Orlando
Day 75, 76
The first thing we saw when we got off the train was the street to the sea. The town looked a lot like Gero..a sleepy, it seemed, seaside town! There were girls in the train station singing..'I am a bitch....' and then speaking in Italian..
So funny, they know all the english words to songs..but can only talk in Italian.
That's what we've been finding too...that people SEEM to understand us..because they say, 'Hello!', or 'Thankyou!', or 'What would you like?', or 'Your welcome!', in perfect english..then when you speak back they say..'I can't understanda englisha!'
I guess it's like us..we say 'prego' (welcome) or 'grazie' (thankyou) or 'bonjourno' (hello) or 'ciao' (bye) and they think we know what we're saying...so the look at us and talk italian...and we are completely lost!!! It's quite funny really. The only language we all understand is body gestures! Or the sound the mobile phone makes when a message comes, all cultures check their mobiles, regardless of language!!
We found a gorgeous hotel right on the ocean. Our room is overlooking the ocean. It has a bathroom with a toilet, shower and bidet....(unlike the one in Rome which had the toilet down the hall) and when we arrived it was peaceful and beautiful here...and we even have slippers to put on. It's a three star which is better than what we've had but it's the same price as the bigger cities because it's not a tourist spot. Well, we don't think it is, and yet, they do have some activities going on here, so we found out later!
As the night went on (last night) the ocean got more turbulent..till finally there were huge swells....and the ferry we were going to take to see the Aeoleon islands had to be cancelled!!! (so today we're going to the capital of Sicilly, Palermo) and we're hoping to go to Mount Etna, the erupting volcano closeby.
After we booked in we went for a walk along the ocean..it's weird because it has really dark sand and big dump trucks were dumping more sand on the beach when we arrived..but that soon washed away during the night!
We went to the tourist office to find out more information...to see if we could find anything on the history of the people that lived here in the forties...pre second world war..and asked where the cemetery was....
They couldn't understand what we wanted at all..so we went back to the hotel where there was an english speaking lady (sort of anyway) who directed us to the 'Santuario' after we drew a picture of some crosses to let her know what it was we were after! (We wanted a cemetery to see if we could trace the ancestors tombstones).
Off we go...first we walked to the museum which the lady at the Tourist Office said was not that worth looking at..but we wanted to see it just to get some bearing on this place! She reminded us everything closed between 2pm and 4.30pm because everyone went off to lunch..or home for lunch..or somewhere....everythnig really does close at that time. The town is dead. Nothing open..except a few 'ristarantes'! (how they spell it!) Everything opens after 4.30pm and stays open till 8.30pm..with restaurantes staying open much, much later!!
We found it...called the Antiquariam and the bloke opened it up especially for us....it was closed...but he was there at the entrance...speaking to us in Italian all the time...and us replying in English!!! Neither of us could understand except that he knew we wanted to have a look at the museum!
While we were looking at the exhibition...of archaelogical finds...the kind italian bloke walked in and gave us a book to read...called, Archeologia A Capo d Orlando by Umberta Spiga. It was signed Maggio (May) and had the town's name on it.
But! It was all in Italian! So we looked at the pictures and tried to make head or tale of it..seems there was a big greek influence in the town..and the finds were mainly of greek origin. Very interesting history. And this was all found only recently.
As we went to leave and give him the book back...
And he ushered for us to keep it!!
How nice was that!
Honestly, we get the feeling the Italians here really like us. They are so generous and hospitable...including the lady here at the reception who said...'use the internet'..for free!!' (So here i am, 'blogging' and writing while Greg is here 'plotting' where we are going while we are here in Sicilly. Only this time, the weather is causing problems! It's not cold, it's just choppy on the water and everywhere from here is by ferry!)
We then walked to the church at Capo d Orlando's Santuario all Imbrunire, where we wondered if we'd see a cemetery there as well or not.
As we started walking up the million steps to the top (150 big wide steps) we saw, on the third step, the name! And some other names of family friends! (One's that were also at the Islands with them). So we knew 'the ancestors' were here.
IN the phone book for Sicilly...there are 100 ancestors in the Messina area...and only 2 in the Capo d Orlando area! We wondered if they were related and why there were only two of the same name left here.
The cemetery appantly is 9kms out of town..so we'll try to get there and see if the great, great grandparents were buried there. It would be in the 30s or 40s we think. Not sure when they died. Anyway, it's interesting to see where they came from. And where the kids roots were from.
I remember old man Grandfather sitting at the top of the big wooden boat...in 1978 when i met him...and my kids father introduced us. He stopped work to talk to me..and at the time i was told it was unusual because he was usually a grumpy ol bum! haha!
He was friendly anyway...and i talked to him a few more times outside the old family fishing shed and outside the house where he lived with Aunty Conna, over the next year, before he died not long later..
He'd always be coiling ropes or overseeing pots being made, even in his 80s! He loved the ocean..and unfortunately when he emigrated to Australia was unable to work on the boats due to the war and italians and germans not being able to work in Australia at that time, even tho they were Australian citizens. So,like many other italians that emigrated, and in this predicament, he sent his sons out to work.
Okies, going offside here, but the fishing history is all so fascinating and also part of my personal history....and i always wondered where the italian start was.
And it was here..in this wonderful little town. I always thought it would be a little fishing village, but it's not, its a seaside location, on wonderful high cliffs and a big reef on the outside, but the main industry we're not sure about yet. It's not fishing.
We went to lunch at a restaurante called Seventeen and guess WHAT?
While we were ordering we saw some big tall black guys on the table next door..and the waitress couldnt understand us...so she called one of them over...and it turned out to be the HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS!!! They are here setting up for their 2007 Italian tour - they play here in Capo D'Orlando next week! Wish we could have been here then....
That was exciting for us anyway! (No joke! They stood about 7 foot tall!)
At this ristarante we had grilled chicken with oil...a huge salad which included lettuce, tuna, tomatoes, potato, corn, boccocino pieces all smothered in oil and vinegar....(love the tuna in the salads throughout Italy.
And after...a homemade cream LIMONCELLO!
Oh my....
The afternoon was spent recovering...
Before we went for dinner at this other gorgeous little place later on in the night..and there is a festival going on here in the main street. So there are white stalls everywhere....with all sorts of things in them....and people down the street.
A gorgoeus town. Not sleepy at all. Especially at night when it comes alive.
I was thinking.. i guess if the old man grandfather and grandmother had stayed here..in Capo d Orlando and had all their six children here...there would be more than 2 ancestors in the phone book today!
I thought of Elise and Sam and their Grandmother and their Dad and their Aunties..and i thought...they'd all like this town!
It has heart.
And it has soul. The people are extremely kind and helpful in a non communicative kind of way (they can't speak much English, and our Italian is limited!)
And it has peppidelli's! They call them them peppirelli's here! We found them at a place called My Darling Bar Pasticceria! They taste just like Old Sam's! Which is where i got the recipe..hard as rock but with a cinnomon and lemon flavour and when you crunch down you taste almond chunks! Yvonne! These are the one's you like!
I wonder if we'll find stekka's here! (sticks!) hehe
Can't wait to have an Italian night with all that we've learned about Italian food..to add to what we already know! (Both of us have Italian experience!)
Capo d Orlando is also a great point to see Sicilly. From here...we will go to Palermo, the capital of Sicilly, the islands off here, if the weather is fine and we can get there, Mount Etna...and Messina...
Sicilly is out of the way, a place where people don't often venture to (mostly staying in Rome) but we're glad we made the mammoth effort to get here!
Okies, ciao.
See you in Bari! Or Greec, whichever comes first!
VATICAN TO SICILLY BY TRAIN
Night of 74
Day 75
We spent our last day in Rome, at the Vatican which is an 'awesome place' in Silvia's words, an 'awe inspiring place' in Greg's words and 'phenomenal' in my words...
The sheer grandiour of the place..and the fact that we had to walk 500 steps to the top of the cupola! And also..saw Michelangelos la Pieta which was divine..and Raphaels work as well as so much more..the ceramics etc..i tell you, a visit to St Peitra is definatly worth it! We went twice..and spending the last day in Rome was wonderful. We even got to hear a service..and hear the bells and see the guards dressed in Michelangelos design.
Just one thing, Michelangelo was certainly the blue eyed boy in Italy eh...he was so revered (and i can see why) but i always feel for Leonardo Da Vinci, who in life, must have felt so tortured...and all because he wasn't of recognised Noble blood (he was a bastard son of nobility) as Michelangelo was, and not recognised with his father's name. (da vinci is the place where he was born, not his father's name).
We arrived in Sicilly...on the old rattling train...it was such an old train! Our Eurail entitles us to go on a Eurostar train which is a really fast, new, modern train but for some reason the sleeper trains from Rome are not like this ..they're as old as the hils themselves. Unlike the Paris one we took which took 3 hours to go 800km or so....!!
Anyway...it bumbped, chugged and rocked and rolled and vibrated and swayed for 10 hours. Us in our bunk beds in a little cabin! We left at 9.30pm....on Monday night (14th) and it arrived at 7.30am Tuesday morning!!
But the weird thing is....at about 4.30am...the train suddenly stopped...for longer than a normal 3 minute stop to get off at a train station..it stopped for ages..and woke me up...and i looked out of the window...and the train was overlooking the sea..it looked gorgeous...ships everywhere!
I wondered where on earth we were!! Then...the train started going backwards! I thought..Whoa! They've missed their stop!! So backwards we go......then forwards....i look out our cabin window....and see a bloke looking in...he smiles...then waves...!! I àm in my underwear!! I thought I'd better get dressed..something is happening!
So i race out on to the main hallway of the train...pull up the big blind and look out again...we start moving backwards....then forwards....and backwards again. We're moving into a big container it looks like...so i wake Greg!
He looks out...and says..i think we're on a ferry! They loaded our train onto a ferry..and we started moving again...silently this time...with only the sound of the ships propellors!
Over the stretto de messina, the stretch of water between itally and sicilly. We didn't know that was going to happen! Being loaded up onto a ferry! Whoa.
We then arrived in Messina...a big town....(that has 100 ancestoral names in the book) and headed off again, on the train tracks..to Capo D'Orlando, my children's great grandparents were born!
It's really bizzare. The trains in Europe. So different to anything we would ever know. There are metros, where trains go under the city...there are trains where trains go over land, under tunnels and through mountains..and there are the sleepers...
We arrived in Capo d Orlando...to where we were going to do some ancestoral research...and the first thing we see is the ocean...
Day 75
We spent our last day in Rome, at the Vatican which is an 'awesome place' in Silvia's words, an 'awe inspiring place' in Greg's words and 'phenomenal' in my words...
The sheer grandiour of the place..and the fact that we had to walk 500 steps to the top of the cupola! And also..saw Michelangelos la Pieta which was divine..and Raphaels work as well as so much more..the ceramics etc..i tell you, a visit to St Peitra is definatly worth it! We went twice..and spending the last day in Rome was wonderful. We even got to hear a service..and hear the bells and see the guards dressed in Michelangelos design.
Just one thing, Michelangelo was certainly the blue eyed boy in Italy eh...he was so revered (and i can see why) but i always feel for Leonardo Da Vinci, who in life, must have felt so tortured...and all because he wasn't of recognised Noble blood (he was a bastard son of nobility) as Michelangelo was, and not recognised with his father's name. (da vinci is the place where he was born, not his father's name).
We arrived in Sicilly...on the old rattling train...it was such an old train! Our Eurail entitles us to go on a Eurostar train which is a really fast, new, modern train but for some reason the sleeper trains from Rome are not like this ..they're as old as the hils themselves. Unlike the Paris one we took which took 3 hours to go 800km or so....!!
Anyway...it bumbped, chugged and rocked and rolled and vibrated and swayed for 10 hours. Us in our bunk beds in a little cabin! We left at 9.30pm....on Monday night (14th) and it arrived at 7.30am Tuesday morning!!
But the weird thing is....at about 4.30am...the train suddenly stopped...for longer than a normal 3 minute stop to get off at a train station..it stopped for ages..and woke me up...and i looked out of the window...and the train was overlooking the sea..it looked gorgeous...ships everywhere!
I wondered where on earth we were!! Then...the train started going backwards! I thought..Whoa! They've missed their stop!! So backwards we go......then forwards....i look out our cabin window....and see a bloke looking in...he smiles...then waves...!! I àm in my underwear!! I thought I'd better get dressed..something is happening!
So i race out on to the main hallway of the train...pull up the big blind and look out again...we start moving backwards....then forwards....and backwards again. We're moving into a big container it looks like...so i wake Greg!
He looks out...and says..i think we're on a ferry! They loaded our train onto a ferry..and we started moving again...silently this time...with only the sound of the ships propellors!
Over the stretto de messina, the stretch of water between itally and sicilly. We didn't know that was going to happen! Being loaded up onto a ferry! Whoa.
We then arrived in Messina...a big town....(that has 100 ancestoral names in the book) and headed off again, on the train tracks..to Capo D'Orlando, my children's great grandparents were born!
It's really bizzare. The trains in Europe. So different to anything we would ever know. There are metros, where trains go under the city...there are trains where trains go over land, under tunnels and through mountains..and there are the sleepers...
We arrived in Capo d Orlando...to where we were going to do some ancestoral research...and the first thing we see is the ocean...
Monday, 14 May 2007
COLLOSEUMS and ITALIAN PASSION!
Rome, Italy
Day 73 - 74
Buongiorno!!
First thing....how cool is it that the DOCKERS BEAT THE HAWKS!! :-) Thanks mum, for the news!!! (and no, we don't hear much about the footy..unless someone tell us..and so far Andy told us the first win, Elise the second and you the third..so we do find out somehow!)
Trying to get internet sites when it's all written in other languages can be a challenge. Even this blog. All the language and instructions is in the country we're in..so trying to work out spanish, french and italian directions has been...yes, a challenge. Sometimes, instead of publishing..i'm sure i've deleted..until i see it up there published. That's why there are no more photos up..because trying to read the directions to do it..is just TOO hard!
Enuff dribbling.
Well here we are..our last day in Rome! I'm blogging, Greg's plotting! This is our life now!!! (How will we settle down when we have to go home?)
Tomorrow we're in Sicilly! The home of my children's ancestors!
One thing about the Italians is they can build.....
The colloseums here in Italy are amazing! And the french one in Nimes, based on the Italian amphithetre is amazing too. So big! The colloseum in Rome, originally called the Flavia and now the colloseum, has been called an amphitheatre and an arena but from what we've seen they should be called arenas as being an amphitheatre is a bit of a misnomer..from what we believe, an amphitheatre is specially shaped to amphlify the sound from one point where the speaker should stand so that everyone can hear...
But an arena is basically two amphitheatres joined together to form a big oval shape..where there is sand (to absorb the blood and guts from the bulls! Just to be honest) and it doesn't amphify!
And that's what these are..arena's..to us anyway!
The arena in Nimes, in France, that was built in 100 AD is definately the most preserved as you can see the whole arena...that is the place where we saw the 3D movie all about gladiators...and where we learned a lot of history about arenas. Apparently they used to use (the rulers set them up) these arenas to entertain the people at the time! (Remember Kirk Douglas in Spartaca..and Russell Crowe in Gladiator??!)
The arena in Pompei is definately the oldest and perhaps the first one ever built..and because it was covered in lava and ash it was pretty well preserved. Smaller than the one in Nimes which held 24,000 people and the one in Rome which held 50 70,000 spectators..but extraordinary, nevertheless.
Can't wait to learn more about these wonderful structures actually. I'm really missing having ready access to internet to research all things i want to learn about, that's for sure!
We do know... the way they entertained the people was to have slaves and criminals fed to lions and ravaged...and especially at lunch hour (where Nero was always seen to be enjoying the entertainment) as well afterwards,they'd have gladiators to fight...and then later Christians were fed to the wild beasts as entertainment as well, until Constantine became a Christian himself and stamped that out.
Later volunteers became gladiators to get wealthy and acclaim...and were admired by the ladies! It became their career!
I'm sure gladiators found it hard to get life insurance!
The arenas then became bull rings. And the matadors killed bulls for entertainent...
What a gruesome history these majestic buildings had....brutal killings for entertainment....worse than boing for sure! But not that much different?
Apart from the colloseums....the italians sure have passion!
Passion on the roads.....beeping, parking, driving all evoke a wild passion!
Passion for food....have some more they say..more vino...more dessert...more of everything! No wonder we're splitting out of our clothes!
And are friendly...so, so friendly. If they like you (and they have taken shines to us..unlike some of the places we've been!) they treat you like royalty..
From the friendly old guy here manning the reception (who always gave me free internet use!) to the owner of the gorgeous little ristaurante we've been going to -Trattoria E Pizza La Reatina..who gave us the same table each night, and sweet sherry after the meal with a HUGE smile that seemed to say more than he was letting on.
They are also passionate about confusing us all..from the postal system where i tried to post a parcel....go to platform 24 he said....and when we got there all we found is a phone! Go upstairs to the gate 24! SO we go there...line up for half an hour..to find there is NO postal bo at the postal office! (sorry, the letter after w and before y doesnt work on this computer!)
So....they tell us to go to platform 1...and we can't find it...so nothing gets posted! Arrgh..to us it's frustrating..to them it's normal to have chaos and nothing with a completely logical order. Gotta love that about Italy!!! No problemo...we fix ita! The italians are so HAPPY!
Okies....we've seen A LOT of Rome in our short time...Victor Emanuele 11, Trevi fountain, spanish steps, Vatican, Collseum, arco constantiono, Michelangelos staircase, circo ma imo, and where Caeser got killed.....gelati cafes, pizza cafes and the train stazione! hehe
And now...we're going to see a bit more....then we're off!
Hope you're all well. We'd LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!
Tell us what YOU'RE doing...seeing you know all about what we're doing!!!!
NEWS please....how's work? Family? How are your kid/s...? YOU??? What have you been doing on the weekends? At night? During the week? Anytime at all? We haven't heard much about your life..even just the simple things...and we really want to know if all is ok..and whatcha doin....
So! Hopefully, next stop...we'll have heaps of emails from you all!!:-) (Some of you are writing emails to us..and keeping us in touch..and we SO appreciate it..and the news from home..thankyou so much..it really keeps us going! And..to our great friends..yes, an African nite sounds WONDERFUL when we get home!!)
Arrivederci!!
Day 73 - 74
Buongiorno!!
First thing....how cool is it that the DOCKERS BEAT THE HAWKS!! :-) Thanks mum, for the news!!! (and no, we don't hear much about the footy..unless someone tell us..and so far Andy told us the first win, Elise the second and you the third..so we do find out somehow!)
Trying to get internet sites when it's all written in other languages can be a challenge. Even this blog. All the language and instructions is in the country we're in..so trying to work out spanish, french and italian directions has been...yes, a challenge. Sometimes, instead of publishing..i'm sure i've deleted..until i see it up there published. That's why there are no more photos up..because trying to read the directions to do it..is just TOO hard!
Enuff dribbling.
Well here we are..our last day in Rome! I'm blogging, Greg's plotting! This is our life now!!! (How will we settle down when we have to go home?)
Tomorrow we're in Sicilly! The home of my children's ancestors!
One thing about the Italians is they can build.....
The colloseums here in Italy are amazing! And the french one in Nimes, based on the Italian amphithetre is amazing too. So big! The colloseum in Rome, originally called the Flavia and now the colloseum, has been called an amphitheatre and an arena but from what we've seen they should be called arenas as being an amphitheatre is a bit of a misnomer..from what we believe, an amphitheatre is specially shaped to amphlify the sound from one point where the speaker should stand so that everyone can hear...
But an arena is basically two amphitheatres joined together to form a big oval shape..where there is sand (to absorb the blood and guts from the bulls! Just to be honest) and it doesn't amphify!
And that's what these are..arena's..to us anyway!
The arena in Nimes, in France, that was built in 100 AD is definately the most preserved as you can see the whole arena...that is the place where we saw the 3D movie all about gladiators...and where we learned a lot of history about arenas. Apparently they used to use (the rulers set them up) these arenas to entertain the people at the time! (Remember Kirk Douglas in Spartaca..and Russell Crowe in Gladiator??!)
The arena in Pompei is definately the oldest and perhaps the first one ever built..and because it was covered in lava and ash it was pretty well preserved. Smaller than the one in Nimes which held 24,000 people and the one in Rome which held 50 70,000 spectators..but extraordinary, nevertheless.
Can't wait to learn more about these wonderful structures actually. I'm really missing having ready access to internet to research all things i want to learn about, that's for sure!
We do know... the way they entertained the people was to have slaves and criminals fed to lions and ravaged...and especially at lunch hour (where Nero was always seen to be enjoying the entertainment) as well afterwards,they'd have gladiators to fight...and then later Christians were fed to the wild beasts as entertainment as well, until Constantine became a Christian himself and stamped that out.
Later volunteers became gladiators to get wealthy and acclaim...and were admired by the ladies! It became their career!
I'm sure gladiators found it hard to get life insurance!
The arenas then became bull rings. And the matadors killed bulls for entertainent...
What a gruesome history these majestic buildings had....brutal killings for entertainment....worse than boing for sure! But not that much different?
Apart from the colloseums....the italians sure have passion!
Passion on the roads.....beeping, parking, driving all evoke a wild passion!
Passion for food....have some more they say..more vino...more dessert...more of everything! No wonder we're splitting out of our clothes!
And are friendly...so, so friendly. If they like you (and they have taken shines to us..unlike some of the places we've been!) they treat you like royalty..
From the friendly old guy here manning the reception (who always gave me free internet use!) to the owner of the gorgeous little ristaurante we've been going to -Trattoria E Pizza La Reatina..who gave us the same table each night, and sweet sherry after the meal with a HUGE smile that seemed to say more than he was letting on.
They are also passionate about confusing us all..from the postal system where i tried to post a parcel....go to platform 24 he said....and when we got there all we found is a phone! Go upstairs to the gate 24! SO we go there...line up for half an hour..to find there is NO postal bo at the postal office! (sorry, the letter after w and before y doesnt work on this computer!)
So....they tell us to go to platform 1...and we can't find it...so nothing gets posted! Arrgh..to us it's frustrating..to them it's normal to have chaos and nothing with a completely logical order. Gotta love that about Italy!!! No problemo...we fix ita! The italians are so HAPPY!
Okies....we've seen A LOT of Rome in our short time...Victor Emanuele 11, Trevi fountain, spanish steps, Vatican, Collseum, arco constantiono, Michelangelos staircase, circo ma imo, and where Caeser got killed.....gelati cafes, pizza cafes and the train stazione! hehe
And now...we're going to see a bit more....then we're off!
Hope you're all well. We'd LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!
Tell us what YOU'RE doing...seeing you know all about what we're doing!!!!
NEWS please....how's work? Family? How are your kid/s...? YOU??? What have you been doing on the weekends? At night? During the week? Anytime at all? We haven't heard much about your life..even just the simple things...and we really want to know if all is ok..and whatcha doin....
So! Hopefully, next stop...we'll have heaps of emails from you all!!:-) (Some of you are writing emails to us..and keeping us in touch..and we SO appreciate it..and the news from home..thankyou so much..it really keeps us going! And..to our great friends..yes, an African nite sounds WONDERFUL when we get home!!)
Arrivederci!!
Sunday, 13 May 2007
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!
ROME, ITALY
To all the mothers out there..HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!!
Happy Mother's Day Margie, our wonderful and special Margie, our love goes to you this Mother's Day and every day.
To my gorgeous girl Elise, i thank you for the flowers, chocolates and hugs and kisses...to see you in my msg inbox this morning was a beautiful thought in itself.
I love you so, so much and I miss you my gorgeous ever thoughtful and loyal daughter...You are a gift.
And i loved the message from Sam...offshore and in a 35 knot wind...and yet, remembering Mother's Day...that's so, so special and for me, with his birthday not long ago, even more special, because that's twice in a week i hear from my beautiful son!
To my own mother...a big hug and kiss to you, my beautiful mum whom i miss so much. The one thing I knew was a certainty about coming on this trip, was how i'd miss going to your place, laying on the couch (as we girls do) and chatting to you about every thing...with nothing out of bounds.
I miss that. Sissy, you and I, all there, sharing, chatting, drifting off on the couch!!! The couch. Yes. You have a wisdom that surpasses understanding at times (which i'm positive Elise has inherited!) and i miss being able talk with you.
But...it's so nice being able to message and email you....you've come into the 21 century with gusto...finally, after kicking and screaming!!!
You have a tolerance and patience that I appreciate and miss so much. I hear you constantly...whenever i feel at a loss, i can hear your reassuring words. You're an inspiration and always have been.
You studied for your degree as a mature aged student and became a business woman after bringing up four children in an, at times, stifled and suppressed evironment.
But through this, you managed. You taught us perserverance and optimism and i believe without this we would be lesser people ourselves, because all four children have striven and achieved and have never forgotten our backgrounds. Our history makes us, today, want to achieve and better ourselves always.
You were a single parent for a long time. And at times it was difficult and a struggle. Being the yougest and going on that journey with you created a bond. And now that i have been through those similar years, i totally understand and empathise with you and what you went through in those years. We have a connection..a definate bond..a linked past, as our routes can be traced with a similarity that is scary..and as a result, we have an unwritten true understanding of the other.
And you have that specialness with all your children. And that's something i have always admired. When i see other families falling apart and having strained relatinships i see ours as a strength, as a unity, and i believe it is you that has strengthened this. Even when times are frought, you remain steadfast and always supportive of all of us and you have unique bonds with all your childen, which has enabled us all to have strong bonds with each other also.
You have motivated me to be a better person. When i look at what you've done, what you've achieved, personally, and for others, i am proud that you are my mother. You organised events in towns that culminated in great festivals. Sunshine festival and the 150th to name a few. You tried other ventures, some successful, some not, but you tried, and persevered, and experienced.
You built a beach house. Invested in shares and property. You studied futher post graduate courses, learned about art, about spinning, weaving and dyeing. You delved into permiculture with gusto. You kept up your fitness always and still do with aquaerobics and mobility classes.
Most of all you've been adventurous. Travelling overseas and around Australia. And have gone 4 wheel driving! And camping!
Amazing too because you continue to enjoy life. Even in adversity...you glowed and displayed your endurance, and will to live in totality. I remember the breast cancer and how you fought, and conquered..and the operations on your knees..how you recovered with total determination! Sometimes in your independence i had to will you to allow help, and for me, that was a privilege. I love to be there for you. To return, what you've done for me.
You have also loved and lost...and left a trail of broken hearts...but you have always been happy. Happy in yourself. Happy with your decisions. Whatever they may have been. In your seventies, still with the dazzling smile, white shining hair and ready laugh, you are still graceful and charming.
You are a real lady..who has tireless grit. And always with a project! Sometimes impatiently wanting to surge beyond your expecations..but always achieving wonders in the end.
Nothing has been too much effort. You have just always been there. You've helped me so much. You are now as 'secretary' (which we appreciate so much!) but also when i lived in the country and felt so isolated and alone at times. It was always your voice i heard and the positives you expressed that picked me up. When i moved back to the city and my energy levels were drained, you were there to pick me up, to give me the extra energy to keep on going.
It's the little things...when i moved house...or had to pack houses, you helped to pack, and to unpack glasses and belongings from boxes when i didn't know when to start.
You were there for us as a family, a loving, supportive, grandmother to my kids, and always available. How could i forget the times you came to stay with us in the country...and just enjoyed playing and teaching the children about nature and patiently playing their games. Remember Sam's cardboard box boat where you were the decky? And he was the skipper?Remember showing Elise the spiders and bugs?
They were the funny times. And there were many. There were also the gloomy times where you pulled me out of myself and helped me when i was disappearing into shaded holes. In times during those pre-greg years and post-foot-op months. You have just always been there at the right time.
And you have especially known when to turn a tragedy into a laugh.
A reader, a philosopher, a listener, an educator, a person with knowledge....you are the kindest, giving and loving person..and i thank you for being the beautiul person you are.
You are a wonderful person, mother and friend. Words honestly can't describe how much i really feel about you.
But one thing is, I'm grateful that you are my mum.
If i could be half the person you are, and half the mother you are to me, to my own children, i will be happy.
My mother, my friend, my confidante, my mentor. I love you endlessly.
Your Daughter,
Jenny xxx
To all the mothers out there..HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!!
Happy Mother's Day Margie, our wonderful and special Margie, our love goes to you this Mother's Day and every day.
To my gorgeous girl Elise, i thank you for the flowers, chocolates and hugs and kisses...to see you in my msg inbox this morning was a beautiful thought in itself.
I love you so, so much and I miss you my gorgeous ever thoughtful and loyal daughter...You are a gift.
And i loved the message from Sam...offshore and in a 35 knot wind...and yet, remembering Mother's Day...that's so, so special and for me, with his birthday not long ago, even more special, because that's twice in a week i hear from my beautiful son!
To my own mother...a big hug and kiss to you, my beautiful mum whom i miss so much. The one thing I knew was a certainty about coming on this trip, was how i'd miss going to your place, laying on the couch (as we girls do) and chatting to you about every thing...with nothing out of bounds.
I miss that. Sissy, you and I, all there, sharing, chatting, drifting off on the couch!!! The couch. Yes. You have a wisdom that surpasses understanding at times (which i'm positive Elise has inherited!) and i miss being able talk with you.
But...it's so nice being able to message and email you....you've come into the 21 century with gusto...finally, after kicking and screaming!!!
You have a tolerance and patience that I appreciate and miss so much. I hear you constantly...whenever i feel at a loss, i can hear your reassuring words. You're an inspiration and always have been.
You studied for your degree as a mature aged student and became a business woman after bringing up four children in an, at times, stifled and suppressed evironment.
But through this, you managed. You taught us perserverance and optimism and i believe without this we would be lesser people ourselves, because all four children have striven and achieved and have never forgotten our backgrounds. Our history makes us, today, want to achieve and better ourselves always.
You were a single parent for a long time. And at times it was difficult and a struggle. Being the yougest and going on that journey with you created a bond. And now that i have been through those similar years, i totally understand and empathise with you and what you went through in those years. We have a connection..a definate bond..a linked past, as our routes can be traced with a similarity that is scary..and as a result, we have an unwritten true understanding of the other.
And you have that specialness with all your children. And that's something i have always admired. When i see other families falling apart and having strained relatinships i see ours as a strength, as a unity, and i believe it is you that has strengthened this. Even when times are frought, you remain steadfast and always supportive of all of us and you have unique bonds with all your childen, which has enabled us all to have strong bonds with each other also.
You have motivated me to be a better person. When i look at what you've done, what you've achieved, personally, and for others, i am proud that you are my mother. You organised events in towns that culminated in great festivals. Sunshine festival and the 150th to name a few. You tried other ventures, some successful, some not, but you tried, and persevered, and experienced.
You built a beach house. Invested in shares and property. You studied futher post graduate courses, learned about art, about spinning, weaving and dyeing. You delved into permiculture with gusto. You kept up your fitness always and still do with aquaerobics and mobility classes.
Most of all you've been adventurous. Travelling overseas and around Australia. And have gone 4 wheel driving! And camping!
Amazing too because you continue to enjoy life. Even in adversity...you glowed and displayed your endurance, and will to live in totality. I remember the breast cancer and how you fought, and conquered..and the operations on your knees..how you recovered with total determination! Sometimes in your independence i had to will you to allow help, and for me, that was a privilege. I love to be there for you. To return, what you've done for me.
You have also loved and lost...and left a trail of broken hearts...but you have always been happy. Happy in yourself. Happy with your decisions. Whatever they may have been. In your seventies, still with the dazzling smile, white shining hair and ready laugh, you are still graceful and charming.
You are a real lady..who has tireless grit. And always with a project! Sometimes impatiently wanting to surge beyond your expecations..but always achieving wonders in the end.
Nothing has been too much effort. You have just always been there. You've helped me so much. You are now as 'secretary' (which we appreciate so much!) but also when i lived in the country and felt so isolated and alone at times. It was always your voice i heard and the positives you expressed that picked me up. When i moved back to the city and my energy levels were drained, you were there to pick me up, to give me the extra energy to keep on going.
It's the little things...when i moved house...or had to pack houses, you helped to pack, and to unpack glasses and belongings from boxes when i didn't know when to start.
You were there for us as a family, a loving, supportive, grandmother to my kids, and always available. How could i forget the times you came to stay with us in the country...and just enjoyed playing and teaching the children about nature and patiently playing their games. Remember Sam's cardboard box boat where you were the decky? And he was the skipper?Remember showing Elise the spiders and bugs?
They were the funny times. And there were many. There were also the gloomy times where you pulled me out of myself and helped me when i was disappearing into shaded holes. In times during those pre-greg years and post-foot-op months. You have just always been there at the right time.
And you have especially known when to turn a tragedy into a laugh.
A reader, a philosopher, a listener, an educator, a person with knowledge....you are the kindest, giving and loving person..and i thank you for being the beautiul person you are.
You are a wonderful person, mother and friend. Words honestly can't describe how much i really feel about you.
But one thing is, I'm grateful that you are my mum.
If i could be half the person you are, and half the mother you are to me, to my own children, i will be happy.
My mother, my friend, my confidante, my mentor. I love you endlessly.
Your Daughter,
Jenny xxx
NAPLES, POMPEI, SORRENTO
Day 72
Naples, Napoli's to the Romans!
We fought the Italian train system and finally arrived in Naples after the Italian wait of an hour because the train broke down :-) Oh and also got scammed by a new idea...a distraught women came knocking on the train window, °need change, can't change my 100 Euros!' She then came INTO the train..and just as we were almost conned..a lady beside us said it was a game. And it was, later on, she was back..when she thought we'd gone (but didn't cos the train was delayed) she was back with the same distresing story!!! We've become accustomed to this, beggars and scammers with all their ploys, and weirdly, we've now become, as others have also, immune to it!
Afer having a 'free breakfast' of panini neopolata (don't know why they said we could have it free...) And decided we'd go from Naples straight to Pompei to see the RUINS. Then to Sorrento...And come back to Naples by night. Good thing we did..
Pompei needed a whole day....what an amazing city. It's the old city that was destroyed by the volcano Vesuvious in 79AD. Apparently there had been an earthquake that destroyed some of the buildings earlier in 62AD but this later volcanic eruption actually destroyed the city!
Which is good for us..because when it got uncovered we could actually see what the old Roman city looked like. The rulers always seem to bole over cites when they came into rule so if this had not been covered by the volcano lava and ash, it would have been destroyed like the others and we wouldnàt be able to see anything!
There were even plaster casts of people from the time that got uncovered. (this is where the first plaster casts were made, by mistake, but thatàs how a lot of stuff is discovered anyway!).
So old. And so big. There were 45 hectares that have been opened to the public and we walked the lot!!!! (yes, 'the bloody foot' is holding up thanks!).
We also realised why we were getting things free ie free entry to monuments etc...It's CULTURAL WEEK in Italy. So all entries are free for a week. Cool. I wonder if it extends to Sicilly, where we will be next week!
Gelato at the end of our Pompei visit was very deserving. One thing is, in Italy, we're not faced with all the skinny jeaned bums....we feel like the skinny ones here!! :-) So! We can eat! Eat! EAT! BELLISIMO! (And would regardless! The FOOD here is divine!)
SORRENTO
We then went to beautiful Sorrento!
Lemons abound. Coastline beckons. Tulips peek out. Olive groves scatter the surrounds..
And what a gorgeous place is Sorrento!....The coast line (amalfi coast) is equisite. Our timing was impeccable. We managed to catch a hop on hop off bus as soon as we arrived at the beach (where we headed first) and off we went! To the music off, 'i want to return to sorrento' on the headphones!
We saw the island of Capri from the distance. Love to go there! Next time!
We found a gorgeous cafe after and ate biscotti and drank espresso....
NAPLES
And arrived in Naples at night...
Saw the castel....and the old smelly streets which we were told the Mafia rule...and the very cheap clothing shops...the hawkers..
Ate pizza....
And crawled into bed way after midnight....
Thinking i was a magical day! Especially Sorrento...where we could easily return for a holiday.....
I LOVE ROMA and its wonderful neibouring cities!
Naples, Napoli's to the Romans!
We fought the Italian train system and finally arrived in Naples after the Italian wait of an hour because the train broke down :-) Oh and also got scammed by a new idea...a distraught women came knocking on the train window, °need change, can't change my 100 Euros!' She then came INTO the train..and just as we were almost conned..a lady beside us said it was a game. And it was, later on, she was back..when she thought we'd gone (but didn't cos the train was delayed) she was back with the same distresing story!!! We've become accustomed to this, beggars and scammers with all their ploys, and weirdly, we've now become, as others have also, immune to it!
Afer having a 'free breakfast' of panini neopolata (don't know why they said we could have it free...) And decided we'd go from Naples straight to Pompei to see the RUINS. Then to Sorrento...And come back to Naples by night. Good thing we did..
Pompei needed a whole day....what an amazing city. It's the old city that was destroyed by the volcano Vesuvious in 79AD. Apparently there had been an earthquake that destroyed some of the buildings earlier in 62AD but this later volcanic eruption actually destroyed the city!
Which is good for us..because when it got uncovered we could actually see what the old Roman city looked like. The rulers always seem to bole over cites when they came into rule so if this had not been covered by the volcano lava and ash, it would have been destroyed like the others and we wouldnàt be able to see anything!
There were even plaster casts of people from the time that got uncovered. (this is where the first plaster casts were made, by mistake, but thatàs how a lot of stuff is discovered anyway!).
So old. And so big. There were 45 hectares that have been opened to the public and we walked the lot!!!! (yes, 'the bloody foot' is holding up thanks!).
We also realised why we were getting things free ie free entry to monuments etc...It's CULTURAL WEEK in Italy. So all entries are free for a week. Cool. I wonder if it extends to Sicilly, where we will be next week!
Gelato at the end of our Pompei visit was very deserving. One thing is, in Italy, we're not faced with all the skinny jeaned bums....we feel like the skinny ones here!! :-) So! We can eat! Eat! EAT! BELLISIMO! (And would regardless! The FOOD here is divine!)
SORRENTO
We then went to beautiful Sorrento!
Lemons abound. Coastline beckons. Tulips peek out. Olive groves scatter the surrounds..
And what a gorgeous place is Sorrento!....The coast line (amalfi coast) is equisite. Our timing was impeccable. We managed to catch a hop on hop off bus as soon as we arrived at the beach (where we headed first) and off we went! To the music off, 'i want to return to sorrento' on the headphones!
We saw the island of Capri from the distance. Love to go there! Next time!
We found a gorgeous cafe after and ate biscotti and drank espresso....
NAPLES
And arrived in Naples at night...
Saw the castel....and the old smelly streets which we were told the Mafia rule...and the very cheap clothing shops...the hawkers..
Ate pizza....
And crawled into bed way after midnight....
Thinking i was a magical day! Especially Sorrento...where we could easily return for a holiday.....
I LOVE ROMA and its wonderful neibouring cities!
BELLA ROMA
Day 71
Happy Birthday Gloria!!! Glad you spent the day with all your boys!!! Imagine....Troy and Ryan BOTH having babes this year...and you a grandmother twice over.....amazing how these boys grow up! Gee. Second cousins for Sam and Elise!!!!
***************
Here we are.
Beautiful Rome.
That's what it is. We spent Friday walking the cobbled streets of Rome..and the scents, the flavours, the people...are all so beautiful. Traditions are deep and astounding. The history is ingraining.
First we searched for the gelato Silvia told us about...at the Allemagda...and we roamed...literally, the streets looking for this delicious delight! We stood in front of the Vittoria Emanuelle 11 building...walked up directly opposite..to the front of the building, to Via De Corso..turned towards the right side...and saw...Bar Brasile! But thatàs not the name, we thought! Walked up further..and saw Bar Dante...Bar Baby..and asked the man behind the counter, °Fintito!° he said. °long ago, many year ago, finito!!!° Had to laugh.
Sent Silvia a message and told her, finito!! And told her weàd toss a coin for her in the Fontand di Trevi...and thought, that should still be there! And she sent a message back, °easy come, easy go..at least the trevi will be there!!° We laughed. Weàd been thinking the same thing!
The Bar Brasile was wonderful...looking out onto the old streets...and eating stracciotella gelato! (creamy vanilla with huge lumps of chocolate in it!)...and lapping it all up....what a beatiful hour we spent there....in fact, ok we spent longer..:Greg had a beer and i had a vino...again! Weàre certainly getting into the European wine culture, very easy to do! But hey...it's good for your heart hey!
On the way back..in a little street off via de corso, Via Dei s.s. Apostoli we saw a 1 hour film being advertised. With English Audio. Called the Time Elevator. IT traced Romeàs history back 2750 years. What a fascinating history..and experience. We were strapped in chairs which rocked and rolled according to the audio. We even felt rain sprinkle and rats tails (during Rome's dark period) move aound our feet. Most of all, we learned more about Rome.
We tossed the coin at the Trevi Fountain and wondered the streets....climbed the spanish steps and saw the monastery on the top...popped into the hotel where Greg stayed on his many business trips to Rome....enquired about the price...270 Euro per night...just a couple of hundred Euro more than weàre paying at our B&B...and not that much more luxurious...well..ok, it was a bit...
But we're happy where we are..who needs all those exclusive streets on the same street anyway!!! (I do! haha..but canàt buy anything anyway, with our motto, what you buy, you carry!) I mean...itàs not every day you return to your accomodation to see a mattress pulled up outside the door..with a couple of feet sticking out at the end....hmm. The homelesss in Roma. That's us...! (haha..only kidding.)
Oh dear....anyway, Greg reminisced, a lot, and so i heard many more stories about his experiences in Rome, some very weird....and it wasnàt the beer talking. He really did have some wild and wonderful times in Rome! (quite revealing) And all this talk...extended to more tales over dinner...at our 'favourite restaurant' where the man has taken a liking to us...and this time, gave us a nip of rocket fuel after our dinner...(sweet dessert wine!.
We took the underground to dinner by the way...just to save the feet a bit...and it was RUSH HOUR. No kidding. Everyone was squeezed in like sardines. I've seen tight..but this was impossible. Everyone hugging everyone. The steps back up to fresh air was a nightmare. It was claustophobic. In fact, Rome is like this..very, very busy. Itàs easy to see passed the chaos, the confusion, the weird complicated directions of the trains because Rome is so beautiful...but honestly, when they say °Itàs on Roman Time° i know what they mean..because..it really is. Nothing seems to have order or logic! Not the train system, not the restaurinte system..not anything that requires order..because, this is Italy, where time is, Italian time. And order is, non existant.
One has to wonder about that..after Julius Ceasar invented the calender...and spent a lot of time thinking about time...a lot of the buildings were built by the Romans...cities were structured by the ROmans...and yet, there is chaos in a lot of itàs systems in Italy. Reminds me..in Florence..the train was great...the food system of serving was great, ordered and structured...but when we got to Venice...there was this wonky system...you buy coffee here, but cooldrinks there, you pay for pizzas here but choose it over there. You canàt eat it here but you can there. TOTAL DISORDER!
Even when the computers break down..or the train breaks down...they just laugh and wait. Then try to fix it. Even if the train breaks down right there, on the track. No problemo..we fix!! They have the patience of saints...which is probably where the saying comes from. And we, as tourists, have to adjust!
But we can accept that...because WE ARE IN ITALY! :-)
What a day roaming bella roma....a place that is just BEAUTIFUL.
Tomorrow will be busy.....visiting the towns off Rome..
Happy Birthday Gloria!!! Glad you spent the day with all your boys!!! Imagine....Troy and Ryan BOTH having babes this year...and you a grandmother twice over.....amazing how these boys grow up! Gee. Second cousins for Sam and Elise!!!!
***************
Here we are.
Beautiful Rome.
That's what it is. We spent Friday walking the cobbled streets of Rome..and the scents, the flavours, the people...are all so beautiful. Traditions are deep and astounding. The history is ingraining.
First we searched for the gelato Silvia told us about...at the Allemagda...and we roamed...literally, the streets looking for this delicious delight! We stood in front of the Vittoria Emanuelle 11 building...walked up directly opposite..to the front of the building, to Via De Corso..turned towards the right side...and saw...Bar Brasile! But thatàs not the name, we thought! Walked up further..and saw Bar Dante...Bar Baby..and asked the man behind the counter, °Fintito!° he said. °long ago, many year ago, finito!!!° Had to laugh.
Sent Silvia a message and told her, finito!! And told her weàd toss a coin for her in the Fontand di Trevi...and thought, that should still be there! And she sent a message back, °easy come, easy go..at least the trevi will be there!!° We laughed. Weàd been thinking the same thing!
The Bar Brasile was wonderful...looking out onto the old streets...and eating stracciotella gelato! (creamy vanilla with huge lumps of chocolate in it!)...and lapping it all up....what a beatiful hour we spent there....in fact, ok we spent longer..:Greg had a beer and i had a vino...again! Weàre certainly getting into the European wine culture, very easy to do! But hey...it's good for your heart hey!
On the way back..in a little street off via de corso, Via Dei s.s. Apostoli we saw a 1 hour film being advertised. With English Audio. Called the Time Elevator. IT traced Romeàs history back 2750 years. What a fascinating history..and experience. We were strapped in chairs which rocked and rolled according to the audio. We even felt rain sprinkle and rats tails (during Rome's dark period) move aound our feet. Most of all, we learned more about Rome.
We tossed the coin at the Trevi Fountain and wondered the streets....climbed the spanish steps and saw the monastery on the top...popped into the hotel where Greg stayed on his many business trips to Rome....enquired about the price...270 Euro per night...just a couple of hundred Euro more than weàre paying at our B&B...and not that much more luxurious...well..ok, it was a bit...
But we're happy where we are..who needs all those exclusive streets on the same street anyway!!! (I do! haha..but canàt buy anything anyway, with our motto, what you buy, you carry!) I mean...itàs not every day you return to your accomodation to see a mattress pulled up outside the door..with a couple of feet sticking out at the end....hmm. The homelesss in Roma. That's us...! (haha..only kidding.)
Oh dear....anyway, Greg reminisced, a lot, and so i heard many more stories about his experiences in Rome, some very weird....and it wasnàt the beer talking. He really did have some wild and wonderful times in Rome! (quite revealing) And all this talk...extended to more tales over dinner...at our 'favourite restaurant' where the man has taken a liking to us...and this time, gave us a nip of rocket fuel after our dinner...(sweet dessert wine!.
We took the underground to dinner by the way...just to save the feet a bit...and it was RUSH HOUR. No kidding. Everyone was squeezed in like sardines. I've seen tight..but this was impossible. Everyone hugging everyone. The steps back up to fresh air was a nightmare. It was claustophobic. In fact, Rome is like this..very, very busy. Itàs easy to see passed the chaos, the confusion, the weird complicated directions of the trains because Rome is so beautiful...but honestly, when they say °Itàs on Roman Time° i know what they mean..because..it really is. Nothing seems to have order or logic! Not the train system, not the restaurinte system..not anything that requires order..because, this is Italy, where time is, Italian time. And order is, non existant.
One has to wonder about that..after Julius Ceasar invented the calender...and spent a lot of time thinking about time...a lot of the buildings were built by the Romans...cities were structured by the ROmans...and yet, there is chaos in a lot of itàs systems in Italy. Reminds me..in Florence..the train was great...the food system of serving was great, ordered and structured...but when we got to Venice...there was this wonky system...you buy coffee here, but cooldrinks there, you pay for pizzas here but choose it over there. You canàt eat it here but you can there. TOTAL DISORDER!
Even when the computers break down..or the train breaks down...they just laugh and wait. Then try to fix it. Even if the train breaks down right there, on the track. No problemo..we fix!! They have the patience of saints...which is probably where the saying comes from. And we, as tourists, have to adjust!
But we can accept that...because WE ARE IN ITALY! :-)
What a day roaming bella roma....a place that is just BEAUTIFUL.
Tomorrow will be busy.....visiting the towns off Rome..
Friday, 11 May 2007
WHEN IN ROME....
Do what the Romans do...
Rome, ITALY
Cambridge B&B
Day or is it, Night...70! Onwards for a few more or so days!
Hey! Ciao! Bonjourno!
We're here! In ROME!!! Roma to the locals.
And we've just gotten back from the most gorgeous dinner...at a really local restaurant, recommended by the girl at reception....what a beautiful local meal! Serves to ask the locals where they go cos there we were, the only locals not there!
We had saltimboca....which was manufike! Greg has home made spaghetti carbonara...and they served crusty white bread to sop it all up with...the sauce that is...and the ensalada was yummo...smigeoned with balsamic vinegar and virgin olive oil..potatas...and vino...blanco (me) and rosso (greg)!
BELLISIMO!
Just wanted to let you know we survived the 5 hour journey (that took us an hour extra just to account for the italian way of life) and are here...in the capital...and have a great B&B to stay in! We did try the hostels, and the hotels but ended up in a quaint bed and breakfast that is a cross between the two! It's 100 Euro for tonight, and 70 for the next few nights...which is pretty reasonable! Considering the prices in Italy...
Our plans here are to visit Naples, and do some other day trips to Sorrento, Pompai, Capree, Assisi...(if we can manage it!), seek out the Fontand di Trevi to toss a coin for Silvia....
We we also endeavour to find out where on earth we can find the gelato at Allemagna via del Corso (nooo...we couldn't find it on the net Silvia????!) and of course, see the monuments...see the Collessium...look at ruins, see the beautiful views, taste the wine..seek out the history...experience the religion..
And whatever else Rome has to offer...like they say, ^When in Rome, do what the Romans do!!!'
And we plan to!
Averadecci!
PS Yep, too much vino!
Rome, ITALY
Cambridge B&B
Day or is it, Night...70! Onwards for a few more or so days!
Hey! Ciao! Bonjourno!
We're here! In ROME!!! Roma to the locals.
And we've just gotten back from the most gorgeous dinner...at a really local restaurant, recommended by the girl at reception....what a beautiful local meal! Serves to ask the locals where they go cos there we were, the only locals not there!
We had saltimboca....which was manufike! Greg has home made spaghetti carbonara...and they served crusty white bread to sop it all up with...the sauce that is...and the ensalada was yummo...smigeoned with balsamic vinegar and virgin olive oil..potatas...and vino...blanco (me) and rosso (greg)!
BELLISIMO!
Just wanted to let you know we survived the 5 hour journey (that took us an hour extra just to account for the italian way of life) and are here...in the capital...and have a great B&B to stay in! We did try the hostels, and the hotels but ended up in a quaint bed and breakfast that is a cross between the two! It's 100 Euro for tonight, and 70 for the next few nights...which is pretty reasonable! Considering the prices in Italy...
Our plans here are to visit Naples, and do some other day trips to Sorrento, Pompai, Capree, Assisi...(if we can manage it!), seek out the Fontand di Trevi to toss a coin for Silvia....
We we also endeavour to find out where on earth we can find the gelato at Allemagna via del Corso (nooo...we couldn't find it on the net Silvia????!) and of course, see the monuments...see the Collessium...look at ruins, see the beautiful views, taste the wine..seek out the history...experience the religion..
And whatever else Rome has to offer...like they say, ^When in Rome, do what the Romans do!!!'
And we plan to!
Averadecci!
PS Yep, too much vino!
Thursday, 10 May 2007
CANALS IN VENICE
Venice, Italy
Day 68 - 70
Gerotto Caldern Hostel
What a gorgeous island is Venice! Venezia to the local mob!
Our train to Venice at 8.30 was smooth. Arriving here was beautiful. We stayed at a hotel that Charles from Barcelona recommended...the Gerotto Caldern that is sandwiched between more than two bookshops! This is usually dangerous for me, but seeing all the books are in Italian and i have my new one, Bel Vino by Isabella Dusi who i found out in the 3rd chapter is actually Australian, now living in Venice, I was not tempted to buy any, look but not touch was my motto in these bookshops!
The hostel is nice..has a cappucinoo machine and internet, but itàs expensive...Weàre finding Italy is just getting more expensive as we go! And Venice..really is. The home of the tourist for sure! Even the toilets charge at least 70 cents for the use of a toilet. Whatàs with that??? I think Greg feels heàs getting short changed if he doesnàt do a decent job of it! Ok, too much info!
90 Euro a night, but at least we have a room, and it was pretty close to the station...well, not as close as Florence but we didnàt have to walk far. And itàs in a Piazza...so itàs cute. By the way, iàve decided here, all streets really do lead to Rome. Piazza Roma is what a lot of the street names say!!!
As soon as we arrived it was evident this is the home of Venician glass. Itàs everwhere.
The canals are too. No streets for cars in Venice which is itàs charm.
We walked and walked and walked Venice. The main drag is very touristy..but the back streets are just gorgeous. So narrow...so cobbly..and so falling down! Honestly, if we thought Pisa was on a lean, Venice is sinking. We wondered if the canals had actually sunk. We saw doors that looked like they once went out onto the little paths...
So charming. So interesting. I canàt wait to have a few months, when we get home, to study the history of Venice. Napoleonàs influene is here..(we saw his palace from the main canal) and murano glass is a hit.
Anyway...we booked into to our accomodation and hit the town!!!
And cruised down the main canal in a gondola (of course) and took in the views...relaxed, got conned by the condola àdriverà (80 euro for 40 minutes) and then walked around the streets..ate in the cafes (expensive but yummy) and just lapped it all up. What a wonderful place.
We spend a day in Venice also getting a 24 hour hour ticket to the other islands...Murano where the glass factory is...no, i didnàt buy anything, for myself that is..but i was very aware Motheràs Day is coming up...and there was this very, very beautiful neclace, handmade by a master craftsman..so..mum, check the post in a couple of weeks...weàll send it from Rome....
In Murano..we thought of Alena..wondering what steps she took here...
We also went to Lido..to enjoy the beach. Itàs the holiday place where people go to sunbathe..and were, in what we think is lovely weather, but not hot enough to sunbake..it was full of people riding bicycles..and there were cars there too, people transporting them over, for the duration of their holiday, on car boats.
We also went to the OPERA! Ohhh that was SO beautiful. The violinist..the tenor and the soprano were just beautiful. Brought tears to my eyes. Venice is the home of vivaldi...so weàre very familiar with the Four Seasons..but this was something different..Vivaldiàs Opera....so, so touching.
After the opera we strolled around Venice again..caught the canal boat taxi and stayed on..just enjoying the ride..
What a beautiful stay here....by the water...so, so calming, and refreshing...
Another place we want to come back to!!!
Italy is so alluring..such beauty. The streets remind me of the Islands..I can see the influence of °Little Italy° thatàs for sure. ALl the camps all so colourful and built close together, on the water...sounds of Big Samàs °bloomina bloomina° ringing out..peppadelllàs, espresso coffee wafting around the island...yes, the similarity is scary. No wonder all the italian fishermen loved to go over there each year!
The canals, we have found out...also all lead to Roma!!! We walked down so many wrong ways..and ended up at a canal. It was so funny..and gorgeous too. Lots of bridges to pass..and boats. LOTS. Of all sorts, gondolaàs, speed boats, working boats, barges, ships. Boats of all kinds. Very very nice. We both love the boats and felt very at home. Greg wanted to drive one of them. But had to make do riding in them! I wonder how his little boat is going....hm...
By the way, must mention this accomodation....yesterday morning..we awoke to the sounds in the Square below where weàre staying...off the clock chiming...then sirens...then bells...then music of Vivaldi...then ringing....
So weird. It went on for an hour.
And yes, got us out of bed at 7am!
No rest for the wicked.
Off to Rome now....to toss a coin for Silvia!!!!!!
xxx
Day 68 - 70
Gerotto Caldern Hostel
What a gorgeous island is Venice! Venezia to the local mob!
Our train to Venice at 8.30 was smooth. Arriving here was beautiful. We stayed at a hotel that Charles from Barcelona recommended...the Gerotto Caldern that is sandwiched between more than two bookshops! This is usually dangerous for me, but seeing all the books are in Italian and i have my new one, Bel Vino by Isabella Dusi who i found out in the 3rd chapter is actually Australian, now living in Venice, I was not tempted to buy any, look but not touch was my motto in these bookshops!
The hostel is nice..has a cappucinoo machine and internet, but itàs expensive...Weàre finding Italy is just getting more expensive as we go! And Venice..really is. The home of the tourist for sure! Even the toilets charge at least 70 cents for the use of a toilet. Whatàs with that??? I think Greg feels heàs getting short changed if he doesnàt do a decent job of it! Ok, too much info!
90 Euro a night, but at least we have a room, and it was pretty close to the station...well, not as close as Florence but we didnàt have to walk far. And itàs in a Piazza...so itàs cute. By the way, iàve decided here, all streets really do lead to Rome. Piazza Roma is what a lot of the street names say!!!
As soon as we arrived it was evident this is the home of Venician glass. Itàs everwhere.
The canals are too. No streets for cars in Venice which is itàs charm.
We walked and walked and walked Venice. The main drag is very touristy..but the back streets are just gorgeous. So narrow...so cobbly..and so falling down! Honestly, if we thought Pisa was on a lean, Venice is sinking. We wondered if the canals had actually sunk. We saw doors that looked like they once went out onto the little paths...
So charming. So interesting. I canàt wait to have a few months, when we get home, to study the history of Venice. Napoleonàs influene is here..(we saw his palace from the main canal) and murano glass is a hit.
Anyway...we booked into to our accomodation and hit the town!!!
And cruised down the main canal in a gondola (of course) and took in the views...relaxed, got conned by the condola àdriverà (80 euro for 40 minutes) and then walked around the streets..ate in the cafes (expensive but yummy) and just lapped it all up. What a wonderful place.
We spend a day in Venice also getting a 24 hour hour ticket to the other islands...Murano where the glass factory is...no, i didnàt buy anything, for myself that is..but i was very aware Motheràs Day is coming up...and there was this very, very beautiful neclace, handmade by a master craftsman..so..mum, check the post in a couple of weeks...weàll send it from Rome....
In Murano..we thought of Alena..wondering what steps she took here...
We also went to Lido..to enjoy the beach. Itàs the holiday place where people go to sunbathe..and were, in what we think is lovely weather, but not hot enough to sunbake..it was full of people riding bicycles..and there were cars there too, people transporting them over, for the duration of their holiday, on car boats.
We also went to the OPERA! Ohhh that was SO beautiful. The violinist..the tenor and the soprano were just beautiful. Brought tears to my eyes. Venice is the home of vivaldi...so weàre very familiar with the Four Seasons..but this was something different..Vivaldiàs Opera....so, so touching.
After the opera we strolled around Venice again..caught the canal boat taxi and stayed on..just enjoying the ride..
What a beautiful stay here....by the water...so, so calming, and refreshing...
Another place we want to come back to!!!
Italy is so alluring..such beauty. The streets remind me of the Islands..I can see the influence of °Little Italy° thatàs for sure. ALl the camps all so colourful and built close together, on the water...sounds of Big Samàs °bloomina bloomina° ringing out..peppadelllàs, espresso coffee wafting around the island...yes, the similarity is scary. No wonder all the italian fishermen loved to go over there each year!
The canals, we have found out...also all lead to Roma!!! We walked down so many wrong ways..and ended up at a canal. It was so funny..and gorgeous too. Lots of bridges to pass..and boats. LOTS. Of all sorts, gondolaàs, speed boats, working boats, barges, ships. Boats of all kinds. Very very nice. We both love the boats and felt very at home. Greg wanted to drive one of them. But had to make do riding in them! I wonder how his little boat is going....hm...
By the way, must mention this accomodation....yesterday morning..we awoke to the sounds in the Square below where weàre staying...off the clock chiming...then sirens...then bells...then music of Vivaldi...then ringing....
So weird. It went on for an hour.
And yes, got us out of bed at 7am!
No rest for the wicked.
Off to Rome now....to toss a coin for Silvia!!!!!!
xxx
COOKING IN FLORENCE
Florence
Day 65 - Day 67
Margaret Pensione
Florence was such a beautiful place. It was so nice having a taste of Tuscany right at our doorstep. We strolled around, breathing in the Florentine air, eating at cafe's, admiring the architecture, smelling the pizzas and eating gelatos!
And of course...we had our visits to the Buffet Stazione Firenze for a few of the meals!!!!
Itàs so expensive here in Italy. Everywhere weàve been...is way far beyond anywhere else weàve been...food..accom..everything..if anyoneàs planning on a trip here, start saving. Our accomodation was shower and toilet in the dorm, and it was clean and gorgeous so there was no problem..but it seems everywhere else we checked out was more than 150 Euro..
But we had the soprano of our own. The owneràs son...honestly, had had the most musical voice...and was competing with the pigeons outside our door in the morning....gosh it was funny. (He also winked at Greg ..hm.)
We saw Michelangelo's David at the Galleria Degli Academia and lined up for an hour to see all the old Italians artists and sculptors at Palazzo Deli Uffizi where the converted palace itself was worth going for...but so was seeing Bottochelliàs, (Birth of Venus) the Costelloàs Michelangeloàs, Caravaggioàs work, Danteàs and Lippiàs..and of course Titaàs Venus..
Also popped into an equisite leather shop, knowing that Florence has the best leather in the world!
But..for us..the highlight wasnàt the Piazza della Signora River...or the Ponte Vecchio (which was brilliant).. it was the cooking class...done in Florentine style!
We met at the Piazza Tower...6 women and 2 guys from the US and us...and off we walked, to the complaints of the others, to the house where we did the cooking...
Two jovial italian chefs, and one named Nemo for short, took us on our cooking journey....we made stuffed rissoto tomatoes, gnochhi, chicken cattacoire, and authentic italian sauce..and ohlala, tiramisu....and the best part, we all ate it afterwards with gusto! Washed down with chianti with memories of chianti, the town just out of FLorence!
Bon Apetit! It was fabulous...it was like having a night out with friends..we shared our stories...and joked..and had fun..
Then we escorted 3 of them home to the Hilton...and disappeared around the corner t our luxorious accomodation..Margarets, one star..! It was so funny....private joke i guess..but anyway, i think we got embarrased at our one star compared to their 5 stars...and we laughed hysterically at our ventures to the train station eat!!!
Hmm..
I love Florence..itàs beautiful. Tuscany..with itàs Umbrian chocolates...(and Umbria is also the home of Pinnochio!)
Weàll be back here. FOR SURE.
Okies...off to Venice..xxx
Day 65 - Day 67
Margaret Pensione
Florence was such a beautiful place. It was so nice having a taste of Tuscany right at our doorstep. We strolled around, breathing in the Florentine air, eating at cafe's, admiring the architecture, smelling the pizzas and eating gelatos!
And of course...we had our visits to the Buffet Stazione Firenze for a few of the meals!!!!
Itàs so expensive here in Italy. Everywhere weàve been...is way far beyond anywhere else weàve been...food..accom..everything..if anyoneàs planning on a trip here, start saving. Our accomodation was shower and toilet in the dorm, and it was clean and gorgeous so there was no problem..but it seems everywhere else we checked out was more than 150 Euro..
But we had the soprano of our own. The owneràs son...honestly, had had the most musical voice...and was competing with the pigeons outside our door in the morning....gosh it was funny. (He also winked at Greg ..hm.)
We saw Michelangelo's David at the Galleria Degli Academia and lined up for an hour to see all the old Italians artists and sculptors at Palazzo Deli Uffizi where the converted palace itself was worth going for...but so was seeing Bottochelliàs, (Birth of Venus) the Costelloàs Michelangeloàs, Caravaggioàs work, Danteàs and Lippiàs..and of course Titaàs Venus..
Also popped into an equisite leather shop, knowing that Florence has the best leather in the world!
But..for us..the highlight wasnàt the Piazza della Signora River...or the Ponte Vecchio (which was brilliant).. it was the cooking class...done in Florentine style!
We met at the Piazza Tower...6 women and 2 guys from the US and us...and off we walked, to the complaints of the others, to the house where we did the cooking...
Two jovial italian chefs, and one named Nemo for short, took us on our cooking journey....we made stuffed rissoto tomatoes, gnochhi, chicken cattacoire, and authentic italian sauce..and ohlala, tiramisu....and the best part, we all ate it afterwards with gusto! Washed down with chianti with memories of chianti, the town just out of FLorence!
Bon Apetit! It was fabulous...it was like having a night out with friends..we shared our stories...and joked..and had fun..
Then we escorted 3 of them home to the Hilton...and disappeared around the corner t our luxorious accomodation..Margarets, one star..! It was so funny....private joke i guess..but anyway, i think we got embarrased at our one star compared to their 5 stars...and we laughed hysterically at our ventures to the train station eat!!!
Hmm..
I love Florence..itàs beautiful. Tuscany..with itàs Umbrian chocolates...(and Umbria is also the home of Pinnochio!)
Weàll be back here. FOR SURE.
Okies...off to Venice..xxx
Monday, 7 May 2007
MY BEAUTIFUL BOY - HAPPY BIRTHDAY
FLORENCE, ITALY
It only seems like yesterday on that rainy wintry day that Robyn and George drove me to the Regional Hospital, in anticipation of the most important day of my life so far.
I'd spent the day cleaning and going absolutely berserk starting the washing machine, sweeping, vacumming, cleaning and doing everything at once! Nesting at the last minute? Honestly, Robyn thought i was going mad i think!
The roads had been closed to the hospital on the main route, so we went the backstreets. The rain had flooded the town. On this day, the day my son was to be born!
It was cold and lonely in the hospital after i'd been left there to ride out the waves that were soon to bring me joy...i wasn't expected to become a mother till the morning.
But, not to be. At 12.58am....there he was, looking at me for a prolonged time...searching my face...with a sense of complete knowning. I fell in love at first sight. He was absolutely beautiful. red, scrawny, it didn't matter. I saw only love. I'd brought this beautiful italian baby into the world.....
What an active, bright child he was. A smile that radiated shined on his face. Kind and so popular with everyone. A lovable larrikin. And generous to a fault. He threw himself into everything he set his mind to, whether it was school, music or sport or just being a friend.
He was a talented boy, achieving the top accolates in everything he put his heart into. At one stage i remember, when he was 12/13, he won the academic achievement prize at his school, the clarinet prize for woodwind, piano prizes as well as being asked to do state trials for athletics, hockey, baseball and surf club. He was also in the regional state u/17 badminton team! He was amazing! Trophies adorned his whole room! I couldn't keep up with him.
He was, and is, a wonderful brother to his sister Elise. So often he protected her and together they were always tightly woven. And went through so much together, always there for each other. I am always grateful for this close bond between the two of them.
With all his fervour, for life and the things he touched...his first love was always the ocean and fishing. It was in his blood. It IS in his blood. And will, i imagine, always be. I can remember him swinging off the bow of his Dad's boat so vividly. Even at two. He always wanted to go out on the boat or to the carrier boat, or to the moorings to fish, or to the Islands. His counted down the days till he could go crayfishing. It was his love.
He declined his university offer when he completed his very successful schooling and headed out to the sea.
He left friends he made in the city, where he went to school for his final 3 years and headed back to the town he never forgot and always wanted to be.
Deckying for his Dad he gained a wealth of experience. He also went down to the Antarctic to work on the Patagonian Tooth fishing boats there...what an adventure that was.
He's had a varied life, has travelled and loved and lost. And had tragedies and thrills. And been through so much. And handled things with clarity and perseverance. The boy that was so active and gifted in so many areas is now using those gifts in an area that truly becomes him. He is now skippering a 60 foot cray boat and is in his element with a wonderful girlfriend.
I am so proud of you. You are an inspiration and have an exciting future.
I acknowlege you as a man, a man who knows where he is headed..and is heading there with grace. You have really stepped up to the plate and become a man we can all be proud of.
To Sam, who will always be My Beautiful Boy, I say HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
I love you with all my heart.
Love Mum xxx
Sunday, 6 May 2007
THE LEANING TOWN OF PISA!
Hiya Andy..glad you're keeping the country going...we're paying service tax here ya know!! hehe...awww...love ya too!!!! (Answered your comments by the way!) xxx ps GO DOCKERS!
Okies..back to business....
Well...can you believe, just after we blogged, we got the train..and went to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa...in Piazza Dei Miracoli and here we are back at the train station in Florence.
It tell ya....
The reason why we're back at the station is cos..it's the BEST train station you've ever seen! It has everything!!! Has...food that is cheap (that's why we can stick to our 100 a day budget Andy)..ie McDonalds.....and Pizza Hut type places! And fresh food restaurants too...we had our dinner tonight for 14 Euro and that included a bottle of wine.
Last night, in the town, we had dinner of Lasagna and salad...(Greg, lasagna, me salad) and water...for 30 Euro. Talk about a rip off! Florence has hopped on the tourist bandwagon and charge the earth.
But! Not the train station here..and they have internet for 3 euro per hour.
Even 3 star hotels are charging 175 Euro for a double. We managed to get one for 60 Euro for a double, no shower and toilet (down the hall) which is ok with us. It's really clean, and pretty, and the pot plants are fed well. They also have tourist information books for us to borrow! hehe (steal) Nah..we'll put them back!
Anyway..about Pisa.
We caught the train from here, 5.20 Euro each one way, so we got the return for 20 Euro...got accosted by the station cop because we didn't validate..umwah... and headed off..took an hour and a half by slow train, which was ok, cos we ate lunch on the train (take away salad and bread from..you guessed it, the Florence Train Station!)Firenze to the locals by the way.!
And...what a subdued town..
It is a university town, i know, but it was like a weird slow subdued scholar town..ruly and truly! All dressed in black, with books, on bicyles...dunno...was very universitish whatever that means!
Then...just beyond the sign that had Suzie's last name on it...(I took a pic Suzie for ya!)there it was...leaning out of sight..at us..winking....haha
Looked so weird!
It really did.
Yet, i knew it was the LEANING TOWER OF PIZA!
It was built by an Italian designer Bononnos, who took shortcuts in the foundations...in the early 12thC. He only built the first 3 tiers before it started leaning..and the next century someone else decided to build another 3 tiers..before it was finished about a century later! He built the seven bells that reproduce the notes of the scale!
AND it leans.....a lot....
In the early 1990s a British Engineer got in on the act and tried to secure it..well he did actually..and now it's back to the orignial lean..of the 1838 angle. The Italians don't focus too much on what the British did, preferring to concentrate on their own designers over the centuries!
It's weird tho..as we were looking up at the Tower...we noticed everything else seemed crooked...the building next to it...the building across the road..and as we ventured back to the train station even the CLOCK looked crooked. No kidding...the town is bent...or the designers of the time were..shhh..but that's what it looked like...
But that's a bit harsh. Cos Gallileo actually spent time working on gravity at the top of the Tower of Pisa to rectify the problem..and that's actually when he came up with all his theories on gravity. So praps that's it...
It's it an incredible thing...that Bonannos' greatest design..or the most popular...was his greatest disaster..and yet, became..the most famous!!!! Now that's a connundrum for ya.
So what a day...we saw the town...that leaned...with the tower that leaned...the leaning town of Pisa...!!!!
Oh yeah..........on the way out of the place...we came across this little stall.....(one of the many...the place is hooked on grabbing tourists money so there are stalls, beggars, buskers...EVERYWHERE!) and in that stall...there were the most delicious things...
They were a bit like Portugal's (Bellem's) famous tarts...but this time, there were little bitesize pankcake tart things...which had white chocolate smothered over the top..and one one end.. apple and cinnomon and on the other..cherries...
Sounds rich..
But OHLALA..they were delicious!
Okies..back to business....
Well...can you believe, just after we blogged, we got the train..and went to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa...in Piazza Dei Miracoli and here we are back at the train station in Florence.
It tell ya....
The reason why we're back at the station is cos..it's the BEST train station you've ever seen! It has everything!!! Has...food that is cheap (that's why we can stick to our 100 a day budget Andy)..ie McDonalds.....and Pizza Hut type places! And fresh food restaurants too...we had our dinner tonight for 14 Euro and that included a bottle of wine.
Last night, in the town, we had dinner of Lasagna and salad...(Greg, lasagna, me salad) and water...for 30 Euro. Talk about a rip off! Florence has hopped on the tourist bandwagon and charge the earth.
But! Not the train station here..and they have internet for 3 euro per hour.
Even 3 star hotels are charging 175 Euro for a double. We managed to get one for 60 Euro for a double, no shower and toilet (down the hall) which is ok with us. It's really clean, and pretty, and the pot plants are fed well. They also have tourist information books for us to borrow! hehe (steal) Nah..we'll put them back!
Anyway..about Pisa.
We caught the train from here, 5.20 Euro each one way, so we got the return for 20 Euro...got accosted by the station cop because we didn't validate..umwah... and headed off..took an hour and a half by slow train, which was ok, cos we ate lunch on the train (take away salad and bread from..you guessed it, the Florence Train Station!)Firenze to the locals by the way.!
And...what a subdued town..
It is a university town, i know, but it was like a weird slow subdued scholar town..ruly and truly! All dressed in black, with books, on bicyles...dunno...was very universitish whatever that means!
Then...just beyond the sign that had Suzie's last name on it...(I took a pic Suzie for ya!)there it was...leaning out of sight..at us..winking....haha
Looked so weird!
It really did.
Yet, i knew it was the LEANING TOWER OF PIZA!
It was built by an Italian designer Bononnos, who took shortcuts in the foundations...in the early 12thC. He only built the first 3 tiers before it started leaning..and the next century someone else decided to build another 3 tiers..before it was finished about a century later! He built the seven bells that reproduce the notes of the scale!
AND it leans.....a lot....
In the early 1990s a British Engineer got in on the act and tried to secure it..well he did actually..and now it's back to the orignial lean..of the 1838 angle. The Italians don't focus too much on what the British did, preferring to concentrate on their own designers over the centuries!
It's weird tho..as we were looking up at the Tower...we noticed everything else seemed crooked...the building next to it...the building across the road..and as we ventured back to the train station even the CLOCK looked crooked. No kidding...the town is bent...or the designers of the time were..shhh..but that's what it looked like...
But that's a bit harsh. Cos Gallileo actually spent time working on gravity at the top of the Tower of Pisa to rectify the problem..and that's actually when he came up with all his theories on gravity. So praps that's it...
It's it an incredible thing...that Bonannos' greatest design..or the most popular...was his greatest disaster..and yet, became..the most famous!!!! Now that's a connundrum for ya.
So what a day...we saw the town...that leaned...with the tower that leaned...the leaning town of Pisa...!!!!
Oh yeah..........on the way out of the place...we came across this little stall.....(one of the many...the place is hooked on grabbing tourists money so there are stalls, beggars, buskers...EVERYWHERE!) and in that stall...there were the most delicious things...
They were a bit like Portugal's (Bellem's) famous tarts...but this time, there were little bitesize pankcake tart things...which had white chocolate smothered over the top..and one one end.. apple and cinnomon and on the other..cherries...
Sounds rich..
But OHLALA..they were delicious!
Saturday, 5 May 2007
FLORENCE, TUSCANY, ITALY
Day65
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
Here we are!~!
In FLORENCE...the capital of Tuscany, the home of Michangelo's statue of David. The home of Leonardo Da Vinci's famous drawings....the home of Raphael's sculptures and Donatello's artistry...
Sounds like it's the home of the Ninja Turtles hey!!!!!
And honestly. This is where it all initiated too, the Ninja Turtle fad, after the high renaissance artists...
In the words of my author friend Michele Drouart, (who wrote Into the Wadi) "Florence is just my favourite place!! It's so romantic!" i think it really is a place that could be called favourite.
We've only just gotten here (yesterday) and we're about to go to Pisa to see the leaning tower..and we're going to do a cooking course and eat Floritine food, and go see Da Vinci's sketches of the way he incredibly captured human and animal movement, as well as look at his drawings of his inventions...helicoptors, bicycles, optics, parachutes, water screws and......machine guns and tanks...of all things. Genius man he was. And also Greg's great hero...
We'll be off to Umbria too....to see St Francis Basillica....and Giotto's work there ...
But I'll tell you all about our adventures AFTER we've experinced it all...
Some exciting days ahead..and we've decided to stay for 4 or 5 days....there's so much to see and do here..and to just be here...in the home of Da Vinci..ohlala.
Florence, Tuscany, Italy
Here we are!~!
In FLORENCE...the capital of Tuscany, the home of Michangelo's statue of David. The home of Leonardo Da Vinci's famous drawings....the home of Raphael's sculptures and Donatello's artistry...
Sounds like it's the home of the Ninja Turtles hey!!!!!
And honestly. This is where it all initiated too, the Ninja Turtle fad, after the high renaissance artists...
In the words of my author friend Michele Drouart, (who wrote Into the Wadi) "Florence is just my favourite place!! It's so romantic!" i think it really is a place that could be called favourite.
We've only just gotten here (yesterday) and we're about to go to Pisa to see the leaning tower..and we're going to do a cooking course and eat Floritine food, and go see Da Vinci's sketches of the way he incredibly captured human and animal movement, as well as look at his drawings of his inventions...helicoptors, bicycles, optics, parachutes, water screws and......machine guns and tanks...of all things. Genius man he was. And also Greg's great hero...
We'll be off to Umbria too....to see St Francis Basillica....and Giotto's work there ...
But I'll tell you all about our adventures AFTER we've experinced it all...
Some exciting days ahead..and we've decided to stay for 4 or 5 days....there's so much to see and do here..and to just be here...in the home of Da Vinci..ohlala.
PORTOFINO
Day64
Santa Margherita Ligure Portofino
We went to Portofino today...and it's gorgeous! No wonder Rod Steward has chosen this place to get married to Kelly Lancaster in June...it's SO pretty. Apparently Elizabeth Taylor married Richard Burton here too...ohhh....
And i tell ya....
IT IS PRETTY!
And..the castle that we climbed up to (more climbing!!! Are we getting fitter..YES!) had pictures in it of all the famous people that called Portofino their holiday spot!
The castle Castello Brown was sitting up there on the hill, in all it's glory beckoned us.....so we had to go up. And pay more entrace fees. Italy, already, it seems hits you with higher charges into things....more so than anymore we've been to anyway...!
In the castle there were Pics of Liz Taylor and Eddie Fisher (she didn't just bring Burt here obviously...but then she WAS married 8 times!) gracing the rooms..as did Earnest Hemingway, Walt Disney, John Wayne, Winston Churhhill, Clarke Gable, Prince Rainer and Grace Kelly with kids...and even King Hussein as a boy....far out....pics of all the famous...heaps more too!
Was interesting looking at all the pics....and there was an artist in residence too....Corrado Cohen, who was painting on old maps. Clever. And effective too. We would have bought one if we could carry it or think of a way to post it back...but as it is....finding post offices has been a nightmare.
After Portofino...we went back to Santa Margherita and headed out.....to FLORENCE.........
Gosh. I LOVE ITALY!
The home of my children's ancestors ;-)
Santa Margherita Ligure Portofino
We went to Portofino today...and it's gorgeous! No wonder Rod Steward has chosen this place to get married to Kelly Lancaster in June...it's SO pretty. Apparently Elizabeth Taylor married Richard Burton here too...ohhh....
And i tell ya....
IT IS PRETTY!
And..the castle that we climbed up to (more climbing!!! Are we getting fitter..YES!) had pictures in it of all the famous people that called Portofino their holiday spot!
The castle Castello Brown was sitting up there on the hill, in all it's glory beckoned us.....so we had to go up. And pay more entrace fees. Italy, already, it seems hits you with higher charges into things....more so than anymore we've been to anyway...!
In the castle there were Pics of Liz Taylor and Eddie Fisher (she didn't just bring Burt here obviously...but then she WAS married 8 times!) gracing the rooms..as did Earnest Hemingway, Walt Disney, John Wayne, Winston Churhhill, Clarke Gable, Prince Rainer and Grace Kelly with kids...and even King Hussein as a boy....far out....pics of all the famous...heaps more too!
Was interesting looking at all the pics....and there was an artist in residence too....Corrado Cohen, who was painting on old maps. Clever. And effective too. We would have bought one if we could carry it or think of a way to post it back...but as it is....finding post offices has been a nightmare.
After Portofino...we went back to Santa Margherita and headed out.....to FLORENCE.........
Gosh. I LOVE ITALY!
The home of my children's ancestors ;-)
CINQUE TERRE, ITALY
Day 63
Nuova Riviera
Santa Margherita Ligure e Portofino
After talking to Charles in Barcelona (one of the guys that got mugged in Barcelona that we were talking to at our hostel) we decided to do the Cinque Terre walk!!!
Cinque means five, terre means terraces. This part of Italy is a beautiful mountainour area that has five towns that are terraced with wine growning grapes (and yes, the wine is world known and yes, we tasted it, and yes it is wonderful!)
We caught a train to the first stop Riomaggiore and started our trek. The first part, to the town Manarola was just beautiful. Fantasic views, high, but just so gorgeous..how do i describe it? Breathtaking as we look below......the path is windy and rocky..and we thought, yes we'll do the whole trek. This is ok. We can do it. Foot surviving. (My operated on foot aches still, in the morning but once i start walking, it's great so haven't had a problem, the left foot is still rolling, but no pain, just precarious if i roll close to a cliff face!!!!) Gawd. Cross fingers!
We then found the cliff face was insecure so part of it was closed off. We had to go back..go around the track, and come out around where it was closed. Start again. We were thinking we probably wouldn't be able to do the 12 km walk.
We climbed steps, weaved our way along narrow paths, and climbed down rocks and steps to our next stop, Manarola.
And then weaved our way along to Corniglia. Saw LOTS of cats!! And took pics of them all..and pics of Greg leaning against the rock face wondering why i needed pics of all the pussies..ohh..Italian Cats i said. How could one resist them! And oh......made me think of little Millie and Tizzie....i wondered how they were. Honestly these cats were friendly..i took pics of the cats in the townswe stopped at...on the paths..on the top of cliffs..oh, so CUTE! Should have seen there little faces....
Far cuter than the dogs in France that were sitting at the tables with their mummies and daddies eating dinner...and laying little presents on the pavements that we had to dodge! No kidding..French dogs have the rule.
Italian cats have the rule.
Hehe...
Next stop we were wearing.....so we stopped there at the portside and bought what else but pizza...smothered in pesto!!! And just breathed a while..and decided to catch the train back to Santa Margherita...BUT...the train didn't leave for an hour and a half...and the last leg of the trek took 2 hours....
So we thought, what the heck. We're up for a challenge!!
So we headed off on the last leg, to finsh the Cinque Terre walking challenge. To MOnterosso. It was getting late too....8pm....and we were THE ONLY ONES ON THE TREK at this time of the night.
Madness had struck us surely!
We were even talking of climbing the Himilayas (Greg had done this but was sick when he did it..after a serious bout of amoebic dynsentry so is keen to try it again) and i thought...yes, if i can do this, i can do that. Apparently the Mount Everest trek, even though it's very challenging..it's less exhausting than this trek because you can only do a certain amount of trekking due to the altitudes. I reckon i could tak on the task...
Or climb Mount Kiliminjaro in Africa...or at least cycle through Vietnam!
My foot, to me, is totally cured. It's the first time i have been able to say that in a year. Like i said, it's stiff in the mornings..and the same thing is happening to my left ankle (rolling due to the loose joints) but there's no pain in the left, and the right ankle is great once it gets going. In fact, the more active i am, the better. Gosh...i felt on this Cinque Terre trek i was invincible. Well, almost. Hey...we're OLD now...so we probably won't do the Himilayas...but we can dream can't we!!!!!!
We got back in once piece, and both proud of ourselves. Greg has had the flu (again, he seems to pick these up in the trains!) and so he did really well considering.
What a place..Italy. IT's JUST BEAUTIFUL. This walk...was certainly one of the highlights of beauty....and we didn't even know about it till Charles mentioned it. Fancy that..we could have just gone right past this beautiful coast line oblivious to it's existence.
Cool hey. To find out about new places..on our way.
POROFINO next...
Nuova Riviera
Santa Margherita Ligure e Portofino
After talking to Charles in Barcelona (one of the guys that got mugged in Barcelona that we were talking to at our hostel) we decided to do the Cinque Terre walk!!!
Cinque means five, terre means terraces. This part of Italy is a beautiful mountainour area that has five towns that are terraced with wine growning grapes (and yes, the wine is world known and yes, we tasted it, and yes it is wonderful!)
We caught a train to the first stop Riomaggiore and started our trek. The first part, to the town Manarola was just beautiful. Fantasic views, high, but just so gorgeous..how do i describe it? Breathtaking as we look below......the path is windy and rocky..and we thought, yes we'll do the whole trek. This is ok. We can do it. Foot surviving. (My operated on foot aches still, in the morning but once i start walking, it's great so haven't had a problem, the left foot is still rolling, but no pain, just precarious if i roll close to a cliff face!!!!) Gawd. Cross fingers!
We then found the cliff face was insecure so part of it was closed off. We had to go back..go around the track, and come out around where it was closed. Start again. We were thinking we probably wouldn't be able to do the 12 km walk.
We climbed steps, weaved our way along narrow paths, and climbed down rocks and steps to our next stop, Manarola.
And then weaved our way along to Corniglia. Saw LOTS of cats!! And took pics of them all..and pics of Greg leaning against the rock face wondering why i needed pics of all the pussies..ohh..Italian Cats i said. How could one resist them! And oh......made me think of little Millie and Tizzie....i wondered how they were. Honestly these cats were friendly..i took pics of the cats in the townswe stopped at...on the paths..on the top of cliffs..oh, so CUTE! Should have seen there little faces....
Far cuter than the dogs in France that were sitting at the tables with their mummies and daddies eating dinner...and laying little presents on the pavements that we had to dodge! No kidding..French dogs have the rule.
Italian cats have the rule.
Hehe...
Next stop we were wearing.....so we stopped there at the portside and bought what else but pizza...smothered in pesto!!! And just breathed a while..and decided to catch the train back to Santa Margherita...BUT...the train didn't leave for an hour and a half...and the last leg of the trek took 2 hours....
So we thought, what the heck. We're up for a challenge!!
So we headed off on the last leg, to finsh the Cinque Terre walking challenge. To MOnterosso. It was getting late too....8pm....and we were THE ONLY ONES ON THE TREK at this time of the night.
Madness had struck us surely!
We were even talking of climbing the Himilayas (Greg had done this but was sick when he did it..after a serious bout of amoebic dynsentry so is keen to try it again) and i thought...yes, if i can do this, i can do that. Apparently the Mount Everest trek, even though it's very challenging..it's less exhausting than this trek because you can only do a certain amount of trekking due to the altitudes. I reckon i could tak on the task...
Or climb Mount Kiliminjaro in Africa...or at least cycle through Vietnam!
My foot, to me, is totally cured. It's the first time i have been able to say that in a year. Like i said, it's stiff in the mornings..and the same thing is happening to my left ankle (rolling due to the loose joints) but there's no pain in the left, and the right ankle is great once it gets going. In fact, the more active i am, the better. Gosh...i felt on this Cinque Terre trek i was invincible. Well, almost. Hey...we're OLD now...so we probably won't do the Himilayas...but we can dream can't we!!!!!!
We got back in once piece, and both proud of ourselves. Greg has had the flu (again, he seems to pick these up in the trains!) and so he did really well considering.
What a place..Italy. IT's JUST BEAUTIFUL. This walk...was certainly one of the highlights of beauty....and we didn't even know about it till Charles mentioned it. Fancy that..we could have just gone right past this beautiful coast line oblivious to it's existence.
Cool hey. To find out about new places..on our way.
POROFINO next...
ITALY!!!!! SANTA MARGHERITA
Day 62
Nuova Riviera, Santa Margherita Ligure e Portofino
Trains. The nightmarish part of our travelling...or is it travelling that is the nightmarish part? Anyway, the trains are known in this part of the world to be a little untrustworthy, in that the times...can change, at any time!
Which they did in Nice as we were leaving. There was an hour hold up, which caused us to be delayed at our stopover, Genova, so we ended up being at Santa Margherita 3 hours later than we intended...but 'them the breaks..eh'!
Weird...when..you cross a border..from France to Italy, there's nothing to say you're in another country...which for us Aussies is a bit strange seeing we have such defined boundaries when we go country to country! Anyway...as soon as we realised we were travelling on Italian soils we hip hipped horayed...haha...was so exciting. ITALY! A place i've always wanted to go!!! I decided to push aside the knowledge that Greg has been to Italy, 12 or so times in his life...such a small detail!
We arrived in Santa Margherita i felt so at home. It's a beautiful place! Pretty beyond words....and well, just so italian...advertising for Pizza and lasagna was everywhere...as was for brushetta and other italian breads...yummo, couldn't wait to sample..
And we noticed...all the coloured buildings!!! So pretty!!! So Italian, we thought! Very, very colouful. And sculptured...the streets are perfect....and instead of street sweepers, they have a man picking up leaves one at a time!!!!
BUT! Accomodation first. At the train station there was a list of hotels..we wrote down the one star hotels...because Santa Margherita doesn't have hostels!!!
We head for Anabella's..no one home. Head for Nuova Riveria...one star, and 75 Euro per night. 70 if we stay 2 nights, 65 if we stay 3. We opt for two and decide their talk of 'casha only...and nica rooma...cleana...newa...very gooda!" was ok for us!
And it was beautiful. We couldn't fault it. Everything was nice. So worth the extra money. Usually there's something wrong...crap shower, no shower in room, no shower curtain, no hook for shower holder, twin beds, dirty, or whatever. But nope. This was divine. It had towel warmers, a bidet, a balcony..and all the extras. We were going to have FUN Here!
Went to dinner at the local italian restaurant that i can't think of the name of, ordered dumplings thinking they were meatballs and got pesto pasta of a sort (they looked like worms!) but it was NICE. The next night we went to a fantastic restaurant called Columbo...(was a baroque restaurant opposite the CHristopher Columbus monument that was built in 1904 and was originally a pharmacy and all the furniture was walnut and even the original lollie jars were in the servery..so gorgeous) but anyway, had dinner there..ordered lasagna..got flat pasta with pesto..
What is it with pesto! Have had pizza...and it has pesto sauce on it!! Not that i'm complaining..i love pesto..ordering food in Italy is just like a pizza though, it's full of lots of wonderful and weird things!!
The lady at Nuova was a funny one....i thought of They're a Weird Mob when dealing with her (Nino Culloto) she was so paranoid...'noa...you can'ta leava luggage hera...noa...ohhh noa....!" I was going to leave my book I'd just finished..with her...yet another one of Mauve Binchy's epic's...of 762 pages (read the Circle of Friends last time) 'Firefly Summer' which i'd just finished (about the hotel Patrick O'Neil was building set in Ireland) but decided...no..she might panic about that too!
So! Here we are...Italy! Santa Margherita is so beautiful..hilly, green..and close to the Cinque Terre...
Which i will tell you all about next!!!!!!!!
Nuova Riviera, Santa Margherita Ligure e Portofino
Trains. The nightmarish part of our travelling...or is it travelling that is the nightmarish part? Anyway, the trains are known in this part of the world to be a little untrustworthy, in that the times...can change, at any time!
Which they did in Nice as we were leaving. There was an hour hold up, which caused us to be delayed at our stopover, Genova, so we ended up being at Santa Margherita 3 hours later than we intended...but 'them the breaks..eh'!
Weird...when..you cross a border..from France to Italy, there's nothing to say you're in another country...which for us Aussies is a bit strange seeing we have such defined boundaries when we go country to country! Anyway...as soon as we realised we were travelling on Italian soils we hip hipped horayed...haha...was so exciting. ITALY! A place i've always wanted to go!!! I decided to push aside the knowledge that Greg has been to Italy, 12 or so times in his life...such a small detail!
We arrived in Santa Margherita i felt so at home. It's a beautiful place! Pretty beyond words....and well, just so italian...advertising for Pizza and lasagna was everywhere...as was for brushetta and other italian breads...yummo, couldn't wait to sample..
And we noticed...all the coloured buildings!!! So pretty!!! So Italian, we thought! Very, very colouful. And sculptured...the streets are perfect....and instead of street sweepers, they have a man picking up leaves one at a time!!!!
BUT! Accomodation first. At the train station there was a list of hotels..we wrote down the one star hotels...because Santa Margherita doesn't have hostels!!!
We head for Anabella's..no one home. Head for Nuova Riveria...one star, and 75 Euro per night. 70 if we stay 2 nights, 65 if we stay 3. We opt for two and decide their talk of 'casha only...and nica rooma...cleana...newa...very gooda!" was ok for us!
And it was beautiful. We couldn't fault it. Everything was nice. So worth the extra money. Usually there's something wrong...crap shower, no shower in room, no shower curtain, no hook for shower holder, twin beds, dirty, or whatever. But nope. This was divine. It had towel warmers, a bidet, a balcony..and all the extras. We were going to have FUN Here!
Went to dinner at the local italian restaurant that i can't think of the name of, ordered dumplings thinking they were meatballs and got pesto pasta of a sort (they looked like worms!) but it was NICE. The next night we went to a fantastic restaurant called Columbo...(was a baroque restaurant opposite the CHristopher Columbus monument that was built in 1904 and was originally a pharmacy and all the furniture was walnut and even the original lollie jars were in the servery..so gorgeous) but anyway, had dinner there..ordered lasagna..got flat pasta with pesto..
What is it with pesto! Have had pizza...and it has pesto sauce on it!! Not that i'm complaining..i love pesto..ordering food in Italy is just like a pizza though, it's full of lots of wonderful and weird things!!
The lady at Nuova was a funny one....i thought of They're a Weird Mob when dealing with her (Nino Culloto) she was so paranoid...'noa...you can'ta leava luggage hera...noa...ohhh noa....!" I was going to leave my book I'd just finished..with her...yet another one of Mauve Binchy's epic's...of 762 pages (read the Circle of Friends last time) 'Firefly Summer' which i'd just finished (about the hotel Patrick O'Neil was building set in Ireland) but decided...no..she might panic about that too!
So! Here we are...Italy! Santa Margherita is so beautiful..hilly, green..and close to the Cinque Terre...
Which i will tell you all about next!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, 1 May 2007
NICE - LABOUR DAY!
Nice, Southern France
Day 61
It's Labour Day holiday. So we slept in..in our wonderful accomodation...and now we're here in the internet cafe, the only thing open, blogging...and examining the Rose Factor!!!
BUT..from our door...we can see a little cafe....and that's where we're heading...there's no point trying to diet in France! Then we're going to go sit on the pebble beach again...and dream....
See you guys in Italy! (No point dieting there either!)
xxx
Day 61
It's Labour Day holiday. So we slept in..in our wonderful accomodation...and now we're here in the internet cafe, the only thing open, blogging...and examining the Rose Factor!!!
BUT..from our door...we can see a little cafe....and that's where we're heading...there's no point trying to diet in France! Then we're going to go sit on the pebble beach again...and dream....
See you guys in Italy! (No point dieting there either!)
xxx
MONACO - MONTE CARLO and OUR WIN!
Nice
Day 60
When you're in Nice, you have to go to Monaco. And we did. And it was a good escape from stressing about the Roses of Life.
And the trip there was just as magestic as the one to Andorra. Steeper in fact. I can now see how Princess Grace was killed on of the roads going to Monaco. The cliff face is really, really steep. And she was killed on the highest road. There are three...we went on the middle road..came home on the lower road.
We arrived in a tour bus with a couple from Ireland (he was a commediene) and 3 ladies from the US. Great little group and a bus driver who'd lived in Melbourne for a year a few years ago...she was great. Had a commentary all the way there and back..
And once there...we went around the race track of the Grand Prix. Took pics. The drivers go for 17 laps and go up to 245km per hour around the track. Scary. I tell ya......there's no way i'd be wanting to do that past about 50kmh!!!
Walked to Jacques Cousteaus HUGE Aquariam..and saw his first submarine...took pics of the local real estate prices, trapsed around the harbour holding luxury launches, palace...and had dinner at Cafe De Paris after our jaunt at Monte Carlo Casino!!!
And what a jaunt.
The palace was spectacular...the houses where Caroline and Stephanie lived were just gorgeous, the jewellery shops were well...overpriced...the rolexes...geepers...overlooking the riveria but....the thing that blew us away was the cars!!!
In just one street there was a line up of Maserati, Lambourgini, Mercedes, Rolls Royce, BMW's, Porches, Ferrari's...................
Guess what happened???
We unlocked our white Lambourgini and drove out!
Nah, not really...(just pretended and took a pic of Greg next to it!)
What we did..was try our luck at the Casino...our only hope! :-)
So. We put our bags into security, no cameras or mobiles allowed, and no plastic for some reason...and charged us 10 euro each for the entrance fee.
And in we go..tried to have dinner but after he looked at shoes and watch i'm sure he just thought we were mountaineers or something...it's the first time honestly...that i actually felt embarrased about our shoes!!!!
Of course we didn't have elegants jackets so couldn't get into the international section (damn, i wanted to look at the dresses and jewells haha)..
The building was quite beautiful. Ornate rococo and the ceiling was something you could just keep looking at. Didn't look good..us staring way up there for too long tho!
So...off we go...get 20 Euros of chips...
And sit at the pokie...like an old homeless addicted person would. Well, that's what i've always thought people who play pokies look like...what a judgement, i'm sure there are other looks..
We won a few chips, lost a few, felt brain dead as we put coin in, pressed button and watched cards flutter....
THEN! 80 chips were announced!!!! We punched the eject button to get our win...and 80 coin clanging turns...and people looking at us because it was making so much noise (they were only conservative 50c chips) we proudly took our win, redeemed it, and ran!
Ate our dinner at the Cafe De Paris...and paid 55 euro for a cocktail, a cognac and two club sandwiches!!!!
The irish couple later told us they spent E183 for two mains, a bottle of wine and a bottle of water!! E11 for the bottle of Evian.
What a night!!!
What a win!
Monaco was cool :-)
Day 60
When you're in Nice, you have to go to Monaco. And we did. And it was a good escape from stressing about the Roses of Life.
And the trip there was just as magestic as the one to Andorra. Steeper in fact. I can now see how Princess Grace was killed on of the roads going to Monaco. The cliff face is really, really steep. And she was killed on the highest road. There are three...we went on the middle road..came home on the lower road.
We arrived in a tour bus with a couple from Ireland (he was a commediene) and 3 ladies from the US. Great little group and a bus driver who'd lived in Melbourne for a year a few years ago...she was great. Had a commentary all the way there and back..
And once there...we went around the race track of the Grand Prix. Took pics. The drivers go for 17 laps and go up to 245km per hour around the track. Scary. I tell ya......there's no way i'd be wanting to do that past about 50kmh!!!
Walked to Jacques Cousteaus HUGE Aquariam..and saw his first submarine...took pics of the local real estate prices, trapsed around the harbour holding luxury launches, palace...and had dinner at Cafe De Paris after our jaunt at Monte Carlo Casino!!!
And what a jaunt.
The palace was spectacular...the houses where Caroline and Stephanie lived were just gorgeous, the jewellery shops were well...overpriced...the rolexes...geepers...overlooking the riveria but....the thing that blew us away was the cars!!!
In just one street there was a line up of Maserati, Lambourgini, Mercedes, Rolls Royce, BMW's, Porches, Ferrari's...................
Guess what happened???
We unlocked our white Lambourgini and drove out!
Nah, not really...(just pretended and took a pic of Greg next to it!)
What we did..was try our luck at the Casino...our only hope! :-)
So. We put our bags into security, no cameras or mobiles allowed, and no plastic for some reason...and charged us 10 euro each for the entrance fee.
And in we go..tried to have dinner but after he looked at shoes and watch i'm sure he just thought we were mountaineers or something...it's the first time honestly...that i actually felt embarrased about our shoes!!!!
Of course we didn't have elegants jackets so couldn't get into the international section (damn, i wanted to look at the dresses and jewells haha)..
The building was quite beautiful. Ornate rococo and the ceiling was something you could just keep looking at. Didn't look good..us staring way up there for too long tho!
So...off we go...get 20 Euros of chips...
And sit at the pokie...like an old homeless addicted person would. Well, that's what i've always thought people who play pokies look like...what a judgement, i'm sure there are other looks..
We won a few chips, lost a few, felt brain dead as we put coin in, pressed button and watched cards flutter....
THEN! 80 chips were announced!!!! We punched the eject button to get our win...and 80 coin clanging turns...and people looking at us because it was making so much noise (they were only conservative 50c chips) we proudly took our win, redeemed it, and ran!
Ate our dinner at the Cafe De Paris...and paid 55 euro for a cocktail, a cognac and two club sandwiches!!!!
The irish couple later told us they spent E183 for two mains, a bottle of wine and a bottle of water!! E11 for the bottle of Evian.
What a night!!!
What a win!
Monaco was cool :-)
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