Battembang and home

Battembang proved to be a much quieter town than Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. We had a couple of delicious meals there following up on Lonely Planets recommendations. The two recommended activities were well worth while also. In the morning we took a Tuk Tuk out to the "station" for the bamboo railway. This was initially built to transport rice from the paddy fields into town and link with the line into Phnom Penh. It is probably still used to transport the rice as the line passes through acres of rice paddy. The "train" is a series of independent "carriages" which are a rectanguler platform about 5 feet by 10 feet made of a steel frame filled in with wooden slats and covered with bamboo matting. This rests on a front and rear bogie and is powered by a simple 6 hp motor. It chuggs along the line with much clicking and jouncing because the line is not welded at the joins; the two lengths just abutt each other. Time and heat has also caused some interesting warping of the rails. The interesting part came when we were going up the track and met a number of carriages coming back with earlier birds than us on board. Protocol demands that the carriages returning have right of way so our driver informed us that we must get off. He and another driver then lifted our platform off the boggies and laid it beside the track. The fan belt of the motor was disconnected and the bogies were similarly lifted off the track. The returning carriages then trundled on and our carriage and others waiting were reassembled and proceeded to the end of the line. There we spent 10 mi utes perusing the goods on offer at a small market. The most entertaing thing though was watching three  young children crouching around a block of ice which had been brought up for the ice boxes of cold drinks. They had a lot of fun licking the ice as if it was a huge icy pole until an interfering adult took it to serve the intended purpose. Bob took a great photo of them.
That evening we went to a circus performance by the music, dance and gymnastic students at a nearby college. This was very professional and unsurprisingly the young students are about to undertake a  performing tour of France. There was a story linking all the performances which touched on the trauma and recovery from the Pol Pot regime but there was clever use of humour and technology to bring it all together. Afterwards we went to a local French restaurant for a very delicious dinner at an incredibly low cost.
Then it was the 6 hour bus trip back to Phnom Penh and dinner with Jenny and Wayne. Clinton and Michaela also arrived that evening . The next and last day in Cambodia was taken up with last minute trips to the markets and packing. We then over nighted in Bangkok and went to the Sunday Chatachuk Markets.
Now we are back in Perth and will be going home to Walpole tomorrow. It has been a great holiday and fulfilled all our expectations.
Caio for the last time. Gail and Bob.

Photos along the river

Here are some photos taken with my tablet. I hope they give some impression. The sun made it difficult to see what the focus was. G

Down River to Battembang

Well we are the lucky couple. After deciding to do the river trip from Siem Reap to Battembang and purchasing the tickets we read the Trip Advisor reviews of the experience. Many were scathing but most said that although it was an uncomfortavle and long trip it was worth doing but not worth repeating. We had previously gained a  few hints so I had prepared by buying a couple of garishly coloured cushions at the market  and ordering a "picnic" lunch from the hotel.
Our travel agent had told us we would be collected from the hotel between 6am and 6-30am so we ate breakfast quickly in anticipation that we might be summoned to leave. 6-30 and then 6-45 arrived so the hotel staff said they would phone for us. Back came the message that our pick up time was 7am and it was on the ticket. Sure enough written on the butt was 7-00. So we waited. At 7-30 the staff phoned again to be told the pickup was near. Sure enough  at 7-35  a tuk tuk arrived. This was a specialised one. The motor bike towed a tray back similar to a ute tray with bench seats , open sided but with the usual soft cover roof. We were the first aboard and our bags were stowed under the seats with back pack, cushions and lunch around our feet. We knew what was coming!
Next stop was two French women with enormous soft packs, after that the next stop were a no show. Bob had peered at the drivers list and he was supposed to collect 12 people. The feat would have been the act of a conjurer. Our last stop was for two young Germans whose medium size packs and them just squeezed in.
We arrived at the boat dock and our French companions were directed to a large enclosed ferry going to Phnom Penh. Thank goodness fate has decreed that we did not do that trip last year.
We were ushered around the big ferry to a smaller open sided boat with cushioned bench seats and only 5 other passenger, all young Germans. None of us could believe our luck when without further delay out boat departed. We spread out and prepared to enjoy the trip. The entry to the Tonle Sap Lake was via passage ways through the fresh water mangroves and full of bird life. The lake itself is enormous  as it is almost the end of the wet  season and it was easy to see how it could reverse the flow of the river down to the Mekong. In the dry season the Mekong is dominant and the water flows into the Lake. As we crossed the lake  we caught up to a larger smarter looking boat that was full to the gunnels with people.  It was then we realised that we were the overflow customers and really settled in to enjoy the ride. The young Germans were chatty and eager to practice their English in between naps as they sprawled along the seats.
We collected one local passenger and a container of live fish rather than the horror stories of crowds of locals with chickens and many parcels. The fishing villages along the river or floating on the lake were frequent and intriguing. The big boats aren't exactly welcome due to the wash they create but our skipper was thoughtful when we were going through villages or passing other boats in the narrow passages. We stopped for lunch after three hours and the meal of rice and stir fry looked quite appetising. However the larger boat caught up to us just as we were due to leave and there was no way all those passengers could have been served with more than a drink so I was glad of our packed lunch.
The trip took from 8-30 till 2pm which was much quicker than some predictions. And we loved it though the lack of a decent back rest meant I was a bit stiff despite my cushion.
Our hotel is very comfortable, even luxurious for $45 US per night but the restaurants around town seem very Asian basic on our walk around last night. We eventually found one of the Lonely Planet recommendations and the food was delicious.
More later, hopefully some of my photos are fit to post on a separate blog. Gail

Cambodia Part Two

I have had to wrest the blog back from Bob because he was spilling too many secrets. On Sunday we had a great day out on the Mekong. Jenny arranged a cruise up to a floating village and to a silk village on solid land. The boat was a traditional high sided wooden craft capable of seating about 20 but we were the only passengers. The water was calm, we had shade, cold drinks and comfortable seats. At the floating village I started to feel embarrassed that we were intruding when we pulled right up to one of the houses. Then the captain explained that it was his house and in about 30 seconds a large block of ice was passed to the mate and we were off again.
At the silk village we walked up to a particular house and were welcomed as old friends by the two young women who operate the business. Jenny has taken about 7 groups of Aussies there and has become great friends with the family so you can understand the welcome was for her.
We first went for a walk around the village to the temple which is beautifully decorated. There we saw some of the long boats used in the water festival and Bob and Wayne inspected them closely to try to work out how they are constructed. Apparently it takes about 100 villagers to roll them down to the river for launching.
The rice paddies and the lake are just past the temple and there we found three buffalo tethered. Their horns are rather intimidating so we approached cautiously for photos. Just as we were leaving two young boys who looked about 5 and 7 years strolled up, untethered them and climbed aboard for the ride home.
Lunch was chicken and fish cooked in the traditional Khermer way and we were introduced to several new flavours. Apart from rice we had steamed morning glory vine, grated green mango with the fish, green mango with salt and chilli pepper for afters. This was as well as bananas, oranges and slices of a fruit which has no translateable name and which leaves your mouth feeling slightly swollen, furry and a bit numb. It was all tasty and we all ate too much.
It was shopping time after lunch and Jenny and I had a great time although space in my case dictated purchases rather than price. Bob couldn't resist a nice silk and cotton shirt though it might have been the sales woman rather than the product that tipped him into buying mode.
We were all rather somulent on the trip home.
Yesterday Bob and I caught the bus up to Siam Reap. This is a return trip for us but we wanted to spend a bit more time here. This morning we read up on options for activities and decided to go out to Preah Khan temple. This is an 11th century temple a bit further out than Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom that we visited last year.  We went early to avoid the heat and the crowds and it was a pleasant shady tuk tuk ride out there. The ruins have been partially restored by a  privately endowed American group who have trained local people to continue the work. The original settlement was huge but isn't likely to be restored in the immediate future. The temple complex was built to celebrate a successful battle and the history is known because a stele was found inscribed with the story in Sanscrit. We enjoyed walking around the complex which still has a lot of engraving visible and has an interesting construction with a huge passage through an east-west alighment and a shorter one going north -south. There are four gates with suitable guard houses and awesome figures carved into the sandstone for protection. There was also a firehouse to provide access to fire for the villagers and residents of the temple.
Tomorrow we take the boat from here down river to Battambong and from what we hear that is likely to be an adventure.
Ciao, Gail

Cambodia

Hello from beautiful Phnom Penh.
Once again Gail is permitting me the task of reporting at least initially. You see she is so busy having hair, nails and beauty treatment under way.
We got here a little late from Rome then Bangkok because the flight here had no one to load the baggage in Bangkok,!!! But arrived safely into temperatures that were a bit of a shock. Got to our hotel very early but got a room, freshened up and went to see Jenny and Wayne Burton.
Since then it's been all go. We have been lucky enough to arrive during the Cambodian water festival which is an annual event but which has not been held for 4years due to various reasons. J and W took us down to the Mekong river front where it was taking place in the late afternoon.  They had discovered earlier that the authorities had provided tourist visitors with their own ringside viewing area which was very handy because All 2.5 million Cambodian's were looking from the same area. All very noisy, musical, with many selling what they could. I could have been weighed and measured at least a hundred times and fed goodness knows what. But all amazingly good natured. May have been helped by the troops in black and their sub machine guns!!.Not so really as the public were having a really good time, possibly because it is free and great entertainment.    
Some 200 long boats were competing each with it seemed like a hundred rowers in all colours when we arrived. Later they had a light display with numerous barges with towers and electrics that would require many kva generators to run, but they were extraordinarily detailed and very beautiful. Gail took lots of photos but regretfully my camera was back at camp.  Following all that was a fireworks display that rivalled the thunderstorms going on in the background. Our tent etc was only about 50 meters from the royal tent and vip area so we were indeed privileged.
We then retreated back to one of W&J favorite restaurants where we went when here last year. Again the food was great and ditto the next night at another. They also took us to a number of markets including a very new swish Japanese owned one. Today we travelled to the Russian market which was an experience as it is cramped, under cover with cooking and shops all together. Temp was about 39c and as humid as.
Later Gail said she wanted to see the Royal palace as we missed it last year, but on the way also wanted to visit a particular shop. We did so and Gail shopped!!! Then missed seeing the palace as it was time to catch up with Wayne and Jenny again because haircuts, nails were on the agenda. Apparently Wayne gets a shave, has nails done,  both fingers and toes,  regularly when he gets  a shave, but I,m sworn to secrecy on that so don't tell anyone will you.
I would hate to embarrass him!
Anyway I had a haircut and my nails done, which I found very embarrassing as it was a first and likely last for me, especially with toes like mine. I consoled myself in the knowledge that I was giving a beautiful young lady work and helping the economy. The cost however was amazing at$6US and tip for the lot. Wayne said I should have my hair washed as well but I drew the line at that, though he obviously has it done regularly. ?..whoops another secret so don't tell will you.
Right now the hotel staff are fogging to destroy the mossies outside our room and I neglected to turn the air conditioning off and I can tell you with total certainty no mosquito will survive and I give myself a 50/50 chance!!
I will publish this now because if either Gail or Wayne see it I will suffer the same fate as the mossies. After the event I can seek forgiveness as its easier than getting permission. No doubt Gail will will correct the record when she gets home from the chamber of eternal youth.  More later.
Bob

Athens

Well Gail has finally let me talk.  In reality she has caught cold and doesn't want to blog just now . But be assured she is ok. She is just now enjoying her G&T. So to continue.  We drove down to Athens through lots of beautiful country and even tho the tablet gps only worked now and then got the Fiat back to the airport without crashing anyone. It registered 2100+ks by us so we got value.
Caught the suburban train into Athens and went looking for the hotel. Luckily gps worked right until the locality but it was in the middle of the Athens vegetable market. After circling around we found it right in front of us,  even with vege transfers on the door.  When inside and on the 5th floor we found a great room overlooking said vegetable market.  The hotel is the Athens central square hotel and is really good quality and value. Even tho the markets start about 4am we were not disturbed . others on lower floors weren't so happy.
Athens was all we experienced before and more. It is still relativey smog free and easy to walk wherever.  We enjoyed again the ancient sites and modern food.  The hotel was
great in recommending good restaurants but we found one evening that it could not be found. But next day we pre scouted and found our targets.
On Sunday we found the Parliament building and tomb of the unknown soldier just before the changing of the Greek guards . The performance was better than Buckingham Palace and I have photos. Indeed many photos to prove it.
Of course we visited the Acropolis etc etc and etc again and we're impressed by the ongoing restorations.  If anything we enjoyed it more perhaps than last time when it was just amazing to be there.
We found the hotel we stayed in last time in the Plaka but it was in a more ruinous state than those 2000 years older. But again the salad, the tzsatitsiki and kebabs, fish and souvlaki were just supurb. As well we tried lots of local wines, usually the house wines and found them good but quite different from home.
The flight back to Rome was good, even tho we were on easyJet a discount carrier who charge for almost every extra. I was almost expecting to pay for the loo,!,, But we had lots of room as the Greek police grabbed about 10 passengers as we were boarding.  Gail tried to get them to hold me but was unsuccessful.
Back here we got to our booked hotel around seven pm. Found it was one of those which just had a small sign among others so were glad we had the exact address. Were then met by a Chinese man who said we were in a different hotel...Proceeded about 2 blocks away to where we are now. It turns out we are now in a 3 star rather than a 2 star but still extremely close to the Rome main station so we have an easy run to the airport and it's great accommodation. It's all quite new, it all works and we are very comfortable but it's fascinating because even tho all good there are Chinese characteristics like some I found on Christmas Island, superb fittings but. eg maps in the kitchen draws, However if we return we would be happy to stay again. Outside is a bit sad as lots of African refs around but still safe.
More later.
Bob

Thessaloniki and Volos

Sorry about the couple of blank entries. I was trying to be clever and load some photos and my skill level wasn't quite up to it. Practice makes perfect so I hope you did find the two Delphi sculptures I posted eventually.
The drive up to Thesaloniki was perfect as we had a cool sunny day after the rain. it was only a short run because of our change of itinerary the day before. We arrived at about 10am and the entry to the city was mind boggling. We had booked a central hotel and programmed the GPS to take us there which she tried to do. The streets were narrow and choked with cars, buses and scooters. At the traffic lights the movement forward was almost non existant and the Greek attitude of observing the rules when it is convenient came into full force. It was a case of "it's my turn now" regardless of the colour of the lights. Typically Greek everyone understood the rules and we all gradually moved in the right direction. Bob was masterful in adopting the local strategy. Wonderfully we spotted a multistory car park when we knew we were approaching our hotel and drove in with great relief. The €20 for 24 hours was worth every cent. It was an amazing place. The staff  did the parking. When we went back later to collect our luggage we could only just squeeze between the cars that were parked all over the floor not just in rows. The keys were left in the ignition but there were no security issues. Next morning when we went to collect the car it was delivered to us in minutes.
Having arrived we found our hotel which was very comfortable and had the best shower of the trip.
Oh the important things in life! The hotel is near the extensive quay around which the central city is focussed. This was the first place we went for a walk.
We then took ourselves on a couple of walking tours of the city with lunch and a nap in between. Thessaloniki has an amazing number of Roman ruins in good condition including the remains of one huge "palace" built as temporary accommodation for a Govenor coming for a temporary stay. There are also some beautiful Byzantium churches and very extensive remains of the city wall. We walked to the highest point to take in the view which was worth the up hill climb through the old pathways and steps.
That evening we set off to find dinner and spotted a Patisseri/Restaurant that looked very nice but had reasonable prices. When we went in at 7-30 it was full of locals eating huge cakes and drinking coffee. We asked if it was appropriate to order dinner and were reassured that it was ok.
We know that the Greeks eat later but it is not so apparent in the smaller towns and tourist areas where we have been eating. The waiter told us that people were having coffee and cake after work or shopping and would go home to have dinner between 9pm and 10pm. Some things are slower to get moving in the mornings as you would expect with the main activity starting at about 10am.
Dinner was delicious.
The next morning we drove to Volos which was on our way back towards Athens. This is another sea side town with a great quay area. As usual Bob was eyeing off all the yachts. We also found a beautiful boat tied up to the quay which is a genuine replica of the boat that Jason and his Argonauts is reputed to have rowed in their quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. That night we went to a nearby restaurant recommended by our hotel staff and ordered Greek Salad, Sardines, Calamari and a grilled small fish called Red Mullet, which was cooked whole. We almost ate all of it because it was all so delicious and very cheap for the amount we ordered. A bit piggy but that way we were able to taste all the local specialties.
Tonight we are in a hotel in Athens located on the edge of a vegetable market. So more later.
Gail

Photos from Delphi

Hi, I took some photos on my tablet of sculptures in the Delphi Museum. I will try to attach a couple. They might look small here but  the winged creature was on a pedistal about 12 foot high and the three women were originally on a 13 metre high pedestal.

Central Greece

The weather was cloudy but fine and we set off intending to go north into the central mountain areas. However the GPS  decided that the area we wanted to reach was a black hole as far as predicting the route. Although getting around Athens was rather more circuitous than we planned we were on track until we reached a critical junction. Here the roadside directions were absolutely non existant but the map seemed fairly clear so we continued on. Surprise, surprise at 3-30 in the afternoon we found a road sign that informed us we were approaching Delphi which is west of where we were planning. Since it was on our itinarary anyway we cut our losses and found a lovely old hotel at very reasonable rates in Arahavo just 10 kms short of the archialogical site. We then went to the ancient Delphi ruins which are fortunately open till 6pm in summer with the on site museum open till 8pm. It is a beautiful place spreading up a steep hillside with some well preserved ruins. The museum houses the treasures which were found on site including a lot of marble decorations from the numerous "treasuries" that were built by towns celebrating the success of their battles. There were some wonderful statues and bronze , silver and gold work.
We had a delicious dinner at a small family restaurant and completed it with some local pistacio chocolate.
This morning it was raining steadily as we again set off north. We felt sorry for the locals as it is their National Day and there were obviously events planned. We found that it was impossible to go into the centre of a couple of towns as the rain had eased and people were gathering for parades. The scenery was stunning when we weren't driving through cloud. One mountain town recommended for a visit in Lonely Planet we gave up on when the narrow streets were blocked with traffic and the cold and damp weren't encouraging going on a hike to find out what the fuss was about. Instead we did the pragmatic thing, drove on to the next town , found a  comfy hotel in the centre of town and a good meal to follow. We decided on a coffee at one of the local hot spots and received very courteous service from the staff and many surrepticious glances from the young clientele.
Now it is onward to Thessaloniki. Caio, Gail

Mykinos to Nafplio

You can probably tell from the mistakes in my last blog that I wrote it in a hurry from a quayside cafe just prior to sailing. The on board wifi was very expensive at €7per hour so along with most other passengers we adopted the practice of having a coffee down town and checking our email etc. The rush to write that blog meant I confused the name of the small island we really liked. It is Symi and at the time I was on Chios.which we also enjoyed exploring. We then set sail for Mykinos but the wind was blowing very strongly and shortly after we left Chios the Captain announced that it was too dangerous to berth at Mykinos. This didn't concern Bob and me because it was not high on our priority list. Instead we berthed at Syros which has a harbour in the lea of the island and a long breakwater as well. By the time we arrived it was getting dark. The town stretches up the hill behind the harbour and as the lights came on it looked beautiful. We went for a walk around the central town which has some very elegant buildings. We then went back to the ship for a casual dinner in the buffet restaurant.
We were early into Lavrio, one of the ports for Athens and were collecting our hire car from the airport. We decided that we could catch the local bus to the Airport to collect the car even though it had the extra complexity of changing buses half way. All went well and the young conductor was used to shuttling people off the bus and making sure that they got on the right connection. It did not stop there though. Further along and quite close to the airport we were off loaded and told to get on the Airport Minibus. I was so bemused that I almost left my case behind. Sharp words from Bob and a quick return saw it all safe. Low and behold when we pulled up at the Metro station within sight of the airport we were told to change again. Back on a big bus and the driver of the mini bus became conductor on the this bus until it was time to leave. Thank goodness  we had plenty of time so we could just sit back and watch it all unroll. This time we were delivered to the arrivals hall and successfully collected our car. They gave us a diesal Fiat Punto and the woman explained that it would be cheaper to run. We soon discovered the correctness of this when we found that diesal is anywhere between 30 and 40 cents per litre cheaper than ULP.
The drive to Nafplio went smoothly despite the fact that the GPS on Bob's tablet was issuing instructions in German. He couldn't fix it until we could connect with the internet that night. Our pension is right in the centre of the old town and took three requests for directions to find it but it is well worth it.
Yesterday we needed to stretch our wings after being confined by ships rules . We drove down the coast towards the south and it is really beautiful countryside. The road was very winding especially when we turned inland to head for the port town on the very south coast, Glytheio. The car is very zippy though and Bob enjoyed driving it almost as much as riding the bike. The mountain section was full of hairpin bends and quite slow going so we were out all day. The olive groves on the foothills are amazing . They stretch up hill and down dale comparable to our wheatbelt.
Today we have spent our time visiting historical sites. We started with the Palamidi fortress that is perched above Nafplio. Built in the 1700's and a truly formidable place. We then went to Mycene and linked our ancient history studies about Agamemnon and the battle for Troy with his Palace. From there to Corinith where the main influence remaining was Roman even though it had been settled earlier. Julius Caesar seems to have been about the last overlord there. By then my brain was soaked with too much info and it was time to head for home anyway.
Tomorrow we head north after thoroughly enjoying this area. More later. Gail

Santorini to Chios

We have slipped right in to the cruising lifestyle. Santorini is as beautiful as ever. Arriving by sea gave a view of just how huge the caldera is. We caught the cable car up to Thira and had a stroll around the town. We then caught the local bus to Oia. We had forgotten the stunning views on the way up there  and enjoyed them again. Oia is very trendy with some beautiful but expensive products so we walked the caldera ridge till  we found a quieter area for lunch.  Delicious cold beer and local food.
On Rhodes we joined a walking tour and the guide was fantastic. Very knowledgeable about the history of the Knights of St John and the batlements of the old town. Also gave us the historical context of the successive occupations of the old town. Interestingly the Palace of the Grand M9aster which everyone goes to see is not original. It was struck by lightening in the 1800's. The lightening somehow channeled down to the basement , ignited the gunpowder and blew out most of the front of the building. The resulting fire did the rest of the damage. Rhodes was given to the Italians after WW1 and became their show place. Mussolini rebuilt the Palace opening it in 1940. It is decorated with remnants ot Roman ruins scavenged around the Med and beautiful Chinese vases presented by Emporer Hirohito on the occassion of his visit.
On Crete we took the tour to the Minoan Palace of Knossos which I have wanted to visit since I studied Anthropology many years ago. Crete is interesting for many reasons and we have marked it as somewhere to revisit if possible.
Yesterday afternoon we visited another Island that we would like to revisit. The tiny island of Chios. The Cristal is the only cruise ship to fit into the harbour and the captain informed us it is only because he is Greek and knows it well. It is beautiful withvery distinctive  multi story architecture.
Time fo go and catch the ship for Mykinos, our laststop.
Ciao, Gai

Cruise

Well this post will be concise because due to the cost of wifi on the ship I tried to write it off line and then lost half an hours work. Sufficient to say that our tranfer from Sorrento to Athens went smoothly and the flight with Easyjet was good. The receptionist at our Athens hotel,Sophia, spoke excellant English and helped to get us to the bus station for the trip to the port at Lavrion without hassle. The bus was €4 compared to the price of a transfer or a taxi at more than €50.
It was also very entertaining. It took 2 hours to meander our way through the suburbs and so we saw a lot of outer suburban Athens. Although he was a very careful driver it was a social event for him with waves and toots to people all along the way.
Embarkation to Louis Cristal was streamlined and our cabin is very comfortable. Roomy shower and blissful softened water so my hair no longer feels like wire.
Yesterday we  were in Istanbul. We took it as a free day to visit the Topkapi Palace which we didn't see on our last trip. The Palace was built in 1470 and used as the principal Palace for 380 years. It has been really well preserved and restoration as necessay is ongoing. The tiling throughout is beautiful with original tiles. Also ornate wood work and scroll work. We visited the Harum first as the quietest area and it was an interesting insight into the lives of the concubines, wives and eunochs. We then wandered the rest of the complex which is situated to make the most of the views of the city and the water. By lunchtime it was becoming painfully crowded so we beat a retreat. We had lunch at a small cafe close to the market. Along the way I did a bit of shopping at a heritage shop which a very helpful  Tourist Policeman had recommended as better value than the Grand Bazaar. The proprietor was very interested when we said we were from Perth as he is going there to the Carousel Shopping center with a pop up shop for two months from 1st of Nov. Saved me having to agonise over the beautiful ceramics that I can't fit in my case. He will take them there for me. He asked us to help him locate the shopping centre of his google map and promised discounts just after Christmas.
Then just a wander through the Spice Market with the purchase of some delicious fruit and honey nougat and we walked over the bridge where they were catching herring back to the ship. A relax before dinner and some great Greek music after. The music was really appreciated by the Greek passengers and there was some impromptu dancing.
More later. Gail

Sorrento

The last couple of days has been all about sight seeing. We had our first uncomfortable day arriving in Sorrento. I had chosen a hotel up behind Sorrento because the views from the hotel were stunning and because in the main the hotels in Sorrento were expensive. How to get there was the issue when we stepped off the train. The tourist information office woman was young, busy and unhelpful. She just gabbled off the bus we would need to catch and while I should have asked her to write it down and where to get a time table I was conscious of the queue behind me and left. It was Sunday and there was not a bus in sight to even make enquiries. So we opted for a taxi which charged us €52 , about $75 A for a 6 mile ride.The hotel was nice but there was no tea making facility or fridge. The spacious balcony was the saving grace. They did not serve dinner but had arrangements with 3 nearby restaurants who provided courtesy cars to transport to and from. We picked one of the  3 and found that the food was good but the atmosphere was chaotic and all around us the people on the tables seemed to be fighting. Add a table with 6 unruly children and a waitess  who assumed a very big tip and we went to bed discombobulated.
Tomorrow is always another day. We found that the bus to Amalfi goes past our hotel and we managed to get on although we were standing until Positano. Apparently this was an achievement as the bus can be full shortly after it leaves Sorrento and believe me the bus drivers know how to pack people in.
The scenery on the way was beautiful and so is Amalfi. We enjoyed a wander around the streets and eventually did a tour through a now closed paper mill which had operated from the 13th century making linen and cotton paper. The town is famous for the quality of it's paper products and there is still a mill which produces high quality paper mostly used for wedding invitations.
Dinner that night in restaurant number two was much more enjoyable with a very professional staff and great food.
On Tues we went to Capri for the day. I hadn't been particularly looking forward to going to Capri as often very popular places are over stated but I was wrong. Capri is beautiful mainly because of the greener vegetation due to a higher rainfall and also it's stunning scenery. The bus ride up to Anacapri from Capri town was stomach dropping and if the man standing next to me could have edged any further away from the window we would have been in a compromising position.
A smooth run home in the ferry when we were ready and a quiet snack at the hotel concluded a good day. Bye, more  from Greece.

Napoli

Well just getting here was an experience. We were nice and early at the station so of course the train was late. When it was almost due we made our way down to the platform and Bob made a passing enquiry of a casually dressed but official looking young woman. She insisted on escorting us to the appropriate place and that we take a seat, positioning herself nearby. By then we had become suspicious and when she tried to carry Bob's case for him he firmly refused. I had 50 cents ready to tip her when she escorted us to our seats. She was not happy and demanded €2. We sent her on her way. Not so fortunate were two young women with large suitcases who had been assisted by a kindly gent. He demanded € 10 each for lifting their cases onto the overhead rack. They negotiated it down to €15 for the two before they realised that they had been scammed. They chased after him but to no avail.
I will leave Bob to tell you about the train.
Our B&B , recommended by both Trip Advisor and Booking.com  is on the edge of the historic centro and just as good as it was promised. We asked our landlady about Naples reputation for aggravation to tourists. She said that if I removed all my gold jewellery, including my watch we should have no trouble at all, even in the evening. It is all in the safe and we have not felt at all threatened. We found a wonderful delicatessen for lunch with panini made to order and all our other shopping such as tea, beer and milk catered for.
Last night we went to the Pizza restaurant recommended by our land lady and Lonely Planet. LP said to get there early and we arrived 20 minutes after opening and still had to queue for 20 minutes. It was highly entertaining and the wood fired pizzas tasted great. Very different to the ones at home and so huge that they drooped over the edge of the large dinner plate.
Bob can tell you about the train and Pompeii, which was every thing we expected . Now we are pooped after 5 hours of walking and scrambling. Gail
G,day.
The train was just over an hour from Rome to Naples.  We had a slow start so I thought it was just a local and it would be a bit boring.  Then it gradually sped up and 170 soon appeared. I tapped Gail to show her and it was already 200km. She was writing her diary and put in the speed.  But next it was 250 and we were surprised and she wrote it in the diary. Then as she finished it it went to 270,280,up to 300km. The track looked made of solid concrete as you could not see sleepers at all and to use an old description the power poles looked like a picket fence. Quite amazing and with less movement than the one into Perth from the northern line it was so stable.  Needless to say Gails diary has many alterations. We have traveled on fast trains before but of course the Italians did build the Ferrari! ,
Today to Pompeii. We walked, walked, walked.  The size of the city was amazing and even though lots of the site were closed for archeological digs etc it was easy to get around and comprehend the lifestyle of the locals, , well perhaps the rich.  It seems the others just had to get by. They also appear to have had a rather relaxed attitude to promiscuity. I will show the photo when we get home to anyone interested. ?.Not that bad!
The stunning thing for me were the plasters of the locals as the eruption happened.  Apparently the ash and small, very hot, stones that surrounded the bodies of people and animals solidified and created a cast.  So after they disintegrated a cavity was left and some clever archeological bloke got the idea to fill them with plaster of paris. The rest was then taken away and what was left was the outline of the person animal or other non mineral. One of the humans was clearly laying flat on his arms,hands under his face, obviously trying to get a breath in the suffocating steam and gasses. Worse,perhaps a dog on its back curled up in agony.  Amazing story of reality 2000 years ago.
But wait there's more. Naples did not exist then and now 3 million people live under Vesuvius, more Naples is just 6 miles away and the volcano has a history of unannounced eruptions, so I'm getting nervous because we will be in the locality for 4 more days . Of course I am a rational human who really does not expect Vesuvius to erupt again while we are here, but I cannot help thinking of good old Auralias Victro who had just arrived in Pompeii in 74 ad.
Seriously, Naples is a great city worth the visit and is not unsafe despite its reputation.

Vatican museum and Tivoli gardens villa D!Este

Gail has let me loose on this today while she does snail mail so here we go,,,,,
Yesterday we avoided the queues and got straight into the Vatican museum. ! Slap into a human logjam which snailed along through many of the things of passing interest only. But we eventually found some fabulous paintings and while the crowds shuffled by we enjoyed a lot of Michaelangelo,s top apprentice, then a young man , called Raffaele who if anything surpassed his master.
Must admit some other viewing was pretty good too. The power of  Rome a while back was very pervasive.
When we eventually got to the Sistine Chappel the crowd was incredible and the attendents kept pushing us all along. Fortunately we diverted a bit so had afew minutes to look and marvel at the 4 years of work. The integration of the different scenes were quite amazing. Of course he was only about 30 when he started it although he had established himself as a sculpter. Later as an architect of course by designing St Peters.
I was disappointed that the crowds just did not permit slow viewing and we were also looking after our bags etc.

Went out to dinner at Trastevere..Rome's Northbridge but without the drunks or the brawls. Had a great meal and Roman shiraz in an outside restaurant. Again.
Today got train and bus to Tivoli about 30ks from Rome. The gardens and fountains were very beautiful.  It was set up by a Cardinal in the 16h century and he didn't spare a dollar. He was Lucretia Borga's son and arch bishop of Milan at age 10. You might say he was well connected. But he certainly left a heritage even if he did pinch most of the marble from a villa that Roman emporor Hadrian had built nearby, somewhat earlier. I think the Wapole historical society would be unimpressed by that.
Sadly time has passed like a lightning flash and we have leave tomorrow for Naples.  But we have seen much and learned lots as well. I have even learned how to make italian expresso tho I then flood the extroardinary strong coffee with lots of hot milk.
Gails finished her mail so here she is. Now for the corrections,!,,,,,,,
It is really interestng to see the different emphasis that Bob and I have. For me the day was all about the garden because we have see the internals of beautiful buildings a few times lately. The gardens have been established down the side of a hill flowing away from the terrace of the Villa. There is a constant natural strong flow of water through numerous fountains and lots of trees and greenery. The show piece is a fountain designed by Bernini which traps water then applies pressure to an air chamber which operates an organ. We were in time for the 1230 performance automatically playing medieval music. Bernini was quite a man;sculpter, artist and with some engineering inventiveness. Unfortunately I didn't have my tablet today so can't send any photos. Bob may be able to attach some to emails.
Ciao, Gail

Colosseum and St Peter

The weather continues fine and warm which is excellant because Mon was an outside day. We went to the Colosseum first which is just as impressive as we were expecting. We wandered all about and also saw the museum exhibition about the early Roman libraries and the history of the development of books.
From there there is a direct path to the Roman Forum. The remaining pillars of some of the temples are so tall that we had already spotted them in our meandering on our first day here. There was lots of camera clicking as you will possibly see when we come home. Probably more impressive because we had no preview was the Roman Imperial Palace on the Palotine Hill. Construction was carried out by successive Emporers and it was a huge complex. Nearby were  other patatial remains but by then my body was demanding lunch and a rest. That evening we caught the Metro to the Spagna station which is the stop for the Spanish Steps. We had a pleasant meal and were entertained by the behaviour of the staff. Young attractive female maitre de managing a staff of young males. Have I said it all? Afterwards we went to join the crowd sitting on the Spanish Steps just watching the world go by. Began talking to a spritely 81 year old gent from Sydney who offered to take our photo on the Steps. He and his wife are regular visitors to Greece and Italy because the Mrs used to work in the Greek Embassy in Sydney. This was a revisit to their favourite places in view of some health issues. A "just in case"  visit. I hope we might be doing the same thing at that age.
Yesterday was planned as a visit to St Peter's and the Borghese Gallery. We were at St Peter's by 10am and even then the queue stretched right around the Piazza. I could tell Bob wanted to walk away but fortunately he really wanted to see the Basilica. The one hour progress was helped by Bob having a conversation with a young German man about travel, motor bikes and pick pockets. The Basilica was very crowded around areas close to the major points of interest such as Michaelangelo's Pieta but  fortunately it is so huge that there was plenty of quiet places.
From there we went on to the Borghese which is an amazing 16th Century building. We enjoyed the sculpture gallery but have seen too many paintings of the 16th and 17th Century to be really wrapped in the art gallery.
Had a quiet dinner at our nearby Pinco Palladiso restaurant and prepared for today. To follow.
Cheers, Gail

Two days in Rome

It serves me right for gloating in my first post. We set off for the Trevi Fountain under a cloudy sky. As we walked down to the Metro I thought it looked a bit threatening but it's hard to turn back to get a umbrella once we are on our way. By the time we reached the stop for the Trevi it was raining though not heavily. We  waited a while for it to stop and then made our way to the fountain. Oh lah, when we arrived we discovered the the famous ediface is receivibg restoration. The best option was a photo of a photo of the fountain. I took one and it is just possible to dimly see Neptunes face thought the scafolding.  The rain  hadn't really given up so we decided to save the Spanish Steps  for another time. When we arrived back at Battistini it was raining HARD.  We waited for quite a while and when I was faint with hunger I pressured Bob into buying a €3 umbrella frohm the touts at the station, of course it didn't work properly and we arrived at the restaurant slightly damp and looking straggly. Fortunately it was a neighbour hood restaurant recommended by our landlady and they let us in. It is raeasonable and serves good food so we will be going back.

Saturday we went for a walk around the historic district including the Parthenon. This walk is set out in Lonely Planet and was well worthwhile.The Pathenon is stupendous, especially from the outside . It was constructed as an aethiest building originally and the interior is now a very decorative church. It still boasts the largest concrete dome ever constructed. We then ambled our was towards the final point of viewing. In Rome there is always stunning buildings to see along the way. So much so that we were so busy gawking that we missed the slightly obscure access to the Piazza Novona because we were looking right instead of left and my map wasn't very specific.
We realised that we had walked too far but could see signs of the river ahead. Hence we had our first good look at the Tiber. We then managed to find out way back to the famous Piazza and the three fountains, one of which was designed by Bernini. It was worth the walk just to see everyone else who was wandering the square as well as the square itself.
We decided on a slightly differen't walk back to the next Metro station and lo we found the Spanish Steps.
That night we tackled the bus system, guided by LP and went over the River to Trastevere for a stroll and dinner. This area is very popular with lots of people, stalls and restaurants. We enjoyed the atmosphere but managed to find the periphery to avoid the main tourist traps. Found a great family owned restaurant with mid range prices and had a lovely meal.
Today we have been out to Terme Carracula (Carraculas 'Baths). These were built in the 1st century AD and took  9000 slaves 5 years to finish. It is a huge complex, a hundred feet high in places having had many levels with cold rooms , heated above ground pool, mosaic floors and fabulous statury. We should see some of the statues in Naples, they were part of a noble woman's dowery. Some of the mosaic floors are still in place and are amazingly intricate and quite beautiful.
We are enjoying the food here particularly because having an apartment we walk across the road to the bakery for fresh bread daily though we have learned to shop early because the locals like it as much as we do. Then it's a stop at the Supermercado for fresh sliced ham, prosciuto, salami
and cheese. On the was home there is a fabulous patisseri so you can see lunch is a feast.
Cheers, Gail

ROME AT LAST.

Hello,
We are here at last. After 36 hours in Bangkok, checking out the footwear, we took off on a 747. As per previous practice when travelling economy on this plane we had chosen seats at the back where the row tapers to two seats so we had no one else next to us. Imagine our surprise shortly after we sat down to see other canny passengers looking around and then quietly gravitating to the last four rows of the centre seat. The plane wasn't full and they were getting themselves set up for a good nights sleep. Having done my own look around I moved in to the two seats behind us so Bob and  I had more room too. I then took my happy pill and didn't even hear supper being offered. We had eaten at a quite up market restaurant before we left so I wasn't  hungry anyway. We both slept quite well and so the trip went reasonably quickly. Never the less we were glad to get out of the plane. The weather is beautiful and at 7am  it was refreshingly cool.
Caught the train into Stazione Termini and checked our luggage because our checkin at the apartment was 2pm and it was clear there was no access earlier.
Then we  went walking. We were not compess mentos enough to do serious tourist stuff but enjoyed walking around the central city area gawking at all the old buildings and ruins being excavated. We have been past the Colosseum which is truly impressive even from the outside.
We  had a leisurely lunch at a street side cafe and then made our way out here. The apartment is very comfortable and we are taking a break before shopping for food and then heading for the Trevi Fountain and dinner. Jealous, I trust that you are?
Cheers, Gail and Bob
PS photos are to prove we are really here. G

Trial Run

Hi,
We dont fly out until Wednesday but I had my son in law Greg help me set this up. I thought it was a good way to send a group update on our travels and be a trendy senior. Watch this space for updates if you are interested. Cheers, Gail