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