Some photos taken while in Athens....
Shell, Lisa and Al at a seafood ouzerie
"where are we" - on top of the Acropolis, Athens
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Friday, August 25, 2006
By the Sweet Sorrento Moon
18th August – Rome to Sorrento
An earlish start, check out of our very attentive Rom-antique Hotel and get on a 2 hour train to Naples. Once there, we needed to find our way to Circumvesuvia train line and there we would find our train to Sorrento – easy yes? Well sort of, there is very little signage so we were told to just follow two other tourists who had asked the tourist office the same thing we did, how do we get there. We just hoped they heard the directions correctly or didn’t stop to go to the bathroom or we could look odd waiting for them. Found the train line and the letters above our train info DIR seemed we would get there very soon. However, in Italian I guess DIR means every single stop not direct as one might have thought. So it was 40 stops to Sorrento and we were still smiling as we were on the way to the beach! 20 min into the trip and I feel some very old hands on my arm pulling me to the other side of the train and a very angry old Italian yelling. Seems I was in his path to the door and he suffered from a condition which meant he couldn’t go around me. Al did his best to keep me calm but I still got in a “Ciao asshole” as he left the train.
We arrived in Sorrento safely and without being man handled again. When we got out of the train station though we must have suckers written on our forehead cause we were quoted 20 euros for a 10 min taxi ride to our hotel and we took it! Still can’t believe we said yes.
We stepped into Mami Camillas and the day was looking up. A little family owned hotel just on the edge of Sorrento. First stop was the beach which was a bit of a walk ... down. Sorrento in perched on cliff tops and to get to a beach (no sand really just water but who’s counting chickens) we had to walk through a cool path they had through the cliff face. After a quick swim I had a date with a cucina (Italian for kitchen). I had signed up for the evenings cooking class. Our teacher (Massimo), two other girls and I were going to cook dinner for the staff and Mami’s guests. On the menu was Arancini balls, homemade pasta with tomato and eggplant, pollo with cream and mushroom sauce and lastly Neopolitan chocolate sponge cake. I didn’t stop smiling the whole time I was in that kitchen, it was the most fun I had had all holiday.
That night Al and I ate with the rest of the hotel and enjoyed the meal I had helped cook with some local vino.
An earlish start, check out of our very attentive Rom-antique Hotel and get on a 2 hour train to Naples. Once there, we needed to find our way to Circumvesuvia train line and there we would find our train to Sorrento – easy yes? Well sort of, there is very little signage so we were told to just follow two other tourists who had asked the tourist office the same thing we did, how do we get there. We just hoped they heard the directions correctly or didn’t stop to go to the bathroom or we could look odd waiting for them. Found the train line and the letters above our train info DIR seemed we would get there very soon. However, in Italian I guess DIR means every single stop not direct as one might have thought. So it was 40 stops to Sorrento and we were still smiling as we were on the way to the beach! 20 min into the trip and I feel some very old hands on my arm pulling me to the other side of the train and a very angry old Italian yelling. Seems I was in his path to the door and he suffered from a condition which meant he couldn’t go around me. Al did his best to keep me calm but I still got in a “Ciao asshole” as he left the train.
We arrived in Sorrento safely and without being man handled again. When we got out of the train station though we must have suckers written on our forehead cause we were quoted 20 euros for a 10 min taxi ride to our hotel and we took it! Still can’t believe we said yes.
We stepped into Mami Camillas and the day was looking up. A little family owned hotel just on the edge of Sorrento. First stop was the beach which was a bit of a walk ... down. Sorrento in perched on cliff tops and to get to a beach (no sand really just water but who’s counting chickens) we had to walk through a cool path they had through the cliff face. After a quick swim I had a date with a cucina (Italian for kitchen). I had signed up for the evenings cooking class. Our teacher (Massimo), two other girls and I were going to cook dinner for the staff and Mami’s guests. On the menu was Arancini balls, homemade pasta with tomato and eggplant, pollo with cream and mushroom sauce and lastly Neopolitan chocolate sponge cake. I didn’t stop smiling the whole time I was in that kitchen, it was the most fun I had had all holiday.
That night Al and I ate with the rest of the hotel and enjoyed the meal I had helped cook with some local vino.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Roma
Last night in Rome tonight. Then off to the Amalfi. When we first arrived into Rome, it was quite a difference to the other cities we had visited thus far in Italy.
The number of people trying to scam you (or at least sell things on the streets) seemed to multiply some what. But, all that aside, it was still great to visit all the famous landmarks that it is known for.
A quick rundown of our 3 days here:
Aug 15th - we left Florence at around 11am, with a fairly easy 2 hour train ride. Got into Rome, to feel the humidity sap all the energy straight out of us. The hotel that Lis had found (RomAntica) turned out to be a nice little place, just a short 5 min walk from the main train station; good work hon. We were only 2 metro stations away from the Colosseum, so thats were we headed.
Saw the large lines, then some tour company approached us and asked if we wanted to join. Normally €12 to get in, and they were asking €20 so we thought - deal! After the colosseum, checked out the Forum.
Aug 16th - Headed into the centre of town to visit a few of the other key sights; Pantheon, the Trevi fountain, and numerous piazzas (they love their piazzas over here). Lisa mentioned that its becoming very clear why wogs back home love to put concrete all over their backyards!
Aug 17th - From our tour of the Colloseum, we decided to try the same tour company with their tour of the Vatican City. Met at the metro station closest to St Peters at 8.15am. Nice and early start. Downside was the past two days the Vatican had been closed to the public, so every tourist and their proverbial dog were there that morning.
We queued up for 2.5 hours! Suprisingly went quite quickly, although fitty people inside made it quite stuffy and claustrophobic.
Sistine Chapel, and the St Peters Basicalla were as expected, the highlights. And our guide turned out to be quite informative, which always makes the time go quicker.
Anyway, pizza is calling.
The number of people trying to scam you (or at least sell things on the streets) seemed to multiply some what. But, all that aside, it was still great to visit all the famous landmarks that it is known for.
A quick rundown of our 3 days here:
Aug 15th - we left Florence at around 11am, with a fairly easy 2 hour train ride. Got into Rome, to feel the humidity sap all the energy straight out of us. The hotel that Lis had found (RomAntica) turned out to be a nice little place, just a short 5 min walk from the main train station; good work hon. We were only 2 metro stations away from the Colosseum, so thats were we headed.
Saw the large lines, then some tour company approached us and asked if we wanted to join. Normally €12 to get in, and they were asking €20 so we thought - deal! After the colosseum, checked out the Forum.
Aug 16th - Headed into the centre of town to visit a few of the other key sights; Pantheon, the Trevi fountain, and numerous piazzas (they love their piazzas over here). Lisa mentioned that its becoming very clear why wogs back home love to put concrete all over their backyards!
Aug 17th - From our tour of the Colloseum, we decided to try the same tour company with their tour of the Vatican City. Met at the metro station closest to St Peters at 8.15am. Nice and early start. Downside was the past two days the Vatican had been closed to the public, so every tourist and their proverbial dog were there that morning.
We queued up for 2.5 hours! Suprisingly went quite quickly, although fitty people inside made it quite stuffy and claustrophobic.
Sistine Chapel, and the St Peters Basicalla were as expected, the highlights. And our guide turned out to be quite informative, which always makes the time go quicker.
Anyway, pizza is calling.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Milan to Rome
10th August - Milan
We arrive in Milan MXP airport (50 km out of Milan!) and make our way to our hotel. Al is very frustrated as this is the first city we have come across where maps are not free and he is forced to pay 3 euros for one. After that our hotel is located and we head staight for the Duomo and to do a bit of shopping for Donna's birthday.
11h August - Lake Como/Venice
Up at 6:30 to get to (insert name of church here) to see The Last Supper and head off to Lake Como. Then get the 4 o'clock train to Venice! Again Al is frustrated that he is asked to pay for a map ("I remember a time when maps used to be free!") so refuses and asks the information girl to direct him to the hotel. She musn't of liked him because her directions couldn't have been more vague. After wandering the streets and finding a very nice local who phoned the hotel on her mobile to get the right directions we off to a great start in Venice. The saying, bad dress rehersal, good show must be right because Venice turned out to be my favourite city in Europe. Each corner we turned we were amazed at how beautiful everything was.
12th August - Venice
Happy Birthday Donna! I am going to need Al's help to remember what we did this morning because it is alraedy a blur! Earlier that day we had passed an Opera Hall and decided to get some tickets for the Venitian Opera. It turned out to be a great night.
13th August
Checked out of the hotel at 9:30 and head straight for the train station to book our tickets to Florence, lucky we did because the earliest train we could get was at 1.30pm.
We arrive in Milan MXP airport (50 km out of Milan!) and make our way to our hotel. Al is very frustrated as this is the first city we have come across where maps are not free and he is forced to pay 3 euros for one. After that our hotel is located and we head staight for the Duomo and to do a bit of shopping for Donna's birthday.
11h August - Lake Como/Venice
Up at 6:30 to get to (insert name of church here) to see The Last Supper and head off to Lake Como. Then get the 4 o'clock train to Venice! Again Al is frustrated that he is asked to pay for a map ("I remember a time when maps used to be free!") so refuses and asks the information girl to direct him to the hotel. She musn't of liked him because her directions couldn't have been more vague. After wandering the streets and finding a very nice local who phoned the hotel on her mobile to get the right directions we off to a great start in Venice. The saying, bad dress rehersal, good show must be right because Venice turned out to be my favourite city in Europe. Each corner we turned we were amazed at how beautiful everything was.
12th August - Venice
Happy Birthday Donna! I am going to need Al's help to remember what we did this morning because it is alraedy a blur! Earlier that day we had passed an Opera Hall and decided to get some tickets for the Venitian Opera. It turned out to be a great night.
13th August
Checked out of the hotel at 9:30 and head straight for the train station to book our tickets to Florence, lucky we did because the earliest train we could get was at 1.30pm.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Barca
So much to say here, but only 1 min on our internet... will have to edit this later!
7th August - Barcelona
8th August - Barcelona
9th August - Barcelona
Birthday celebrations were at hand, and Lisa did a great job at making the day go so well. Started off with a quick stop at the food markets just off Las Ramblas. Dman, they were good! plenty of fresh fruit to be had, and we managed to even get a fry up.It was then off to one of the city beaches. No waves, but plenty of sun, and the water was remarkebly refreshing, so made several hours of the afternoon go very quickly.Back to the hotel for a quick change before heading off to Park Mojito (to be fixed later), were we enjoyed a nice walk around and some great views of Barca as the sun came down.We did make reservations for Los Caracoles (thanks chico for the recommendation), and this is were we found ourselves at around 9pm. The restaurant was buzzing, and had a good atmosphere to it. Definitely was a great way to finish the day off.
next stop - Milano
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