Gorgeous place! Love the whale mural. How cool is that! I was here in 98, loved it back then....there was scaffolding allover the towers of the town.They look great. Had lots of fun in that town with a local punk girl I met....reading this entry brings back some good memories....
Looks nice! So glad to hear your both feeling much better, awful to feel like shit when your travelling. The basking sounds incredible.....nice to hear familiar tunes played well. Funny, I only stayed for one nite in Split when I visited it in 98....probably didn't give it enough time to impress. x
Inspired Slacker! Ok, I have been known to hitchhike here on TB and in real life, but I so loved hitching with you. I love Scott's interest in history and Shelley's in churches and art. However, you have inspired me with your quick-blogging ways--I shall change my slacking habits and finally get out some of my love of Bolivia, where I think I met you ever so long ago. Soonish, the Isla del Sol where others visit for a hike, but I spent a couple of weeks. What can I say, I'm slow. I'd love to see a blogget on your life in Sydney--pets and fave spots, etc. It's been great--ciao and hasta pronto!
What an epic journey!!! Thanks, it has been a bit of a roller coaster ride this one and a real struggle to keep putting out the blogs. The great thing about getting home is that it will allow us more time to read other blogs like yours.
What a fabulous ride! When you set out to see the world, you don't mess around! So glad you really enjoyed walking on those old Roman roads and soaking in the history on this last stop--love the Pantheon and its oculus. Must say the crowds look formidable, but you handled them like the Jedi and shopping/church maven that you two are (how fab to have a handbag from Rome!). I'm going to miss your musings and photos--it's been lovely traveling with you and your wicked sense of humor. And how very wise to have some kickback days before entering the daze of unreal life again. Thanks for the wild ride!
What a fabulous ride! The great thing about having a fabulous ride is the unexpected hitchikers you pick up along the way, and we have really enjoyed your company. Sort of weird circumstances have come about to put a full stop at Rome but it is hard to find a better place to say ciao. We are still waiting for your next blog and the match made in heaven of you and your camera and Bolivia.
Happy Anniversary! Thanks for the intro to gorgeous Matera, discovered only by travelogue-watching Aussies and half of Italy. Looks quite charming, and with the Italian hordes, it probably helped break you in for Rome. Love this suspension bridge, and how fine to have that walk across the canyon to get away from the crowds. Love that description of their work ethic here--clearly, I must be part Italian!
Happy Anniversary! Thanks Tara, I must admit the Matera Work ethics sounded pretty good and we kept looking at each other and saying "sign me up please". As we stated it wasn't what we expected but it was pretty bloody good, and if you find yourself over here we would certainly recommend the place.
Fantastic! Wow....love the walls and the pic's of the subsets are amazing....crowds, sadly thats what one has to put up with....never got as far as Dubrovnik when I was in Croatia...next time :).
Fantastic! Such a love hate relationship with Dubrov, Shelley would give it a thumbs up but not sure I would. Cannot wait to meet up with you again when we hit Aus.
absolutely love it!!! This my friends for me is a must see!! I was considering to work it in to my recent Eastern Europe trip, but the decided on Romania instead. You not a geri Scotty, those stone path are a public liability, disaster waiting to happen. Great to hear your both loving the vibe of these places and all they have to offer. And the people, how far have they come, love it all. I too used to love Cevapi, the bee's. Maybe they were mourning their long lost field friend? xx
absolutely love it!!! Traudy all you needed to do was extend your holiday by another week or two and you could have fitted it in, just so easy. The world is just too big and filled with too many incredible places, and I am sure on your next one Sarajevo and Mostar will be on the list.
I'm back! Hmmm.....I've never been To Serbia, would like to visit one day....that whole ex Yugo history is complicated. I some how think every country which once was part of that communist strong hold has it's own story to tell and it may not coincide with an others....hope to visit it one day :)
I'm back! Thanks Traudy, glad to hear you made it home in one piece. Poor old Serbia isn't very well liked by its neighbours (or the rest of the world) but when we were there, the Government seemed to be trying hard to portray themselves as helping and caring for the influx of refugees. Of course later on read how they are stirring things up in Bosnia - can't help themselves I guess.
A rose by any other name... Jerusalem? I will have to google Matera as I don't know anything about it. Despite the tourists and Venice prices, Matera looks superb in your photos. But p.s. Rome is the final destination of the TRIP? Wowsers!
A rose by any other name... Jerusalem? Matera was actually really beautiful it just wasn't what we expected but was well worth the detour (and cost). Yes Rome was our last "blog destination" which we will be posting soon. Sitting in a hotel in a "non blog destination" before going home next week - damn.
The real thing... I was disappointed when your blog ended! We loved Naples and were so upset that we had only planned one day there. The seem to be quite a lot of changes from when we were there six years ago, so Shelley must have really noticed the differences. You clearly survived the cheap vino - what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger? :)
The real thing... We both felt that Naples was the real Italy or perhaps the Italy we always imagined and wanted to see. 3 days there was not enough especially as we spent two of those days outside of the town. As a bonus for us it had the best and cheapest food and booze. Not sure I would want to live there long term but hopefully we will be back someday - add it to the long list.
Perfect Timing! Good blog to read today as we are thinking about visiting Pompeii and Sorrento very soon. We are currently staying on the island of Procida in the Bay of Naples (near Capri). We see Vesuvius, Sorrento and Capri from our terrace every day and now we have your pictures to go along with our distant view. Good adventures in Naples and we are enjoying following along on your trip! Can't wait to see where you go next!
Perfect Timing! Procida sounds pretty good. Met a lot of people escaping the madness of Naples for Sorrento but never got there ourselves, but we can certainly recommend Naples if you love chaos. Been really enjoying your blog and sapping lots of details for our travels in particular Prague and Venice, thanks for all the great advice.
Oh happy day! So thrilled that both of you loved Napoli and the sites, and it wasn't overly crowded! Great score with your pension, seafood and wine, time with the Cristo velato and that Alexander mosaic--both so splendid. Big positive change since I was there 17 years ago. Those trains to Sorrento (and the archaeological sites) used to be full of Roma women begging in pitiful whining, totally annoying voices--you would have noticed them. And I made use of that mafia ER in the public hospital after spraining my ankle on those stone streets in Pompeii in a hail storm. You were right--it was bedlam (but free)! Hope your last stops also leave you with sweet memories!
Oh happy day! Only spotted the occasional Roma and one was a family tackling each other on the crowded train back from Pompeii. Shelley coped it bad with them when she was here 30 years ago as well, so it would appear they have settled down or moved on. Have seen heaps of tourists on crutches in Italy it would appear that it is still the "must have" Italian souvenir.
traudy glasencnik
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Gorgeous place!
Love the whale mural. How cool is that! I was here in 98, loved it back then....there was scaffolding allover the towers of the town.They look great. Had lots of fun in that town with a local punk girl I met....reading this entry brings back some good memories....