Blogs from Campania, Italy, Europe - page 98

We've decided that we prefer northern Italy (Tuscany area) to the south. The rugged terrain of the Amalfi area makes it incredibly difficult to move between places. Positano is only 8 kilometers from Sorrento and it took us almost 2 hours to get there. (Of course, our hotel is 9 kilometers from Sorrento.) Part of that is due to waiting for the Sita (a.k.a. wheeled sardine cans). One comes but doesn't stop because it's full. So we wait for another opportunity. This is the slow season, we can't imagine what this is like during the summer! Anyway, the roller coaster ride to Positano is about the same as any two-laner in the Colorado mountains, except there are no pull-offs or truck run-away ramps. The road is probably narrower than in Colorado, which makes the buses seem ... read more

Hate to say it, but it was a gas watching these guys, dozens of 'em, hawking their goods on the street, carrying it all in a big bundle, setting up, then in a moment's notice, scurrying away, when they saw a cop - guess they are 'unofficial', so they're always on the run... is comical to watch, although I did feel sorry for the poor guys. They're only trying to make a living ! ... read more

Welcome to the travel day from hell - 14 Ottobre. It started out wonderfully in Cernobbio as we caught the 8:53 AM to Milano. Arriving in Milano on time, we had 1/2 hour to transfer to the Eurostar for Napoli. Again, a piece of cake. During the 7 hour ride in 1st class, we enjoyed the conversation of other Americans before they disembarked in Firenze or Roma. Even lunch in the dining car was OK, although expensive (€26 each): a farfalle pasta, and tacchino e funghi (turkey with mushrooms.) It's amazing how skillful the servers were, plating each dish at the table from a platter. Not a drop was spilled on the tablecloth. Remember, the train is moving at speeds in excess of 40 mph. Aside: it's mushroom harvesting season, so the porcinis are plentiful and ... read more

as a garbage hunter - (yes, my eyes are constantly distracted with the remnants of human waste and dispose lining the streets, sidewalks and city walls), Napoli is a complete heaven of filth. With a flood of intense, inspiring, raw urban energy, there is not another city ..of course, made this way. It always greets me with a smother of a sour, sweaty, big bosomed embrace. One that is intensely too tight, and uncomfortably pungent, however enjoyable because of the honest adoration behind it all. So today i am here and happy. The last month has been a whirlwind solo tour of Poland, Romania, Hungaray and Czech Republic....it was good too, but i cannot even start with that quite yet. i just want to show today to you. because tomorrow i will leave Napoli on ... read more

September 23 Today we went into Naples. We said good-bye to our beautiful, movie-star hotel. First we had to climb up to the top to take pictures. It was even more amazing from the top! We started off in Naples at the Napoli Museo Archeologico Nazionale. This was probably one of my favorite museums yet. It was so cool and really well designed. It had some amazing collections, including a temporary exhibit on the riches found in Pompeii. It always amazes me to see things that survive centuries. We got permission to go to the famous “Secret Cabinet” there. Everyone was making fun of me because I had asked Emilio to take us there because I had heard about it, and I really was just curious, not for a pervy reason. But basically the “Secret ... read more