Napoli

Thurs, June 27

This morning we woke up in Naples and opened our curtains to see the world’s most famous volcano, Mt Versuvius, from our balcony.

Our coach took us straight to the Amalfi Coast and all I can say is – WOW!!! We drove through miles of beautiful scenery, some of which we tried to capture but most we had to commit to memory as there are not a lot of places to park, although that doesn’t stop the locals. The road was so narrow that I have no idea how our coach driver negotiated it. We often had to stop and in one case, back up the coach, to avoid hitting a scooter parked on a bend.

There were tunnels through the mountains, dramatic cliffs which met the sea, lush landscape, lemon groves and we saw houses which were owned by Sting, Sophia Loren and Roger Moore.

We had seats right up front which gave us some great photos. (We’ve had some photos that haven’t turned out well due to the reflection coming off the coach windows.) However, when we were half-way along the coast road the tour guide got us to change seats. This was fair to the people sitting on the left-hand side, but our new seats did not give us the opportunity to get any more good photos, but believe me, the views were amazing!

We stopped at a beautiful restaurant and had an excellent lunch of cannelloni, chicken schnitzel and a delicious cake containing custard and local cream, as well as a selection of very nice Italian red and white wines.

After reaching Salerno, we turned back and made our way to Pompeii. Once again history was brought to life as we strolled along the cobblestone streets of this city which perished under as much as 50 feet of ash after Versuvius erupted in 79 A.D. The ruins, still being excavated today, were perfectly preserved by the ash and mud and offer a glimpse into the past with a network of buildings, brothels, shops, theatres, artwork and mummified bodies.

After dinner the waiters sang “Happy Birthday “and presented me with a chocolate cake and card. What a nice ending to a very enjoyable day!

Mt Versuvius

On the road to Amalfi

View from balcony of restaurant where we had lunch

Pompeii

Mytilene, Greece

Sun, June 23

This morning we had to tender for the first time to the beautiful island of Mytilene dating to the 11th century B.C. Population 100,000 and the 3rd largest island in Greece, it boasts more than ten million olive trees. So it was fitting that we visited the Olive Press Museum to find out the history of olive oil production. Very interesting exhibition of the first steam-powered factory built in 1887. The machinery has been restored and is in use today.

Although the island welcomes tourists you will find no huge resorts and hotels here. It is still a very simple and unspoilt island; very fertile with vegetation right down to the sea. We saw gardens for the first time since leaving Singapore and roses seem to do particularly well here.

Houses are painted in pale colours, beige, pink or blue, mostly two storeys and look quite spacious.

There are many styles – Neo Classical, Baroque, Gothic and European; amazingly, they all blend in. Rustic stone mansions with gardens filled with jasmine, palms and fruit trees. Small wrought iron balconies – very lovely.

As it was Sunday, all businesses were closed. All (and I mean all) the men in the small villages were in the cafes. Where are the women, we asked, to which our tour guide explained that they were all at home cooking. No females were in sight as we passed through several villages; the only exceptions being the souvenir shops and around the port.

Of course we had to visit some churches with their beautiful icons and impressive chandeliers, and we could not help but notice the imposing Mytilene Fortress built in the 5th century to protect the island from pirates.

Beaches are pebbly however the water is sparkling and crystal clear and you can either swim for free or pay two Euros to swim in the area with banana lounges, a bar, music and umbrellas.

We loved Mytilene – what a great holiday destination!

Athens, Greece

Sat, June 22

Our tour began with a stop at the Old Olympic Stadium; built on the foundations of a 4th century B.C. stadium, this stadium hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. The only marble stadium in the world, this is where the Olympic torch is lit.

Next was a guided tour of the National Archeological Museum of Athens. We took so many photos here; it houses one of the richest collections of Greek antiquities in the world, including the Mask of Agamemnon and the Statue of Posideon. We also spent a lot of time in the exhibition of the Antikythera shipwreck which is dated to 60-50 B.C. Treasures recovered included bronze and marble sculpture, glass vessels and golden jewellery.

We then drove on to the highlight of the day, climbing 80 steps through the Propylaea, the gateway to the Acropolis, the Pantheon which is an immense structure and the sacred site of Erectheum and the graceful Porch of the Caryatids. We walked on some of the original pavement – very carefully – some areas were so worn that a type of membrane had been laid with concrete over the top for safety.

After all this exercise we went to a lovely restaurant for a buffet lunch, lamb meatballs, pasta, moussaka, a filo cheese pie, greek salads, breads accompanied by red and white wines…delicious!

After lunch we walked to The Plaka, a shopping district with cobblestone lanes, colourful stores, tempting cafes and local tavernas.

We liked Athens very much. The people are so friendly and it is a lovely city. No highrise here, as no building can be higher than the Acropolis. We packed a lot into the day and it was great to finally get back “home” to have a refreshing swim. We ate so much at lunch we didn’t need to eat any dinner!