Bari to Patras - Ferry

We arrived in Bari after completing our West to East coast jaunt in the Puegeot.

Bari - Time to go!

It was time to say goodbye to our trusty car. It had served us well and made the trip so far very comfortable. After unloading and without our trusty steed, life all of a sudden became harder. It was now down to us to move the luggage and for the first time rely on the public transport. After 2 seperate bus trips we eventually made it to port. For the first time of the trip people seemed to be a little less helpful. Maybe it was our imagination or were suspicious eyes watching us.





 We were all excited to eventually board the ferry after a 2 hour wait, and head on our way. Trucks, people and luggage made an interesting procession all entering from the same entry point. Anyway our super fast ferry was big enough for everyone and soon we were on our way. Athens here we come!



Travelling Valentines





    


About to board ship.




Air seats on Ferry



Well sailing is certainly a nice way to travel but after 26 hours or so

 the air seats didn't seem to be quite as comfortable as when we set out.

 They look like an aircraft seat and they feel like one to. Well at least we had the lounges, cafeteria's games rooms and decks to keep us amused. The children made the most of the wi fi and staying up a bit longer didn't seem to phase them at all. Travelling through the night had its own appeal. Standing on deck with the wind blowing under a full moon was pretty nice. 

As the sun came up we had some spectacular views of the Greek coast. Special!   The water was glassy and created an awesome wake behind the boat which seemed to go on forever. Eventually we arrived a little tired but keen to take the next trek from Patras to Athens. The town of Patras is a pretty seedy little town. We had planned to catch the train but on arrival were told they were working on the track and it had been cancelled for a few days. Great. Plan B.

Find the bus terminal. Look like a tourist, pay to much and get an express bus to Athens. Some interesting looking characters eyeing us off so thought the quicker we leave the better. Allocated seats on a bus. New one on us but hey things seem to be looking up again. Very modern bus. Quick head count. Yep all on board and now heading for Athens on a 3 hr trip. Time to relax again, almost there.   



Computer Lounge



Racing towards Patras



Ships wake nearing Patras.











Pompeii



Sorrento was the perfect base to see the many sights in this region. Today however was to be our eagerly awaited visit to Pompei. This ancient Roman city epitomised the self indulgent lifestyle of the day. Materials were relatively simple but they built lavish homes and courtyards and certainly knew how to have a good time.

We enjoyed wandering the steets of this ancient city of Pompeii. It is amazing how much work they have done to uncover the ancient Roman city.

The amphitheatre and colliseum were both very impressive and were the perfect place to entertain or sacrifice your loved ones. Nothing like going out for some popcorn and watching the christians being fed to the lions. Ok. Maybe that's a bit of a stretch however they certainly had some interesting forms of entertainment.

Well like all good parties things have to come to an end. Just because the local mountain was smoking a little, their was no cause for concern. Just another wild party on the mount. However, as history tells us Mt Vesuvius was more than just a smokin' hill, it was in fact the full monty of volcanic eruptions and when it erupted on 24 August AD 79, it spewed out massive amounts of lapilli(burning fragments of pumice stone) which buryed the city and all its inhabitants.

We spent many hours exploring this ancient model of a working Roman city. The macarbes scenes of creepy body casts from some of those who perished gave us an insight into the terrible last few hours in this city. We all found it really interesting and enjoyed the day. We then explored a bit more of modern Pompei with its many stalls before returning to base.

Sorrento



View towards Sorrento, Italy

  What a great town! Full of action, lots of motor bikes, cars, trucks, cyclists in the streets with what seemed like no road rules other than "point & push"! It was great.

Sorrento

 The town of Sorrento in Southern Italy is a very popular holiday destination in summer. It has fantastic views and a great atmosphere.
After arriving in Sorrento we headed out on a small drive along the coast to another beautiful clifftop town called Positano. It once again had spectacular views and we enjoyed walking down through the narrorw streets to the beach. After spending the afternoon here we returned to our hotel exhausted.



Positano

 


Positano



After a good nights sleep we spent most of the day in Pompeii.

We then returned to Sorrento for a relaxing afternoon of shopping and exploring the streets of Sorrento.
  We once again enjoyed this town and will remember it for its views and traffic!


Positano





Sorrento

 



Sorrento

 





Rome



Victor Emmanuel Monument
"Wedding Cake"

Well they say all roads lead to Rome, so we were feeling confident that we would make it.
After a leisurely start through the Tuscan Hills we gathered momentum and quickly entered the outskirts of Rome. We checked in at our new home. Now to plan our attack on Italy's capital but not before a quick dip in the pool. Yes, its starting to warm up again.



The Colosseum



Colosseum by day

 After recounting the gladiator movie on our bus ride in, we approached the Colosseum with great excitement. We were not disappointed with a running battle of gladiators posing for pictures out the front.
Then we saw the line. Fortunately we were here in Spring and only had to wait a mere 30 minutes to get in. It truly is a great stadium and you can appreciate how advanced it was for its time. To see  it or perform in it in its day would have really got the adrenalin going, particuarly when you either left the fight with the praise of the mob or in a box. Certainly brings a new meaning to the saying "Winning isn't everthing. It's the only thing."
Next on the list was the Trevi fountain(Coin tossed, so we will return to Rome), shopping,  the Pantheon(Oldest and most Impressive Roman temple), shopping, famous piazza ? and market place(to many piazza's), look out for rogue pigeons and then dragged ourselves onto St Peters Basilica. By now even the shopping for the girls was hard work. Complaints of sore feet saw us take a much needed rest back at camp.

 

Guard at St Peter's Basilica



Tiber River

Today we had a much deserved sleep in. Gee that was good. Eventually we got the team revved up again to do the religious tour of rome. Vatican city here we come and no we were not dissapointed. Superb works of art, statues and architecture abound. The Vatican is the smallest independent state in the world but boy it packs a punch. Highlight being the Sistine chapel which is an insane collection of frescoes on the ceiling led by Italy's pinup boy Michelangelo. Unreal! On leaving the Vatican we slipped in next door to see if the Pope was home. Didn't find him but the front door was open so had a look. St Peter's Basilica, biggest church  in the world. Yanks couldn't believe it, but yes it's true. Very well appointed with everything you could wish for in a church. Truly amazing and with position,position,position. Must be worth a bit. Finished day with walk along the Tiber River before shopping and then heading home. Night tour was on cards. Mussolini's "Victor Emmanuel monument" more commonly known as the wedding cake(pic. top) was a stand out of the tour. Home James and don't spare the horses. Leaving for Sorrento tomorrow.

Trevi Fountain

Siena



View from bedroom window




Cathedral

 Siena, a small town in the Tuscany region of Italy, is one that is full of history. Like many of the other towns it has an old part that is surrounded by a large stone wall.

We only had one night here which we spent wandering the streets & eating & drinking in the cafe/restaurants.




Typical street in Siena

 The Piazza del Campo was full of entertainment with different groups of people playing & singing to entertain the crowds.

The square is famous for it's horse race called Palio of Siena. It is a race which basically has no rules & only lasts a couple of minutes; a horse can win even if its rider has fallen off! Unfortunately we were not here to witness the event however we really enjoyed our evening.

Piazza del Campo

Florence

What a great place for shopping!


Florence



Statue of David



Florence Cathedral

We loved staying in the city of Florence where there were markets and shops everywhere - all within walking distance of our hotel.

While Drew slaved away working we did some sightseeing & what else... went shopping!

David was bigger than big as you can see in the picture. Amazing to see the detail. The cathedral was also spectacular.

We will remember Florence for David & the markets.

Pisa

On our way to Florence we stopped at the popular tourist destination Pisa. We of course couldn't resist taking the "fun" photos of the leaning tower of Pisa.

We had lots of fun going up to the top of the tower although mum was a bit nervous. 

Enjoyed the sights of Pisa!

 

 

Cinque Terre



Cannes

Travelling to our next destination was interesting and fun. We stopped in Cannes for a look and had a fun time cruising the city streets observing the hustle & bustle of this busy French town. We kept a close lookout for George and Brad but were obviously out of town for the day. 


 
We also stopped in Monaco for a quick look around before completing our 11 hour drive to Cinque Terre. Big day!

Monaco

The Italian Riviera was spectacular and we were able to enjoy the sights in both day and night & were able to see the lights of the small towns as we drove along the rugged coastline. Cinque Terre is a section of the Liguira region and is made up of 5 small towns each quite different to the others.

View from bedroom - Manarola

 We stayed in the town of Manerola. The next morning we travelled by train to Monterrosso and enjoyed the beach & food/wine until lunch. Drew enjoyed a swim in the beautiful clear water (not too cold) while the rest of us watched in a beach cafe.

Monterrosso

Corniglia

 Drew, Michael & Laura walked the most difficult & challenging walk between towns from Monterrosso to Vernazza, while Simone & I took the ferry (yes, slackers!).  Drew, Michael & I then walked to the next town of Corniglia, while Simone and Laura caught the train. Both walks were fantastic with amazing views.

Beach at Monterrosso

We really enjoyed the day taking in all the differences between the towns. All towns had their own unique identity and charm. With the blue trail almost complete  Drew & I took the romantic "trail of love" after returning to our base at Manarola, to the final town of Riomaggiore, where  we enjoyed the local Italian wine & food. The evening walk watching the sun go down was a perfect end to a great day.


Vernazza from the Blue trail

 



Michael at Monterrosso

 


Having a break at Monterrosso



Canal Boat trip - Agen, France



Simone on deck

  We started the canal trip in Agen France and motored to Boe where we stayed the night. On arrival and with strong winds we finally managed to berth the vessel with a little help from our new found friends. In actual fact their kind assistance was born out of fear of our boat colliding with theirs under trying conditions. After a few attempts we were safely moored. The crew was then fed, watered and put to bed. We all fell asleep exhausted from our first day on the water.

We overslept and arose late the following morning with our goal to reach Moissac. A full day's boating. It was pull up anchor and open up the throttle. Full speed ahead, which in fact was a leisurely 10 knots on the canal. The first loch was a bit nerve wracking. The pro's and con's were considered before pushing the green button which would surely send our vessel to to the bottom of the loch or raise us to the new water level allowing us to continue up stream. After the gates closed and the water started to flow we new we had made the right decision. A collective sigh of relief was had and renewed our confidence in navigating the remaining 9 lochs before reaching our final destination(Moissac.)




Moored at Moissac




Travelling along canal

Travelling along the canal was very scenic and allowed us to take in the rich provincial sights of the region.



Market day at Moissac






Art on the street

 
Moissac was a truly beautiful city.
After a big day on the water we moored perfectly alongside the other boats in a cosy little port.
The wind had disappeared earlier in the day and so we enjoyed a warm, calm night in this quaint little village.

We awoke to the sound of music.
Market day in Moissac as well as a bustling little sidewalk sale right behind us. This set the day for a party atmosphere. We stayed in Moissac all morning eating, drinking and poking around before a mad dash for the draw bridge before 12.30 which sees the bridge closed for their siesta. We waved to the gate keeper with 5 minutes to spare as we headed off back to Agen. Another big day on the water with music blaring and waving to all the locals was a lot of fun.

Moored succesfully in Agen, cooked up a storm, slept soundly, handed the keys back and set off on our next adventure. Cinque Terre.