October holiday, 26 October

Bolzano/Bozen, South Tyrol

Today has not been a good day. It started off very well, with a leisurely breakfast and sorting things out to get ready to go to Bolzano, including using the services, etc. But just as we set off, the satnav went off and we couldn't restart it.  It did recover later, thankfully, but too late to do any good today. 

Fortunately, we both have smartphones, so could use Google, but unless we kept a very sharp eye on it, it insisted on defaulting to the motorway, which we didn't want to use, because, scenery.  And there was such a lot I should have liked to have photographed, but didn't dare. The lake was so lovely today - the wind had got up in the night, creating perfect conditions for Saturday morning sailing and paragliding schools

and the lake was dotted with sails and a flock of coot!

We did stop briefly so I could shop, although in a rather expensive convenience store. There is a big Spar near where we are parked, so I hope to do a Last Shop in Italy in the morning before we tackle the Brenner Pass. 

October holiday, 25 October

Malcesine, Italy

We were out of the van by 09:00 this morning and on our way to catch a bus into the centre of Bologna. City mapper does not work there, but Google Maps does a great job of filling the gap, telling us which bus(es) to catch and when to get off, etc.

The centre of Bologna is well worth seeing. It had once been a walled city and some of the walls are still there,

but inside it is a mixture of grand arcades full of posh shops and little side streets with provision stalls.

And the huge central square is something else again!

After coffee in one of the many cafes, we went back to the car park and headed on to Malcesine, which might have been a mistake as it is at the far end of Lake Garda from the motorway where we really want to be. Only chose it because of the Battle of the Villa Fiorita (Rumer Godden), but the lake is very lovely!  As is the view from my bed.

And the sun came out again, which means it is a bit cold now. 

October holiday, 24 October

Bologna, Italy

Another slow start to the morning, as we were not really in a hurry. The kind man whose garden we had slept in allowed us to empty the loo and to take on water before we left - we tipped him €5, but I don't  think he'd have minded if we hadn't. 

It looked as though the lovely weather we have enjoyed so far was coming to an end, and indeed it began to rain as we arrived in Bologna this afternoon. But before then, we went a few km south to visit the local Lidl, so I can now say I have been to Lidl in 4 different countries!

Then it was on to the motorway, but we discovered that we were only a few kilometres away from San Marino, so decided to add another notch to our belt, as it were, and go there. Despite its being surrounded by Italy, it is not, in fact, a member of the European Union.

Back on the motorway we were very amused to discover that we were, quite literally, crossing the Rubicon, which is, of course, a river here. 

And so to a very wet and unpleasant Bologna. I decided the change was too much and spent what was left of the afternoon on my bed, reading and knitting, but the SW went out and says he would like to see it again in daylight, and as the forecast seems a bit better, we think we'll get up early and explore before heading to Lake Garda. 

I haven't taken any photos today, so here is another favourite from Pompeii. 

October holiday, 23 October

Marotta, Italy

I am a bear of very little brain! It is no good hoping to cross the Brenner Pass on Sunday (no lorries!) if you are planning to spend Sunday night in Bolzano!

So another quick rethink, and actually today has been rather dull for blogging purposes. The SW went for a run before breakfast, and I went down to the beach after it

while  he was changing the sheets, as we are half way through our holiday.

This was a lemon or lime, not sure which, just growing on a street tree, like crabapples in Britain! 

And then we drove up the Adriatico coast, on the motorway as far as Acona, which we stopped to have a look at (nothing much to see) and then on the main road or another hour up to here. A very nice aire - it's only someone's back garden, and he wouldn't charge us as it is not summer! It's a bit noisy, being on the main road and the railway line, but that never bothers us much. The SW went down to the beach before it got dark, and I am going to cook risotto. 

October holiday, 22 October

Termoli, Italy

We had a day in hand so the Swan Whisperer chose where we were to go, this time on the Adriatic Coast of Italy. He found a cross-country route from Pompeii, and a supermarket there where we could shop.

First off all, though, he wanted a walk, so he went off to do that while I cleared up breakfast, made the bed, etc. When he cane back, he had coffee and then we used the services before setting off.

The idea of a modern hypermarket in Pompeii is a bit weird, but of course the residents have to shop somewhere! Especially as they had all the Halloween stuff and were beginning to have Christmas stuff, too. 

By the time I had finished shopping, it was lunch time so we ate before heading on.

I will draw a veil over the next few hours. If you are ever tempted to motor on secondary roads in Italy, don't. Just don't. Appalling road surfaces, very low speed limits, often difficult to pass oncoming traffic.... Just don't! I felt very sick and ended up going to sleep in the hope that things would be better when I woke up. They were - we eventually got on to an A road which was much better and a good surface, and a reasonable speed limit.

I don't know anything about this town where we have ended up, except that it is twinned with Pompano Bay (Beach? Bay?) in the USA. It is on the Adriatic coast and we are near the sea. A very nice aire, very quiet.

I have no photos from today, so here is one of Sorrento Bay from yesterday evening. 

October holiday, 21 October

I never cease to be amazed how cheap travel is here. It only costs €3.00 to go from here to Pompeii by bus and train. So of course we did.

First, though, it was a day for housekeeping, doing a little washing (we solemnly counted our pants, socks and t-shirts to see whether we needed to wash any or whether we had enough to do us until we got home) and so on.

Then we bought transport tickets from Reception and headed to the bus stop at the entrance to the site, although we made a nonsense and got off at the wrong stop for the station, but it wasn't a very long walk. Then we caught a train to Pompeii, and so to the ruins.

We had been told it was worth while spending money to have a guided tour, and it certainly was, as our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. He showed us most of what there was to see, and at the end of the tour pointed out the main sights (including the brothels!) that we hadn't seen, and offered to take the party on after a break. However, I had had enough by then and so we sadly said our farewells and then went out via the visitor centre that showed a good film of the various sites and when they were excavated.

A late lunch and then we discovered that we had missed the final bus of the day up Vesuvius, so we came back to Sorrento and the camp site. After a rest, the SW went for a walk, saying he hadn't had enough exercise, which I took leave to doubt, and when he came in, we went to the on-site restaurant, which, sadly, was mediocre and we'd have had a better meal had I cooked. And the SW wonders why I don't care to eat out much! 

October holiday, 20 October

We have changed our plans very slightly as we got a discount for various camp sites in a chain and one of them was for Sorrento, so we are going to spend up to 3 nights in this campsite here. We may or may not go into Naples, but probably not; much more likely to go to Pompeii and then have an extra day. As long as it's Sunday again when we cross the Brenner Pass!

First thing today was shopping and diesel. Unlike France and Germany, Italian shops are open on Sundays. The little supermarket was in a residential area, and rather nice, we thought.

In many ways, Italy reminds me of France nearly 50 years ago - the traffic, the petrol pumps on the pavements, human beings in the motorway toll kiosks, and I would have said the lack of out-of-town supermarkets, but we did see a couple on our drive south.

We stopped to have lunch where we could see Monte Cassino,

and then headed down the motorway and then through tunnels and round hairpin bends and goodness knows what all else until we got to this campsite, which has a lovely view over the Bay and City of Naples.

I thought at first it also had rabbits, but turns out they are olives!