Italy - Calabrian clouds

The most amazing cloud formations were seen shortly after a spell of rain here at the camperstop. The two photos below were taken 15 minutes apart standing in the same place looking in a westerly direction.

Bows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I've looked at clouds that way

 

(Lyrics by Joni Mitchell)

Italy - Cropani Marina(2)

The seven days in southern Calabria have become 13 days and counting. The weather remains mainly sunny with daily temperatures reaching 25C and the sea remaining a wonderful swimmable 22C, and we've gone swimming almost every day. At the end of October!

Owner and dogs (Laika with puppies)

 

Our daily schedule is very laid back, starting with coffee in bed and breakfast / brunch from 09:30 onwards, reading and /or spending time on-line on the laptop, walking to the supermarket, cycling around the area and sometimes a midday siesta (we are in Italy!) then a walk to the beach spending a couple of hours enjoying it all, before returning to the 'van for a sundowner and supper.

It becomes habit to saunter down to 'your' strip of beach when staying any length of time at the same place, so too was it with us. The fishing boats and the palm trees became our surroundings on a 200m strip of beach at Cropani Mare.

 

'Our' strip of beach

Beach furnishings around us

When cycling around the town we often marvel at the very laid back lifestyle this far south in Italy, the region of Calabria. It is quite an arid area with olive trees everywhere, some bits of vineyard and citrus and not much more. I also had the impression that 'red tape' and bylaws and general interference by officialdom was minimal here, bearing in mind that we are in a spread out town. There is a large Carabinieri (Police) station a few miles away and various shops spread over a large area, nothing crammed and concentrated and we have seen no large shopping mall.

Olive trees abound

An aspect of life that I find interesting is that you can inhabit a house regardless of its state of completion. You can use the yard to hoard or stockpile as you like, much as one would on a smallholding, except this is in a built up area. See below, this dwelling is semi complete but has inhabitants and the yard is used for stockpiling wood. It seems to be an apartment block of some kind, so who does the wood belong to? I suppose in Britain one is so conditioned to council bylaws and officialdom, to the point of interference with your life, that this kind of freedom comes as a (welcome) surprise.

Typical backyard in Calabria

 

Economic downturn or not, construction work is ongoing and new residences are appearing regardless. It is as if this was a hidden backwater which is now being (re)discovered. Some properties however have no workmen progressing the unfinished state of affairs with the result that there is a feel of emptiness in parts of the town.

 

Ongoing construction

 

Then again you will come across some properties that have been finished to a high standard, with some innovative design features enhancing the surrounding area.

 

New residence

 

The change of season has also been heralded in here by what has been a windy and dull weekend with a choppy sea and heavy swell. But it does not detract from our enjoyment of the site whilst reading, going for walks, watching the five puppies play and preparing meals in Fifi with a glass of something before supper time. And the mercury still reaches 22+ .... !

 

Grey and lonely sea and beach

 

All to ourselves

 

 Awaiting your visitation.

 

To be continued ....

Italy - Cropani Marina, Calabria.

We left our camperstop at Paestum, Catania region, around midday and stopped (again) at the local Carrefour supermarket to stock up. The guy at the deli counter remembered us from our previous visit.
We latched straight onto the A3 wanting to cover some distance going ever further south and escape the weather and rain that was forecast for the Naples/Salerno region. We already had a foretaste of the thunder and lightning the night before. Roadworks are constant on the A3 with new tunnels and motorway improvements ongoing. Average speed was less than 30mph in places.
Tuesday 16 Oct saw us using the coast road from Paola (Calabria) onwards to Catanzaro, crossing the foot of Italy from west to east in the process. Calabria is mainly agricultural and small farms are much in evidence. As mentioned before the wealth and opulence often seen in northern Italy is absent this far south. We made for a camperstop near Cropani close to the beach, and so it turned out to be being just 200m from it. Low season means mostly empty camperstops, so the peace and quiet and having all the space to yourself is a huge bonus. We decided to stay four days, which became seven days.

Peace and quiet

 

Whether it is the economic downturn or the fading popularity of beach clubs (or whatever they are called) I don't know, but judging by the state of many we have seen, they are nothing but an eyesore. If the owners cannot afford their upkeep, why are they still spoiling otherwise beautiful beaches? Rotting wood, rusting iron, dead plants, all manner and means of flotsam and jetsam and discarded rubbish. Tear them down, clean up the mess and you may just find tourists returning to your beaches! It comes as no surprise that many Germans and Dutch have forsaken the Italian beaches for those in Croatia, judging by the number of motorhomers from those countries we came across in Croatia.

 

Pity all these 'beach clubs'

 

However, our camperstop was (is) wonderful! The owner is hands-on and ready to help regardless the query. Basic but clean ablutions, washing machine, secure site with two Alsatian guard dogs and the luxury of having all the space you want (low season in October). Minimal pollution, resulting in fresh air and a star laden sky at night. Warm sea at 24C and daytime temp reaching 25C and this at the end of October. The nights are cool with the mercury going down to 15C, which is still more than London's day time temperature this time of year.

We have been swimming each day and some days go to the beach morning and afternoon. This you can't grumble at! There is a nearby Carrefour supermarket which is well stocked with all items.

 

To be continued ....

Italy - A beach in Campania

Autumn has arrived in Italy by virtue of the odd rainy shower although the temperature is still a mild 23C here in Paestum, south of Salerno. Unlike the 13C we have seen on the weather charts of England. We have come across a quiet camperstop (low season) with a very kind Signora and we decided to stay four nights. It is 100m from the beach and we can hear the Med inside the motorhome - just wonderful! On the way we stocked up at a Carrefour with loads of goodies and discovered a smooth Chianti at £1.60 per bottle - it would cost 4 times that in the UK. Ask me, I know.

We passed Salerno on the way and stopped at a viewpoint overlooking the port and the town, a beautiful picture it was showing the tiled terracotta coloured roofs and surrounding hills. Many visitors will tell you to rather stay in Salerno than Sorrento. The former has more locals and is less expensive they say .... but Sorrento has a certain shabby-chic classiness ....

Salerno

How wonderful to watch the changing moods of the weather camped next to the beach at Paestum, 25 miles south of Salerno.

Low season - sand and sea beyond the hedge.

Joan watching the clouds gathering

Thundery weather over the Med

A brief sunset after the rain

Cloudy daybreak

Discarded debris

The journey continues ever further south towards Reggio di Calabria - the toe of Italy.

Italy - Sorrento

Sorrento, 'capital' of the Amalfi coast and Sorrentine peninsula, with its small narrow alleyways crammed with shops and cafes and bars, lovely little hiding places to escape the world. It has beautiful hotels, each with its own ambiance, decor and gardening style. Terraces, overlooking the small port and yacht club, where we enjoyed an Italian coffee and glass of water, looking out over the Bay of Naples and Naples itself in the distance. We were here for three days and twice took the local bus into town.
We spent a good few hours on each occasion walking the inner town following our own route and turning left and right as the whim and fancy took us. At this time of year, the low season, you see uncrowded streets, you see the buildings and sidewalks because you can actually look around instead of looking how to avoid walking into people.

View of Sorrento

You see more of the locals because they are not invisible amongst the tourists, you see them dashing about on those ubiquitous scooters. Those scooters .... ! They drove Joan up the wall, figuratively and almost literally too. Entertainment it can be watching some of the most carefree and daredevil riding I've seen anywhere, and yes at times plain reckless. There was the guy with a Mastiff sized dog sat between his feet on a Vespa, the guy carting two 11kg gas cylinders stacked one on top of the other, also between his feet on a scooter. There must be a few thousand scooters on this peninsula, nothing bigger than 250cc, all makes and sizes. Riders in shorts and T-shirts and only a cheap helmet on the head - and not even that sometimes. Remember you are in Italy ....

Scooters on the main road.

Bay of Naples

Looking out of our motorhome window early one morning over a misty coast, we saw a cruise ship anchored in the bay near town. Binoculars out and some Googling identified the ship as Seven Seas Voyager from Regent Cruises. Not long after, the tenders were at work taking day trippers ashore.

Seven Seas Voyager

 

Yes, the views enjoyed by the passengers were serene ....

Not so the view from our coffee table on a lovely terrace supposedly overlooking the Bay of Naples ....

Other small niceties will soon make you understand why Sorrento is such a popular tourist destination. Take for example the plethora of cafes and bars in Sorrento, most providing free wi-fi access. You also have other places all over town where wi-fi hotspots are available, in parks and piazzas, and they are advertised as such. People want Internet connectivity - end of story!

Wi-fi hotspot

Niceties! I mean where else in the world can you see a traffic warden doing her rounds diligently, not harassing the motorist, not ticketing parked cars, all smartly dressed and looking the part. I mean really .... ! Bella Italia is what I say!

Traffic hotspot .... !

As has often been the case over the past three weeks, since arriving in Italy, it's the terracotta colours that becomes synonymous with the mind's eye view of Italy. Sorrento is awash in this happy blend of colour and style with a bit of shabbiness to add character. It can be a photographer's paradise.

When you've had your fill on purely buildings and architecture you can look at gardens and flowers and the meeting of the two with bricks and mortar, that typical 'free spirited' style that makes up the Italian psyche. Some examples:-

We also came across this magnificent specimen of the Madrona tree (Arbutus Menziesii) in the gardens of the Hotel Imperial Tramontano, one of only two or three in Italy according to the receptionist.

Madrona tree

Red bark of the Madrona

Our camperstop had a wonderful view of the Bay of Naples and the town of Sorrento, situated as it was 1km out of town on a hill. Once again, it being low season meant that we had a prime site near all facilities in an uncrowded environment.

An idyllic setting - sea and cliffs.

Early evening

Dusk with a heavy sky

I asked around from fellow Italian motorhomers as to the do-ability of taking Fifi around the whole of the Amalfi coast via Positano, Amalfi itself and on to Salerno. They were all hesitant saying the roads are very narrow in places and the scooters are a constant menace. In a small vehicle no problem, or next time round on a hire scooter I said to Joan ....

Arrivederci Sorrento!

Italy - Mount Vesuvius

Following our visit to Pompeii the natural next excursion would be to Mt Vesuvius, the now dormant and not extinct, volcano overlooking Pompeii. The last eruption was in 1944, but none had the destructive results of the one in 79AD which destroyed Herculaneum and Pompeii.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Vesuvius

The visit to Mt Vesuvius entails a journey from Pompeii via shuttle bus to the gates of the Mt Vesuvius National Park. Here a change is made to a 4-wheel drive vehicle to take you virtually all the way to the top - not all the way! There is still a walk of a few hundred metres awaiting you, on a gradual incline easy under foot, to the crater rim. No boots necessary, we did it in sturdy sandals, although the mixture of lava rock and ash under foot makes for a fine dust, so you will return all dusty around the feet and legs, giving you a nice pseudo tan look.

Sturdy sandals on top of Vesuvius

The 4x4 drive to the top - in some ways this could be the highlight of the day. The vehicles are large Mercedes Benz transports almost military looking, with airplane style seats and air conditioning. They travel two at a time keeping a steady average speed of about 20mph all the way up. Going around bends and hitting the ruts all swaying and bouncing sedately on long travel suspension gives an exhilarating ride. Not to be done with a hangover or queasy stomach!

4x4 to the top parking area

Climb to the crater rim

Part of the package is a brief talk about Mt Vesuvius, some facts and figures, but also the story you want to hear about those eruptions. And this lady knew her stuff. You have a tingling sensation of standing next to the rim of what is not an extinct volcano ....
The talk also makes it quite clear that Vesuvius can erupt again, more so because the centre of the crater is blocked with no debris or gases exiting, meaning that pressure must be building inside somewhere. Various monitoring equipment are in place and evacuation plans have been drawn up for the area around Vesuvius, affecting some 3m people.

Stats and info

On the rim

After the talk you are free to wander around at leisure, passing the very out of place tat of the curio vendors. Why there has to be this nonsense on top of a beautiful creation of nature, a declared National Park mind you, I just don't understand. What they sell is hugely overpriced and of no material value. No, I took no photos.

Been there done that

See the smoke, it's alive ....

Of course being on top of a mountain you assume there will be a splendid view of the surrounds. Not guaranteed here at Vesuvius, or anywhere you find mountains and sea next to each other. Hot air from below meets cooler air above and you have mist. And still people will moan refusing to understand this is nature at work. I know, I heard them on top of Vesuvius ....

Mist rolling in

Pompeii below in the distance

At best there was a hazy view at times of Naples and Pompeii below. It was even harder to see the Bay of Naples. Then again you have come to see a dormant volcano, to my knowledge the only one you can peer down into the crater without risking life and limb. Very affordable too for anyone willing to part with 20 Euros pp. And who knows you may even get the thrill of standing on the crater rim when next it erupts .... what a sensation .... what a sight!

Italy - Pompeii

Pompeii was (and so too is the latter day) a large town near Naples, which was destroyed by an eruption from Mt Vesuvius in 79AD. It was covered in 4-6m of ash, which resulted in all the roofs of houses collapsing under the weight. Many are under the impression that volcano's always erupt with lava (molten rock) spewing out of the top, cascading down the mountain in rivers of fire - not so. Whilst doing our guided tour of Pompeii we were reminded to bear this in mind.
When it was rediscovered, after being dug out some 1,700 years later in 1748, the story began to unfold as to its destruction. Many dwellings still have their walls intact, and modern science in conjunction with modern excavation methods, can now bring 'life' to this dead town - fascinating stuff I have to say! Both of us were of the opinion that both tour content (we had a good guide) and the site itself, was of such value that this is a must see when you are in the area. The tour by real guide (you can have a self guided tour with an audio gadget in your ear) takes about two hours. The up side of this is that you are taken to the interesting parts quickly and don't struggle finding your way around the place - it's bigger than you think!

Getting the low down -

- on a piazza in Pompeii

Another advantage of having a guide is that he chooses his patch to give you the information, he knows you will be taking photos, therefore making sure you have the picture you need.

Choosing his patch -

- setting the scene in the former market square

Tests and research are ongoing and that is part of the fascination in visiting Pompeii, like here where the deterioration of a corpse is monitored and recorded, covered in ash resulted in the bodies being mummified and therefor preserved - the skeleton and bone structure is intact.

 

Walking the streets of this town is like going through a time warp, in places where restoration have taken place one almost expects to see the owner of the house, or his slave to appear, doing their daily chores. Most Romans had slaves, this is how life was lived in the Roman Empire and nothing was thought of it, that's how it was.
Figurines of marble and stone adorned many homes in Pompeii and some fine examples can be seen.

Marble figurines

Stone figurines adorning the walls of a Roman bathhouse

We were taken through the remains of former homes where mosaic floors and wall decorations have been dusted off and restored to some of their former glory.

Mosaic floor and garden

Art on the walls

We were shown the 'red light' district of former Pompeii. Interesting was how our guide compared modern day disco's to what the Romans would have called a 'pleasure house'. To show a well endowed Roman's anatomy to the outside world, more so when he lived in the red light district, the 'ladies' would have a plaster copy adorn the wall above the front door of the 'pleasure house'. Further, a drawing or some form of expressive art in Kama Sutra style, may also be added to the entrance so as to show the 'house speciality' - seriously!

Outside decoration in the -

- former 'red light' district

We also learnt that part of the demise of the Roman Empire was the fact that people were dying of lead poisoning, not that they knew it at the time. Much of Pompeii's lead for water pipes, were sourced in Cornwall, England.

Lead water pipe

The road from Rome to southern Italy and Sicily also went through Pompeii. That the Romans could achieve what they had, comes as no surprise when you walk the streets of Pompeii in the company of a good guide. As said before the town comes to life and you can visualise how people went about their daily business.

From Rome to Sicily, through Pompeii

We thoroughly enjoyed this visit, we learnt much and we left the place feeling enriched by the experience and knowledge gained.

Pompeii amphitheatre

 

Once outside the walls and gates of yesterday's town, the new brings you back to reality. The noise, hustle and bustle, people and buses, and almost chaotic traffic of modern day Italy ....

Park in modern day Pompeii