PhotoHunt: Broken

Broken . . . . and yet artistic.

I took this photo in the Sculpture yard behind Kunsthaus Tacheles, an art center in Berlin, Germany.  This place is pretty wild and with an interesting history.  I enjoyed my visit there.

To see more PhotoHunters, you can visit Tnchick's website HERE!

2011 Amalfi Coast Adventures: Ravello, Paestum, Capri . . . . and Naples

Yikes!  Only 12 days more before I leave, so I will have to really speed up my pre-trip (itinerary) posts really fast now.   :) 

Ravello  is a small picturesque town positioned high up on the mountains above the coast.  In the early 19th century, Ravello was a favorite vacation spot for aristocrats also attracting the attention of famous poets and artists because of it's amazing views and peaceful atmosphere.  There is a market square in the center of town where you will find a wonderful Cathedral.  The San Pantaleone Cathedral has pulpit carried by columns decorated with mosaics that sit on six stone lions. It really reminds me a little of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.   

Not far from the cathedral is Villa Rufolo which was built in the 13th century characterized by Byzantine and Arabic elements. The Villa Rufolo is the sight where the very Internationally known Ravello Music Festival takes place.  The concert season ends in October so unfortunately I will not be able to attend.  Next, I want to visit Villa Cimbrone which was built in the 14th century and is famous for stunning views of the coast. 

Paestum is an ancient Greco Roman city which is famous for having three well-preserved ancient greek temples.  The three main temples that can be found in Paestum (Sacred Destinations) are:  The Temple of Neptune (or Apollo or Hera II), the Temple of Ceres (or Athena), and the Temple of Hera. I can't wait to explore these great archaeological finds.  This trip will be a long day as I must travel by bus from Praiano to Amalfi, then take a bus on to Salerno and finally a train to Paestum.  Whew!  I'm tired just writing about this.  I am very confident that it will all be worth it. :)

The first time I visited the island of Capri was in 1993 when I took my first ever international trip to Europe.   I was part of a group tour (and not a Slow Traveler) and so I hardly remember any of my experiences.  My three most vivid memories from that trip was seeing the Tower of London in England, seeing Venice and finally taking the boat ride over to the Island of Capri.  It will be very interesting as it was when I revisited Venice in 2007, to see what my experiences will be like revisting this very popular destination.   

For this day trip, I will have to take a bus from Praiano to Sorrento and then take a Ferry to Capri.  I will have two nights here on Capri and during my visit I want to get a closer look at the Faraglione, take the Funicular up to see the Natural Arch and then take the gondola up to the highest point on the island on Monte Solero where I will find some of the best views of the island (hopefully it will still be operating).

I am really excited about visiting so many wonderful towns on the Amalif Coast and hearing from fellow Slow Travelers and Blogging friends, Jane (Casey, Italy and Other Good Stuff) said:

You will love, love the Amalfi Coast. We haven't been there for years but it will be the just the same when we get there as last time. So beautiful!

And fellow Slow Traveler and Blogging friend Menehune (Syncrhonicity) said:

 I visited Sorrento, Capri and Positano on one of my first trips there....Wondering why I never went back! The description of Sorrento is so true, at least for me. Loved this area of Italy.

I have received lots of encouragements and support from Fellow Slow Travelers and Blogging friends, Sandra (looking forward to hanging with you in Rome) (Leaping without a Net), Annie (Churches in Vencie), Girasoli (Shave Ice and Gelato), Barb (Follow My Bliss), Nancy (A Winelovers Wanderings), Anne (Light is Sweet) and Marta (Postcards from the Trail) and now I am really getting excited to start my 2011 Amalfi Coast Adventures. 

But hold up . . .

  

What about Naples!  I wasn't planning on visiting Naples, but the more I read about this city that is full of energy, history, and culture, the more I begin to develop an interest.  And then finally, I read fellow Slow Traveler and blogging friend, Jerry's blog (Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants), about his experiences in Naples and well . . . I just have to go now.  Afterall, how could I be so close and not visit the "birth place of Pizza! :)  I'm even contemplating a possible over night stay in this amazing city.

On my must see list:

Naples National Archaeological Musuem

Santa Chiara Monastery and Church

Naples Duomo-Cathedral

Spaccanapoli

And I cannot leave without sampling an authentic Neapolitan and very yummy Pizza!

Much appreciation and heartfelt thanks to all my Fellow Slow Travelers and Blogging Friends for continuing to inspire, guide and share so much of your knowledge and experiences so I may have a wonderful adventure. And a pre-trip post cannot be complete without a special shout out to the wonderful and generous community of Travelers on Slow Talk and Pauline Kenny (Slow Europe) founder of Slow Travel. 

And to my friends and family, thank you so much for putting up with my obsession (I mean passion)! :)

I'm not sure if I will be successful in getting my MiFi to work while on my trip, so I'll either blog and tweet a lot or I'll blog and tweet a little.  I love reading my live posts to reminisce about my trip, so I hope to have it up and working.  I will definitely have WiFi in my hotels in Rome and Capri, so I will definitely be doing some posts.

2011 Amalfi Coast Adventures: Amalfi . . .

The town of Amalfi is the largest of the small villages along the famed Amalfi coast.  I have read that between the 9th and 12th centuries Amalfi's maritime empire rivalled Venice, Genoa and Pisa.

Dominating the Piazza del Duomo is the Amalfi Cathedral (Sacred Destinations) which was built in the 9th Century and dedicated to Apostle St Andrew.  After climbing up 57 steps, you will find the church's bronze doors which came from Constantinope dating from 1066.  To the left is a beautiful cloister, Choiostro del Paradiso, with whitewashed arches and palms. There is also a museum with several ancient treasures.  I'm not very big on visiting crypts (so will pass on this), but down one level from the museum visitors will find a heavily decorated crypt with the remains of the Apostle St. Andrew. 

To the left of the Cathedral steps, I will find the Museo Civico which contain a nice collection of paintings such as the Apocalypse of St. John by Domenico Morelli.

Fellow Slow Traveler and blogging friend, Girasoli (Shave Ice and Gelato), said that she enjoyed the town of Amalfi (*edited). I'm going to browse the quaint alleys around the town and make my way to the Paper Museum (Museo della Carta), which is on my must see list.  On the Travel Channel show video I purchased, Samantha Brown visited a paper maker in the town of Amalfi and I found it really interesting. It kind of makes me feel sad and guilty that with today's technological advances we have been moving away from paper related products to high tech products.    

Next on my must see list, I will love to take a day to hike the Valle delle Ferriere trail to see the natural reserve and old paper mill ruins.  In this pristine setting I will come across water falls, trickling streams and a very rare plant called Woodwardia Radicans which comes from the Tertiary Age and is a rare example of pre-glacial flora.  I found this cool YouTube video which gives me an idea of what I'll see. 

I'm finding out that there are some wonderful little trails here on the Amalfi and I just hope that the weather will be kind to me so I can explore some of them.

I just looked at the calendar and realized that I have only 19 more days left before I leave, so I may have to speed my pre-trip posts up a bit.  My apologies for so many posts in such a short period of time. :)

Next up, Ravello, Capri, Paestum and Naples . . .

PhotoHunt: High

Mt. Titlis is located in Switzerland and is 3,238 meters high. 

You have to take two cable cars to reach the summit.

Because it was snowing instead of the glorious Swiss Alps views, all we could see was white clouds and snow!  But that didn't stop us from taking the final chair lift to try to see the Glacier at the very top.  We convinced our poor tour director to take four of us up and so she did.  And guess what we saw . . . . White!

So what can you do at 10,000 feet high in the Swiss Alps if you can't see anything....well you can have a good old fashioned snow ball fight!

A bit of history here.  This was my second try at seeing the Swiss Alps.  My first attempt failed in 1993 because we were snowed out as well. 

But seeing the Swiss Alps remains on my Bucket list and someday I hope to return to Switzerland  again to actually see it. 

To see more PhotoHunters, you can visit Tnchick's website HERE!

2011 Amalfi Coast Adventures: Positano . . .

Positano bites deep. 

It is a dream place that isn't quite real
when you are there

and becomes beckongly real
after you have gone.

 by John Steinbeck

(Harper's Bazaar, Published article in May 1953)

Apparently Positano was a poor fishing village during the first half of the 20th century and it wasn't until a published article about Positano by John Steinbeck in Harper's Bazaar in May, 1953 did the town begin to attract large numbers of tourists.  I found a copy of his article HERE and loved it. 

I think John Steinbeck's article was interesting because it was written in the 1950's but he really writes in a way that a Slow Traveler of today would.  That being that he noticed things that only a Slow Traveler notices after they have spent enough time in one place to notice them.  Here's another excerpt from his famous article:

"In a few days we became aware of Positano's greatest commodity - characters. Maybe they aren't marketable, but Positano has them above every community I have ever seen. Yes, Positano flourishes with characters."

I think that the main attraction that I'll find in Positano will be the town of Positano itself. It captivated, Travel Channel Host, Samantha Brown, so much that all she could say when she first saw Positano was "you had me at Buon Giorno . . . you had me at Buon Giorno."

Positano is so beautiful that you can find her in several movies, my favorite of which is in the movie, Under the Tuscan Sun, with Diane Lane. In fact, I had to watch it on Netflix recently. 

Once a sleepy fishing village, Positano has become a favorite of the rich and famous with its' chic (and pricey) hotels and small boutiques.  There are limestone cliffs, draped with these pastel colored houses which seem to flow gently down the rugged cliffs to the pebbly gray sand beach of the Marina Grande and down onto the turquoise green Tyrrhenian sea.  Talk about your picture perfect postcard.

There are steep pedestrian only lanes, shaded with vines of bougainvillea and they say that even on the off season the village maintains its charm.  It is recommended that you wear comfortable shoes when venturing out to explore the steep and narrow streets here.  I love this next excerpt from John Steinbeck's famous article:

Again, Positano is never likely to attract the organdie-and-white linen tourist. It would be impossible to dress as a languid tourist-lady-crisp, cool white dress, sandals as white and light as little clouds, picture hat of arrogant nonsense, and one red rose held in a listless whitegloved pinky. I dare any dame to dress like this and climb the Positano stairs for a cocktail. She will arrive looking like a washcloth at a boys’ camp. There is no way for her to get anywhere except by climbing.

Once I am able to recover from that initial "wow" reaction that I'm sure I'll get from my first sight of Positano, I want to visit the town's main church, the Santa Maria Assunta with its distinctive majolica tiled dome.  This triple naved layout church took shape in the 18th century when it was built over the remains of a 13th century Benedictine abbey.  Inside, located above the high altar is the La Madonna Nera (Black Madonna), a Byzantine icon.  Legend has it that this came to Positano on the waves of the sea after a terrible storm. 

On the seaside, I'll also find two ancient defensive Towers, Torre Trasita and Torre Sponda.  They were used for defensive purposes against pirate assaults.

Yes, it seems that Positano does in fact bite deep . . . . next up the town of Amalfi. 

2011 Amalfi Coast Adventures: Like pearls on a string . . .

Listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, the Amalfi Coast is located along the Sorrentin Peninsula in Southern Italy.  With it's limestone cliffs, sparkling turquoise waters, beautiful gardens/lemon groves, magnificent vistas and spectacular sunsets, I have read that the Amalfi Coast is the perfect place to relax and experience the genuine soul of Italy.  

After considering all of my options (scheduling, flight options and price), I went with the amazing City of Rome to be my fly in and fly out city rather than Naples. Although it was not the cheapest most convenient option out there, who am I to complain about "having" to travel to Rome again. :)

My first night's hotel is not very far from the famous Trevi Fountain so first on my agenda will be to head over so I can throw my traditional Euro coin into the Trevi Fountain to guarantee my 5th return trip to Italy. :) Next, I'll have to find a gelato shop then head over to the Spanish Steps, where I can enjoy a brief "Audrey Hepburn, Roman Holiday" moment.  In 2005 (the last time I was in Rome), I purchased this really cool Calendar which contains several scenes on it from the movie.  This was my favorite.

And before my return flight home at the end of my trip, I'm excited and lucky to be able to get together with blogging friend Sandra (Leaping Without a Net). It will be the second day of what will be several months (or years) living in Rome. Her journey is an amazing story and I am looking forward to hearing more about her plans. A great way to end my 2011 Amalfi Coast Adventure.

My logistics are all but done and now all that is left to do is pack and write a few Pre-Trip posts about my planned itinerary.  Here is my first installment . . .

Like pearls on a string the beautiful small villages that line the famous Amalfi Coast offer travelers beauty, history, great food and lots of timeless Old World Charm.  With 3 whole weeks I will be able to savour my time exploring the many interesting and beautiful things in this part of Southern Italy.

I have created a short list of "must sees" for each town and with the exception of my two night day trip to Capri I will decide day by day what I want to see and do.  I'll be there in November so the weather will be a factor.  I also plan on making day trips to Paestum (to see the Greek Temples) and Naples (to see the National Archaeological Museum and  Santa Chiara Monastery), but more on these day trips later.     

I plan on limiting my sightseeing to 1 or 2 places per day and then use the rest of the day to go on walks, sit at a cafe/bar or just have fun with my photography. This trip will be a lot about me and my desire to relax and feel like I'm part of this little town.  But I also want to learn about the history, art and culture.

My home away from home will be the small town of Praiano which sits between the more popular tourist destinations of Positano and the town of Amalfi.  My apartment looks really cool. It has a terrace in every room opening up to breathtaking views of the Tyrrhenian Sea and a distant view of Positano. I read somewhere that the position of the town makes Praiano the ideal place to view both the sunsets and sunrises and that the sunsets here are among the best in the world. Whoo hoo!

The name Praiano comes from the Latin Pelagium (open sea). It is a small village west of Positano and sits below Monte Sant'Angelo. It is a town that once had a flourishing silk industry and was during the 10th-11th centuries the summer residence of the Amalfi Doge.  Today, Praiano has opened itself up to tourism without the masses typically associated with it's neighbors, Positano and Amalfi.

For a little town, Praiano has some really interesting things to admire.

Inspired by blogging friend, AnnieNC (Churches in Venice), I have developed a genuine love affair with the wonderful churches in Italy.  It started back in 2007 when I visited Venice and experienced seeing so many incredible churches there influenced a lot by reading Annie's blog and her Slow Travel article called "My Favorite Lessor Known Churches in Venice". And how lucky am I to have several charming churches to visit here in the small villages along the Amalfi coast.  Yay! 

My first church to visit on my trip will be the Church of San Gennaro located right down the street from my apartment.  Built in 1589, the structure is a Renaissance basilica style building with three naves that is flanked by a bell tower with a cupola covered in majolica tiles.

In front of the building is a beautiful Piazza San Gennaro also adorned with a beautiful tiled majolica design.  This delightful Piazza has a wonderful distant view of Positano and serves as a great gathering place for the locals to enjoy the cool evening breeze and friendly conversations.  I think I know where I'll be hanging out during the early evenings. :)

Other sights on my must see list here in Praiano include:

- Church of San Luca Evangelista, built in the baroque style in 1588.

- Sighting towers such as Toree a Mare and Toree Asciola which were built to protect the harbour against saracens and pirates. 

- Marina di Praia is a pebble beach located between two cliffs.

You know, for a little town there seems to be a number of interesting things to see. 

Next up, Positano and Amalfi . . .

PhotoHunt: Public

Well, you can't get anymore "public" than this . . . 

I took this photo in Amsterdam.  I actually walked by this a couple of times before I realized that it was a public urinal for guys. :) 

I just had to snap a photo of it for my WC's in Europe photo collection. He, he.

To see more PhotoHunters, you can visit Tnchick's website HERE!

Have you ever had Blogger's Block . . .

I have completed all but one last logistical arrangement for my trip and so now I am ready for the really fun part of trip planning . . . writing about what I'll be seeing and doing.

For each trip I enjoy writing pre-trip posts about what I plan on seeing.  It is a great tip I learned from blogging friend and soon to be Rome resident, Sandra (Leaping Without a Net).  It is a fabulous way to focus on what it is you want to see and do on your trip.  I had the day off yesterday (due to a holiday) and had grandiose plans on writing a few pre trip posts.

Then it happened . . . Blogger's Block! I have read my guidebooks, researched a lot of information on the Internet and I have bookmarked several videos, trip reports and blogs about the Amalfi Coast on my computer.  The ideas of what to write are all right there in my head.  The problem is I can't seem to move it from my head to the keyboard of my computer and onto a blog post.  :) 

For me writing does not come easy.  More than the ideas itself I have to write from a certain place.  And when I'm not in "that" place where ever and whatever that is, I can't do it.  Maybe all the logistical planning has given me this block, so now that I am 99% done, I will feel inspired and my Blogger's Block will soon pass.  

In fact, after thinking about and writing this post, I'm beginning to enter that place again . . . and just in the nick of time as I am now officially less than a month away from Italy!  Whoo hoo!

PhotoHunt: Waiting

Trekcapri:  "Hey Bea, you may want to put your arm down, it might be a while before our train arrives."

Friend:  "But I just want to be ready to lift myself up the stairs and find a seat."

Trekcapri: "Hmm, maybe I should get ready too.  Btw, have you noticed that people on the other trains keep smiling at us."  :)

Friend:  "They're very friendly here in Italy."

Trekcapri:  "Yes, they are but I kind of think they're smiling at us for another reason."

Trekcapri & Friend:   "LOL"

When I saw the theme for this week, I immediately thought about all the experiences I've had waiting at train stations in Europe and so I have lots of train station photos in my collection.  They are all pretty interesting and cool, but none is more memorable (in a funny way) than this photo, which I took in 2005 at the train station in the small fishing village of Vernazza in the Cinque Terre (Italy).

While my friend and I waited for our train, we parked our humongous 31" luggage side by side at the edge of the platform so we can quickly lift them up the stairs and onto the train before it takes off on us.  As I saw other trains go by I kept seeing people (mainly locals) stare out of their windows at our luggage with great big smiles.  And well, let's face it, we all know why.

To this day, my friend and I laugh about our big luggage experiences in Italy.  And btw, I sold that infamous luggage at a garage sale a couple of years ago. Ha, ha.

To see more PhotoHunters, you can visit Tnchick's website HERE!

My PhotoStories: Old World Charm . . .

As most of the tourists have left  and the sun slowly begins to set . . .  

. . . . another glorious day ends in a small fishing village in Italy.

In 2005, I stayed in a small town called Vernazza in the Cinque Terre.  While my friend and I were having dinner at a nearby restaurant, we noticed one local after another come out and gather at this bench directly in front of us. 

We watched as they exchanged pleasantries and engaged in what appeared to be interesting conversations with each other.  This is a scene no doubt repeated nightly by the locals.  It was really fun to watch.

Today, we live in a world of new technology and many high tech gadgets. We communicate on Facebook, FaceTime, Texting, Emails, Twitter and yes even Blogging.  I am a huge fan of blogging and tweeting so I am no stranger to this high tech world that we live in. It is a great way of communicating and sharing our lives and common interests with lot's of people who we don't live close to.

But every time I remember this scene I have to say there there is something to be said about living life daily the old fashioned way.

I don't currently live in that world and so maybe that is why I try to seek it out whenever I travel so I can have the experience.

In about a month, I'll be traveling to the Amalfi Coast in Southern Italy and as it was in 2005 I will be staying in another small seaside town called Priano.

It is a place where there is only one main road running through it . . .

a place with one church down the road . . .

a place with a couple of small markets

a place with only a handful of neighborhood restaurants/bar . . .

And as one fellow Slow Traveler said (mimi), it is a place that has a whole lot of

"Old World Charm"

And some pretty breathtaking views!

I have  been a busy bee arranging and confirming logistics, wiring the cash to pay for my apartment stay, booking my hotels, train tickets and car service, browsing the Internet and reading my numerous guidebooks all at the same time.  I have been learning quite a bit and I hope to do a few pre-trip posts before I leave.  

This part of Italy will be different for me and I think it will be a lot of fun both living amongst the locals and also doing some sightseeing. On the Travel speed scale this trip will consist of fast, medium, slow and snails pace.  :)  I have a couple of interesting day trips to see busy Naples, enchanting Capri and a few great archaeological finds in Paestum. Weeee!  More to come .  .  .

I had a dream last night

that I was flying for the first time.

And in the dream,

I could pilot my flight

with the thoughts in my mind. ~ Prince