Alpe di Suisi

We are high in the Italian Alps. Took a cable car to the largest meadow in Europe and the views were awesome! We are in the town of Castelrotto, German speaking, including all the schools. This part of Italy used to be Austria.

Also saw the Ice Man uncovered in 1991 . . . now a mummy in a museum.

Will post more later.

Aviano in Northern Italy

Mountain View Lodge at Aviano Air Force Base


Kayaker on Long Lake in the Dolomite foothills.


Confirmation Day at Madonna del Monte church



These past few days have been very relaxing. After arriving by train from Venice (and finding NO TAXI available) we found a "Rent-a-Wreck" to use for a few days until our Europcar was ready. The lodge sits below the magestic Dolomites. Much like Phoenix, the thunderheads build up in the afternoon, and we were blessed with cool showers on two days so far. It is hot here!

Drove one afternoon to an aqua colored lake fed by a glacial stream the same color. As we ate lunch, a kayaker rowed by. The next day we visited a church perched high on a hill overlooking Aviano . . . and discovered, by chance, that it was Confirmation Day. The excited children were led into church by the pastor.

A Few More Venice Photos

Saint Mark's Square with the tide coming in!


A gypsy girl dancing on the street next to the canal.


Gypsy musician (father of the girl?)


A grandfather teaching his grandson how to row standing up.


The top photo is Saint Mark's Square, where we sat listening to orchestra music, eating ice cream sundaes and watching as water started seeping in from the flood control grates. Soon there were large puddles and the opportunity to take a photo with the reflection of the cathedral in the water.

Venice and St. Mark's Square

We loved Venice! With a 24-hour vaporetti ticket (bus on the water) you can travel everywhere. The food was fabulous, the people watching interesting and the sights outstanding. St. Mark's cathedral is a treasure of Catholic artwork, including mosaic ceilings, bronze bigger-than-life horses atop the entry (the real ones are in the treasury), ancient carved glass challices and even the arm bone of St. George. Many of these relics have were taken from Constantinopel (sp), then Rome, then Paris, and back to Venice. It's amazing that they have survived these travel intact.

Our final night was spent listening to music in St. Mark's Square. Three orchestras compete with each other. We had ice cream sundaes and danced under the stars as the square filled up with water! It was high tide, and the water began entering the square from the flood control grates. By the time we left at 10:30 we had to wind our way via high and dry spots across the piazza to the water taxi.

Mljet National Park, Croatia

Most of Mljet Island is a national park. We anchored in a small bay, took the dinghy ashore, then went by shuttle to a small landing. From there it was a short boat ride to an island in a lake, the main landmarks being an abandoned Benedictine monastery, church and small chapel atop a hill. The chapel had a window ledge filled with small photos, bracelets and trinkets left as prayer petitions, much as you see in Mexico. The photo of Carol and Phil is at a cemetery on the hillside overlooking the small lake.

A Few Photos from our Trip

Relaxing on the trampoline while underway on calm seas.







Unique cooking method! One of our favorite meals at one of the small moorings was lamb and vegetables cooked in an iron pan under a dome surrounded by coals. We watched as the cook built the fire on a concrete rooftop, then scraped aside the coals and added an iron skillet. The resulting dish was scrumptuous.


Pastries for breakfast! The Dafoes were up early and hit the bakery to claim the best fresh croissants and struddel. Don Romeli did the same the next day.


One way to tour the Croatian islands is by bike. Tour boats with sleeping quarters travel from island to island with bikers aboard. Bet they sleep well! The islands are very hilly.


Korcula, one of the islands we stopped at in Croatia, is a very interesting, walled, mediviel city. We climed up a wooden ladder, through a hole in the ceiling,into the top of a turret where we had drinks and a great view of the surrounding islands.


Proof Carol can't cook. She made some great potatoes for breakfast, then set the plastic bowl took close to the hot stove. Ooops!

Sailing the Adriatic

We got lucky. After rain in Italy and cool weather in Dubrovnik, it calmed down. Smooth waters greeted us the first day out. By the third day we had some wind, plus dolphin at the bow. On our way south back to Dubrovnik, we encountered 20-25 knot winds and got pounded on all day. The final day was calmer and a good day for a few hours of sailing. The cat was easy to handle . . . we want to do this again!

I tried to coax Phil into swimming in the Adriatic with me, and when we reached our last day we finally found a quiet cove to anchor. When he wouldn't join me, I went below, put on my suit and headed topside. With a shout of "Geronimo!" I jumped off Jeronimo and hit the chilly water. Jim Dafoe couldn't stand it and jumped in too. Now I can say I swam in the Adriatic!

On the Adriatic!

We are having a wonderful time sailing the Adriatic. The catamaran we chartered is roomy, new and clean. Yesterday, we had good wind and had "Jeronimo" up to 7 knots. It has been fun being on the water, but we also get a treat when we head ashore.

There are many mideviel(sp) towns on the islands, plus Roman ruins. Also great restaurants and ice cream stores. Gene is a happy skipper. The crew is relaxed, enjoying the sunny weather and calm seas.

Could not download photos at this little internet cafe. Will try next time.

Pearl of the Adriatic

Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra


The Port at Dubrovnik


Drunken Cat


The Shoreline looking south from Dubrovnik

The captions are out of order . . . oh well!

The Medeivel city of Dubrovnik is a wonder. As you enter the arch heading into the walled city, you can almost imagine a knight in shining armor charging through the streets. The main street was at one time a canal separating the Roman neighborhood from the Serbs, but is now a paved walkway. Yesterday, tables were set up the entire length and a wine and food tasting event was held featuring all of the restaurants. We also attended a symphony concert in a fort, along with a critic from the New York Times. His comment was, "The conductor got as much out of that orchestra as is humanly possible. It was a very difficult symphony done well." We certainly enjoyed it, along with a gourmet meal beforehand at Gil's overlooking the harbor.

Our hotel here is on a little bay north of town. We leave shortly, with entire crew, to the Moorings to get our catamaran.

We are in Croatia!

Trulli Houses of Southern Italy


The Ruins at Pompei


The Beautiful Amalfi Coast

Our last few days in Southern Italy were spent driving the very scary, curvy, narrow and utterly beautiful Amalfi coast. After reaching Amalfi, we had lemonade in the small town square and toured the cathedral where Saint Andrews bones are burried. Then it was over the mountain and down to Naples and the ruins of Pompei.

Pompei was a thriving seaport of about 20,000 people when Mt. Visuvius erupted in 79 A.D. and completely buried the city in volcanic ash. It was uncovered and much of it is intact. We saw the ampitheatre where the gladiators fought, the forum or seat of business and social activity and many, many homes and shops. It was very fascinating.

From there we drove inland, spent the night and reached the east coast of Italy south of Bari. The Trulli houses, which we call cone head houses, still are homes and shops to local people. This is the only place on earth this style of house exists.

Spent the night in Bari, with one more day left before our overnight ferry ride to Croatia. Dropped off our laundry at a lavanderia for a mere $45 euro charge, but at least we have clean clothes. Toured a castle built in the 13th century and had a great lunch near the port of Trani while watching fishermen arrive with their catch.

After dropping off the rental car, we took a taxi to the ferry dock and met up with the Dafoes, who had just arrived via train from Venice. The overnight ferry was smooth and we had a cabin with bunkbeds, so at least got some sleep. While checking into our hotel, the Romeleys appeared. So now all we lack are Carol and Phil.

Off to tour Dubrovnik!

Buffalo Milk Mozzarella!

Horse and Buggy Rides at the old port on Crete

The buffalo at the mozzarella cheese farm
Well, we took the ferry across the Straits of Messina from Sicily to mainland Italy. It only took about 30 minutes as it is very close. From there, we hopped on the autostrada and headed north. Found a quaint fishing village on the Med with a room on the beach.

Today, Sunday, we drove north planning on ending the day near Naples. This is a holiday weekend in Italy and the traffic was horrendous. So we diverted to Paestem, the Grecian ruins south of Naples. It is raining. Everyone is leaving here and heading home. So it is quiet.

The treat today was eating at a small, country trattoria. We were served an antipasta plate with several types of cheeses, all made from buffalo milk. The buffalo were right outside the door to prove it! I took photos but could not download them on the hotel computer.

Tomorrow, we will head for the Amalfi coast and the Roman ruins of Pompei.

Where is the Chocolate Festival?

We've decided we are not coming home. John can keep the RV parked at his farm. Whoever gets to Dover first can have the Saturn. It's in space 17 in the long term parking lot southeast of the terminal.

We absolutely love the Sicilians. From the moment we got up yesterday, we were greeted with smiles and unbelievable hospitality. Favio at the front desk drew us maps to where we were going and a sign that read, "Dove si trova la sagra del cioccolatto" . . . "Where is the Chocolate Festival?"

We visited an ancient Greek temple site (Siciliy has more UNESCO World Heritage sites than all of Italy), then headed down a road that dead ended at a beach. All of the buildings were shuttered for the season, but we found one family restaurant that served us a four course meal, from cheese, bread and olives, to pasta with clams, green beans and potatoes and a mixed grill fish plate. The family, including 9 month old Teresa and 3 year old Andres, entertained us. At the end of the meal, I could hear Andres banging on his drum. His papa lead me to the back of the empty restaurant, through the kitchen and into the laundry room where I took Andres' picture.

Our final stop yesterday was a mountain town, Modica, famous for its chocolate. The Spaniards brought an Aztec recipe and beans from Mexico in the 1500's, and the nuns of Modica have kept the tradition alive since that time. We purchased chocolate candy, gelato and pastries to take back to the hotel.

Today, we check out of the hotel and head to Taormina on the east coast of Sicily. The next day we'll take a ferry to the mainland. We've rented a car for a week and will use it to get to Bari on the east coast of Italy. Will attach photos the next time I blog . . . I forgot the cord in my backpack!