Off Ship: Ireland to Italy Travel Notes
JUNE 1, 2024 – TRAVEL DAY TO DUBLIN, IRELAND (Day 174)
Wow, hard to believe that we are only 100 days away from the end of our world adventure. We packed up and headed towards Zurich. We stopped in Lucerne along the way. It is a beautiful city to walk around in and we enjoyed exploring its historical district. We crossed over one of the many covered bridges that Lucerne is known for, the Chapel Bridge. The Chapel Bridge runs from the New Town on the southern bank of the Reuss to the Rathausquai in the medieval Old Town, zigzagging as it passes the impressive Water Tower. This is considered to be the oldest covered bridge in Europe. Gwen bought a t-shirt and I got a hat. We just tried to soak in the beauty of the city. We wish we had more time to explore here, but we need to be off to the airport.
We turned the car in to Budget at the airport. I have never had an agent go over a car as thoroughly as she did. During her inspection, she noticed a “nick” in the edge of the windshield. It was so small that it was imperceptible from the inside. They charged us around $1300 for the damage. I had taken pictures and videos when I got the car, but none contained the spot of the damage. This will affect my diligence with car rentals going forward. It makes me suspect that that nick will generate a lot of income for Budget throughout the life of the car, as I would never replace a windshield that had that small of a nick. As this now took time out of our check in time, I signed the bill and went on.
Going with Gwen through airport security is always an adventure, as she gets the wand examination every time due to here knee replacements setting off the scanners. This time her bag also got selected for examination because she forgot that she had a Diet Pepsi stored from our last club visit at Amman. The funniest part about it was moaning about how much she wished she had a soft drink, when she had one in her bag all along. We had a smooth uneventful flight to Dublin.
Another adventure with car rental when they claimed we had no option but to pay the minimum insurance at €7.00/day if we waived the normal coverage, even though I have coverage as a benefit with our American Express Platinum card. They also require a large deposit against your card should you have a accident. I can only assume they have a lot of accidents with foreign drivers on the left side of very narrow roads.
We left Dublin and didn’t do any touring there as we were headed out to Lusk to spend the night in a more rural area. Our lodging is the Hillhouse Bed and Breakfast. We got a recommendation from host for dinner. Man O’ War Pub turned out to be a great place for comfort food. The pub has been there since 1595. It was definitely a great place to experience our first taste of Ireland and it’s culture.
JUNE 2, 2024 – DRIVE TO LONDONDERRY, NORTH IRELAND (Day 175)
We started our morning with an Irish Breakfast provided by Hillhouse B&B. An Irish Breakfast consists of sausages, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes, and bread. It was more than enough for us as we seldom eat breakfast.
We got checked out before 9 a.m. and got on the road to North Ireland, with our destination being The Lawrence Hotel in Londonderry (or Derry as locals call it). We took the scenic route through rolling hills that reminded us of southern Ohio and northwest Arkansas. There were so many farms delineated by stone fences containing cows and sheep. The hills and roadsides were decorated with rhododendron in full bloom. We saw so many pretty churches all across the landscape.
We had charted a path for Torr Head. We had found many descriptions of the scenic drive that cautioned about the narrow and steep road conditions that may be too much of a challenge for some drivers. It seems like someone had to throw down the gauntlet, so now we have no choice in this matter. I just HAVE to go, now! Now let me start off with, this road had beautiful views which Gwen got to ooh and aah over. She was amazed by the giant fuchsia bushes that lined the road. I was unable to get the full enjoyment, as I anticipated a car coming over every hill and around every corner. I had been on narrower roads with high rock walls, but never so narrow with a mistake that could send rolling down to the sea. It was definitely a challenge for me to drive, then again, I thrive on these sort of challenges. There were times when we would pass a car coming the opposite directions and there would be inches between our mirrors as we stretched the limits with the road width. Complicate all that with your brain struggling to remind you in a timely manner to stay left on the road which made me concentrate on being a mirror image of my normal driving methods. You can obviously see the difficulty.
We survived and made it to Torr Head! We hiked up the hillside and were rewarded with a splendid view. In the distance, we could see the Fair Head cliffs. After enjoying that view, we left for our next stop, the Giants Causeway. We got there fairly late in the day and they had already closed the parking lot. It was difficult to find other parking, so I dropped off Gwen so she could start walking out to get pictures of the coastline. I parked In a private parking loot for a bar and restaurant called The Nook. I decided to have a pint and enjoy people watching while she walked the cliffs. We both enjoyed the time and we headed out for our hotel.
The Lawrence was a boutique hotel that had a separate lodging area in the back courtyard that we had booked, called “The Poets Corner”. We checked in an went to the Oscar Wilde room which had a comfortable area to congregate in front of a fireplace. A complimentary glass of wine was waiting for each of us, along with interesting conversations with other guests. We visited with a couple from McMinnville, Oregon in the Willamette valley. It was the perfect way to wind down for the evening. We also met a couple from Sydney, Australia. Our conversations ranged from their work with traffic solutions for Sydney to the gun laws of the U.S. During the conversation, we found out that his name is also Brian Smith. The founding family of the house that the The Lawrence had converted was Smith. I felt at home! It was a enjoyable evening getting to know other travelers. We needed something to eat desperately, so we found a late night chicken place before we headed to bed.
JUNE 3, 2024 – DRIVE TO GALWAY, IRELAND (Day 176)
We got up and had to find some breakfast. So we went to Doherty’s home bakery. It turned out to be a fantastic choice. We got a cinnamon roll and a chocolate bun that were very good. We decided to add a savory option and ordered a sausage and egg bap. It was very good, also. Since they already had lunch options, we purchased a couple of chicken salad baps and some chips to have a picnic later on our tour.
We set out to walk and explore the walls of Londonderry. It was interesting to see all the places where battery units were placed to protect the city. We went to see a building that had beautiful stained glassed windows that we thought might be a church. Once inside, we realized that it was really a government building. It’s architect was known for designing churches. That was obvious in the construction. But for a government building it was very elaborate. It had survived 2 bombs that had been planted in the 1970’s during the Catholic vs Protestant uprisings. It was later refurbished to what you see today.
After walking the entire city walk, we headed south to return to Ireland. We had decided we would take the Wild Atlantic Way to have a more scenic drive. It was such a beautiful road that provided many scenic overlooks of the Atlantic Ocean.
We stopped in Ballyshannon. (We learned that Bally means “place of”). So we decided to eat in the “Place of Shannon” for lunch near a park overlooking the bay. Our sandwiches from the bakery didn’t disappoint as we had a well needed break in driving. After lunch, we headed on to the Galway region to find our Airbnb. We will be staying in a building that used to be a private chapel for a land owner. It is located out in the country side between Athenry and Lougharea. We had booked 3 nights in Brookeen Hall, with hosts Chris and Orla.
After getting settled, Chris gave us a dinner recommendation for Maggie May’s, a restaurant/pub in Lougharea. It was a great recommendation, as the food was delicious and we had a small local pub atmosphere. I had pork roast and Gwen had sea bass. We both had fried mushrooms and plenty of vegetables. It was more food than we could eat and everything we tasted was good.
JUNE 4, 2024 – GALWAY, IRELAND (Day 177)
It was a slow, easy morning to make up for the extended road time the day before. We opted to stay fairly close to our accomodations and went to a nearby town called Portumna. One of the sites we wanted to tour was an Irish Workhouse from the 19th century. The one in Portumna was the best preserved workhouse in Ireland. You never know how much you don’t know till you hear something about a topic you have never considered. We received such an education on the horrible conditions and the suffering of the poor people of Ireland who could no longer support themselves. When a family faced poverty to the point they could no longer feed themselves, they turned themselves into the workhouse where they would be separated. It was an existence that cost them more than they could imagine.
Although the conditions were bad enough, most of the poor were subjected to the corruption of the managers of the workhouses. The manager at Portumna was known to be one of the worst as he skimmed funding off the top and served food that was spoiled and detrimental to the health of the workers. It was a very sobering tour.
Gwen opted to tour another small castle and gardens in the city. I chose to sit in the car and get caught up on the news of the world. We headed back to the Airbnb and worked on our computers. We enjoyed Maggie May’s so much the previous night, so we went back. This time we decided just to have some soup. I had the seafood chowder and Gwen had the soup of the day, a roasted red pepper and carrot soup. They were both very, very good. We added an appetizer of spicy shrimp and it all just seemed to hit the spot. It’s been a chilly and windy, although mostly sunny day. So our soup was welcomed to finish up the day.
JUNE 5, 2024 – GALWAY, IRELAND (Day 178)
We headed out to the Connemara area after a good breakfast served by Orla. Every morning our breakfast table looks like a table set up in a magazine. We were headed out to the Connemara area, to tour Kylemore Abbey. Connemara area has loughs or lakes and has a lot of them. During our drive, we often encountered sheep, both in the pastures and sometimes along the road.
Kylemore Abbey was a very interesting place to visit. The history of the Henry family that built the original castle was a very interesting story. They were innovators and were generous in helping the poor people in the region. The castle was built in 5 years between 1863 and 1868. Mitchell Henry purchased 14,000 acres. They instituted self sustainability by putting in an 8 acre garden. This included several Glasshouses for growing vegetables and food. It was very innovative as there were warm water pipes under the floor of the glasshouses which enabled them to grow bananas, and other exotic fruits that were previously unavailable in Ireland.
After a couple of hours touring the Abbey, we headed to a seaside village of Clifden. We wandered around this cute town window shopping and exploring for about an hour before we headed to Galway City.
Our original plan was to get to Galway City and explore the old city. We also hoped to find a pub with traditional Irish music to spend the evening. It was an interesting city, but it was extremely crowded in the Old Town area. We were unprepared for how touristy the area would be. We had difficulty finding room in any pub that had any kind of music going on. It was just as difficult to find a place to eat that didn’t have an hour wait. Having seen plenty and not really wanting that type of experience, we decided to roll the dice and just go to Athenry, a small town closer to our lodging. We first went into a small pub that looked like such a great spot, but they had stopped dinner service. We strolled down to a Thai restaurant nearby. We loved our interaction with our waitress, Jemma. She found out we had a home in Florida and just gushed about her love for Florida. I can see the appeal of a warm weather location for the Irish as, even in June, our temperatures hover around the upper 50’s and low 60’s. Even with the beauty of the Irish countryside the cool weather will wear on you after a while. After dinner, it was back to the Airbnb. We had a good conversation with our host, Chris.
Our only challenge at Brookeen Hall was getting warm enough. The temps outside had dropped, and though it was understandable that there was no central heating in these old restored buildings, we did relish hopping in bed a little early to warm up under the covers.
JUNE 6, 2024 – DRIVE TO KILLARNEY, IRELAND (Day 179)
Up in the morning to face another travel day. Today we were headed towards Killarney. Our travel plans included a stop at the famous Cliffs of Moher on our way. I’ll state the obvious once again: It was another beautiful drive to get there! We kept stopping for photos. Gwen finally said, “We have to quit stopping for every picture or we might never get there”.
Finally at the Cliffs of Moher, we were greatly encouraged that, although it was raining on and off, the visibility was very good. The weather was a drizzling type of rain and there wasn’t much fog. Gwen was happy to be able to get some good pictures. We hung out for awhile up on the cliffs, then headed down to the Visitor Center. There were plenty of exhibits to see. During our reading all about the area, Gwen found out that there was possibility that puffins could be seen from an area of the cliffs we had not gone.
We got outside and it was raining a little harder and it was windy and cold. She desperately wanted to see the puffins, even if through the binoculars. Off she went, and I went to the shops and then to the car. Fortunately, she was rewarded for her efforts and did get to see the puffins. I could tell that she was very excited to have gone back. It was her first time to ever see a puffin and it meant something to her. I guess that is a difference between us. I don’t have to see everything. I don’t feel as those I am missing something.
Chris had told us before we left that morning, that we should consider taking the ferry in the town of Killimer. It would save us about a half-hour in time. It saved us from going around the sea inlet to Limerick and coming back west to Killarney. This way we could continue south. We bought tickets online and headed towards the ferry. We ended up having great timing as vehicles were already queuing up as we got there. We had enough time to grab some drinks and snacks in the small shop. Not only did this route save us some petrol, it was fun to try something different.
After the ferry, we somehow got on some roads that got pretty narrow. We even had a sign that said: Local Use Only – Do NOT trust SAT-NAV. Why would we stop for that? Being typical American’s we kept forging ahead. We ended up on roads that were extremely narrow and though they were paved, there was grass growing down the middle.
We finally made it to Killarney, and though we had meticulously planned our accommodations for every place to have private parking, it was somehow overlooked in our Killarney choice. Somehow we had been enticed by the description that said our apartment would be a block off the downtown area of Killarney. Trying to find the exact location of the apartment became a challenging puzzle. Our GPS kept telling us to go down alleyways that weren’t accessible as there were table and chairs for outside seating at the nearby restaurant. We abandoned Google Maps and tried going on our own to get to the apartment, which was also a mistake. It was like we kept getting drawn into alleys that were getting more and more narrow. By the time I finally found a way to get back on the main street, I had to squeeze through a stone archway at the end. I literally had about an inch on the outside of both side mirrors. All right, I’m done with challenges! We found a car park and went off on foot to do some reconnaissance. I needed to see the location to come up with the best solution for getting our bags to the door easily. We worked it all out and finally settled in. We headed out to get dinner, which was very easy as there were plenty of options a block from our door. We chose Murphy Brown’s, which had good food. We strolled around and window shopped for a bit. It had been a long exhausting day and we were ready for some sleep.
JUNE 7, 2024 – KILLARNEY, IRELAND (Day 180)
I got up and went to Killarney Bakery to get us breakfast. We are headed out on the Ring of Kerry today and we were late getting up. It just seemed we were moving slow this morning. We took off around noon. Our first stop was a short hike back into a nice waterfall. At least the walk got us getting a little exercise to jump start our tour. We were amazed at how much moss covered almost every part of the tree trunks and even up to the branches. In some places it looked like a doughnut around the tree.
Our next stop was at the Ladies View. It is called this because Queen Victoria visited here with all of her ladies in waiting. This was one of their favorite places and it has a tremendous view. There is a nice little cafe and we met some motorcyclists traveling around the country. I enjoyed hearing about their cycles. We stopped in at the gift shop and made a couple of purchases of a cap and a couple of warm pullover shirts.
As we continued around the ring of Kerry, we ended up stopping multiple times just to take in the view, with most of our stops being in the Killarney National Park area. When we finally made it back to Killarney, it was time for dinner. We went to a restaurant close by, called Laurel’s Pub. I asked the waitress her opinion between the Laurel’s Burger or a pizza. Her response made me laugh, “You can get a pizza anywhere”. I ordered the Laurel’s Burger and it was delicious. Gwen tried the potato cakes, which are a traditional Irish meal. We both really enjoyed the meal!
While looking around town the previous day, we had run into a woman who was trying to get into Paddy Sheehan’s The Grand bar. It was not open yet, but we found out that she had been told by the manager of the music shop in town that they had the best music. We left dinner with plans to go and see for ourselves. It was open and it was packed. When we first came in, we could only find one small stool near the door that was available. A gentleman, who we found out later was one of the owners, saw us and brought us an extra stool. We sat and listened to some great music and ordered drinks. After the first band finished, some people left and the owner directed us to some empty chairs close to the bar. We ended up having a great conversation with Patsy, the founders son, as he shared some of his family history.
There were a lot of Americans in close proximity to us and Patsy insisted on buying all of us a round of drinks. One of the them was wearing an Ohio State shirt. We found out his name was Todd and he was an entertainer back in the states. Patsy was going to let him sing a couple of song’s in honor of his brother, who had passed away earlier this year. All the other people from the U.S. were his family on a Reunion trip. Todd did a great job, even singing a song of his own. It was a great night of fun and music. We had a little bit of everything, traditional Irish music with some current hits, along with an original piece. We headed home pleased with the way the night had turned out.
JUNE 8, 2024 – KILLARNEY, IRELAND (Day 181)
Today we decided to chill out in the morning. We got up late and we worked on our
website. After our computer work, we walked around to explore Killarney on foot. We walked to a park area close by and saw the memorial statue of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty. It was next to the entrance of the garden area of the Killarney House and Gardens. We walked the path of the park which made you feel out in the country with the beautiful views.
Walking back toward town center we passed the Royal Munster Fusiliers Cross. This cross was erected to honor the the WW1 and Boer War soldiers that served in the Royal Munster Fusiliers regiment. It seems that Killarney is filled with monuments and statues! Across the street we could see a statue of an accordion player so we went to investigate. Johnny O’Leary, one of Ireland’s greatest accordion players is memorialized for his efforts in preserving the Sliabh Luachra style of music. Killarney is dominated by St. Mary’s Cathedral. It’s huge and seems to tower over the town.
We noticed there was an entrance to the National Park nearby so we took off to explore. As we walked along the paths we had to share them with horse drawn carriages that people could hire back in town. It was good to stretch our legs, but we were getting thirsty and decided to head back into town. I went to O’Connor’s for a pint. Some of the shops were selling sheets that gave the history of your family name in Ireland. Gwen wanted to get a McCain name sheet. We learned some interesting things about her family history. Her ancestors started in Ireland and then went to Scotland before coming to the U.S. After getting her name sheet , she joined me for a cider.
We worked more on our website, then went back to Laurels again, because it was close and we knew the food was good. I ordered the Irish Stew and Gwen ordered Fish and Chips. We decided to share a Seafood Chowder, and it stole the show. It was the best I had ever tasted and was the best thing we had that evening. My Irish Stew was good, but Gwen’s Fish was mushy and not what she expected.
JUNE 9, 2024 – KILLARNEY, IRELAND (Day 182)
We got up early and headed out to Dingle Peninsula. Our
first stop was Inch Beach, which was very windy. We walked around on the beach for a
bit to get some exercise and break up the car ride. We continued to Dunquin Pier in the most westerly part of Europe. The craggy cliffs here were beautiful and we just soaked in the view. There was a small “cafe” (a hut) selling coffee and what was labeled as the world’s best brownies, but they weren’t. They were good, not great! I had purchased a Biscoff cookie earlier in Killarney before we headed out and that was fantastic, so we enjoyed our snacks!
We went back to our scenic drive and found the “most westerly bar in Europe”, Kroger’s Bar. We needed a break and we ordered Fish and Chip’s to see if Ireland could be redeemed from the previous attempt. It was so much better than the night before. We had a great conversation with a couple from Louisiana, and in the conversation, found out they had both been in Hattiesburg, MS at the University of Southern Mississippi at the same time that I had been taking summer school classes in 1978. They were both hikers and we enjoyed hearing about their travels and adventures.
On the road again we made it to a viewing point were the movie, Star Wars: The Force Awakens was filmed at Ceann Sibeal viewing point. Close by was the Gallerus Oratory, a 1000 year old church made of stone. There have been many movies
filmed in this area, like Ryan’s Daughters and Far Away with Tom Cruise and
Nicole Kidman.
We finally made it to Dingle and had fun wandering through this quaint town. We originally planned to hang around for some music in the less touristy pubs, but with music mostly starting at 9pm or after, we decided to head back to Killarney as not to be on the winding roads after dark. Besides, having a full portion of that Seafood Chowder was luring us back to Laurel’s, for yes, a third night in a row.
JUNE 10, 2024 – TIPPERARY, IRELAND (Day 183)
Before heading out, we found a nice coffee and pastry cafe down the road (J.M. Reidy’s). The Carrot Cake bread looked so good, I had to try it, while Gwen tried the Pear and Almond Scone. They did not disappoint, so we had a nice start to our morning. We were headed towards Waterford, but we plan to use Garrandarragh Inn in the small town of Mullinavat as our home base for a couple of days.
We sometimes like to be spontaneous in our travel. Along our way, we saw a sign for Tipperary, so we made a detour! It really wasn’t a Long Way to Tipperary, so we got there around lunch time. We stopped at what definitely a pub for locals, (Nelly O’Briens) and got a burger (soup for Gwen). The owner, Mike, was very nice and we struck up a conversation. When we told him we were American’s and about our current travel’s, he brought a guest book over that he wanted us to sign. We were curious about a sport that seemed to be mentioned all over town. Sport stores had jersey’s and their were posters everywhere about Hurling. We found it very interesting as Mike explained the passion that his town had for the sport. Tipperary used to have a championship hurling team. Although at one time, there were National teams and competitions, it was now a club sport with different towns participating in leagues. Tipperary, obviously still loved the sport. They also seemed to loved horse racing as there were several men hanging out in the pub watching races on multiple televisions while drinking their pints. We enjoyed the hometown feel of the place and the food was good.
We made it to Mullinavat! When I originally found the Inn on the internet, it seemed to be an idyllic small town inn with a pub and restaurant. It was also centrally located for the traveling we wanted to do. The day of touring had it’s wear and tear on me, so I was eager to check in and relax. Gwen still had another sight she wanted to take in, so she hiked a short distance to the Poulanassy Waterfall. The day was so nice and sunny, so it was an enjoyable short hike for her, while I unpacked some and relaxed with some local gentlemen in the pub. Afterwards, we sat out on the porch of our room. In the sun, and shielded from the wind, Gwen was able to do more research for port stops once we get back on ship. We ate dinner in the restaurant at the Inn called The Rising Sun. Simple pub fare of lasagna and beef stew that hit the spot and was a great way to end the day. We called it an early night because tomorrow will be a lot of walking.
JUNE 11, 2024 – KILKENNY / WATERFORD, IRELAND (Day 184)
Off to Kilkenny! Our first impressions, coming into town, were good! We found parking (which has really been a challenge in some of these Irish towns) near St. Canice’s Cathedral and headed up the hill. It is a historic cathedral that has been around since the 6th century. It has a round tower that you can climb to the top of, but I had no interest in that. We decided to just walk around outside while Gwen took some pictures and I looked at tombstones. Truthfully, after touring for as long as we have, you lose a little interest in seeing the inside of every church and cathedral you see! The tombstones were interesting with some being so old, the writing is no longer visible with only a rough stone slab remaining.
Walking back to the town center we stopped at a small cafe that had garden seating out back. Cakewalk had, in addition to good coffee, some breakfast options along with cookies. Gwen couldn’t pass up the peanut butter cookies with milk. While researching our phones, we realized we were eating right next to the original Smithwick’s Brewery. Although they no longer brew their beer here, they have the “Smithwick’s Experience” where you do a small tour of the original building and learn of the storied history of the brand. Of course, following the tour, there was the obligatory tasting room to sample the fare. Also note: In Ireland you are made aware of the correct pronunciation of the brand. Smithwick’s = Smitix!
We really enjoyed our tour as we learned that the brewery was located in Kilkenny with a history for their brew going back to 14th century monks. The monks started brewing a 1% ale for the locals to stave off diseases that sometimes got in the water supply. The locals made the ale a staple of their lifestyle and it has continued since. Smithwick’s is now owned by the same company that owns Guinness, and the brewing operation has been moved to Dublin. The brewing of this beer came to officially be called Smithwick’s in 1710 AD and is considered the oldest beer in Ireland.
Of course Kilkenny has a castle, so… we walked across town to see it. Kilkenny
Castle has expansive grounds and gardens with a huge lawn to the front that many locals use for family time. There was a free video that provided the history, so we watched it and opted not to go inside to tour. The castle sits on the banks of the river Nore so we ventured down the river for a while.
We thought we may have time to take in the town of Waterford and reserve some of our time tomorrow for a museum in Dublin, so we headed south. Waterford is considered Ireland’s oldest city, and has a history with Viking invasions. By the time we got there it seemed that the city was closing down. It was only 5:30 but most of the historic old city had shops closed up it looked abandoned. We still walked around to see some of the monuments like the Viking Triangle and took some pictures, but didn’t hang around too long. We headed back to the inn and restaurant for dinner and a good night’s sleep. Walking the hills and sidewalks of some of these towns can be very tiring!
JUNE 12, 2024 – DRIVE TO DUBLIN, IRELAND (Day 185)
Our last full day in Ireland. We drove to Dublin with a stop. In Naas for lunch and petrol. We ate at the Home Cafe. It was one of our worst choices. My burger was a joke as it was a frozen patty barely heated up. Gwen’s burrito bowl tasted really good, but ended up giving her heartburn. The only thing we decided was worthwhile for us to explore in Dublin, was the EPIC Museum. It chronicles the Irish Emigrants and the things that caused Ireland to lose large parts of it’s population over the years. You go through several different rooms, with each room covering a different aspect of the emigration process and the life circumstances occurring in Irish history. Some of the history was so sad to hear. The Irish have had many struggles over the years. Some of the stories were of individuals and what they went through. There were also some rooms that showed what Irish have contributed around the world. We were provided with a passport that we would stamp as we went through each room. It was an interesting museum and gave us a great overview of Irish history.
It was interesting driving through Dublin! We laughed at the thought of how people in the Amazing Race sometimes make critical errors in navigation. Some roads were marked differently than what Google Maps was telling us. We ended up taking some wrong turns that cost us about 15 minutes. We got to the Clayton hotel and I took the rental car back to the airport utilizing the free shuttle back to the hotel. Gwen had here own challenges while I was gone. She ended up stuck in an elevator, or lift as they call them here. A maintenance man had to be called to come to get her out. The bright side was that she did get a free drink out of it. We had an early dinner, then off to get some sleep. We have a very early flight tomorrow morning and have to be at the airport around 3:15 a.m.
JUNE 13, 2024 – FLY TO NAPLES/SORRENTO, ITALY (Day 186)
We got up at 2:15 a.m. to make sure that we could get the shuttle bus to the airport with plenty of time for our 6:15 AM flight. We are flying Air Lingus to Naples. The flights were cheaper but you end up paying for everything! Even water on this airline cost extra. During the check in process, we had a few concerns because they make you pay for carry on luggage that is taken to the plane. The wording of their policy caused some confusion for us. When we got to the check in area, there was only a single gentleman there helping everyone as the process was automated at kiosks. He alleviated any fear we had about being charged a penalty. We were amazed that there were no employees to check in any luggage except for that one man. Everything was self service. You would walk up to a kiosk put in your flight information and then put your luggage on the scale and it would print the tags for you. Then you would take them over to the desk and place them on the conveyor belt where it would scan your tag and then send it off. A classic case of automation and computerization taking away jobs.
The flight went well and Gwen was able to sleep a little. Upon arrival in Italy she was happy to see sights of Mount Vesuvius through her window. We found our way out of the airport to get a bus to the train station. We met some other Buckeyes along the way trying to get to Sorrento, also. The train station was dirty and full of graffiti. This world cruise has surely displayed the contrasts of various cultures as trash and graffiti are everywhere in some countries, while others are clean and tidy.
Once on the train there was a local gentleman hopped on board and started playing a concertina. It was lively music and the people were clapping along. He made his way around after a couple of songs, with his cap in hand for tips. At the next stop, he hopped out of that car and went up to the front of our car and started playing again. I think by this time many were a little bit tired of it and didn’t want to have to tip him, so nobody clapped along.
The scenery kept getting more beautiful as we got closer to Sorrento. We saw big lemon trees with several large fruit hanging from its branches along the railroad. Once in Sorrento, we had to lug our bags through the streets to our VRBO. We had some time, so we stopped at a roadside cafe that had outdoor seating. We ate a delicious large Caprese salad and enjoyed the break.
We went to the address we had been given by VRBO, but couldn’t find our room. It seems the VRBO had the wrong address. Our host had to come and find us. He was young and strong and able to help carry the bags back up the stairs we had come down. We finally settled in and relaxed till Doug and Margaret made it to the apartment.
The weather is perfect sunny and 75°. Doug and argaMret arrived and we went to a Aurora Pizzeria in the center of the pedestrian square. They have been to this pizzeria a couple of times and were sad to find out that the original gentleman owner who had waited on them over the years had passed away. The daughter and two brothers were now running the restaurant and the pizza was still as good as they remembered. After dinner ,we were on a mission to find the best limoncello in Sorrento. Back in the apartment we drank a little bit too much limoncello but we had a good time sharing all the stories about our trip since we had last seen each other.
JUNE 14, 2024 – SORRENTO, ITALY (Day 187)
This was very much a recovery day. Not only had we had a travel day yesterday, but we had stayed up till the early hours of the morning sharing travel stories. We decided to work on our websites and photos after sleeping in. We all went for a stroll around beautiful Sorrento and had a pasta dinner at another restaurant in the pedestrian square. After dinner we strolled down to the waterfront to watch the sunset. We got some delicious gelato. Gwen’s thought her peanut butter flavor was some of the best she had ever tasted. I enjoyed my mint chocolate chip. We headed back to the apartment to play some euchre (Guys won), then we called it a night.
JUNE 15, 2024 – SORRENTO, ITALY (Day 188)
We decided to go to Capri while we were here and wait until the ship comes back to this area to go to Pompeii. We headed to the waterfront to catch a ferry to Capri. There was a very large contingent of female students headed to Capri. Gwen visited with Belle, and found out they were all summer school students from Florence. Belle mentioned that she gets motion sickness, so Gwen engaged her in conversation to distract her from her nausea. They talked the entire way over to Capri, and Gwen found out that Belle’s grandmother is a photographer who takes photo travel trips, so they had a lot to talk about.
Once in Capri we took the funicular up the cliff and walked around the Main Street to take in the beautiful views. We decided to visit Augustus gardens earlier rather than later. We had read that the best views were from there. They didn’t disappoint! Incredible views could be seen of the cliffs and the rock beaches below. We spent a little down time here just taking it all in from a park bench.
We decided to get some lunch on the island and had a nice caprese salad and pizza with a water view. After lunch it was back on the ferry to Sorrento. We had to climb a lot of steps to get back up to the pedestrian area and the VRBO. We relaxed from all the walking. We had reservations at a nicer restaurant as we were longing for something other than pizza and pasta. The restaurant was ‘Z Antonio and we had a great meal! Doug and I had steak, while Gwen and Margaret had fish dishes that included some pasta. We were all extremely pleased with the choice. We still had to have a small amount of Gelato on the way home. We tried the Snickers flavor which turned out to be a really good choice.
JUNE 16, 2024 – DRIVE TO CONSERVANO, ITALY (Day 189)
Today, we took a road trip across Italy to the town of Conversano. We tried to have lunch in the town of Positano, but there were no parking spaces anywhere when we drove through the town. We gave up an got back on the road and eventually found this little out of the way place on the roadside. It looked like a hangout for locals as only one waitress spoke any English. We all got pasta and enjoyed the short break and glimpse into the Italian daily life. We arrived in Conversano and were shocked to see almost every business and restaurant closed down and shuttered. We knew that it was a Sunday, but we weren’t prepared for seeing the town looking completely dead with very few people around. We couldn’t even find a grocery store open to buy any supplies.
We found our AirBNB and we were just unpacking and hanging out. Around 6:00 p.m. we started hearing people out in the streets outside of our apartment. It seemed that some kind of celebration was about to start. Gwen decided to go out and start taking some pictures. It turned out to be a walk/run sponsored for the old and young of the community. They were blocking off some of the narrow streets for the “race” to take place. The rest of us came out to see the spectacle and to find a place for dinner. Gwen had seen the beginning of the race and told us that a priest came by and blessed the race and all the runners did the cross sign on their chests. I’m thinking this could explain why there was no one around on Sunday afternoon and no businesses were open when we came to town. Gwen continued taking pictures while we decided on a restaurant. She discovered an old gate to the city and she stumbled upon a sculpture art gallery. With difficulty in translation, she was still able to communicate with the gallery owner, while watching the race. He ended up giving her a carved stone heart, and she really enjoyed the interaction. It proves that even though he didn’t speak English, nor her Italian, they were able to communicate.
We ate dinner at a medieval restaurant that served German food. Doug had a Caesar salad and the rest of us had a burger. We tried some of the German beer after and then we set out to explore mor of the town. The town was alive with a lot of people out and about. A lot of it was because of the race, but also church services were being let out. We all enjoyed this non touristy town. We couldn’t believe that we were still hearing children and adults in the parks and streets well after 10:00 p.m. We ended our evening sitting out on our private terrace listening to the sounds of the town echo around us.
JUNE 17, 2024 – PUGLIO, ITALY (Day 190)
Today we drove around 30 minutes to the town of Alberobello. We were off to see the Trulli houses. Along the way, we drove by olive groves, vineyards, and cherry orchards, with an occasional Trullo house. We ended up buying some cherries because they are in season. We were getting to this area of Italy a few days after they had their Cherry Festival here. A Trullo house has a conical roof of stacked stone with no mortar. We toured Trullo Savrano, which is a typical trullo home. This home was unique in that it had two stories and we were able to wander through the rooms and see how it would have been for people living in these homes.
One of the reasons the roofs were only stacked stone, was so they could be quickly taken down when being assessed for taxes. An unfinished home was not taxed the same as a finished home. Some of roofs have white markings on the stone roofs and a guide is even available on the meaning for all the symbols. While walking through town, we found an outdoor cafe with a table in the shade under an umbrella. We were able to have lunch and people watch. Normally they have a small beer which is only 300 milliliters and a large beer which is basically a pint. I told the waitress that I wanted the large beer. What she brought was not what I expected as I was served a huge Stein of beer. After our lunch we decided to head back to Conversano. Gwen went to a post office and mailed her postcards which is always an adventure for her with the language barrier. The post office is also a place to pay bills in many of the countries we have visited so getting in the right line can be challenging.
Later in the evening, we all went out to explore more of the town. We chose a restaurant that was next to the only castle in town. With our seating being outside anything can happen. It seems that the skies of Conservano are filled with Swallows in the early evening, but usually they are all on their nests around 8:45 p.m. The swallows were whisking through the air above the tables and Gwen had an unexpected surprise fall onto the table in front of her. Fortunately, the food had not been served yet and the staff were quick to replace the tablecloth and reset the table. We all ordered thick Spaghetti with different sauces. The unique flavors were great as we all enjoyed our meals.
Conservano seems to be a very safe town. There were so many young people walking around late into the evening. No one seemed to care and everything seemed to be very family oriented. It was such a joy to wander the narrow streets and discover new things around every corner.
JUNE 18, 2024 – MATERA, ITALY (Day 191)
Our current tour today, along with yesterday were two highly anticipated days within this trip. From the very beginning of our planning, we wanted to stay in Conservana after watching a YouTube video, along with a trip to Matera. If we had still been on our original itinerary with our ship, we had already asked for a trip interuption so we could spend a couple of days in this area to explore. Matera was an ancient city that was so interesting! We had already hired a private guide named Antonio because we really wanted to get some insight on the history for this town. Matera is one of the oldest continuously occupied towns dating back to what historians say was the 10th Millennium BC in the paleolithic era. There are two cliffside zones called the Sassi. When combined with the hilltop modern buildings it’s forms the shape of a dove from above. Houses were built in and on top of caves. This is a town where they filmed the movie The Passion of Christ by Mel Gibson. It was a very interesting town to walk through. They update the facade of the caves to look like current buildings, but utilize the cave for dwellings. There are a few current hotels that had been built to utilize some of the old home caves as individual rooms.
While touring with Antonio, we found out about the amazing ways they provided water and irrigation for the town throughout it’s history. We were able to tour into the cisterns and irrigation pathways. It was one of the most interesting parts of our tour. They would bring both spring and rain water from above and as they filled the cisterns, it would overflow to others below it. The sediment would settle out and by the time it reached the wells at the bottom, it would be clear, pure water.
We toured 2 churches and a home that was lived in until it was evacuated in 1952 due to poor living conditions. The church was very interesting because it even had old paintings on the walls that were very well preserved. The reason they were very well preserved is that as the years went by it became used as a house and they painted over the original church paintings, which ended up preserving them. If they had been left exposed, they would have deteriorated much quicker. Matera is a very difficult town to tour and there are many steps to traverse during our tour. After separating from Antonio, we found a restaurant named Peperoncino, which turned out to be a great place for lunch down in the old city. We were able to refresh and cool off a little. The heat and steps had taken it’s toll on us.
We climbed out to the top and walked around the church in the center of town. We decided to treat ourselves to some Gelato after lunch at a place named “I vizi degli ” which translated means the vices of angels. We could see why it was named that as the gelato was delicious. Gwen had a mango and a coconut scoop that was probably the best combination. I ended up having strawberry and custard which was a great combination also, but not as good as Gwen’s. We were worn out from the heat and touring so we headed back to Conversano. We got some rest and worked on our website and photos.
Gwen, Margaret, and Doug ended up eating some of their leftovers but I wanted to get a pizza. We headed out on a mission to find some pizza and it turned out to be be more difficult than we originally thought. We finally settled on Casa de Toto. They all had salads and I had a delicious pizza. During her previous venturing into the cite, Gwen had stumbled upon an artist shop who made Christmas tree ornaments and other ceramic pieces. She had a an interesting conversation with the artist’s husband. So while we were waiting for our food, she ran over and bought a Christmas ornament that she had been wanting. She was able to visit with the artist, Marilyn and got her picture with her. If we didn’t have things that we really wanted to see in the next few days, it would have been fun to have stayed in this town. We really enjoyed exploring and feeling like a local!
JUNE 19, 2024 – DRIVE UP EAST COAST, ITALY (Day 192)
Today was going to be a long road trip for us. We were headed to Castello d’ Policiano. We are making our way to Ravenna over the next 2 days to catch up with the Serenade of the Seas. Our trip ended up being about 3 hours longer as we had to return back to Conservano to get Doug’s laptop that was left in the VRBO. It put a hitch in our lunch plans and we ended up looking for food in Bari in a not so good part of town. While walking to try to find a restaurant, we saw our first homeless encampment in Italy. We struck out finding a couple of restaurants until we found a fast food type of sandwich shop. We were fortunate that a local man came in to the shop and helped translate. We got a basic sandwich and drink to hold us over till evening. Not the best lunch, but it quelled our hunger pains till we get to our final destination.
We finally arrived at our bed and breakfast that was in a castle. The castle was positioned upon a hill and the views were awesome. They could have been even better, but the weather was not cooperating. Everything was hazy, but it was still pretty. We booked this place for it’s great views. We headed to a local restaurant, The l’crezia, where I had a great steak and potatoes, and Gwen had ravioli and salad. We enjoyed talking with the owner and even bought an extra bottle of wine to take back to the bed and breakfast. Each of our rooms had private balconies so we ended up sitting on the balcony looking at the stars and enjoying the night views. We enjoyed just relaxing with our wine and a cool breeze. We hung out until about midnight.
JUNE 20, 2024 – TIME TO GO ON A CRUISE! (Day 193)
Our 11th of 17 legs completed. See Leg 12 Notes for comments! Turnaround Day
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