Thursday, April 27, 2023 - Outside of Rome

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Thursday, April 27 - Italy 

We are docked in Civitavecchia, Italy. It is the closest port to Rome. Viking’s included tour is a drive around of Rome. We spent a week in 2005 in Rome staying not far from the Coliseum. While we were there, we did a pretty good job of seeing many of the highlights of Rome. So we decided to do something other than Rome today. We’ve joined with two other couples and will be going to 2 villages out in the countryside. One of the other couples made the arrangements, we are pleased to be tagging along. 

We are off the ship just after the ship was cleared by local authorities. Our driver is waiting for us with his black Mercedes van. We will be going to Civita di Bagnoregio. Population 11. The city is about 2,500 years old, and is slowly disintegrating. It sits atop a rock outcropping. The only way into the town is via a bridge that was built in 1995. There is a 5€ toll. From the nearby town (also named Bagnoregio) you climb down to the base of the bridge and then using the bridge climb up to the village. The buildings are medieval in construction. We wandered around for a while, had a cup of coffee and then reversed the climb. Getting back to the modern town was harder than getting to the medieval town. 

That is going to be some walk.

From the toll booth.

Main gate

Lovely wysteria

 

 

It was a lucky thing that we came here first. As we were leaving, there were several hundred kids heading for the medieval town. 

Our driver met us and we headed off to our next destination. The countryside is quite pretty right now. Everything is green and lots of flowers blooming. The rapeseed fields are brilliant yellow. Hazelnut orchards, vineyards, olives, and wheat.

Roman aquaduct

Olives

Vineyard

Rapeseed

 

We arrive in Orvieto, another medieval city. The key feature of this town is it’s duomo or cathedral. It was a WOW! Construction was begun in late 1290 and took almost 3 centuries to be completed. The popes moved to Orvieto from Rome in the mid 12^th century and were centered here until they moved to Avignon, France in 1309. The exterior of the cathedral is amazing. The interior is too! And they have a lovely organ. Someone was giving an organ concert as we were exploring the interior. Beautiful!

This was the view as we stepped out of the car.

Whoa

Then around the corner and you can hardly believe what you are seeing.

So much detail

Inside - light and airy

Beautiful stained glass mixed with panes of onyx

Every capital was different

The altar

Gorgeous organ

The rose window

Just one of the panels on the front exterior

Our view from our lunch spot

The sun had shifted by the time we were ready to leave and highlights all the gold on the front.

 

 

 

The 3 couples reconvened outside and decided it was time for lunch. Our driver had recommended Cantina Foresi to us, and it is right on the square facing the cathedral. We were given kind of a picnic. An excellent white wine, bread with pate, bread with olive oil, (the olive oil was really tasty) a plate of several types of meat, a plate of porchetta, a plate of pecorino cheese, and a mixed salad. It was perfect and required a second bottle of wine. In fact, we bought a bottle of the wine to share with friends on the ship. We were all happy campers and headed off to explore more of the town. Lots of little shops with many featuring beautiful ceramics.

A lovely dry white wine

Russ found a freind to sit with.
 

 

 

As we headed back to the square to meet our driver, we all stopped for some excellent gelato. The perfect treat to compliment our lunch.

 

A nice drive back through the countryside, returning to our ship a little before 5:00 p.m. An excellent day. We saw something different and was at a pace that was quite relaxing. No hustle bustle.

Orvieto from a distance

What a great day with these friends.

Wednesday, April 26, 2023 - Naples, Italy

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Wednesday, April 26 – Naples, Italy 

It was a short sail from Messina, Sicily to Naples. Early in the morning, we sailed by Capri and into the harbor at Naples in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius.

Capri

Vesuvius

 

 

Mount Vesuvius certainly stands out.

From the Aquavit Terrace. The sun rising over Mt. Vesuvius

We are taking an optional excursion named “Pizza and Pompei”. We’ll get to see a little bit of Naples and experience their famous pizza as well as explore the archeological site of Pompei. The tour is considered “demanding” and we hope we are up to the challenge. After boarding our bus, we head immediately to Pompei. It is only about 30 minutes from the port to Pompei. We walk a short distance to the shopping area/entrance and are given a few minutes for a bathroom break before heading into the site. As we walk along, our guide is doing a great job of explaining things to us. The site is huge, and we will only see a small portion of it. We will be seeing an area that was discovered early on so is about as complete as any of the areas. Gradually, the archeologists are expanding the area of the dig. 

It is rather amazing; when Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, the mountain was double the size that it is now. ½ of the mountain disappeared in that eruption. Lava from the eruption flowed from the northwestern side of the mountain and buried the town of Herculaneum. Ash and pumice settled on Pompeii, burying it under 13 to 20 feet of ash. It simply disappeared. 

There is one house that is fairly complete that we walked through. Mosaic floors, frescoed walls, servants’ quarters, a stable. They have reconstructed a chariot based on the iron pieces that survived. Anything organic (wood, fabric, animals & people) rotted away, but left a hole. The archeologists fill those holes with plaster and have a representation of what was there. In the case of people, it tells the story of a horrible death as they simply suffocated.

It is definitely spring. Everything in bloom. This was over the patio where we stopped before heading into the excavation.

This is acanthus. The leaves of the acanthus are the inspiration for the capitals on columns.

The theater in the background. This would have been like the lobby.

The red brick is a reconstruction by the archeologists. The other stone is original

The theater 

Steps look a little worn. Must have been a popular spot.

Again, red brick is archeologists. Other stone was original. However there was a major earthquake several years prior that caused damage and you see the repairs done by the Pompeians.
 

Streets were paved.

These holes in ceilings would funnel rain water into a pool below that funneded to a cistern.

Reconstructed chariot.

Iron rims and axel pieces.

Ruts in streets tell us how wide the vehicle was.

Fresco. Our guide told us that 10-15 years ago, the frescos were much clearer.

Another hole in the roof to capture rain. You can see holes in the pool below to pipe the water to cisterns

Dining room. When the floor mosaics have a design in the center, it is a dining room.

Frescoes

Equivalent of a fast food restaurant

Streets are essentially sewers. The high stones were steppingstones so pedestrians could cross without getting their sandals dirty.

Graffiti - very common, but it was scratched into the surface of the plaster, not painted.

The Forum

The forum with Mt. Vesuvius in the background.

Public well

Lots of poppies. We are used to California poppies that are yellow to orange. The poppies here are all RED.

This is the home of the people who owned the land prior to the discovery of the ruins. 

It has been left alone, to demonstrate the depth of the ash.

At the end of our walk, we toured the small museum that houses some examples of frescoes, tools and other things, and some of the plaster casts made. It was very well done and helped complete the tour.

Frescoe

Tools found in kitchens

Pieces of jewelry

A horse

This person appears to being to try to cover their mouth.

 

Back on the bus and we headed for “pizza”. We will be going to a pizzeria owned by a World Champion pizza maker. He was named World Champion in 2017. He greeted us, then his son gave us a demonstration of making a pizza in the Neapolitan Way. We were then served a small pizza fresh out of their oven. Russ and I shared one as they were plenty large. Tiramisu was served after and a tasting of limoncello.

This is not in a tourist zone. this is for locals. 

Basic ingredients.

The dough was very soft.

The end result. Lots of bread, but it was very light and airy.

Not much sauce, but made from locally grown ripe tomatoes. Really flavorful. Also local mozzarella. Local basil.

Our host

 

 

 

After lunch we were supposed to have a drive around of the old city of Naples, but our bus driver had checked in with other drivers and learned that the downtown area was a real zoo today. So instead of that, we went a slightly different direction and saw some great views of the surrounding countryside and the islands off the coast.

When the president visits, this is his residence.

Interesting fountain near a popular beach.

 

Our bus was due back at the port at 5:00 p.m.as we were to sail around 6:00 p.m. It was close to 5:30 p.m. when we got back to the ship. But we weren’t the last ones and we still sailed pretty close to the desired time. 

It was a great day. One of the better ones.