Friday, October 28
It did not seem real until we walked on board our flight to Rome that we were really traveling to Italy again. After a pleasant flight from Atlanta and two train rides instead of the three trains it used to take, we reached our beloved Sorrento, Italy. After a truly short walk from the train station, we arrived at Boutique Suites 186, which is right on Corso Italia, the main street of downtown Sorrento~~~what a fantastic location! Our home for the next 7 days is absolutely lovely! We arrive to see a big porch and then enter what I can best describe as a studio apartment with a small kitchen and then we step out of the suite onto a large balcony that sits above the main street. So, we have outside seating in the sunshine or shade! We figure out quickly that the ninety-three steps to our little nest will help fight off the calories of all the pasta and pizza we plan to enjoy while in Italy! In truth, there was an elevator for about half of the steps.
As you will see in our photos and notes we had a spectacular vacation from start to finish. Our weather was a dream come true for me who does not tolerate the heat or humidity very well! The temperatures were in the low 70s and there was low humidity. We had a short rain shower in Ponte Delgado, Azores, our last port, and one day while we were at sea. Our Trans-Atlantic cruise was aboard the HAL Volendam. The ship holds 1450 passengers, but we had less than 700. I decided to try using a Reliefband instead of taking Scopolamine. My Reliefband proved to be unbelievably valuable since we had 15+ foot swells but I never had a moment of motion sickness!! So great to not have to wear a patch, and I can even ride in a tour bus without being ill!
While in Sorrento and since we had the time I got my haircut, something I have always wanted to do! Oddly enough while we were in Sorrento my hair was very wavy, I loved it but as soon as we left Sorrento my hair lost its waves. As we walked around, we noticed everyone was wearing white sneakers, and the shops we noticed right away had displays of white sneakers, they really had very few colored sneakers. We also saw lots of ladies wearing hot pink. Shop windows all had ladies' clothing in hot pink, dark greens, burgundies, and several shades of tan. Women's blazers were in all the shops. Most all women were wearing black hose. The young gals wore black blazers with short skirts that did not hang below the blazer, black hose, and black shoes or boots.
Found this in my seat!
We rode a silent train from Roma to Sorrento, at least this one had large signs. It was great for a nice nap on the way to Sorrento!
Saturday, October 29 ~ Sorrento Italy
Our lovely home for the next 7 days!!
I will send a second email with a video tour of Boutique Suites 186 and a slideshow of all the pictures
from our trip. Below are pictures from our first day in Sorrento! After we checked in, we walked just down the street to the main square for some lunch and a glass of wine. Happy to be back in Italy!!
Off to walk around the city and grab a light lunch!
Evening view from the patio as we leave to find a nice glass of wine and some dinner.
Walking around Sorrento after dinner.
Pretty shaped gelato but sadly not particularly good!
Sunday, October 30 ~ Sorrento Italy
Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday were holidays in Italy, so all government businesses, schools, and some other businesses were closed. After walking around downtown filled with families enjoying the long weekend, we started walking back roads each morning before breakfast. We found some beautiful morning walks!
With a grocery store just across the street, we were able to get breakfast food and have breakfast each morning on our patio.
This is an Art Foundation; they hold all types of Art and other exhibits here.
We enjoyed lunch at one of the outdoor cafes.
Monday, October 31 ~ Capri Italy
After breakfast, we took the ferry to Capri for the day. It was another beautiful day, with clear blue skies and about 70 degrees.
Views of Marina Grande after going up on the Funicular to Capri.
Couldn't get over these two beautiful bouquets she was carrying!
We walked all over Capri; many high-end shops were already closing for the season.
This was a cute shop with loads of incredibly fun and colorful cups and saucers!
After walking around the shops, we ventured off to just wander all around different areas of Capri. We saw some beautiful sights!
This was one of the very inviting places you could stop for lunch! On our next trip, we plan to check out one of these beautiful spots for lunch!
Another fun and beautiful place we saw on our walk that called for us to sit down and enjoy! Sadly, we weren't ready for lunch yet!
This was a beautiful hotel, the Hotel La Scalinatella we passed on our walk!
With all these sights, you want to just walk and walk for hours!
Finally, hunger won out over walking, and we stopped in at one of Alan's favorite spots. We were lucky, if we had waited until Tuesday they would have been closed for the season! The owner of this place has a place for all his staff to live if they want so they don't have to commute on the ferry each day.
Our view from our favorite lunch spot in Capri! Like the view, the delicious lunch at
Al Capri never disappoints either!
After lunch, we did some more walking around Capri and when we finished walking around Capri, instead of taking the Funicular down we love taking the steps down to Marina Granda, this time we happened to take a different route down which was fun to see some different areas of Capri.
When we get back to Marina Grande, we can't leave without a delicious Aperol Spritz and some people-watching. Our Aperol Spritz this time was the prettiest one we have ever been served! We were entertained by four ladies from various parts of the US traveling together; their stories were hilarious! What a wonderful way to end a perfect day in Capri!!
Walking from the ferry back to our home away from home!
We see that the boardwalk is built so that during the off-season they take up all the boards from the boardwalk and store them. Some people were still swimming.
Walking through a different area of the town on our way back from the ferry.
We saw a very pretty church and a great art gallery!
Back to our patio for a glass of wine and to watch the sunset!
Also, in Italy Halloween has become popular. It is a family event, where they gather in town and walk from one shop to another to get treats from the shop owners.
Tuesday, November 1 ~ Sorrento Italy
Today we had planned to ferry over to the island of Ischia & Procida but
the ferries had stopped for the season. So instead, we enjoyed having another day
to relax and explore Sorrento walking all over the area! We got salad fixings
at the grocery store and enjoyed a picnic on our patio overlooking the city.
Pictures from our walks!
Being a holiday, the city was packed with families
enjoying the day downtown!
We walked past this quite different park filled with palm trees and cacti!
We love to have a drink at sunset on the back patio of the Grand Hotel
Excelsior Vittoria. It is a stunning setting!
Leaving the hotel, they have beautiful lighted trees along the walkway out of the hotel.
Wednesday, November 2 ~ Ravello Italy
We rented a car and took the back roads to Ravello, which is another town we love!
Here are pictures taken from the car.
After driving along the water, we then take a motorway for a while before we exit and start going through small towns, and then drive over the mountain to get into Ravello. It was hazy going to Ravello but sunny coming back from Ravello!
Coming into Ravello and leaving Ravello we had to stop for some goats
being moved from one grazing area to another!
Walking into Ravello!
We started off with a stop at a cafe in the town square
for a cappuccino and to just sit and enjoy the beauty!
Alan got a couple of his Christmas presents here! Then after walking all over town, we had lunch
at a favorite spot, Trattoria Cumpa' Cosimo, where "Mama" in her apron still takes
orders and runs the show!
So fun walking around and finding such
beauty!
Driving back to Sorrento, again stopping for the goats!
They were fun to watch, and each one seemed to have its own
personality!
Beautiful drive along the water coming back into Sorrento!
Thursday, November 3 ~ Sorrento, Italy
Last day in Sorrento, Italy! We did more walking around
the city and a little Christmas shopping.
Friday, November 4 ~ Leaving for Civitavecchia, Italy
Goodbye, beautiful Sorrento until next time!
On Friday, November 4 about 1330 in the afternoon we
arrived in Civitavecchia, Italy, a port city for cruises
out of Roma. Pictures of walking around the town.
Civitavecchia is a coastal town northwest of Rome, in Italy. Built in the 2nd century, the Port of Civitavecchia still retains some of its original features, like the Roman Dock. The port area also includes the 16th-century Michelangelo Fort. Nearby, the National Archaeological Museum displays bronze and ceramic artifacts. Northeast of town is the Terme Taurine, the ruins of a Roman thermal bath complex.
I love this statue!!
It was windy and crazy waves hitting the rocks!
The old fort, is now a museum.
They have made lots of updates to the area since we
were here last.
After sitting in a car for 3 hours + we walked all over town.
The clouds were amazing today!
Sitting and watching the sunset.
It was time to have a goodbye for now Italy ~ Negroni!
A zoomed-in view from our B & B of cruise ships in port.
Saturday, November 5 ~ Transatlantic Cruise
Boarded the HAL Volendam and the first thing I saw were these
beautiful flowers from Alan!
Monday, November 7 ~ Alicante Spain.
Alicante is a port city on Spain’s southeastern Costa Blanca, and the capital of the Alicante province. Its old town, Barrio de la Santa Cruz, has narrow streets, colored houses, and a nightlife scene. There is an elevator or a steep climb that leads to medieval Castillo de Santa Bárbara, set on a hilltop with sweeping views of the Mediterranean coast.
We walked and walked around Alicante. We were going to take a Hop
-on-Hop-Off bus tour but they weren't running.
Alicante is a very pretty city and has great views everywhere!
There are more than 6 million tiles forming a tricolor wave pattern that make up the pavement of the Esplanade de Espana. Alicante`s seafront promenade is flanked by 4 rows of palm trees, and it runs for 500, meters along the old city breakwater. There are lots of places to eat and drink; also, some stalls selling local arts and crafts.
They were decorating for Christmas with these reflecting decorations that do not require any lights.
On the Avenida de Alfonso, you’ll find the Mercado Central – the city’s main source of fresh produce. This market is frequented mostly by locals, shopkeepers, and chefs of restaurants but still has some incredible items to be discovered. There are about 300 stalls on 2 levels that offer everything from flowers and pastries to cheeses, meats, and lots of fresh fish. We were there on Monday when all the fish stalls are closed because the fishermen do not fish on Sundays. We love walking through city markets and this one was huge!
Looking down as we arrive at Castell de Santa BÃ rbara.
Castell de Santa Barbara (or Santa Barbara Castle) sits atop Mount Benacantil and overlooks Play El Postiguet as the highest point in Alicante.
Amazing views from the castle!
Coming out of the elevator and leaving the castle. Sadly, we didn't have enough time to walk down from the castle.
We think these trees were Fiscus Benjamins that have been groomed and offer a nice shady walk!
Back to the Esplanade for lunch!
Walking back into the port!
After walking all over Alicante, we found a shady spot to relax and
watch us sail away. These are pictures from the port from the back of the ship.
I used my zoom lens to get pictures of the castle!
Tuesday, November 8 ~ Malaga Spain
Málaga is a port city on southern Spain’s Costa del Sol, known for its high-rise hotels and resorts jutting up from yellow-sand beaches. Looming over that modern skyline are the city’s 2 massive hilltop citadels, the Alcazaba and ruined Gibralfaro, remnants of Moorish rule. The city's soaring Renaissance cathedral is nicknamed La Manquita ("one-armed lady") because one of its towers was curiously left unbuilt.
Coming into the port of Malaga.
The first pictures are of our 2+ hour drive to Granada. You see olive trees everywhere,
they are said to have over 300 million olive trees in Spain.
Arriving at the Alhambra.
Tuesday, November 8th ~ Malaga Spain
The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world, in addition to containing notable examples of Spanish Renaissance architecture.
As we pulled out of port, we saw a Spanish Naval Ship
unloading gear.
Wednesday, November 9 ~ Cadiz Spain
Cádiz is an ancient port city in the Andalucia region of southwestern Spain. The home of the Spanish Navy, the port boomed in the 16th century as a base for exploration and trade. It has more than 100 watchtowers, including the iconic Torre Tavira, which was traditionally used for spotting ships. On the waterfront is the domed, 18th-century Cádiz Cathedral, featuring baroque and neoclassical elements.
checked out the city!
Several fan shops, with fans that were works of art!
Beautiful entryways, we saw this one walking to the ship.
Thursday & Friday, November 10 & 11 ~ Sea Days
Saturday, November 12 ~ Ponte Delgada Azores Portugal ~ Sao Miguel Island
Ponta Delgada, on São Miguel Island, is the capital of the Azores archipelago of Portugal. The striking, 3-arched city gates and the Gothic-style Church of St. Sebastian are near the harbor. The Convent and Chapel of Our Lady of Hope houses a revered image of Christ. The Carlos Machado Museum offers diverse artifacts of Azorean culture. The city is a gateway to the crater lakes of Sete Cidades, to the northwest.
Coming into port, this was our only dark cloudy day!
Driving to Sete Cidades.
The name Sete Cidades is said to have originated from the seven craters on the island, which resulted from volcanic eruptions millions of years past and which gave way to the Verde, Azul, Rasa, Santiago, Caldeiras Secas, and Alferes lakes that now exist in the area. “Lagoon of the Seven Cities,” known in Portuguese as “Lagoa Sete Cidades,” is a twin lake that is located inside a dormant volcanic crater on the island of Sao Miguel in the Azores (Verde Lake and Azul Lake). One of the most breathtaking volcanic scenes in the Azores islands for sure. The Lagoa of Sete Cidades is located in the parish town of Sete Cidades, which is part of the county of Ponta Delgada, the island’s capital. However, the smallest community in terms of population in Ponta Delgada County is the largest in space with the famous twin lakes located inside a 12km dormant volcanic crater.
Considered one of Portugal’s seven natural wonders, these twin lakes with the bridge that divides them is truly one of Portugal’s most famous sites. The sweet-smelling hydrangeas and Laurasilva trees that surround the lakes only add to the pleasure of exploring them. The lake's total depth of the lake is about 62 feet.
We have never seen so many hydrangeas!!
We did not get to see the colors of the lakes
because of the weather.
Hydrangeas lined all the roads!
The small town of Sete Cidades, Portugal.
These plaques above the door told of the families Patron Saint!
This fountain in the churchyard represents the 7 volcanoes on the island.
We drove down to view the lake from the other side.
We drove in and out of the clouds.
We were dropped off in town after the tour to do our own sightseeing.
Another city with decorations that do not require lights.
This was our last port! It was a small city but very pretty!
We only had one small rain shower.
Sunday - Friday, November 13 - 18 ~ Cruising across the Atlantic
While cruising the next day Alan saw something in the water. We couldn't tell exactly what it was
some small, capsized boat? By the time we got outside to look the captain had
slowed down the ship and was turning around to check out this object.
We were told that they had determined no one was in the boat, the numbers were
reported to the Coast Guard and they would come and retrieve it. Needless to say, this made
for much speculation and conversation on the ship that day!
One very relaxed and happy man enjoying his sea days!
Saturday, November 19 ~ Arrived in Fort Lauderdale -
then flew to Atlanta.
Reality hit quickly as we left the Atlanta airport
heading to Maggie Valley! Several accidents and construction made
our drive home exceedingly long!
I loved all the pictures! The scenery was absolutely stunning. I am so thrilled that y'all had a wonderful trip. Thanks for capturing and sharing all the beautiful places that you visited!
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