Day 6 - Pompeii to Rome

Another travelling day today,but slightly easier than the last one.  Lucy bravely stepped up to do the drive to Naples, after driving to Vesuvius yesterday, and we sussed the sat-nav was set to avoid toll roads, so we reset it and went up the A3 motorway to Naples, which was much easier.  Even Naples itself wasn't too bad - it must've been rush hour when I drove through it on Monday.

We chose to catch the slow train to Rome, which was still only 2 hours, rather than pay the extra to go on the fast one.  The train journey was pretty average and we arrive in Rome before 1.30.  The hotel room wouldn't  be ready until 2.30, so we had a wander around and took the boys to a nearby park to use up some energy.

Boys on the swings in Rome

Once we'd got access to the room, it was time to do some laundry.  We'd planned on doing some washing in Rome so we could bring less stuff with us, although you wouldn't think it to see all the bags we have to drag round on the trains. Luckily, there's a laundrette just a few doors down from the hotel so we managed to put on a wash and go to a snack place for something to eat.

After the washing we crashed in the room for a bit, the went for another walk to see a couple of sites before dinner and back to the hotel.  Looking forward to our first full day in Rome tomorrow, when we'll probably try and do the Vatican before the Easter preparations start to ramp up at the weekend.

Luke's joke of the day:
What happened to the amphibian's illegally parked car?

It was toad away!

Day 5 - Vesuvius

Yesterday started cool and, as we didn't have any sun lotion, we were unprepared when it became scorching hot and all got sunburnt. Today it was very overcast and showed no signs of getting sunny, so we packed our jumpers and waterproofs in an effort to be prepared this time, before heading to Vesuvius.  It wouldn't prove to be enough.

We drove part way up the mountain and reached a car park where we couldn't go any further.  It seemed that, from that part of the mountain, our only option was to pay for a bus to nearer the summit, from where we could walk to the top.

The bus was only about half full and the weather seemed to be getting slightly worse as it made its bumpy way up the mountain road.  The top of Vesuvius was swathed in cloud, where yesterday we'd been able to see it clearly from Pompeii, and the higher we got, the colder and cloudier it seemed to get.

When we got off the bus, it was chilly and the cloud around was like a pretty thick fog with low visibility, so our walk up gave no indication of how close to the summit we were.  There was a souvenir shop near the top that sold coffee, but no hot chocolate for the boys, so we pressed on regardless.

As we walked around the top of the crater, the weather got rapidly worse.  The cloud was still all around and the drizzle that had been persisting had now changed to heavy rain, accompanied by a freezing wind.  The visibility was so low that, not only was the view of the surrounding areas obscured, we couldn't even see the inside of the volcano itself.

We did our best to look around, seeking shelter when we could, and before we headed back down it did start to lift a bit so we saw inside the crater and some views of the towns below, but by then we were freezing cold, soaking wet and keen to get away.

Boys sheltering from the weather atop Vesuvius

We drove to Herculaneum with the intention of eating there and visiting its ruins but, with everyone still cold and wet, and everything seemingly closed there for a half day, we headed back to the refuge of our hotel room to warm up, dry off and relax.  So the day didn't quite work out as planned, but the weather picked up again in the evening and it's off to Rome tomorrow.

Luke's joke of the day:
Why was the teddy told off in the street?

Because he was caught bear in public!

Day 4 - Pompeii, Ancient ruins

We decided to have a relaxed morning to start with today and went for a wander around modern Pompeii, ending up with the boys running rings around a square while we sat and watched them.  It was nice to chill out for a bit and not feel the need to be somewhere by any particular time.

After a nice coffee by a street vendor, where we saw some massive lemons (yes, I said lemons), we decided to head on into the ancient ruins. For some reason, entry was free today and we got a map and an audio guide from  a stall outside, so we had all we needed to find our way around.

We spent a while looking around to get a feel for the place and managed to find the garden of fugitives, which has casts of thirteen bodies that were engulfed by the ash of Vesuvius.  Apparently, it was a place where they would have gone to drink wine and eat, but for the mix of adults and children I guess it was their last meal.

Body casts in the garden of fugitives

As you're walking round the ancient ruins, it's impossible to ignore the shape of Vesuvius looming over the city.  Each time you look out you're reminded that it caused the end of the city but also ensured its preservation.

Vesuvius looms over Pompeii

It was a really hot day and the paths were really dusty - the boys kept kicking up dust as they walked - and I guess it must have had 2000 year-old ash and pumice mixed in with it from the explosion.  By the end of the day, we were covered in it.

We spent hours going round the site.  I think Lucy and the boys got a bit fed up towards the end, but I was enjoying myself looking round.  As we headed towards the forum, with some of the more interesting sections, the other three had enough and eventually headed back to the hotel while I finished the tour alone.  When I eventually handed back the audio guide to the woman at the stall I think she was relieved to see I'd brought it back- she must have thought I'd done a runner!

A set of columns in one of the temples

All in all a really interesting day.  The boys did say they enjoyed it, but it probably went on a bit too long for them.  Tomorrow, it'll be a couple of shorter trips to Herculaneum and Vesuvius, so hopefully everyone will be kept happy.

Luke's joke of the day:
Why couldn't the teddy bear eat any cake?

Because it was stuffed!

Day 3 - Mestre to Pompeii

After a bit of indecision about which route to take by train to Naples, where he had a hire car booked to drive to Pompeii, we decided on going to Florence, having a stop-off for lunch and then going on to Naples from there.

The journey begins

We managed to catch the fast train and even found four seats together with room for our bags.  It wasn't long, though, before someone got on at the next stop and said the seats we were in were theirs.  That left Lucy and I standing in between carriages, but we did manage to get the boys seats, so all seemed reasonable and we were hopeful we'd get four seats together again at the next stop.

Then the ticket inspector arrived.

Apparently we'd made two mistakes.  Firstly, the fast trains are reservation only and we hadn't reserved seats, so if we wanted to go on to Florence we'd have to pay 72 Euros.  Secondly, I hadn't written the date of travel on our passes, which meant a 50 euro fine per ticket.  Fortunately, the inspector was a VERY nice man and agreed we could get off at Bologna, pay only 40 Euros for the reservation and forgo the charge and fine.  Phew!

So we booked and switched at Bologna and got our very own seats for the rest of the journey, which was pretty comfortable with some nice scenery on the way.

When we got to Naples, it was clear that driving out of the city was going to be manic.  The drivers all seemed to adhere to European city driving rules in an exaggerated fashion and the roads were really narrow.  It was even worse than driving in Paris and I’d thought that was bad at the time.  The drive to Pompeii was probably the worst drive I've ever had to make, but we made it.

The room's a bit more basic than the one in Mestre, but it’s a nice comfy hotel and we had a nice walk down to the ruins, although it was too late to go in.  Now we're sat having a nice meal in the evening air, so it’s  been a lovely, relaxing end to a slightly stressful day.

The boys tucking in, in Pompeii

Luke's joke of the day:
Why did the shark cross the ocean?

To get to the other tide!

Day 2 - Venice, Dorsoduro

The boys were running riot this morning and obviously had too much energy, so once we got off the bus in Venice we went straight to a playground so they could burn some off.  It gave them a chance to have a run around and us a chance to sit down and relax.

When they'd calmed down a bit, we decided to follow the guide book and went off to the Dorsoduro area, which showed a completely different side to Venice.  It was much quieter, with more open areas, so it was more relaxing than the frantic hustle and bustle that we'd seen yesterday.

Anywhere's a chair

While we were there, we visited the Palazzo Zenobio, which was well worth it for only 4 euros for the four of us.  Inside was a chilled garden and it was nice to see some grass for a change instead of all the pavements and water we'd got used to.  Inside were more surprises, with a baroque ballroom leading off to side rooms with art on display by New York artist  Marion Greenstone.  I'd never heard of her before, but her stuff from the mid sixties was pretty cool, and with Lou Reed playing in the background it was like we'd been transported from Venice to New York.  I found this website with some of the paintings we saw, which is worth a look: www.mariongreenstone.com.

After some lunch we decided to catch a Traghetto ( a gondola taxi) across the Grand Canal and walk back around to Rialto.  It wasn't long before three party members were desperate for the loo, though, and after a long trek to find toilets we ended up not far from where we'd started before the Traghetto.

After that it was definitely time for ice cream and a rest.  Luke got his liquorice flavoured ice cream he'd been looking for and we all got a chance to rest our feet.

We took a nice walk back to take in the sights again before dinner.  Or at least Lucy and I did - the boys just chatted about ideas they had for computer games they want to invent and didn't seem to notice anything around them.   When we asked later what they'd seen, they said 'We saw walls!'

The Grand Canal

We had a nice dinner next to the water, then it was time for our bus ride back to Mestre for the last time.  I was looking out the window, taking in the view as the bus crossed the long road across the water between Venice and the mainland.  It really makes it clear how the city is just and isolated island that just stubbornly refused to sink.

Done a little packing tonight already so we're set to go tomorrow, off to Pompei.

Luke's joke of the day:
What do you call a dead parrot?

A polly gone!!!

Day 1 - Venice, St Mark's Square

The boys woke up early again today - don't think there's much hope of a lie-in this holiday.  After breakfast we caught the bus over to Venice, which was pretty convenient with the bus stop right outside the hotel.

It was glorious weather today and, once we were into Venice proper, we spent a while just wandering around the streets and over the bridges, taking in the scenery and not going anywhere in particular.  It's all narrow alleyways and small bridges, opening into the odd open square.  Lovely scenery and even more impressive than the Venice levels in Tomb Raider 2.

View from one of the many bridges

After a while we decided we'd better head somewhere in particular, so we started following the signs to Piazza San Marco (that's St Mark's Square to me and you).  On the way it was over the impressive Rialto and many more twists and turns before we go to the piazza itself.

After a brief break to rest our feet and take it all in, it was a snack lunch and into the Pallazo Ducale.  The boys had been tempted in by the promise of a torture chamber but we couldn't track that down and had to make do with a prison and an armoury to satisfy their grisly tastes.

Then it was the inevitable gondola ride, which was a nice relaxing way to see round the canals and good fun.  The gondolier pointed out the houses of Marco Polo and Casanova, although for all we knew they could've been any old houses.

A view from the gondola

Everyone in the gondola

We popped in and out of the Basilica but it was too close to closing to do any more than that really, so we started to head back out the way we came.  Managed to get a bit lost on the way out but eventually got back on track, had a pizza and caught the bus home.  All in all, a good first day.

Day 0 - Travelling to Mestre

Today was the start of 2 weeks holiday in Italy, travelling around a few cities and, hopefully, having fun and taking in the culture.

I went out for a few drinks on a work do last night, so I went to bed a bit late and, for some reason, woke up about 5.30.  I tried getting back to sleep but then the boys' alarm went off at 6 - Luke had set it an hour earlier than he meant to, by accident.  Of course, they were both excited about going away and were chattering loudly, so I ended up getting up with them at 6.30, pretty tired - not the best start.

Still, the flight wasn't til 2.30 and we weren't planning to leave until 11.30, so it left us plenty of time to pack and weight the bags (every Kg counts with Ryanair). We actually left a bit early - something of a miracle for us - and got to the airport in good time.

We decided to use the valet parking service this time, which was £40 more but definitely worth it because from getting out of the car to getting through check-in and security only took half an hour, which must be a record for a family of four with 2 kids under 10.

Of course, we decided to eat at the airport AND stop for comics/mags and sweets at WHSmith, so despite our good start, we were almost last onto the plane, fighting for a seat!  The flight itself was pretty average, but I thought the Alps were impressive.  I must have flown over them a few times, but I don't remember them being as snow covered and as vast as they looked today - provided a great view for a while.

Then it was off the plane, just made the bus to Mestre about 60 seconds before it left the airport (would've had to wait another hour otherwise) and a walk to the hotel, which turned out to be pretty nice, before dinner and bed, exhausted.