Final Thoughts

It was our first time trying slow travel, and I'd say it was a success.  We learned from our mistakes--mostly scheduling and budgeting--but everything was recoverable, nothing catastrophic.  We'll be doing this again since Fe has to finish up her dental tourism in Spain--and I'll be due for a cleaning.

"Which was your favorite country?" you may be asking.  It's not really a fair question.  All three--Portugal, Spain, and Italy--were great.  Each country had good food, lots of history, unique culture, and friendly people.  There were similarities, but there were differences too that were fun to discover.  But...you know I'm finishing the blog about about three months after the trip ended and the country that I find myself remembering the most is Italy.  We found it the most challenging--not quite as easy to get around, a bit more chaotic than the other two, the language not as familiar to us--but it's the people that made it special.  Yes, everyone is friendly to tourists.  My experience though was that Italians went just that little bit extra and that's what brings the fond memories back.

Some tips:

• This was a happy accident, but I saw a video once we got back that entering the EU via Italy can be a bureaucratic hassle and causes long lines at passport control.  Try to enter from another EU country first and then it's like going from Ohio to Pennsylvania--OK, maybe not that easy but still.
• I think I've said this before but try to learn a few phrases in the language of the country you're visiting.  Even just "please" and "thank you" will go a long way.  I know I butchered quite a few words on this trip, but they saw I was trying and I really think that opened some doors for us.  And it was kind of fun (for me, anyway) when I could make myself understood in a foreign language.
• Much of American culture is based on Western European ideals and concepts--there are a lot of similarities.  But Europe is not America and it's the little things that can trip you up.  They eat dinner much later than we do, the customer is not always right, and things aren't open 24/7.  I try to be flexible, take things in stride, and remember that I'm the guest in their country.
• Food-wise, there should be no problems.  There were dishes in each country I'd never heard of, but everything was good--especially in Italy.  I haven't had a good pizza since I got back.  Don't be afraid to ask for help or try new things (especially the desserts).

Whew!  That's it for now....until next time.

Last Stop: Naples (Feb 22-24, 2025)

How could we visit Italy and not go to the city that invented pizza--Naples?  It was an easy train ride (56 km or 35 mi) that took about an hour.  The main station in Naples was the biggest one we'd seen since Rome.  Our apartment host provided a driver from the station to our place and after a bit of hit-and-miss (he didn't speak a lot of English and you already know how much Italian I speak) we finally made it to our place for the next few days.

Kitchen

Dining/Living Area

Main bedroom.  They had champagne, roses, and hearts throughout the place which was nice, but I'm sure they do for everyone.  I don't think we give off the newlywed vibes anymore.

These bunkbeds were beside the kitchen.  We used it more as a couch.

View from our bedroom window

View of Vesuvius and the skyline from our balcony

It was laundry day.

This was a coffee/pastry shop in the grocery store down the street--which I visited the next day.  This is pushing me over the border of my borderline diabetes.

The next day we set out to explore the city.  Naples does have a subway, but we didn't use it--shocking, I know--because it wasn't really convenient to where we were or where we wanted to be.  I bought each of us an all-day bus ticket and we used that system since there was a bus stop near our apartment.  Head up, though--traffic in Naples is bad and the buses can get crowded.  Anyway, we took the bus downtown and started walking.

Naples cathedral

Looking up at the ceiling

Church altar

Fe and I outside

We had booked a tour online called "Naples Underground" which sounded interesting.  What we didn't know was that there was more than one and we went to the wrong on first.  But they kindly gave us directions to ours.

The Underground Naples entrance.  There were two lines: one in Italian and one in English (which was shorter).

The stairway down

This was one of the first things we saw--an art installation of a tank and soldiers.  These underground cisterns and passages (from the Roman era) were used by the locals to hide from Nazis when they took over after Italy surrendered in 1943.

An area where some of the people stayed.  It was very crowded and they stayed underground for months at a time without going out.  Think about it.

An underground reservoir

A cistern.  On the right, can see the jar the residence above this used to get water.  Our guide said this meant the house was for a rich person.  Most people had to go to a community well and bring water home.

Naples was built on a lot of history.  This area is a walkway in a buried amphitheater.

More Roman passageways

Our guide said that these 16th Century (?) homes were built on top of the amphitheater and that on the other side of the small doorway at the top was an Air BnB's bathroom.

I'm glad we did this tour.  It took about 90 minutes (maybe less) and I learned a lot.  Just a word of warning--walking around down here could get very dark and very cramped in places, so keep that in mind if you're at all claustrophobic.

By this time it was after 1pm and we were hungry.  We passed a restaurant earlier during the tour that looked interesting and we stopped there for lunch.

Fe's meal--shellfish and pasta.  I had lasagna, but I usually start eating before taking pictures which I'm told ruins it.  Everything was delicious and the staff was great.  A' Lucianella was the name of the place.

Fe and I in the Vico del Fico al Purgatorio, or Alley of the Fig Tree of Purgatory.  Naples has some weird placenames.

Pulcinella, the lucky charm of Naples.  We rubbed his nose like everyone else does. 

Street view--Via Francesco del Giudice

Street view--Via dei Tribunali

Galeria Principe do Napoli.  We came here because I saw online that it was something easy to see, but it was more rundown than the picture implies.  They're working on it and I could see the potential.

The next day was our flight out from Naples airport--and it was early.  The same guy who picked us up at the train station took us to the airport.  I know it was early for him, so we tipped him well, which I don't think he was expecting.  I was glad to do it though because there was no way to the airport this time in the morning.

We weren't the only ones opening up the airport!

This was going to be a long trip home--first a layover in Madrid, then Philadelphia, then Harrisburg, where Kyle was picking is up to go home.  Luckily, we had no issues (other than exorbitant prices for airport food and water).

I wish we'd have had more time in Naples.  Two days isn't enough to do it justice--there were things we missed like the Castel Sant'Elmo or the Sansevero Chapel--but (I hate to admit it) we were both a bit tired by this point and ready to sleep in our own bed and use our own shower.  I know we'll be back to Italy though.

Amalfi By Sea (Feb 20, 2025)

Along with Cinque Terre mentioned yesterday, the Amalfi Coast was something Fe wanted to see this trip.  I was concerned that it would be a tourist trap and not worth it, but I was totally wrong.  I actually think it was the highlight of the Italy part.  Now having said that, it was touristy but by going in February I think we got a feel for how it's actually lived in.  One downside was that a good many of the restaurants were closed for the season, but that was just a minor inconvenience.  

And just to be clear, while the boat from Salerno would have stopped at a couple of other small towns along the Amalfi Coast, we settled on going to the town of Amalfi itself since that is where most of the things we've seen online about it are.

Tickets at the Salerno port were about $22 round trip (for both of us) and we left around 1030 am.  The trip took less than an hour, which included calls at a couple of the towns before Amalfi.

The boat we took

Cetara, one of the towns along the way

Ravello

Maiori, another town closer to our destination

Approaching Amalfi

Fe and I on the quay

Tiles at the Porta della Marina

Fe in the archway

The above archway was the main entrance to the town and it led straight to the Piazza Duomo, on which St Andrew's Cathedral faces.

Sixty-two steps up to the cathedral.

Bronze Cathedral door (stolen from Constantinople in the 4th Crusade)

Inside the cathedral

Church Altar

Sculptures

Church organ

Colonnade in front

Fe and the columns

Instead of going straight down to the square, we turned right after exiting the church and walked down some stairs and alleyways and ran into an older Italian lady who pointed up another set of stairs and said, "Panoramico!"  Fe said, "You want to go up there, don't you?"   To which I said, "Of course!"  She also says I'm catnip to these Italian nonna, ha ha.  It was a long climb and my aerobic fitness isn't what it should be, but we made it.

Amalfi panoramic view

Fe and the view

We were up here a little while when we saw the lady (with her cane) going into her home just a flight of stairs below us.  I called down thanks (Grazie mille!) to her and she waved and went into her home.  We were impressed that she did these stairs and cobbled alleys, probably many times a day.

It was a round 1pm now and we were hungry--going on hangry--so we headed back down to the square and found a place.

Here's Fe and the pizza we shared.  It had chesse, tomatoes, anchovies, drizzled with olive oil and topped with lemon zest.  It was the best pizza I've ever had--and I don't like anchovies.  I think the lemon zest cut some of the saltiness of the anchovies.

The further we got from the square the more I could see the "real" Amalfi peeking out.  There were plenty of souvenir shops, but there also were some local places.

A small plaza off the main drag

Produce market

Fishing was the main occupation before tourism

The fountain "De Cape 'e Ciucci".  It dates to the 18th century, but in 1974 it was decided to put a Nativity scene in it.

We had a ferry to catch back, so we headed back towards the square.

St. Andrew

Gelato place, but stressing the lemons, which the area is known for.

And of course we got some.  I usually get a cup since I think you get more that way, ha ha.

Flavio Gioia monument

Fe and I in front of Lovers Fountain

We had to leave Amalfi around 4 pm, so we missed the sunset here.  But I would say it was "golden hour".

Leaving Amalfi.  That long rectangular building in the center is part of the cemetery.  We were right below that when we got the panoramic phots.

We did get a sunset in Salerno.

My mom used to say that I was always happy when I was out of the country (when we would go to Canada).  I have to say that walking around Amalfi put me in a great mood, which is why I think it was the high point of the trip.