Two Go To Sicily

[DBK]

We have stopped for the night at the ACSI site at Cropani Marina, situated close to the ball of the foot of Italy. We would have liked to have seen the 10th century Cattolica at Stilo by taking the coastal route here but time is against us so we took the autostrada route instead. The site we are on is a surprise - excellent facilities - free hot showers with no time limit or push button - possibly a first for Italy. The beach is also pleasant - no rubbish and lots of fine sand.

A final picture of one of the bronzes to finish off today.

 

[DBK]

Ah, forgot to include the obligatory food piccy. After the museum we bought some "street food". One of us went for the interesting pizza with aubergines and courgettes. Someone else went for the one with chips and frankfurters. Both were nice!

€2 each.

 

[DBK]

What amazes me about statues like this, as well as the skill and artistry, is how they stand up, to get the balance perfect must be a skill in itself.

Very good point. We have a few wooden figures of various animals at home collected on our travels. Several of them need a bit of help to stand upright.

 

[2657]

Very good point. We have a few wooden figures of various animals at home collected on our travels. Several of them need a bit of help to stand upright.

We look at statues like that which are perfectly naturally posed and forget that our brain and muscle keeps us upright, see how long you can remain balanced with your eyes closed.

Those statues must also be very top heavy, some you see balanced on one leg!

 

[webby1]

We stayed at this spot for Matera...about a 1 hr steep walk to the Sossi of Matera. But you approach from the other side of the valley and get a real feel for the place.

Absolutely fascinating "the shame of Italy" it was called with I think 50% infant mortality.
You can arrange with the camping warden to pick you up as a one way walk is enough.

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[Glandwr]

We look at statues like that which are perfectly naturally posed and forget that our brain and muscle keeps us upright, see how long you can remain balanced with your eyes closed.

Those statues must also be very top heavy, some you see balanced on one leg!

Another remarkable thing about them is that although they are made of bronze it is surprisingly thin in places. So weight might be as much as one imagines even though the centre of gravity would be high.

Do they still have that "air lock" procedure before they let you in? I wondered how much it was necessary and how much was down to the Latin love of theatre?

Dick

 

[DBK]

Another remarkable thing about them is that although they are made of bronze it is surprisingly thin in places. So weight might be as much as one imagines even though the centre of gravity would be high.

Do they still have that "air lock" procedure before they let you in? I wondered how much it was necessary and how much was down to the Latin love of theatre?

Dick

Yes, the airlock still works. There were only four of us in it and I would have loved the announcement to have included a warning that if anyone farts you all have to stay in there - and we are turning off the fans - but sadly it was all a bit prosaic.

The airlock on the way back was a bit perfunctory so I'm not wholly convinced. Salt and moisture in the air might be an issue but if so why can you just walk out through a pair of sliding doors? But no matter, they've done very well to hang on to them (the statues) because in many countries they would have been taken to the main museum of the country.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Was watching a programme where they made some small statues by making wax models they turning them into sandcast moulds the same way used for thousands of years.
Very good detail in these chaps..

 

[Mr Ed]

We did Herculaneum & Pompeii a few years ago on a visit to Naples (flew there). Found Herculaneum much more interesting and from Herculaneum easy to get to Vesuvius. Also worth a visit is the Solfatare Crater west of Naples, a dead volcano but the mud flaps are bubbling venting sulphur gas and there is a camp site in the crater.

We are there now!!(Solfatare)

 

[DBK]

We are there now!!(Solfatare)

It sounds an interesting place - I think we might spend a night there after visiting the sites around Vesuvius.

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[Mr Ed]

It sounds an interesting place - I think we might spend a night there after visiting the sites around Vesuvius.

Don't bother,the sulphur basin is closed due to an unfortunate accident last month witch resulted in the death of 2 adults and a 11 year old child.(this place is surreal to me as I came hear in 1965 as a child). Our next stop will also be down memory lane at Sorrento.

 

[DBK]

Don't bother,the sulphur basin is closed due to an unfortunate accident last month witch resulted in the death of 2 adults and a 11 year old child.(this place is surreal to me as I came hear in 1965 as a child). Our next stop will also be down memory lane at Sorrento.

 

[DBK]

Changes of plan are afoot. We did a swerve on Matera and went to Pompeii instead. Time and not wanting to overdose on history were the deciding factors which is also why after exploring Pompeii this morning we are on the move again tomorrow and will miss Herculaneum - which was the main reason we came to Naples!

Matera and Herculaneum will still be there and we will visit them, just not this year. The urge to migrate north is strong and though millions of birds feel the pull of the south at this time of year our migration urges are in the opposite direction.

But here are a few images of Pompeii.

The inevitable theatre, without which no city of the period could be without.

Gladiator barracks - there is a large amphitheatre where where no doubt they performed.

Mostly, what you see in Pompeii are the streets, lined with shops and houses.

In the background of the shot above is the villain of the Pompeii story - Vesuvius. It's eruption at around one o'clock in the afternoon of the 24th of August, 79 AD buried the city in pumice and a pyroclastic flow of hot gas finished off anyone still alive later in the day. The event having been observed from a safe distance by Pliny the Younger. Pliny the Older probably also made notes but he got too close and was killed.

There are some interesting details in the streets, this is one of many holes made in the kerbstones to tether animals.

The numerous small private houses don't hold a lot of interest but some of the villas have some good mosaics - though the best have been moved to the main museum in Naples along with most of the rest of the best artifacts.

The is the famous Cave Canem or beware of the dog mosaic at the entrance to one villas.

A couple of villas had extensive geometrical mosaics.

A longish walk took us to the Villa of Mysteries which had the best wall paintings. Most of the tour groups don't seem to get this far but it was worth the walk.

I took lots more photographs of course but the above might give an impression of the place.

The magic of Pompeii is not what you can see, which if I'm truthful I found generally a bit drab and underwhelming. Visually, it lacks spectacularity* compared to some of the massive temples we saw in Sicily. The real interest of Pompeii is the glimpse it offers into how people lived their daily lives so long ago.


*A real word I was saddened to discover. I thought I had invented it when I first wrote it.

 

[hilldweller]

The real interest of Pompeii is the glimpse it offers into how people lived their daily lives so long ago.

The take-aways are amazing, we haven't changed that much have we.

 

[Glandwr]

The best murals from Pompeii were removed are in the national archaeological museum of Naples. Rooms and rooms of them! There is also a "forbidden" room there that is full of some of the erotica that was found and kept from public view until recently.

Dick

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[DBK]

The best murals from Pompeii were removed are in the national archaeological museum of Naples. Rooms and rooms of them! There is also a "forbidden" room there that is full of some of the erotica that was found and kept from public view until recently.

Dick

The museum would be worth a visit but some other time for us - we are "templed" out. We are at camping Zeus, next to the train station which could take us to Herculaneum or Naples. The site is a bit cramped and basic but free hot showers with actual hot, rather than the more common tepid, water.
But you touch on one of the things I found slightly disappointing with Pompeii, all the best stuff has been removed. This was probably the only way it could be preserved but it means you can't see things in context now - only in a glass case in a museum.

 

[DBK]

We've done a little over 400 km today on a very quiet autostrada which has brought us to Monte San Savino and a free aire - CamperContact #4060.

Blue skies but it isn't that warm and tonight it might drop to below 17°C.

But the big drive, by my standards these days, has brought us within striking distance of northern Italy.

I'd like to spend a few days at either lake Como or Maggiore. Virtually all the campsites are closed now so we will find a sosta. Any suggestions for ones with access to the lake would be most welcome!

From there we will head north into Switzerland probably escaping through Basel. It is decades since I've been to Switzerland so I'm looking forward to it - I just hope the weather is good enough for us to see the mountains.

 

[DBK]

Edit to the above after looking on the CamperContact app: We will try and get to the sosta on Lago d'Orta tomorrow, CC #15764. Expensive, but by the lake and the price will help us prepare for Switzerland.

 

[Figaro]

@DBK you seemed to have missed the brothel in Pompeii ? or are you just keeping quiet about it

 

[DBK]

Confession time. We did aim for it but the street outside was full of people. It must have been half-price day.
So we never got there - but I've seen the photographs.
I also have a photograph of the phallus carved in the main street - though I'm not convinced it is as old as they suggest. It would have been quickly worn away even if it was visible under the rubbish and dung that must have filled the street. Otherwise, why did they have stepping stones?

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[Viennese]

We've done a little over 400 km today on a very quiet autostrada which has brought us to Monte San Savino and a free aire - CamperContact #4060.

View attachment 190732

Blue skies but it isn't that warm and tonight it might drop to below 17°C.

But the big drive, by my standards these days, has brought us within striking distance of northern Italy.

View attachment 190733

I'd like to spend a few days at either lake Como or Maggiore. Virtually all the campsites are closed now so we will find a sosta. Any suggestions for ones with access to the lake would be most welcome!

From there we will head north into Switzerland probably escaping through Basel. It is decades since I've been to Switzerland so I'm looking forward to it - I just hope the weather is good enough for us to see the mountains.

John we are at Camping Covelo on Lake Iseo, which is great and it's warm here (24C today) and sunny. We are told it will get warmer here while further south it will get colder. So we decided to stay an extra day. It's an ACSI site and very welcoming... We are right next to the lake, here's this evening's sunset!

 

[DBK]

John we are at Camping Covelo on Lake Iseo, which is great and it's warm here (24C today) and sunny. We are told it will get warmer here while further south it will get colder. So we decided to stay an extra day. It's an ACSI site and very welcoming... We are right next to the lake, here's this evening's sunset!View attachment 190771

That looks brilliant. I'll look it up tomorrow and see if it will fit in with our plans. Many thanks.

 

[jockaneezer]

We stayed at Camping Covelo earlier this year, thought it was a nice little site with very friendly staff. Just a quick point though if you fancy staying there, you cross the railway track at the level crossing to access the site, don't try and get through the barrier this side of the railway like we did, it's just the car park for the tugger's vehicles !

 

[DBK]

John we are at Camping Covelo on Lake Iseo, which is great and it's warm here (24C today) and sunny. We are told it will get warmer here while further south it will get colder. So we decided to stay an extra day. It's an ACSI site and very welcoming... We are right next to the lake, here's this evening's sunset!View attachment 190771

Very many thanks! Camping Covelo it is - only four hours driving from where we are now, so should be there some time this afternoon.

We stayed at Camping Covelo earlier this year, thought it was a nice little site with very friendly staff. Just a quick point though if you fancy staying there, you cross the railway track at the level crossing to access the site, don't try and get through the barrier this side of the railway like we did, it's just the car park for the tugger's vehicles !

I'll try and remember that.

 

[WSandME]

We stayed at Camping Covelo earlier this year. Excellent. Friendly staff, pleasant evening entertainment, reasonable food.
Also check out:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attra...i_Zone-Zone_Province_of_Brescia_Lombardy.html
although it's a little bit more than a walk or cycle away!!! We went up on our scooter.

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[Viennese]

Happily DBK joined us this afternoon at Camping Covelo and we spent an interesting evening swapping vanning stories. Very good to meet them and their lovely Charlie dog.

 

[DBK]

We stayed at Camping Covelo earlier this year. Excellent. Friendly staff, pleasant evening entertainment, reasonable food.
Also check out:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attra...i_Zone-Zone_Province_of_Brescia_Lombardy.html
although it's a little bit more than a walk or cycle away!!! We went up on our scooter.

We are there now - parked next to @Viennese (see above ) We sat out this evening with them, admired the view and watched the sun go down.

Weather still good.

 

[DBK]

We stayed at Camping Covelo earlier this year, thought it was a nice little site with very friendly staff. Just a quick point though if you fancy staying there, you cross the railway track at the level crossing to access the site, don't try and get through the barrier this side of the railway like we did, it's just the car park for the tugger's vehicles !

I nearly did that but then remembered your warning. Weird really, the sign to the car park is much more visible than the entrance to the camp.

 

[DBK]

After two very pleasant days in Camping Covelo with @Viennese, we finished off sharing a table with them over an enjoyable evening meal in the camp restaurant. Lake d'Iseo has a lot of fish in it (we saw some big ones jumping in the evenings) and they are caught commercially. Some end up in the local restaurants and as consequence I could enjoy a plate of perch. It was quite nice and reminded me of whiting, which I know is a sea fish but it had the same delicate flavour and looked very similar - thin filets of white flesh.

We were also led astray on drinks by being introduced to the local sparkling wine. And it is very local, coming from a triangular shaped area on the southern shore of Iseo not much more than ten kilometres on its long side.

Franciacorta is made by the champagne method and tastes very like it too, with more body than prosecco. But in the supermarkets it doesn't come in at less than ten euros a bottle so we will try not to develop a habit for it.

When we left the campsite this morning we drove north east along the lake a little way they drove up into the hills to the curiously named village of Zone. This is why we came.

These are the Pyrimidi which can be best appreciated by looking at the two nearest to the camera in the shot above, or in these close ups.

They were formed when boulders were overlain on a deep deposit of glacial moraine comprising gravel and finer stones. Over time the moraine was washed away but where there was a boulder a pillar formed below it resulting in these curious forms. If you visit the best view is from the road driving up to the village, one a right hand bend you will see a single parking space, stop there and you can take the first shot above. The path from the car park in town descends steeply down but near the top you can take the other pictures shown above. If you descend further there are no better views (that I could find) and it is a very steep climb back up. Wear boots and walking poles advised if you choose to explore.

But back to wines. Franciacorta is very nice but Lidl's prosecco at under five euros a bottle is almost as good. Which is of course why we drove into Switzerland this afternoon with probably a few too many bottles of the stuff than Swiss law permits.

And we are only just in Switzerland at the ACSI listed site at Le Prese.

Getting here was interesting. The route took us over the Passeo dell Aprica an unimpressive 1181m on the map but a challenging drive on the ground. The route up was narrow - effectively single track in places but the descent was striking. We dropped over 700m in ten kilometres and unlike many passes there were no hairpin bends until we got near the bottom. The road clings to the side of the valley and the road goes very steeply down it. Second gear for all ten kilometres with occasional use of the brakes but with a very good surface too. The views near the top were spectacular. If you come this way do try this route.

And to prove we are in Switzerland here is a Swiss meadow with cows and a little Alp in the background.

 

[DBK]

Our traverse of Switzerland continues and we have now reached a ledge overlooking a valley with high mountains on the other side.

Getting here was like driving through a landscape decorated with postcards. Almost wherever you looked there was a chocolate box view of a village or mountain.

But the year is drawing to a close. We first noticed this at the site at Lago d'Iseo when leaves started falling around us from the trees. Today's highpoint, literally and metaphorically, was the Passeo del Bermina (2328m), which if it sounds a bit Italian it is because in this part of Switzerland Italian is widely spoken.

The climb up reminded us autumn has arrived.

Just before the top of the pass, snow on the peaks, but the remains of last winter's I believe.

The view from the top of the pass. The lake is a reservoir.

We needed to get some money and buy a map of Switzerland so we stopped in St Moritz. The cash machine worked fine but seemed to only dispense 100 Swiss Franc notes and next door was a shop where we bought a map. The assistant didn't blink an eye as I handed over what was almost an £80 note. Possibly because the map took a sizeable chunk from it!

We are now on CamperContact #3894, Camping Panorama at Surcuolm. The CC entry says it accepts ACSI cards but it doesn't, so I fear the small change left to me after buying the map will be used up paying when we leave tomorrow.

Tomorrow we will head for Camping Briethorn, CC #27876 where @Robert Clark stayed fairly recently. It is a dead end road but either going or coming from there we will take another nearby dead-end road to Grindlewald so we can see the Eiger.

This is where we are now.

And this is the view. The peaks in the distance are mostly over 10,000 feet.

And PLEASE don't mention the weather and put a jinx on it.

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