Gord: Another item ticked off the bucket list: climb an active volcano and watch it erupt at night. Last night we went up Stromboli as part of a small guided group (guides are required to go to the summit). It’s about a 3,000 foot climb which we did at a leisurely pace. We arrived at the three active craters at sunset and the fireworks began. ... Read More
Warning: The contents of this blog could inspire feelings of jealousy and even anger. Proceed with caution.Ruth: I love islands. Even though I grew up far away from the ocean, as an adult I have become an island woman, living on a large island and spending lots of time in the summer on a smaller one. Gord and I were excited to board the ferry ... Read More
We have broken our uninterrupted bicycle route with a train and ferry so that we can explore Sicily for our last three weeks in Europe.We crossed over to Sicily today and then biked up and over the north end to Milazzo, the departure port for ferries to the Aeolian islands. I was not looking forward to this ride and spent the morning grumbling that once ... Read More
Matera is a place to see! The cave cut homes and rock buildings melt into one another and it is hard to determine where the natural rock ends and the stone structures begin. The tufa grottos have been cut and modified into homes since the Neolithic age, making it one of the longest continually inhabited places on earth. Since receiving unesco status in the 1990's, ... Read More
We left the beautiful Adriatic today and climbed up to Alberobello. it was a short day and we stopped halfway along our route to see the Grotte de Castellana. I do not like small spaces so this type of spelunking was perfect for me because the caves were airy and big. They even had an elevator to take us back up to ground level.Alberobello is ... Read More
We had a beautiful ride through the Puglian countryside today. The majority of grapes and olives produced in Italy are grown in Puglia, and it is harvest time. On one quiet country road we could hear the staccato snipping of grape harvesters as they quickly cut the grapes from the vines. The peach orchards are already turning orange and the colors of fall are arriving.We ... Read More
Ruth: “If God exists; there is only one,” said a local fellow who volunteered to show us all the heretical sculptures in the Troia Cathedral.When someone just begins to act as an unsolicited guide I am generally wary, but in this case we were delighted by our tour of this exceptional Church. The jewels of this beautiful 11th century Cathedral go well beyond simple Christian ... Read More
This morning we visited the Amphitheatre in Santa Maria Capua Vetere. Not only is this an impressive ruin, but it is also where Spartacus trained and launched his rebellion. We have followed the Appian way from Rome to Capua. After their defeat in 71 B.C., 6000 of the rebel slaves were crucified, lining the entire distance along the Appian way between Rome and Capua.When I asked ... Read More
2000 kms cycled from Innsbruck 42 days since we left Innsbruck - 37 days biking 3 mountain passes: Arlberg, Grand Saint Bernard, Cisa Most expensive accommodation: 95€ in PaviaLeast expensive accommodation: by donation (20€ for both of us) in a number of placesAverage daily expenditure for both of us: about 100€Top 10 gelato flavours: melon, pistachio, grapefruit, coffee, chocolate, liquorice, hazelnut, lemon, strawberry, tiramisuMars bars consumed: 24Tears: 0Bed ... Read More
We have been enjoying the small cities on the sea as we cycle down the coast south of Rome. Gaeta is so appealing that we have stayed an extra night. The decision was easy to make because we are also staying in a particularly outstanding B&B. We may be the last cyclists accepted here however, as the owners lost money when we fell upon the ... Read More