April 25 - Rome

For our last full day of sightseeing in Rome, Lyle and I decided to do the hop-on hop-off bus tour around the city. In actual fact, we ended up doing this tour two and three quarter times. On the first circuit, the bus took a short cut avoiding the Vatican area. We learned the reason for this later on. When Pope Francis had celebrated Mass that morning in St. Peter’s Square, there were around 100,000 people milling about.

Because our bus tickets were good for twelve hours, we took the bus for a second time in the afternoon. This time the bus travelled the full circuit and the crowds had lessened. Later on still when we had been walking on our own through the streets of Rome, we were glad to come across a Red Bus Line stop and hopped on the first bus that took us back to the area of our hotel.

As all this touring around in the bus took up most of the day, Lyle and I certainly felt that we got our money’s worth from the cost of a single ticket. Yes, that’s right, a single ticket. When we joined the queue for the initial trip, there were two ticket sellers on the sidewalk. The first young man sold us two adult tickets. When we came to the front of the line, the second seller noticed my bianco di canna . He pointed to it and exclaimed, “disabled!” Lyle recognized what he was saying and explained that I couldn’t see. When this was too many English words at one time, Lyle then said that I was blind. The young man became even more excited, pointed at me and again verbalized disable, and made the first ticket seller refund us the price of my ticket.

“You disabled,” he exclaimed again. “You are free.” While I didn’t really like being labelled disabled, I was quite happy to ride for free.

Much later in the afternoon, Lyle and I decided to walk to the famous Trevi Fountain. Lyle had googled the route and we had a map. Nevertheless, roads in Rome do not run at ninety-degree angles and we had only walked for about five minutes before both directions and map became impossible to follow. Lyle navigated us through by following the sun. I was amazed by his ingenuity and so proud of his skill in getting us to this famous Roman landmark. Of course, we soon discovered that on that afternoon, there were about five or six hundred other tourists who had also made their way to the same spot.

Following are three pictures. The first shows me sitting on the wet fountain edge about to toss in my coin for a wish. The second shows a small section of the crowd gathered in the piazza. The third is a picture of Trevi Fountain itself.

Me at Trevi Fountain's edge

Crowd at Trevi Fountain

Trevi Fountain

So, that is it for our Italian holiday. One more interesting note though. When Lyle googled to find the Italian words for white cane, my blog site also came up on the screen as part of the search. Thanks to everyone for following us on our journey.

Arriverderci Roma and Ciao.

April 21 - Leaving Sorrento

Lyle and I were sorry to leave Sorrnento. We enjoyed our stay here and especially liked our accommodation at Sorrento Apartments (www.sorrentoapartments.com). It was our kind of place. Because we were in the heart of historic Old Town, it was very easy to get to everywhere we wanted to go. We found everything we needed here. Down to the basics, we very quickly discovered a small grocery store and a laundromat. We usually walked for an hour or so each day exploring the maze of narrow streets and alleys. There were many, many restaurants and multiple souvenir shops. This next picture shows the outside of one such shop which specialized in lemon products. Lemon orchards abound in this part of Italy. 

"Lemon shop" in Sorrento

I have mentioned before the number of scooters on the streets. It is always a surprise to hear the horn of one of these coming from behind when we were quite sure the cobblestone pathway could only be meant for pedestrians. It was an even greater surprise when the odd time it was a small car or the mini garbage truck. The next picture was taken at night of a section of one hundred or so scooters parked at the side of the main road through town. 

Lots of scooters

One day we walked up the hill on the road which leads to Positano.  When we looked back there was an amazing view of the town spread out below us.  Lyle took this next picture of that view.

Sorrento

While we were sorry to say goodbye to Sorrento, we were also sorry to say goodbye to our newfound friend, Mirko. When we left, he shook hands with Lyle, kissed me on both cheeks and told us that we were very nice people. It left us with a very pleasant feeling and happy memories as we made our way back through the piazza to the  Sorrento station for our train back to Rome. Following is a picture of the main Sorrento piazza. 

Main Sorrento piazza

April 20 - Amalfi

I think that yesterday Lyle and I made two good choices. First, we chose to catch the local bus instead of taking the ferry. Secondly, we decided to bypass Potistano and continue on to Amalfi. For us, they were both good decisions. 

Let me tell you about the bus. The ride of thirty-five kilometers took an hour and fifty minutes. The road was incredibly narrow with many twists and turns. At times we seemed to be perilously close to the edge of the road, something which enabled me to see far more of the vertical cliffs and Amalfi coastline than if we had been travelling on the ferry. The ferry sails at some distance from the shoreline and basically, that is too far for my eyes to see the coast in any detail, if at all!

We were fortunate to arrive early enough to get seats on the bus. There were a number of people standing. As we travelled up and down the steep inclines and around the sharp bends, our driver sounded the horn with gay abandon. Lyle told me that he did this at every blind curve and hairpin bend. There were also multiple beeps when we met oncoming traffic. When this traffic was either another bus or perhaps a truck, we would slow down in order to squeeze by. Once when we met a truck, Lyle said that the other driver had to fold in his side mirrors in order for us to pass by. A couple of times, even this strategy did not work and we needed to reverse to a more opportune portion of the road that would allow for passing. I am quite sure that the choice of the local bus over the ferry enabled me to actually experience this section of the Amalfi coast. Also the bus fare was at least one third of the cost of the ferry!

When we arrived at Positano many of the other tourists alighted.  Positano did look amazaing. It is a small town built into the side of the cliff face.  I am posting a picture here taken throught the bus window. The town consists mainly of shops and steps. I do not exactly like shopping and the steps seemed daunting. We stayed on the bus and continued on to Amalfi., and what a pleasant contrast it was! The road swung down to the shore and nestled in a small harbor was Amalfi. As the bus stopped, our fellow passengers clapped and cheered the driver for getting us there safely.
 

Positano

Lyle and I walked down a long pier to find a bench in the sun where we ate our picnic lunch. It was perfectly relaxing. I even managed to take a picture of Lyle standing on the pier. I am not always able to do the picture taking. Sometimes I will miss a head or half a body, or sometimes even the whole thing of whatever it is that I am aiming for. Lyle said that this picture turned out quite well.

Lyle on Amalfi pier

From the pier and the dock we sauntered along a wooden boardwalk to a high seawall which protects the harbour.  The wall was quite high and we were able to look down on multiple small fishing boats moored along the side. The third picture shows some of these small craft.

Boats on Amalfi dock

All in all, this was a great way to spend our last full day in this area.
 

April 19 - Pompeii

To get to Pompeii from Sorrento we needed to catch the local train on the Circumvesuviano line.  We arrived at the station early in order to get a seat.  We sat on our train for about twenty minutes as more and more people began to fill the train.  Shortly before we were due to depart there was an announcement in Italian.  Immediately the other passengers stood up, left the train, and moved en masse to another platform.  Although we had not understood the announcement, we now knew what it meant.  We followed the crowd and were fortunate to get what looked like the last two remaining seats on our new train.

Pompeii was interesting.  It is a strange, desolate kind of place.  Even though there are tourists everywhere, there is still a sense of a city and its people having been destroyed.  The volcanic ash which covered the buildings suffocated the citizens.  This same ash is what has preserved the remnants of the city which we view today.

I found walking around Pompeii very difficult.  The paving stones which line the streets are uneven in shape and height.  My cane did not move easily over this surface.  I could not see the spaces between the stones and my progress was unsteady.

The first photo shows the entrance to the city, which is actually the original back gate.  The second picture shows me under one of the arches which are still standing in the city today.

 

April 18 - Capri

With help from Mirko, we are getting better in sending pictures from Italy for the blog.  Mirko is the grandson of the family who own the apartments where we are staying in Sorrento.

There are only two pictures from our day in Capri.  The first shows the ferry leaving from Sorrento. The second shows a cluster of boats waiting outside the entrance of the Blue Grotto.  The small row boats are the ones that are able to get through the low entrance into the grotto.  I have posted these two pictures so that you can see the incredible blue of the water here.  The color is truly amazing!

April 17 - Colosseum Pictures

Thank you to our hotel manager for his assistance and the use of his laptop.  We have now been able to post some pictures.  The first picture was taken from a small piazza above the Colosseo Metro Station showing Sue in front of the Colosseum.  The next two pictures show us inside the Colosseum on the third level.  This level overlooks the floor of the stadium where the gladiators fought.  The arena is huge.  On our tour we also walked around the lower (basement) level where the wild animals were caged and where the gladiators prepared for battle.  Here as well, many slaves worked to operate the winches to position the animals and the sets for each performance.  As well as jungle and desert landscapes it is even thought they were able to stage battles at sea.  There is evidence to suggest the stadium floor could be flooded with water.

As stunning as this may all seem, we were most in awe at the age of this structure which was completed in A.D. 80.  We were standing in the same place with the same outlook as others had experienced nearly 2000 years ago.

April 16 - Sorrento

Lyle and I spent today walking the streets of Sorrento. This morning we walked by many of the grand old hotels which overlook the sea.  They were very impressive, but I mist admit that I am happy with our small apartment in the heart of Old Town.  It is compact and freshly painted with good lighting. The induction top two-burner stove will always be a mystery for me to operate so Lyle is doing the cooking.

On our walk we strolled by the Hotel Syrene built on the ruins of the ancient Roman villa where Agrippa Postumo was exiled by his grandfather, the emperor Augustus.  With such a magnificent vista, it would not be too bad a place to spend in exhale!

This afternoon we sat on yet another bench and watched the traffic go by.  With the speed of the cars, buses, bicycles and scooters and pedestrians crossing at random, Lyle was sure we would see at least one accident. Amazingly, this was not the case.  As we sat, Lyle described the scooter riders to me. There were all types from young to old, male and female.  Some were casually attired while others wore business suits.  There were even families.  Lyle saw a father and mother with a child in between, and also a woman with a very young child in front and an older child behind.  All of the adults wore helmets but not all of the children.  Scooters appear to be the easiest way to navigate the narrow streets and also the easiest way to find a parking spot.  On one street we saw close to one hundred scooters parked in a row at the edge of the road. We have not yet found a computer where we can transfer pictures from our camera, but we hope to be able to post some pictures later.

April 15 - Capri

Today Lyle and I took the ferry from Sorrento to Capri.  I had always thought of Capri as an island of romance, but commercialism and tourism have definitely take over.  Paying 35 Euros (return) each for the short ferry ride was just the beginning than expensive day.

Of course we had to visit the Blue Grotto but the minibus ride there on the impossibly narrow road was more spectacular than the grotto itself.  The rowboat ride into the cave itself was only for about five minutes.  I found it too dark for me to see anything.

The highlight of the day was definitely the chairlift from Anacapri to the summit of Monte Solaro. The lift was for single passengers so Lyle went first so he could help me off at the summit.  The ride up was in silence, suspended in space.  It was totally awesome and I loved it.  The ride took nearly fifteen minutes to reach the top.  At times my feet seemed to nearly scrape the cliffs and tree branches, and at other times I was way above ground level.

The view from the top was amazing, with blue water and blue sky on every side.  We had packed a lunch and sat outside enjoying the sunshine. Coming down on the chairlift was equally spectacular as going up.  When it was time to get off the lift operator must have noticed my white cane because he used a strong arm and a handshake to get me out of the way of the next chair.

We took the steps and pathway to return to the ferry.  The sign said it was a ten minute walk. After a twenty minute walk we had or race along the pier to catch our ferry with thirty seconds to spare!  All in all, it was a great day.

April 14 - Rome to Sorrento

Lyle and I are in Sorrento.  On Saturday we caught the express train from Rome to Naples.  While it is not unusual for me to see very little of the landscape from a train window, I was surprised when Lyle mentioned that he was also seeing only a blur. There was however a good reason for this.  At point our train was travelling at 300 km/h.  No wonder it was hard to focus on any details outside answer sped along.

At Naples we were able to make an easy connection to the local train to Sorrento.  The driver on this old train had higher aspirations of speed but only succeeded in rattling our teeth!

The town of Sorrento is situated along the top of a cliff and is a long vertical drop to the sea.  This morning we sat on a bench near the cliff top overlooking the water, and this afternoon we took the lift down to the port and found a different bench for the same activity.  It was a lazy day in the sun.

Our small apartment is in the historic area of Sorrento.  I find that walking on the cobblestone pavement and narrow sidewalks is difficult, but I love the ambiance of the narrow streets, the small shops and busy restaurants. We are still surprised when cars and scooters appear out of nowhere behind or in front do us.  It is only the beginning of the tourist season here but there seem to be people everywhere.

April 12 - The Colosseum

Today was our tour of the Colosseum and Lyle managed to get us from our hotel to the Colosseum Metro station fairly easily. Our first glimpse of the Colosseum was amazing. It is an awesome architectural structure and although it is now only a ruin of its former glory, it was exciting for us just to be there. Unfortunately, our guide today seemed a little inexperienced and her English was difficult to understand. Nevertheless, Lyle and I were both thrilled to be standing in the midst of so much history.

I found the walking and the steps on the tour today quite strenuous. The pavement was very uneven and some of the walkways were irregular stones. The stairs were very steep. The elevator on the one level was not working and our guide ignored the second elevator completely. She rushed ahead from one interest point to another and my white cane might as well have been invisible.

However, one of our tour members showed an almost overwhelming concern for me. Perhaps she thought Lyle was neglecting me because she insisted on taking my arm in an almost vice-like grip on several downward flights of stairs. I found this very unnerving. I am never sure how to respond to this type of uncalled for assistance.

Now we are back at our hotel and I had to laugh when we read an email from my friend, Jean. She reminded me of the importance of constant hand washing when travelling. Well, after the excursion this morning I scrubbed my hands almost to the elbows. During the morning I had held on to so many dirty and sticky handrails, I was glad I could not see what I was touching.

Tomorrow we catch the train to Sorrrento. I hope the fine weather here continues. From what we read on the internet, we are missing some heavy snow in the forecast back home.

April 11 - Big or Multi Grande!

Rome is big! When Lyle and I looked at our map we thought that St. Peters Basillica was only a fifteen minute walk from our hotel. Instead, it turned out to be a half hour bus ride. Everything here is big.

In some ways "big" is better for those of us who have partial sight. In other ways, it is not. I was able to see the large outline of St. Peters. On the inside I was able to experience the vast expanse of the high ceiling and huge statues. However, I could not see the detail of the mosaics and other monuments.

Last month Lyle and I watched TV when the new Pope appeared on the high balcony. Today, Lyle took a picture of the same balcony. It is interesting that the camera can see what I cannot. I am hoping that when we get back to Canada I will be able to see this picture under my CCTV Reader.

Today at St. Peters our guide was excellent. She definitely noticed my white cane. Many times when we stopped at a point of interest she would call me to the front, saying, "Lady, come here!" I appreciated the individual attention, and at one point in the tour, was able to touch the bronzed left foot of St. Peter.

We would recommend a guided tour here. It was a great first day for us, and we did not get lost!

April 8 - Hotels

My friend, Sue, has recently returned from a trip to Mexico. She and her husband had stayed in an all-inclusive resort. Although they loved the warm temperatures and the beach atmosphere, Sue was not enamoured with the hotel. In her email to me she wrote, “The hotel was awful to walk around, hard echoing floor surfaces, steps and canned music all the time.”

All of these can certainly be challenging for someone who either doesn’t see or doesn’t see well. I always find that I need to concentrate when steps or stairs are involved. With familiar places, I am most often counting. I know that there are fourteen steps to our basement. I know that when I visit my sister, there are four steps to her unit. At a condo where we often stay there are two sets of nine steps each to reach the first floor landing. If I know that I am going to come down steps that I have recently climbed up, I will count the number each time.

As for canned music – well, noise can be a distraction at any time when concentration is required. Sometimes I find it difficult to carry on a normal conversation if I am moving about in an unfamiliar place. Basically, I find that I need to focus more on where I am and where I want to move to next. I try to tune out distracting extraneous noises of any kind.

I am hoping that the hotels Lyle and I have chosen on this next trip to Italy won’t present too many challenges to my independent mobility. We’ll soon find out because we leave tomorrow!

April 5 - Packing a Suitcase

I am packing our suitcase again. This time Lyle and I will be going to Italy. From what we have been able to learn on the Internet, the temperature in Rome will be somewhat warmer than here in Canada but with the possibility of showers. I have packed the suitcase accordingly. I have two basic outfits of layered clothing and have added a light rain poncho and travel umbrella for each of us.

I usually begin the packing process fairly early on. I lay out all the clothes that I would like to take along and then start taking away anything that is not essential. Packing lightly achieves two aims and both concern luggage management.

First, it is far easier for me to remember and identify what it is that I need from a smaller collection of objects in a case – mostly clothing – than it is for me to rummage through a larger mass of scattered mismatched and random items. Because we tend to travel fairly often, I have a routine of arranging things in a suitcase in a particular order.

Secondly, it is far easier to move about in a crowded airport or train station when there is only one piece of luggage to think about. Certainly when I am travelling alone, I need one hand for my cane and the other for the suitcase. If I need to, I wear a small backpack so that my hands can be free for those purposes. When Lyle and I are travelling together we will still take only the single suitcase. In this way, he can handle the luggage on one side and I will walk on the other side with my cane. In busy and crowded places, we can both do without the extra stress of additional luggage.

The one thing I pop in my checked bag that isn’t on the list for the average traveller is an extra folded white cane. I have never had to use my “spare”, but I take it along as a precaution should the one I carry with me become damaged or broken in some way. Do you remember me telling you about the white cane user I met in Hawaii? Her support cane was broken when security personnel insisted on putting it through the x-ray machine. My white cane is the one item on my travel list that is not easy or convenient to replace at a moments notice in an unfamiliar place.