Italian Vacation. Part 2
Day 2. Continued
At the very beginning of our life together with Maris, we agreed that I would be responsible for all our travels within Russia, and he — as a full-fledged EU citizen — would take care of trips around Europe.
So in Italy, my only task was to snatch some time for sleep, and of course, keep up with my husband and daughter, who climbed everywhere they could climb and caught everything they could catch )))
We get in the car and head out onto the straight highway Rome — Naples.
The navigator warns that there’s a toll road ahead. ?????
It turns out that toll highways are a very convenient thing. When you enter, you take a ticket, and from that moment on, it’s a driver’s paradise, especially for Russian drivers used to rough roads, speed limits, and the rudeness of fellow drivers.
Here — it’s a completely different picture. Speed — 130 km/h. No one cuts you off, no side roads where local Schumachers appear out of nowhere. The left lane is always free. Before the speed cameras — a huge sign warning that there are cameras ahead ))) And no police officers hiding in the bushes?!
Every 25 km — a service area with an Autogrill snack bar, a shop, and a free restroom with showers. Grab a bite, rest, and then — back on the road!
When I asked why we were going to Naples, Maris answered with one word: VESUVIUS.
We reach the foot of the mountain, quickly transfer to a local minibus — at first we didn’t even notice its slightly odd appearance — and head up… We sat in the very back on a wide bench to have more space.
Our joy lasted until the FIRST turn, of which there were a great many during the half-hour ride.
In the photo, you can see that the bus’s rear wheels are almost in the center, so on sharp turns (and they were all like that), the back end would swing off the road: you look out the window, and beneath you is an abyss… or rather, a tree-covered slope about a kilometer high )))
Unforgettable sensations. Especially for me, who avoids any carousels and amusement rides.
They drove us to an open area about 1000 meters above sea level — further only on foot — and dropped us off with the advice to return in an hour and a half, if you don’t want to walk down the mountain on your own…
This is the view that opens up from there. At the foot below — Naples (though I could be wrong).
With jokes and banter, we quickly made it to the very crater. And right then we realized why the volcano is called one of the three most dangerous in the world… it’s an active volcano, though dormant; in some places, smoke seeps from the cracks, and around the crater there’s equipment measuring the volcano’s activity. Oops, we won’t “scare” the child anymore, and ourselves too ))
Two hours later, we’re back in the car.
* * * * *
Maris Dreshmanis:
Our Svetlana — that’s what I call the TomTom, because it speaks with a female Russian voice — refused to guide our way literally about 7 hours after purchase, and we found out about it the moment we came down from Vesuvius.
We decided to head down closer to the sea, find internet, and reboot the navigator’s software.
We came down from the mountain, and then I fully experienced what the streets of Naples are like.
It turns out, not just in movies, but in real life, it’s simply something unimaginable.
In Naples, there is one main street, and on it, with triple caution, I tried to adapt to the locals’ manner of covering distances.
The thing is, Italians on their scooters can easily dart out from the side, right in front of your hood, and calmly continue on their way. At the same moment, another speedster cuts you off from the other side.
They’re so used to it. But we are not.
* * * * *
Alena:
We didn’t last long ))) So we stop at the first nearby hotel.
There’s a parking spot, it looks decent from the outside — seems worthy of its claimed three stars.
At the reception, I explain that we’ll only take a room if there’s stable internet with good speed… In response: of course, we have it.
Mindful of the car rental story in Rome, we don’t rush to pay, go up to the room, and without unpacking, check the internet.
There is none. None at all.
What a commotion ensued… The administrator changed the router, dragged in some cable, tried connecting Maris’s laptop to the computer at reception… result — zero.
Since there’s no internet — we’re leaving!
In response: But I’ve already registered you…
And what’s that to us? We warned you right away that we don’t need a room, but quality internet.
Anyway, after three hours, Maris simply took our passports and left.
Right around the corner, we checked into a four-star hotel, where they gave us a two-room suite with stable internet and breakfast included.
From that moment on, we simply ignored any offers to stay in a 3-star hotel.
Day 3. July 5, 2012
The morning started off fun…
The car we parked at night was surrounded on all sides by buzzing scooters. No way forward, no way back.
It turned out that in the twilight, we hadn’t realized we’d parked in a spot for mopeds and motorcycles… So their owners “joked” in a purely Italian manner ))
Literally a minute later, a smiling Italian guy pulled up, explained the situation, and helped clear a bit of space.
On my own, it probably wouldn’t have helped me get out, but Maris managed it…
We’re going to show Pompeii to our child, so she can clearly see what a single volcano can do if you ignore all the signs it sends.
Long ago, maybe back in Soviet times, I watched a film about the last days of Pompeii, how a huge, prosperous city on the seashore was buried in ash and mud.
It was excavated many centuries later, intact and preserved. All objects, including people, had turned to stone.
That’s something like what I expected to see: an ancient city with all its attributes.
Alas, nothing remained except the ruins of structures. Some things were taken for private collections, some were moved to museums; we couldn’t see how people lived in the 5th century AD.
Maybe some people find it interesting to walk through museums, examining the exhibits on display… I, however, want to immerse myself in the atmosphere and way of life, and not an artificially recreated one, but one reflecting the true spirit of the era, to see how people lived in those distant times.
Moreover, the very history of the cataclysm contributed to this. But no, bare walls of unclear purpose, whether houses, shops, or something else…
But the photos turned out beautiful.
Maris is a total hottie )))
* * * * *
In this part of Italy, we visited everything Maris had planned, and we’re heading to the Adriatic coast towards Venice.
Around us, mountain landscapes give way to well-kept fields and windmills; the sea is only visible from afar.
The air feels very different with its humidity; you only feel comfortable in the car with the air conditioning on.
Somewhere in the middle of the highway, Maris gets tired, and I have to get behind the wheel.
Oh my God?! Tunnel after tunnel.
Cars whiz by at 130 km per hour, in two lanes.
The pressure is on: if you accidentally swerve into the next lane, you’ll be in for it…
AAAAAAAH
In that mode, I only lasted about 200 kilometers.
Meanwhile, Maris was having a blast: he got out his video camera and filmed reports right along the road.
We arrived in Rimini already in the dark. And straight to the beach.
It’s a big resort, after all.
It takes about 7 minutes to walk from the edge of the beach to the sea. Everywhere you look, there are just umbrellas. The beach is sandy, though.
No desire to take a dip arises.
We hop on booking.com. Right in front of us is a hotel, of course 4 stars (we know the drill), a hot deal on a triple room with breakfast and internet access for 59 euros. Beautiful!
Day 4. July 6, 2012
In the morning, we admire the sea view from the window. We do a little shopping, since it’s a resort town, everything is clear here — hotels on the first line, and right behind them, dozens of shops with everything you need for a vacation.
(In all other Italian cities, this is a hassle. They probably have everything, but it’s hard to find.)
We also buy some painkillers at the pharmacy; Maris’s tooth has started to ache, not pleasant at all, and he still has to drive the car.
Just look at those rows of umbrellas on the beach! First, the whole crowd sunbathes, then the same crowd goes into the sea… in my opinion, that’s not a vacation…
So, ahead of us is the city-republic of San Marino!
To be continued…
Route Map
Total distance: 1884 km
View larger map