Mama Mia! We were in Italy!

I’m bloody slow with these updates now that I’m back at home.   But we are almost there.   The last European destination in the RTW trip was actually 3 locations through Italy.    We started by flying from Barcelona to Palermo (Sicily) via Madrid.   I know…  it was the long way around.   The trip took all day.
Going to Sicily was quite an experience.  I had no expectations of Italy at all.   In fact we were going off the beaten track a little to find the towns and the houses in which Frank’s parents were born in.  So after a quick 2 night stop in Palermo we boarded the ferry to head out to Lipari on the Aeolian Islands.   The 4 hour ferry ride was long but it was fun seeing all the islands along the way.  Palermo had great pizza and pasta but Lipari (or the town of Canneto where we stayed) had the delicious gelato and Brioche combinations.   I also loved the Cannolis there.   I hope I’m getting the spelling right.
The best day on the islands had to be when we went on a little boat tour (pictured below) around all the islands.   It was more of a boat ride with lots of swimming in the sea.   The water was amazingly clear and I was swimming with hundreds of tropical fish.   This comes close to being the best day of the whole vacation.   I was jumping off the boat and floating around look for all sorts of sea life.   They even cooked us a pasta meal on the little boat for lunch!
The trip from the islands to Rome was long.  A 7 hour ferry ride to Naples followed by a 2 hour train trip to Rome.   We were not happy campers by the time we arrived in Rome.   The hotel messed us around a little and the city was a little dirtier than we had expected.   But we had a nice time walking about, seeing the sites, eating loads and shopping, shopping, shopping.   Another great day was when we caught the train to Formia to see where Frank’s Dad lived.  Much of his family were killed in the house that we saw.  Sitting in the quiet little square near the house was quite a surreal moment.   It felt strange for us to be there and not his Dad who may never see it again.   I took a hundred photos and a video so hopefully he can enjoy it through my eyes.
Photos:  Above is the jet that took us from Madrid to Palermo.

That’s Frank’s suitcase…   I had suitcase size envy for most of the trip…   except when steep stairs were involved.

Posing in front of some old building in Rome.  I see an apartment development.

Resting on the Spanish Steps in Rome.

The view from our hotel in Canneto (Aeolian Islands)

Waiting for the boat tour to start at Canneto

Swimming in the Mediteranean Sea during the boat tour

Frank and I on the back of the boat after a refreshing dip in the sea.  I was the only person who did not understand Italian on the boat.   The only english I heard was when the boat owner told me to swim out and untie the boat from the rocks and pull in the anchor.  I think I was the deckhand for the day.



The mud baths at the town of Vulcano.  Where you can also see the Volcano.   I didn’t go in because it was all a bit stinky.

And this was our tour boat moored at Canneto.   The boat was ran by the owner Davideh.   He was taking a group of women out shopping to another island the next day.   The town of Canneto really is a magical place.   I’m sure that after our 3 day stop there everyone knew us.   Frank was running over and hugging old ladies as if they were his long lost granny!   He loved it there…  I on the other hand am more suspicious.
We had a nice stay in Canneto except we were sent packing from our hotel after the owner demanded we pay more money than we had booked for.   So in the heat of our last afternoon there we packed our suitcases and fleed!  To another hotel of course.   It was kinda fun now that I think back about it.   Of course we may never be allowed back in Canneto again.