This blog takes us back to early September '07. We'd spent several days in Rome and then caught the train all the way down to Salerno, just south of the famous Amalfi Coast. Here lie several pretty exclusive little villages. It was really tricky to find reliable but cheap accommodation but the Internet did us proud. After a gruelling bus trip (worse curves than The Great Ocean Road) we arrived at Fico D'India (meaning Prickly Pear in Italian) to meet our fantastic friendly host Pino.
Our room had the most fantastic view over the Gulf of Salerno. 
The meals were the best value, terrifically tasty and we couldn't possibly finish the food on our plates despite it being so good. Here's the view from the Breakfast Terrace.
We spent several days taking the bus and boats to the various villages. We admired the view from Ravello where Wagner lived for a long time.
We explored the cathedral in Amalfi and the colourful pottery so common in the area. Of course we were obliged to try some Limoncello too.
Our room had the most fantastic view over the Gulf of Salerno. 
The meals were the best value, terrifically tasty and we couldn't possibly finish the food on our plates despite it being so good. Here's the view from the Breakfast Terrace.
We spent several days taking the bus and boats to the various villages. We admired the view from Ravello where Wagner lived for a long time.
We explored the cathedral in Amalfi and the colourful pottery so common in the area. Of course we were obliged to try some Limoncello too.
We lay on the beach at Positano and climbed through it's steep streets.
The boat brought us past our B&B in Furore, a town built along a fjord (glacially carved valley) on the coast.
A day trip brought us to the island of Capri where all the rich and famous go. Jane had been very keen to see the famous Blue Grotto where various films have been made but bad weather meant the tour boats were not taking passengers there. They said "bad weather" but the sky was blue and the sea, almost still. Hmm..Perhaps they were filming again?
Our bank balance didn't fit with the island's other tourist traps (mainly shopping in Prada and the like) so we wandered through the free Augustus Gardens, walked down from the hilltop town centre and lay on the very pebbly beach before catching the boat back to Furore. Of course we did have spectacular views of Mount Vesuvius from Capri.
In the following days we travelled to Naples which was to be our base for visiting Pompei and Herculaneum. On the morning of August 24, A.D. 79 Vesuvius began to erupt. At dawn on August 25, a violent explosion of toxic gases and burning cinders devastated the city. The decision we made not to do a tour of the excavations at Pompei resulted in two very frustrated Altmanns. Although our guide book pointed out many particular sights we were overwhelmed by the huge area of the city and annoyed that many beautiful mosaics were so far off the restricted walking path, we couldn't see them well. Despite the difficulties we marvelled at the Baths and several beautiful mosiacs.
In the afternoon we travelled home via Herculaneum. This place is definately worth a visit. The particular details of the Eruption of Herculaneum allowed the preservation of wooden and organic materials like foods, furniture, papyri, cloth and skeletons, unlike Pompei which was comvered in Pumice and ash. Archaeologists have learnt a lot about the Romans from this period due to their discoveries here. And there's evidence of continued excavations in layers below the current site. The colours in the mosaics are still so vivid.
The boat brought us past our B&B in Furore, a town built along a fjord (glacially carved valley) on the coast.
A day trip brought us to the island of Capri where all the rich and famous go. Jane had been very keen to see the famous Blue Grotto where various films have been made but bad weather meant the tour boats were not taking passengers there. They said "bad weather" but the sky was blue and the sea, almost still. Hmm..Perhaps they were filming again?Our bank balance didn't fit with the island's other tourist traps (mainly shopping in Prada and the like) so we wandered through the free Augustus Gardens, walked down from the hilltop town centre and lay on the very pebbly beach before catching the boat back to Furore. Of course we did have spectacular views of Mount Vesuvius from Capri.
In the following days we travelled to Naples which was to be our base for visiting Pompei and Herculaneum. On the morning of August 24, A.D. 79 Vesuvius began to erupt. At dawn on August 25, a violent explosion of toxic gases and burning cinders devastated the city. The decision we made not to do a tour of the excavations at Pompei resulted in two very frustrated Altmanns. Although our guide book pointed out many particular sights we were overwhelmed by the huge area of the city and annoyed that many beautiful mosaics were so far off the restricted walking path, we couldn't see them well. Despite the difficulties we marvelled at the Baths and several beautiful mosiacs.
In the afternoon we travelled home via Herculaneum. This place is definately worth a visit. The particular details of the Eruption of Herculaneum allowed the preservation of wooden and organic materials like foods, furniture, papyri, cloth and skeletons, unlike Pompei which was comvered in Pumice and ash. Archaeologists have learnt a lot about the Romans from this period due to their discoveries here. And there's evidence of continued excavations in layers below the current site. The colours in the mosaics are still so vivid.
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