In the frozen wasteland that is my homeland, most people envision HEAVEN as looking like this, Positano:
Perfect climate: never too hot, never too cold. Fantastic local wine, food, fruit, bread and vegetables. You can’t get fat because it’s a 1500cal expenditure just to walk up from the beach to the hostel.
Here’s the view from Brikette.
La vita è bella.
… another rosso vino, Cosmo …
I’m off to Postiano for the most famed hike in southern Italy.
HOTS loaned me a mountain bike. And gave me recommendations on where to go.
My favourite man made structure here is the Galleria Umberto.
Happily it was a lazy Sunday. And there was an important futball game on TV. The roads were, for once, not busy.
I set out along the Bay, Vesuvius in the distance.
The highlight was vistas out over the sea from Virgiliano Park.
That’s Nisida island.
Most of those are not my pics which, sadly, did not turn out all that great.
But you can see more interesting photos tagged Naples on Flickr.
I’m reminded of all the reasons why I can’t live in Europe.
Yet I’ve always had a soft spot for Italy.
The loud, enthusiastic, gesticulating people. The gorgeous landscapes. The food, vino and gelato.
… I could almost live in Italy.
The only other time I’ve been close to Naples, I was 18yrs-old. We drove past en route to the Isle of Capri. It took hours as traffic was terrible … in 1976.
Traffic is worse now.
Naples is one of the oldest cities in the world, and looks it.
It’s one of the richest cities in the world (richer than Zurich, for example) yet you could film a movie set in a 3rd world hellhole, if you wished, here.
Graffiti? … Must be an Italian word. … Invented in Pompeii. That’s my guess.
Jetlagged, I checked in at the friendly Hostel of the Sun. My host, Luca, insisted I visit the hot spot in old town, for my first meal.
Sorbillo’s, Naples
Gorgonzola, ham, mushroom. Fantastic. And inexpensive.
That’s a tasty first impression.
I love the redeye charters from North America direct to Europe, arriving early morning. That way you can connect to your final destination arriving same day.
Last year I got to Cortina, Italy in the daylight.
This year to Napoli, Italia just at dusk.
Famed for its cousine, there are only two kinds of restaurants here: pizzerias and non-pizzerias.
I’m here to hike the Amalfi coast.
At the Calgary airport you can buy confiscated Swiss Army knives for $2 … and many other items every Tuesday morning starting. It’s a charity fund-raiser.
Dangerous weapons … and toys that might hold dangerous fluids:
Check your local airport to see if they do the same thing.
(via BestHike)
I fly to the U.K. one way for $505 – direct Calgary to Gatwick on Thomas Cook.
I’m en route to Saudi Arabia where I will be teaching a 9 day gymnastics coaching clinic.
I need to get to Cabo for some dental work.
hmm …
… fights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Los Cabos start Dec. 16, 2010, and flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Cancun will start Jan. 19, 2011. ….
Virgin America announces nonstop flights to Los Cabos and Cancun from $129
Land of Timmies.
My car is fixed, for now. About $500 total. The guys finished the repair just before closing.
____ original post:
I was half hoping my old Honda would break down in Vegas. … Have it towed to the auto wrecker. Fly home to Calgary. Simple.
For my $1600 initial cost, I didn’t expect it to last forever.
Worst case scenario → break down in the middle of nowhere.
From Livingston, I still need to get home to Calgary. How do I do that without the Honda?
I gambled. About $500 (so far) to replace the fuel pump and filter, same day.
Livingston, I presume.
Rick McCharles 