Off Topic Passions, Hobbies and Interests

Still don’t know it

 

Got recommended to stay in Hotel Club there by our local Co-op travel rep, great home cooked food and great location to see Naples, Vesuvius, Pompeii etc. (Sorrento is 10 mins by train, but as you say stupidly busy). Capri and Amalfi (also very busy) worth a visit too

 

What is hilarious is watching the Italians driving on their scooters. Have seen a family of four, all on one scooter with mobile phones in hand but all wearing crash helmets of the wrong size. Crossing the road is terrifying too, there doesnt seem to be any rules at zebra crossings at all.

 

Aye did all that but we used to walk to Sorrento, think it was about half an hour from memory. Poistano is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, the view when you arrive by sea is ridiculous.

 

Bit late but.. Classic scootering, trekking hills n mountains. Wild camping on aforementioned or just in local woods, cooking outdoors and practicing being a tightwad.

 

....oh and poker

 

How apt for Valentine's Day

 

I was in Naples last week with her ladyship for her birthday. She is studying Roman history and wanted to visit Pompeii and Ercolano/Herculaneum.

I see what everyone says about the poverty in Naples. The place is basically falling to pieces and is probably only held together by the graffiti that adorns every wall (even the Cathedral). The locals were really friendly and helpful. It looked dodgy but I didn't feel at all uncomfortable or threatened.

The food and wine were brilliant and cheap. The local Aglianico and Lachryma Christi wines are well worth seeking out.

We went to see the Napoli/Lazio game while were there. This was 1st vs 3rd in Serie A. The ground was half empty so I felt quite at home.

 

If you get pickpocketed and they steal your phone the most likely outcome would be them having a whip round between them to help you get one from this century!

 

I've been to Stromboli , just on a day trip though , it's very nice but what is there to do there for a week ?

 

Any other runners on here?

And if so can you recommend any off-road races - half marathon / marathon / ultramarathon?

 

I'll send you a PM. I don't want to cause a riot

 

I have stayed there too.
I always tell everone the best bit about the holiday was the restaurant close to our hotel which did the best spag vongole we have ever had and other seafood and very cheap.
It slso seemed to act as a takeaway for the locals for pizzas or chicken and chips. They had a spit full of chickens roasting all night long.

 

We did the walk a couple of times but used the train a lot when we found out if you a some tickets from the tabaconists you got a locals price which half the cost of normal tickets.
We used them as well for getting to Pompeii and heracul.

 

It wasn’t Ciao Toto was it? That was right near my hotel, very unassuming but genuinely some of the best food I have ever eaten. Better than Black Swan at Olstead (voted World’s Best last year) and it cost about €30 with much wine.

I’ve just looked on Tripadvisor and it seems everyone either had a fantastic experience or an awful one.

 

Cannot remember the name but it was definitely unassuming so much so, we almost did not go in. In the end we went about 5 times in a 10 day holiday. Much better than some of the over priced Sorrento restaurants.

 

Just cannot beleive the amount of graffiti in that area particularly on trains and stations. I had a bad experience on the train to Naples when some Italian kids got on and proceeded to "decorate" their end of the carriage. The train was almost full with mainly locals but nobody dared to say anything to them.

 

The Circumvesuviana train is subject to a lot of crime and passengers are constantly bothered by beggars. It also has no air-conditioning and gets ridiculously hot in the summer. It is nearly always crowded and they appear to make up the timetable as they go along. The rolling stock is old and poorly maintained and the whole system is woefully understaffed.


On the plus side, it's cheap as chips.

 

That'll never catch on as something people like to do...

 

Just thought I would put up a bit from a blog I do for my kids weekly, just to give you a flavour for life out here.

Well, it’s been a busy week for the folk of Vietnam, Chinese New Year is upon us, and they certainly throw themselves into it with gusto. It seems a big tradition that they adorn their houses outside with flowers, and close to where I have living there is many growers bring to sell their wares. I have followed tradition and bought some to put outside the house, not to feel out of the situation.
Went into Cao Lahn last night, which was an experience, I have never seen so many Motor Bikes both on the road and parked up, most going to see the activities the local government puts on in the central park. There isn’t much in the way of a driving code here, generally, you drive on the right, but many just drive on any side of the road that is convenient for where they want to go. However, they seem to have an unwritten way of just working to the theory that you just avoid each other. At road junctions, there doesn’t seem to be a right of way, just every man for himself.
Tonight (Thursday) is apparently at midnight a large firework display to welcome in the New Year, so I am being taken to see that, so looks as if it is going to be a late night.

Amazing what they can put on their Motor Bikes.

Bikes as far as the eye can see.

My mode of transport, when in Vietnam do as the Vietnamese do.