Travel – Page 6 – JimJohn.net

Travel: Genoa Day 2

What an interesting change in exploring a new city. Genoa is a big city with a population exceeding 750,000 people.

Understandably, a travelers engagement changes a bit. Some people go about their routine without regard for others.

After being on the road for three weeks, it was worthwhile to pause and assess the dynamics of our recent travels.

On the flip side we have encountered many locals with a sincere sense of service and hospitality. At times like this we choose to focus on the positive and discount the negative.

We decided to explore the inner city a bit deeper and discovered a few exceptional places to eat, snack and visit.

Here are some of our wonderful discoveries and experiences.

The square in front of our hotel is a busy intersection of neighborhoods in the area.

The areas above and beyond reflect a more affluent and diverse population.

The Cathedral of San Lorenzo is not to be missed and dated to the early 13th century.

One of the many side chapels in the Cathedral.

After a busy morning of exploring we decided to reward ourselves with a nice lunch. After wandering through the narrow backroads of the old city we discovered a wonderful local wine bar with an excellent menu featuring local wines, exceptional salads and regional pastas.

The owner recommended a Portofino white wine.

The meat and cheese plate included four iItalian meats, four cheeses and crostini and a sweet honeypot. It was exceptionally delicious.

A charming and welcoming cafe focused on local wine and cuisine.

The Cathedral towers from a distance and a short walk from the hotel.

Travel: Genoa, Italy

Hi everyone! Today we said goodbye to Pisa. We took a two hour fast train to Genoa for our first visit and arrived early afternoon. We had plenty of time for a late lunch and a quick tour of the city.

Genoa is a fast paced economic powerhouse with international banking, a healthy shipping industry and a well educated population. It’s also beautiful with many world class attractions nearby.

Here are a some pictures from our afternoon.

Our hotel. We are the top right room. Quite nice.

This massive fountain in the centerpiece of the city only a few blocks away.

This was the menu for our lunch. It’s a half a block away from the hotel and a local institution. It’s chuck full of locals, the quality is legendary and the prices are incredibly low.

The Harbor area continues to grow and prosper.

Many former palaces are repurposed as corporate offices.

Clever displays in the old town markets.

Travel: Lucca, Italy

Today we decided to explore a city we have not traveled to after all these years, Lucca, only 25 minutes by train from Pisa!

What a pleasant surprise! It’s compact and exists mostly inside the 2-1/2 miles of Renaissance walls from centuries gone by. It is flat and easy to walk almost everywhere. There is plenty of shopping, sightseeing, and food choices galore.

We spent the morning getting acquainted with churches, towers and plazas. By late morning our stomachs are thinking about food. After getting a bit lost, we finally stumbled upon a restaurant John had read about, Trattoria da Leo. It is a favorite of the locals and the blue collar workers in town. We were treated kindly and lunch was excellent, hearty soups and salads more than enough for lunch. Like the locals, we were offered and accepted a liquor of choice to finish our meal.

Here are some of our favorite photos.

That’s our hotel, gray building on the right, Hotel Royal Victoria, in Pisa.Our hotel was built in the 11th Century, family owned and considered the oldest hotel in Italy. It’s unique, quirky, with a great roof terrace. We booked a large room overlooking the river. Do not expect luxury but the staff is more than welcoming and hospitable.

The 12th Century Cathedral and bell tower of St. Martin’s.

The ceilings of the Cathedral repeat and repeat.

Travel: Pisa, Italy

A BIG HI to everyone! We finished our cruise yesterday and will be traveling on our own again until next week.

We had a good time, made some new friends and enjoyed time with some existing friends, that’s always fun!

Our last photo from Naples on the ship was Mt. Vesuvius. We have never seen the top…Oh well.

We took the train to Pisa, a destination we have not visited in over 30 plus years. My it has changed! The crowds aren’t quite as huge as Rome or Florence but they are not far from it! Nonetheless, we had a great day getting reacquainted.

Two big observations: first, the Italian train system is massively upgraded. High speed trains seem to be readily, and affordable, available in and to most major cities whisking travelers around at relatively low costs.

Next, food quality and availability is much better now than it was just a few years ago. We have been talking to the hotel staff, other travelers and quick checks on the internet (readily available virtually everywhere so far).

OK…enough of that! Here are some photos from yesterday. Enjoy, J&J

The massive image of the fallen angel was new to us. It was touching and poignant at the same time.

Our first look at the site in 30+ years.

The Cathedral and the tower from another perspective.

Travel: Naples: Archaeological Museum

Yesterday we visited Naples. It is a massive, chaotic, gritty but fascinating city. It is also the home to one of the world’s finest museums. We spent the better part of a day exploring some of the worlds finest sculptures and mosaics housed in a former Bourbon palace.

Here are some of the collection.

Emperor Claudius, Bronze, 1st century AD

Farnese Hercules, over 10’ tall, 3rd century Roman marble, found in 1546 Rome.

Toro Farnese is 13 feet tall and the largest in tact statue from antiquity. 3rd century AD

Battle of Alexander floor mosaic, 2nd century BC found in Pompeii.

One of the museums finest rooms with original art.

Door Knockers of Malta

As we explored the older parts of Malta we were intrigued by the variety of door knockers on residential buildings. This seemed a bit odd given that most buildings had more than one residences.

All said, we started noticing door knockers and now think many are worth sharing. Quirky yes, but interesting.

We hope you enjoy.

J&J

Travel: Malta Day 2

Yesterday was day 2 in Malta. We used the Hop On, Hop Off bus. We decided on two routes. One went to Mdina, Malta’s capital centuries ago, now a picturesque village in the center of the island.

The second route took us south to the arid coast and little beach towns before returning to the capital Valletta. It was a fun day with the ride ending along the city’s upscale waterfront complete with hotels, condos, apartments, international shopping and restaurants.

Roman aqueduct that runs 16 miles across the island.

The third largest unreinforced dome in the world.

Ocean caves along the coast, underneath is the famed Blue Grotto.

Colorful boats are typical of the coastal resorts.

The rapidly changing waterfront is typically modern and old at the same time.

Just for giggles…this is the staircase exit in case the 15 story tourist elevator fails.

Travel: Malta Day 1

It’s been a busy but fun couple of days. Malta is a densely populated sovereign country located about 70 miles south of Sicily and about 120 miles north of Tunisia.

Day 1 we explored the city on our own. Here are our favorite pictures from Day 1.

Extensive ramparts surrounds much of the old town.

A massive fountain near the center of government buildings.

Very narrow but typical neighborhood street.

Sent from my iPad

Travel: Kotor, Montenegro

Greetings from the Mediterranean Sea!

Yesterday we visited Kotor, Montenegro. It was our second visit to this charming small town with a medieval town center.

The good news is it’s as charming as ever. The bad news is there were 4 cruise ships that simply overwhelmed the town.

Nonetheless, we managed to enjoy a nice long walk and a great lunch before returning to the peace and quiet of our room.

A public water fountain before the crowds arrive.

A nearby village as seen from the city walls.

A wonderful lunch…the feta was outstanding! The pizza…perfect. The wine was pretty good too!

Travel: Dubrovnik, Croatia

Good morning to all!

We just arrived in Kotor, Montenegro and our first cloudy day. Looks like we will have our first sprinkles soon. Good news is mild temperatures are forecasted all day.

In the meantime here are some photos from yesterday in Dubrovnik.