Germany and Italy

Sent 08 Nov 1999

The last e-mail update (from Paris again, after travels in Germany & Italy)

Germany

We had a very pleasant 2 days in Germany.  The pedestrian areas of Stuttgart are very nice.  We visited our German friends (the Keidels), and we were fortunate enough to participate in a wonderful family birthday party for
Georgie.  The following day we had lunch in a castle on the picturesque Swabian Alp.  I reminisced about skiing the Haute Route (back in 85 - where we met) with Jurgen, over a delicious BBQ meal.
 

Italy.

They don't have lunatic ayslums.  They have roads.  Somehow, normal people manage to drive on them as well. On arrival in Milan, the pace of life (and cars) seems faster and more hectic, with a tinge of disorder creeping in.  It is hard to put your finger on it, but you start to feel that just living there is a bit more difficult (and expensive) than elsewhere.
 

Milan & Pavia

We visited old friends (Antonella & Lucio) near Milan, it is great to have a welcoming contact, and the opportunity to exchange gossip about mutual friends, such as the infamous Brutto Cattivo, over dinner.

Milan is a nice place to look around; high fashion shops and pedestrian areas and its insanely intricate cathedral (the entire roof & ramparts are sculptures). The archeological museum is under-rated; some intriguing Roman remnants are there for those who look. The old city is alive and well.  Well-dressed ladies & men pedal around on bikes somehow.

We visited another friend (Gerardo & family) in nearby Pavia for a day.  It is a nice old university town with a lovely river setting and a superb Carthusian monastery a short drive away.  We had a sumptuous Italian meal with the family and enjoyed their warm hospitality.
 

Naples

The train trip was quite pleasant.  We arrived in a mild state of panic after reading the (crappy) Rough Guide description.  The Neapolitans however, turned out to be very nice and not at all threatening.  We didn't have a moments trouble during our stay.

A walk into the old town (Spacca Napoli) seems like a trip back to mediaevel Europe - it is incredibly busy.  Life extends directly from small shopfronts onto the narrow roads - there is no footpath.  Somehow, the black market cigarette sellers and their small tables coexist on the road with the incessant chaos of scooters, cars and buses.  Distances here are judged by the millimeter, rather than the meter.  The local youth entertain themselves with acts of bravado amidst the traffic.  Courtship is done between scooters.  Occasionally one chugs past with three people on it.  Nobody wears helmets.

It is a city with a split personality - the "new town" is closer to the harbour, sports a palace, a castle and fashionable shopping & residential areas which are quite chic.

Lena's relatives (Michelina & Ciro) were exceptionally hospitable, showing us around.  We had the best pizza for dinner, and more great home cooking. Ciro explaining the mystery of road travel - it is very safe because everybody is always watching for any eventuality (e.g. cars going the wrong way, through red lights & stop signs etc.)  Always look, we were advised.
 

Around Naples


After Naples we got a car and drove inland to Benevento and Paupisi to visit more relatives (Marcangelo, Cecilia & their family); again we were treated to exceptional hospitality and had a good look around.  No tourists here.

Back towards Naples we found the palace of Reggio de Caserta (Italy's Versaille) after much trauma.  Road signs seem to be either absent or inaccurate much of the time.

The drive and climb up Mt Vesuvius is excellent - views of the crater and the Bay of Naples are superb, and it was nice & cool.  Couldn't help wondering whether all of Naples would go up with the next eruption though. Pompei, which was superb, seem to indicate that it could.
 

Sorrento, Capri, and the Amalfi coast

All nice, but quite busy - I would hate to see them during the high season, or find accommodation.  The whole area is a tourist mecca, and is priced accordingly.  Standing on the summit of the mountain of Capri is an unforgettable experience.
 

Calabria

Further south, the 5C BC greek temples of Paestum are remarkable.  Then into Calabria.  We found some nice coastal towns (Maratea & Tropea), but a lot is suprisingly over-developed.  Driving over the forested Aspromonte range to the eastern coast was very enjoyable. We visited the ancient hill town of Gerace before we descended to Siderno.

More relatives (Maria & Franco & their children Rosita & Emmanuelle), again exceptionally hospitable and eager for news from the now distant Australian connection.  Good mountain biking here too . . .

Then a final run South, back over the Aspromonte, and into Reggio di Calabria, where we left the car.  Easy to get around and friendly locals again.  Sicily seems like a stones throw away, but not this time.
 

Turin

The train ride the next day back to Turin was a 16 hour epic, but we spent a pleasant day looking around the town, a quieter and more European place. It was very elegant, well organised, and the minimal traffic in the centre is very well behaved.
 

Back to Paris


The TGV/Eurostar back to Paris only took 6 hours - those 300km/h stretches are magic.  We are relaxing a bit and getting ready for the final big pack & departure.
 

Getting packed & returning home

After a final two day flit back into Switzerland (Lausanne; love those TGVs) it is now time to get everything packed and return - we leave Europe on 6/11 and arrive home on 8/11.

Looking forward to catching up with you all soon.

Ciao for now, Peter & Lena


PS: I am voting for the republic; I got sick of explaining what the Queen of
England is doing on our banknotes when I showed them to curious Europeans.

PPS: There is NO old-growth forest left in Europe.