In Italia

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

In Italia

Postby il padrone » Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:40 am

We've now reached and seen Taormina with Etna erupting, after the Aeolian Islands, Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Salerno and Roma. Loving every minute of it :D


Image



[edit]Only just over 250kms by bike so far though. Lots of trains and ferries to get us down south for the sun, then we begin island-hopping northwards.
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

User avatar
Pax
Posts: 1277
Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2008 5:23 pm
Location: Sunshine Coast, Qld

Re: In Italia

Postby Pax » Mon Apr 29, 2013 7:16 am

Wow (nice drop behind you)......fantastic, looking forward to more updates!

Hope you have a great time.

redrover3
Posts: 371
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 8:23 pm

Re: In Italia

Postby redrover3 » Wed May 01, 2013 10:01 pm

Love that part of the world. Look forward to updates. It's been 22 years.
Tony

dalai47
Posts: 2430
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:28 am
Contact:

Re: In Italia

Postby dalai47 » Fri May 03, 2013 11:35 am

Very jealous. Spent 9 days on Sicily last September but without bike... So really itching to get back one day with bike and do some riding on Mt Etna!

Looking forward to checking back for more updates. :D

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: In Italia

Postby il padrone » Sat May 04, 2013 7:03 am

Now enjoying Ragusa's churches.....


Image



and cafes...... both of which are plentiful and very impressive :D

Image


Sampling the marvellous Italian cuisine :wink:

Image


The Citta de Ragusa is the location where all of the Inspector Montalban series on SBS was filmed :o . An outstanding movie setting really, such iconic baroque town streets and stepped lanes.
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

dalai47
Posts: 2430
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:28 am
Contact:

Re: In Italia

Postby dalai47 » Sat May 04, 2013 8:57 am

That looks like the cafe in front of the Cathedral of San Giorgio??? If it is we ate there too! :D

But looks like you got the better weather. It was raining for us... Where are you heading next?

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: In Italia

Postby il padrone » Mon May 06, 2013 6:59 am

Indeed it is the Duomo of San Giorgio.

We had some rain back in Lipari for a day or so, nothing but fine and generally sunny weather since. Today was 27C at 11am, touching 32c yesterday I reckon. We have been through Gela and are now in Agrigento after a big day's riding. Tomorrow we tour the temples, then on towards Palermo by a yet to be defined route, then Sardinia

:D
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

dalai47
Posts: 2430
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:28 am
Contact:

Re: In Italia

Postby dalai47 » Mon May 06, 2013 9:59 am

Loved the temples at Agrigento!

If you head North via Enna, check out the Villa Romana del Casale - http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/832/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Unfortunately we only heard of this after our trip.

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: In Italia

Postby il padrone » Sun Jun 16, 2013 3:45 am

Now in Genoa, having toured through the west of Sicily, then the SE and NW of Sardegna, followed by the whole spectacular west coast of Corsica. We got to ride most of stage 3 of this year's Tour de France and bought ourselves TdF collectible 100th anniversary t-shirts in Calvi.

Top destinations so far: Ragusa Ibla, the temples at Segesta, Monreale's spectacular cathedral, Cefalu's medieval streets, the ride from Bosa to Alghero, Alghero, religious procession in Sassari, Castelsardo, Bonifacio's cliffs, the Casa di Roccapina, le Calanches, Porto (everything about it), Calvi's citadel, and the coast at Ile Rousse. Genoa's palazzos have been pretty special as well.
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

User avatar
Pax
Posts: 1277
Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2008 5:23 pm
Location: Sunshine Coast, Qld

Re: In Italia

Postby Pax » Sun Jun 16, 2013 5:44 am

:) Yes??...well I've been at work most of the time, are you jealous?

Lucky bugga, that sounds fantastic. Looking forward to some piccies

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: In Italia

Postby il padrone » Tue Jun 25, 2013 7:47 am

Pictures will come, but there will need to be a lengthy process of selection and I need a faster upload rate than I currently have. The photo folders are currently bulging with something around 3,000 photos so far :oops:

Just a couple of days ago when visiting the Museo Galileo in Florence we found they had a special exhibit that had just started 2 days before of the history of the bicycle and working bicycles. Great examples of early 20th century tradesman's bikes - the cooper's bike, the knife-sharpener's, the dairyman's, the artist's, the photographer's and more. Never knew that people in the past had their mattresses re-stuffed every winter and summer, and that wool-carders went about by bike to provide the service.

Lots and LOTS of bikes being ridden, simply for transport in Pisa, in Lucca and in Florence.
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: In Italia

Postby il padrone » Wed Jul 24, 2013 12:27 am

Forgot to mention - been back two weeks now. All seems so far away now, but mind-images were resurrected watching the TdF.

We had 12 weeks touring Italy and Corsica. We spent 7 days on the Amalfi Coast & Pompeii, 29 days in the Aeolian Islands & Sicily, 12 in Sardinia, 18 in Corsica, 23 days in Liguria & Tuscany and 6 days in Rome. Altogether we cycled something over 3,000kms - I don't know exactly how many as my cycle-computer wheel sensor battery ran out then the sensor would not reset. We saw many ancient towns with their centro storicos, did a prolonged study of Italian cathedrals, saw many solar power farms and windfarms, drank innumerable cups of caffe, enjoyed delicious gelatis, walked the Pirates Steps of Bonifacio, rolled on and off numerous navis (ferries), endured the dubious camping grounds and enjoyed some wonderful hotel rooms, rode the route of Stage 3 of the Tour de France, had cold days, some very windy days and then rode through the heat in Tuscany, enjoyed being honked at (courteously) by the marvellous Italian drivers, watched the lizards run across the roads ahead of us and saw dolphins & flying fish from the decks of ferries.

All in all it was a truly marvellous time, with so many experiences it'd almost fill a book. Over 3000 photos to go through now but I shall soon post some of them on here.
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: In Italia

Postby il padrone » Sat Aug 03, 2013 8:58 am

Some photos of the earlier part of our tour - Rome, the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, Aeolian Islands and Sicily.

Our hotel in Roma. Right close to Termine Station
Image

Roman sculpture. Artworks are everywhere in the streets and piazzas
Image

Castel San Angelo - the Pope's castle
Image

View of the Tiber
Image

At the Colosseum
Image

Naples city gate
Image

Salerno's VERY narrow streets in the centro storico
Image

Riding the Amalfi Coast
Image

Ten tunnels in one morning
Image

Garden at Villa Ruffolo, Ravello
Image

An amzing variety of ceramics on sale in roadside stores
Image

More tunnels
Image

View over Positano
Image

Narrow squeeze for traffic
Image

Departing the campground in Sorrento
Image

Caffe
Image

Traffic jam in Castellammare, 5.00pm.
Image

Pompeii
Image

Deprting Naples
Image


Cathedral in the citadel at Lipari
Image

Lipari's citadel
Image

Fumerole on Stromboli
Image

Climbing the crater on Vulcano
Image

Lots of solar farms on Sicily
Image

Novara di Sicilia - view from our hotel room
Image

Getting close to the crest of the range ~1100m
Image

Church in a boulder
Image

Views of Etna (in eruption) and the coast from Taormina
Image

View from Castelmola (300m above Taormina)
Image

In Catania's main piazza
Image

Market scenes in Catania
Image

Cathedral ceiling
Image

Roman amphitheatre in the centre of town
Image

Piazza Duomo, Siracusa
Image

Catacombs of St George, Siracusa
Image

Cobbled streets in town at Siracusa
Image


The duomo, Ragusa. The city where Inspector Montalban is filmed.
Image

Ragusa streets
Image

Old gents in the piazza, Gela
Image

Solar power again - roof of a school at Gela
Image

Sandy beach, almost as good as back home in Australia
Image

A helpful gent in Licata
Image

Greek temples at Agrigento
Image

Another helpful local chap who got us out of a wrong-road spot of bother
Image

The Turkish Steps
Image

On a wild goose chase for a campground near Montalegro
Image

Our hotel balcony, Montalegro
Image

Olive groves
Image

These lizards were everywhere
Image

Beach by our campground at Eraclea Minoa
Image

Santa Margherita di Belice
Image

Massive artwork near the ruins of Gibelini Vecchio, a town destroyed by earthquake in 1968
Image

Church at the new town - Nuova Gibelini
Image

Roadside lunch stop
[url=http://s1327.photobucket.com/user/petes ... 049_zpsca8
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

dalai47
Posts: 2430
Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 10:28 am
Contact:

Re: In Italia

Postby dalai47 » Sat Aug 03, 2013 12:32 pm

Nice! Looking forward to the next lot of photos...

STC67
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2013 6:06 pm

Re: In Italia

Postby STC67 » Sun Aug 04, 2013 4:29 pm

These are fantastic photos.

Thanks very much for taking the time to post them I have enjoyed them very much

STC67
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2013 6:06 pm

Re: In Italia

Postby STC67 » Sun Aug 04, 2013 4:31 pm

As I'm in bike buying mode atm. would you mind letting me know what bikes you were riding and how they went.

Thanks :)

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: In Italia

Postby il padrone » Sun Aug 04, 2013 4:58 pm

My bike is a Thorn Nomad 26" expedition tourer, with Rohloff Speedhub 14. I bought the frame from Thorn (SJSCycles) in UK, and bought the components of my choice from various on-line stores - mostly bke24 and SJS. This saved me $1000-1500 on the price of buying a complete bike.

My wife has her old 1993 Giant Sedona, but it has been converted over to Rohloff with a SON dynohub and top quality B&M lights. It's nicely set up for extended touring and she is very comfy on it.

Both bikes ran really well for the trip. We did something over 3000kms and had no mechanical issues. I had one slow leak, we had to re-lube the chains once partway through the trip, and my bike came home with the chain in need of tensioning. Otherwise they ran sweet and true.
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

User avatar
il padrone
Posts: 22931
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: Heading for home.

Re: In Italia

Postby il padrone » Fri Aug 23, 2013 8:01 pm

Some more photos of the Tyrrhenian Sea islands - Sardegna and Corse (Sardinia and Corsica). Well, rather a lot really :wink:

Cagliari from the sea
Image

In the citadel at night
Image

The portico along the seafront
Image

Flamingos in the Poetto wetlands
Image

Coastal road to Villasimius
Image

Pushing up a steep hill in Villasimius
Image

Snake on the road (allegedly these are not poisonous)
Image

Climbing the goges back towards Cagliari
Image

Ancient nuraghe - a dwellng ~6000 years old
Image

Street scenes at Bosa
Image

Appropriate name - "House of the winds"
Image

High coastal road to Alghero
Image

Alghero
Image

Bikes were popular for tranpsort
Image

Alghero harbour, view to Capo Caccia's cliffs
Image

Capo Caccia
Image

The sheltered bay at Cala Dragunara
Image

Nuraghe Palmavera
Image

Religious procession in Sassari
Image

Sassari's narrow streets
Image

Castelsardo
Image

View from the citadel, Castelsardo
Image

Beach views with Corsica in sight
Image

Fort at Santa Teresa Gallura
Image

Farewell Sardinia...
Image

... Hello Corsica
Image

Looking down on our ferry
Image

Hotel Genovese balcony view
Image

Escalier Roie d'Aragon
Image

Walkway at the base of the cliffs
Image

The cliffs of Bonifacio
Image

Streets in Bonifacio, beside the cathedral
Image

On the road on a very windy day
Image

The 'lion' of Roccapina
Image

Riding along the Val d'Orsolo
Image

Valley view
Image

Views from our hotel room in Sartene
Image

Sartene
Image

Streets in Sartene
Image

Lovely beach at Portigliolo
Image

View from the supermarket car-park at Porto Pollo
Image

Nea
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."

obikiller
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 3:54 am
Location: Italy
Contact:

Re: In Italia

Postby obikiller » Sun Jan 05, 2014 6:29 pm

WOW
I'm in love in Italy. Luckily i live there :)
belle foto, bravo!

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users