Southern Europe, 43 days of new experiences

[Meggsy]

We like HAL and recently completed our 6th cruise with them. All on different ships

Hi @Major
Have you found the level of comfort, amenities, inclusions, etc consistent across each of the ships you have sailed on? Just curious as we sailed on what was HAL's newest ship and were very impressed. I have no hesitation to sail with them again based on this one experience but would value your feedback about different ships in the fleet.

 

[Meggsy]

Thank you for your trip report so far - it's been great to read and I'm enjoying the photos. Your photos of the drive along the south coast of France and Avignon, reminded me of our trip two years ago when Mrs K and I spent a couple of weeks driving along that part of the world. It looks like we'll have to put Venice in our list as well.

Thanks @kookaburra75
Venice is definitely one of those must visit places at some stage of your life. We were there out of peak season and it was still very crowded but locals were saying how quiet it was.
We really enjoyed the short time driving through France. It has definitely made us want to head back for more. So much to see, so few holidays.

 

[kookaburra75]

Thanks @kookaburra75
Venice is definitely one of those must visit places at some stage of your life. We were there out of peak season and it was still very crowded but locals were saying how quiet it was.
We really enjoyed the short time driving through France. It has definitely made us want to head back for more. So much to see, so few holidays.

I know the problem - but being able to read your posts helps take away some of the pain.
After your post about having a moment in the tunnels in Monte Carlo, I figured it was the long tunnel that goes in an never ending corkscrew and you're not sure which country you'll end up in. Driving parts of the Grand Prix track was fun and something I'd like to do again, although the mighty Renault Captur wasn't what you'd call sporty.

 

[Major]

Hi @Major
Have you found the level of comfort, amenities, inclusions, etc consistent across each of the ships you have sailed on? Just curious as we sailed on what was HAL's newest ship and were very impressed. I have no hesitation to sail with them again based on this one experience but would value your feedback about different ships in the fleet.

We have found HAL offerings to be very consistent. Same names for restaurants /bars etc. They tend to be in the same location as well. We also liked to have a drink in the Crows Nest and found the quality of food in the Pinnacle Grill to be fantastic. Great steaks. Depending on the weather we would have breakfast del to the room on sea days and have it on the verandah. Very relaxing

 

[Meggsy]

Day 33

Another smooth night of sailing down the eastern Adriatic coast saw us entering the Greek Island port of Corfu just as the sun was rising. The captain advised us the disembarkation today would be via tender but he would bring the ship alongside the dock and tie up about midday so boarding would be a little easier on our return.

We had decided that there were no real standout, must see places here that we wanted to join a tour for so instead we opted to purchase some tickets for the hoho bus that departed from the port entrance. There were two loops available and we chose the shorter of the two that essentially circled the old town, with a loop out to a point at the southern end of the airport the furthest drive before heading back in via the coast, with a number of stops along the way at places of interest. The new venetian fort, local produce markets, a number of old ruins , the palace and place of Prince Phillip’s birth were notables along the way. We eventually hopped off the bus at Spilia Square which is also the entrance to the old venetian fort on one side and the old town on the other.

We bought our tickets to enter the old fort and museum and spent an hour or so wandering the grounds and exploring the old tunnels and buildings. There is a walk up to where the lighthouse sits which is also a wonderful lookout and provides a fantastic 360 degree perspective.

From here we wandered across the square to the old town where we found a coffee shop, overlooking the square, for some morning tea.

We then set out to explore the old town with a plan to traverse the town across to the old port where we would rejoin the bus. This is a beautiful old town with some very interesting architecture, with a very strong Venetian influence. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a great place to explore for a few hours.

We exited the old town through the city wall gate at the old port and waited a few minutes for the next bus which took us back to the new port. Good to his word, the captain had the ship now safely tied up alongside the wharf and we were soon back aboard enjoying some late lunch and contemplating the evening’s entertainment and dinner options.

Sadly one memory of Corfu is the amount of stinking garbage piled up everywhere. We heard two versions, first that the garbage workers were on strike and second that the islands land fill site was full and there was nowhere to take it to at that time. Either way it was rather nasty in places.

That said though, Corfu was a wonderful place to visit and we were happy that we planned our day as we did.


Old Venetian fort as we entered the harbour


Sunrise, entering the port of Corfu


A small garbage problem


Old grain mill on the foreshore


On the building where the Prince was born


Part of the old fort


Hagios Gerogios Church in the grounds of the old venetian fort


Views across Spilia Square toward the old town from the light house


The new venetian fort as seen from within the old town


Walking through the old town

 

[Meggsy]

Day 34

Another very calm and smooth overnight sail saw us entering the harbour at Katakolon just on sunrise. It was a grey and miserable day outside but the forecast was for improving weather. No complaints though as this was our first rainy day since day 1 in Zurich. Plan for today was to join a bus tour to the site of Ancient Olympia.

We had arrived in port an hour ahead of schedule and we had a little time until the bus departed so a leisurely breakfast was enjoyed before we set off, umbrellas at the ready. 10 metres off the boat the heavens opened and the wind increased to the point the umbrellas were more of a hazard than a help.

Quite drenched, we found the tour bus and set off for Olympia, about a 30 minute drive away. The bus dropped us off at the parking lot outside the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games, where it was a short downhill walk to the entrance of the Archaeological Site of Olympia. We purchased our entry tickets and headed in. I’m not sure if this place is everyone’s cup of tea but I found it fascinating. The Temples of Zeus and Hera, Hera’s Altar, where the modern Olympic torch is ignited, along with the Ancient Olympia Stadium were the highlights but everywhere you turned were more ruins and stories and I could have explored here for hours. The weather had improved and we had all dried out by now so things were looking up.

We exited the Archaeological Site and set off for the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, a couple of hundred metres up the hill, but included with entry fee. Along this walk if you wish to visit are the Memorial park and the Olympia Botanical Garden. This museum is a must see as it is full of so many wonderful artefacts discovered on the site and provides a wonderful insight into life in the village during its existence.

From here there is a short cut back into the town across a small bridge and a pretty little creek where we found a nice little place called Ambrosia for some lunch and drinks. There were a few souvenir and local produce stores here as well.

Fed and watered we decided to go and explore the main street, quite touristy with a lot of unique little knick knacks in most of the stores to browse and find some mementos. We eventually found ourselves back in the bus park area and with 60 minutes still until our return we decided to pop into the Museum of the History of the Olympic Games, free entry, and explore in here for a while. Again well worth the visit and could have spent much more time in here if able to. Our bus turned up exactly on time and we were soon back on the road to the port at Katakolon.

Katakolon is a pretty little town in its own right and we spent some time exploring the main street and waterfront areas before finally heading back to the ship in the late afternoon. The rain had gone now and the walk back to the boat was dry. Another day of nearly 25,000 steps saw us head to the Crows Nest for some well-earned cold refreshments and an opportunity to relax and enjoy the sail away as the Koningsdam set off to our next destination, Athens.


Some general site information


More site information


The entrance to the Ancient Olympia Stadium


The Ancient Olympia Stadium


Part of the Temple of Hera


Ruins of the Temple of Zeus


Information on Temple of Zeus


A site called the Palaestra


Museum piece of discus thrower


More pieces recovered from the site

 

[Meggsy]

Day 35

After a great night’s sleep in smooth sailing conditions once more we arose just as the ship was entering the port of Athens at Pireas. The busiest port we had visited to date with ferries, cargo ships and cruise liners all competing for wharf space and, according to the captain, whereslots are allocated months and sometimes years in advance. We berthed alongside the cruise ship terminal and were soon given the all clear to disembark.

We had arranged a shore tour today that was a full day in length and would visit many of the major sites of Athens.

After some difficulties locating the bus we finally boarded and set off from the harbour. In my mind the traffic was crazy but the driver said it was fairly quiet today. Our first stop was the Panathenaic Stadium, the magnificent white marble stadium built for the first modern Olympic games in 1896. Still in use today for rock concerts and various events. From here we travelled a short distance to the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch. From here we headed up to the bus drop off area for the walk up to the Acropolis. It’s up hill all the way but nothing too strenuous. We had entry tickets as part of the tour so we entered the site directly on arrival and started the track further up the hill to the summit. On the walk up we stopped to view the restored stone theatre, Odeon of Herodes Atticus before joining the crowds at the Propylaea gateway to the Acropolis. It was hot today and was quite uncomfortable on the summit. There is very little shade so be prepared, take some water and wear a hat on hot days. There is a water fountain and some toilets near the old acropolis museum if needed. We spent about 90 minutes or so exploring the Parthenon, the temple of Rome and Augustas, the Erechtheio and taking many photos before joining the crowd to try and exit. On exiting the site there was a small canteen across from the entry booths that sold basic food and cold drinks also.

We wandered back down to meet the bus at the prescribed time and set off for the city where we visited the Hellenic Parliament, Monument of the Unknown Soldier, where the changing of the guards provided much entertainment and then onto the Academy of Athens. We were dropped off for some free time and lunch just opposite the Hadrian’s Arch where we had a couple of hours to explore. We found a café in a street mall that led up to the Theatre of Dionysus and then we explored the local neighbourhood streets and alleys. There was a remarkable number of interesting shops in this neighbourhood and kept us entertained for some time.

It was late afternoon by now and time to head back and meet the bus for our return to the ship. We were dropped off at the terminal entrance and quickly made our way back to the ship. It had been a glorious day both from a scenic view point and the weather and as we set sail from Pireas it looked to be another smooth nights sailing. Looking forward to Santorini tomorrow.


Panathenaic Stadium


Temple of Olympian Zeus


Hadrian's Arch


Odeon of Herodes Atticus


Propylaea gateway to the Acropolis


The Parthenon


Hellenic Parliament building


Looking from Acropolis toward Lycabettus Hill


Erectheio


Random church opposite the port

 

[Meggsy]

After your post about having a moment in the tunnels in Monte Carlo, I figured it was the long tunnel that goes in an never ending corkscrew and you're not sure which country you'll end up in.

Yep, you guessed that one correctly. The GPS gets confused as well so there were a few extra laps of the city that were not intended

 

[Meggsy]

Day 36

We arrived in the caldera of Santorini about 7am and it was another beautiful day. The large cruise ships don’t berth or anchor here, they just hold position all day and all shore transfers are done by tender to the Santorini Port at Ormos Athinios. From here you can catch the cable car, ride a donkey or walk up to the town of Thira at the top of the cliff. We chose the cable car and if memory serves correct it was 5 Euro PP one way.

We had arranged for a 5 hour private car tour of the island and our driver, Kostas, was a local and so much fun. He picked the four of us up in his 8 seat Mercedes van in Thira and took us for a scenic drive across the island toward the airport before then following the coast north up to Oia. Here he armed us with directions for great photo spots and places to see and waited for our return in 1 hour.

Once we returned we headed off to the southern end of the island. He stopped at Pyrgos and bought us all a coffee and some local sweet treats before we continued on to the Moni Profiti Ilia Monastery. Magnificent views from up here and some nice local wines to sample. We then headed back down and further south to Perissa Black Sand Beach. We then headed west to the Red Sand Beach before heading to a winery at Akrotiri. We stopped at a lookout at the southern part of the island that looked back over the caldera and it was stunning to see the colour of the ocean from this vantage point.

From here we headed back to Thira where he dropped us off at the start point and we thanked him for a wonderful day out. Happy to provide his contact details to anyone if interested.

We then spent an hour or so looking through the souvenir shops at Thira. My wife bought some lovely jewellery after a little haggling. Paid half the original asking price and probably still paid over the odds but everyone was happy.

We then chose to walk back down the donkey path to the port and glad we did. It was a nice scenic walk, had to give way to a donkey train every few minutes, dodging the frequent land mines left by the passing trains. I think it took about half an hour to walk down and was enjoyable.

In no time we were on a tender headed back to the ship and thinking how lucky we were to have had a day like this one in such a beautiful place. Early dinner and a show tonight. The show was a comedian/magician and he was very good. We caught the earlier of the two shows and then headed to the Crows Nest for a night cap before turning in.


Heading ashore on arrival


Looking down from the top cable car station


Oia


Old Mills


Santorini Airport from the monastery


Perissa Black Sand Beach


Red Sand Beach


Southern coastline


Looking across the caldera from the south end of the island


The donkey path, walking back down to the port

 

[Meggsy]

Day 37

At sea day today so little to report. Sailing conditions are still perfect. I arose early to get some exercise by walking the Promenade deck, three laps is one mile. I did 15 laps or 5 miles and was the only one out there until the sun rose and then I was joined by a couple of others. It was very peaceful and an enjoyable way to get some exercise on a sea day.

We are currently headed to our next port of Naples in Italy. Some time tonight we will pass back through the Strait of Messina and arrive in the port of Naples early in the morning. A good chance to sort some photos, send some more washing out and finalise our plans for tomorrow. Otherwise it’s a lazy day.

Tonight is our second gala night so time to dress up once more. I’m sure my pants are shrinking in the wash. Another wonderful dinner in the main dining room and we finished off with a few night caps in the Crows Nest once more.


A beautiful sunrise while walking some laps of the ships promenade deck


Made for us by one of the waiters at breakfast. Very clever


Passing back through Strait of Messina north bound


A new animal awaited us in our cabin each night.

 

[Meggsy]

Day 38

Arrived in the port of Naples at 7am. We had a tour booked with a private operator for a full day tour down toward the Amalfi Coast, with visits to Positano and Sorrento before a city tour of Naples on our return. We found the driver just outside the port entrance and had to wait for four other guests that were also on the tour. They showed up soon after and we set off along the coast with views across the Gulf of Naples to the west of us and Mt Vesuvius to the East. We had a short comfort stop and tasting session at a Limoncello outlet near Sorrento. Some of this stuff is proverbial rocket fuel and is definitely an acquired taste.

Back in the van and next stop was Positano. We passed through a series of major tunnels and then had a wonderfully scenic drive along the coast before arriving in Positano. The driver gave us some directions and went off to park the van somewhere and we were free to do our own thing for an hour. We browsed through some shops and eventually made our way down to the water’s edge where for a fee you could swim in the ocean at the beach. Not sure if this is for real or just a tourist scam but private beaches and restricted access seems quite common through these parts. We decided to grab a coffee by a beachside café and watch the world go by for a while. Positano is a beautiful little town hugging the cliffs and is so picturesque. Sadly we had to make our way back to the van all too soon but we had time for a few more photos on the way out.

Next stop was Sorrento which would also be our lunch stop. Our driver dropped us at the Piazza Tasso where we could then wander along the Corso Italia in either direction. We headed west as far as the Piazza Angelina Lauro where we had been recommended somewhere for lunch, Triannon da Ciro Pizzeria. Food was good and service was efficient. Soon we wandered back the way we came and from the Piazza we took Via S. Cesareo. A wonderful long alleyway with all manner of stores we walked along here until we hit the Piazza Andrea Veniero where we then turned left and headed up to Corso Italia for our return journey. We found a nice gelato store along the way and also passed by the Cathedral of Sorrento and the Catholic Church.

We met up with our driver back at the designated time and headed off back to Naples. On our return to Naples we visited the Castel Nuovo by the harbour, the Piazza del Plebiscito and a number of other interesting buildings around the city before he dropped us off at Piazza del Gesu Nuovo with instructions to walk along Via Benedetto Croce to view the churches and nativity scenes. We had to find our way to Cathedral di Santa Maria Assunta for collection in one hour. It was a nice walk and a chance to see some parts of Naples we would not have seen by car and sure enough he was waiting for us at the other end on time. From there it was a short drive back to the port for boarding and time to get organised for bags out tonight and disembarkation in Rome tomorrow morning. We decided one last dinner in the main dining room tonight followed by a cabaret style performance of singing and dancing in the World Stage. A nice end to what had been a great cruise so far.


Driving to Positano, looking south


Positano


Positano


Positano


Via S. Cesareo, Sorrento


Cathedral of Sorrento


Mt Vesuvius


Castel Nuovo, Naples


Gugglia dell'Imaccolata in Piazza del Gesu Nuovo


Cathedral di Santa Maria Assunta

 

[Meggsy]

Day 39

We awoke to another stunning day and were already tied up at the wharf in Civitavecchia. We had chosen a 9am disembarkation time so we went to the main dining room for one last breakfast and farewell to some of the wonderful crew that had looked after us. Disembarkation was very smooth, bags located quite quickly and in no time we were on the free port shuttle bus that took us out to the tourist information centre where we could get another bus to the railway station. Within 30 minutes we were at the station, farewelling our travelling companions of the last 5 weeks, who were headed to Milan for three nights before heading home. Our plans were to spend 4 nights in Rome before heading home to the Gold Coast.

We had pre purchased our train tickets and settled back for the 35 minute ride to Roma Aurelia station where it would be a short cab ride to the Crowne Plaza Rome – St Peters. We had a slight hiccup at the train station as we could not find any taxis and the language barrier trying to book one over the phone was proving too much. We eventually got sorted and arrived at the Crowne about 11am. Too early for check in as our room was not ready but pleasantly a nice upgrade once available and complimentary breakfast for 2 for the duration of our stay. We put our bags in storage and headed off to the bar for some light lunch and then to figure how to get into town for our afternoon tour we had booked.

Easy enough we could walk to the nearest train station about 15 minutes away, jump on a public bus out the front of the hotel to the same train station or grab a taxi all the way to the destination. We chose the latter as time was marching on and very soon we were at the offices of our tour guide just opposite the entrance to the Roman Forum.

We struck gold on this one as our tour guide was a practicing archaeologist who was currently working in the Forum and did tours on the side for some extra cash. She was so knowledgeable about the Forum and later the Colosseum and everywhere in between we got so much more than some good photos. After about 2 hours of wandering through the Forum, up Palatine Hill to view the Circus Maximus we exited the site past the Arch of Constantine and headed to the Colosseum. We had skip the line tickets pre purchased so entry was quite quick through the eastern side. We entered at ground level on to a deck before heading up into the stands. It was a wonderful experience and a great insight into this magnificent construction.

We farewelled our guide on exiting the Colosseum and just wandered around the outside getting some photos. We then set off on foot to find somewhere for dinner. We found a wonderful little Pizza Restaurant on Via Cavour called L’Angolo Der Panino. The owner was a delight and was very happy to share his home produced wines with us over dinner. We had a lovely meal and said our farewells a short time later and headed off to Cavour station on the Metro B line to find our way home. A quick trip on the train to Termini station, one stop, and then change onto the A line to head out to Cornelia station. All very simple once you work it out and a 24 hour pass covers the trains and buses. From Cornelia we caught the bus to the front door of the Crowne Plaza and soon we were checked in and in our room finalising plans for tomorrow.


Entering the Roman Forum


The Old Market place


Stadio Palatino


The place where Julius Caesar was cremated


San Lorenzo Catholic Cathedral


Arch of Titus


Entering the Colosseum


Inside the Colosseum


Arch of Constantine


Colosseum, Rome

 

[Meggsy]

Day 40

Today we had no fixed itinerary. We planned to catch the train into Spagna station, which feeds into the Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps. From here we would follow our nose and just wander the city all day and try to capture all of the major sights if possible. First stop was the Spanish Steps and the Fontana della Barcaccia and the Column of the Immaculate Conception.

We then set off for the Trevi Fountain to battle the crowds and were not disappointed. There were hundreds lined up for that perfect selfie. Next destination was the Pantheon and we passed through an amazing series of Piazzas along the way passing the Marcu Aurelius Column and the Obelisk of Montecitorio. We soon arrived at the Pantheon and entered this wonderful building with its domed roof.

From here we walked a short way across to Piazza Navona with its two fountains, Nettuno and Moro, passing by the heavily guarded Madama Palace, which is also a senate building and was sitting at the time. We then walked to Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and headed east toward Piazza Venetia. From the Piazza you had wonderful views of the Army Museum and the Altar of the Fatherland, one of the most amazing buildings in Rome.

We decided to stop at a subway store for a bite of lunch and then pushed on. We wanted to further explore some of the areas around the Forum we hadn’t seen yesterday so Trajan’s Column, Trajan’s Market and the Forum of Augustas were all close by and ticked off the list. We then explored a little more around the Cavour neighbourhood, looking for a good coffee shop first and foremost. We found a lovely café called Analemma on Via Leonina about 100 metres from the entrance to Cavour metro station.

After a coffee and a short rest we set out for the Termini station to explore around that area as well. Some wonderful buildings around the main station area but the day was done for us. I was feeling a little foot sore now and decided to call it a day so Metro and bus back to the hotel, some dinner at the hotel with a night cap and a good nights sleep was easy to find.


Barcaccia Fountain, Piazza di Spagna


Spanish Steps


Column of the Immaculate Conception, Piazza di Spagna


Trevi Fountain


Pantheon


Inside the Pantheon


Fontana Nettuno, Piazza Navona


Army Museum and the Altar of the Fatherland


Ruins of Trajan's Markets

 

[Meggsy]

Day 41

An early start today as we are heading to Herculaneum down the coast near Naples. Time didn’t permit us to visit Pompeii or Herculaneum when we were there on the cruise so we decided upon a day trip from Rome. We kicked off the day with a hearty breakfast at the Crowne Plaza buffet before catching the bus and Metro into Roma Termini. From here we caught the Trenitalia Freciarossa down to Naples where we then had to switch trains to the privately operated line and catch the Circumvesuviana trains that depart every half hour from Naples to Sorrento.

It took just over an hour from Rome to Naples and a further 15 minutes from Naples to Ercolano Scavi station with about a 20 minute transit time in Naples, just enough to walk to the other platform and buy some return tickets along the way. We were warned by an elderly lady at the platform in Naples to be wary of our belongings as there were thieves on the trains. The train was jam packed, standing room only and sure enough after a few minutes 2 gents boarded the train. One stood in front of me the other squeezed past and behind me. As the train started to move the one in front ‘fell’ into me and at the same time I felt a hand dive into my pocket from the clown behind. After I slapped him away they both disappeared into the crowd somehow and jumped off at the next station. Nothing lost on my part but puts you on edge for the rest of the day wondering if anyone else will try something. Happy to say no other encounters for the rest of the trip.

We hopped off at Ercolando Scavi and walked straight down the main street to the entrance to Herculaneum. We opted not to join a tour but to rent some Audio Guides from a booth inside the site, after the ticket entrance. I’m sure most people know the sad history of Pompeii and Herculaneum suffered the same fate from the same eruption of Vesuvius. The site is very well preserved and not as busy as Pompeii so we thought we would come here instead.

It was a good choice in our minds as we were able to roam quite freely through the site, learning a lot about the event that saw the city buried and most of its residents perish. What looks like a canal is actually the old waterfront and many skeletons lay in situ in the boat houses where they sought shelter from the descending ash cloud. Quite tragic really but also a wonderful insight into how life was back then and the way in which the city was laid out.

We could have stayed all day but we were booked on a 4 pm train from Naples back to Rome. We wandered back up the main street and found a cafe about halfway back to the railway station so decided to stop for a coffee break to keep us going until lunch. We arrived back in Naples with about 45 minutes to spare so we grabbed a sandwich from a station cafe while we waited for our departure time. We arrived back in Roma Termini about 5:30pm and decided we would try and get some photos of Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum by night.

First things first though we headed back to Cavour and that wonderful cafe we found for some nice coffee while we waited for the sun to set. We then wandered down to the Colosseum for some photos before turning around to head back toward the Trevi fountain. On the way back we decided to stop at a restaurant called La Base on Via Cavour where we had a little dinner and a beer. The food was great, decor is amazing and an enjoyable place to stop.

We finally got to Trevi after a while and joined the hundreds of others with the same idea. A few quick snaps and we set off for Spagna Metro station for the quick trip back to our hotel. It had been a long day but totally doable as we proved. We had about 3 hours in total at Herculaneum and about 4 hours of travel on trains but it was all very simple and stress free, bar the pickpocket.


Entrance archway to Herculaneum


The town of Herculaneum with Mt Vesuvius in the background


Bronze statue unearthed on site


Ancient bath house


Mosaic floors in remarkable state of preservation


Looking down on what was the old shoreline with boat houses to the left


Remains of inhabitants inside the boat houses


Onboard display of time and speed on the Trenitalia Freciarossa headed back to Rome


Dinner at La Base on Via Cavour


Trevi fountain by night

 

[Meggsy]

Day 42

Today we awoke to our second rainy day for the whole trip but as we were planning a Vatican City tour today it did not bother us. We got the bus and Metro and hopped off at Cipro station, which was just a short walk from our tour agents office where we were to meet our guide.

Soon we were all assembled and moved off to the Vatican Museum entrance. We had skip the line tickets and after passing through the security screening we were all inside and issued our headsets in a short time. Our first visit was to the Vatican Museum followed by the Paintings Gallery. From here we passed through the Sistine Salon, but our guide referred to it as the hall of maps. We then passed through the Belvedere courtyard and into the Sistine Chapel.

Due to the ban on photography inside the Sistine Chapel there are reproductions of the works on signs outside that you can photograph but that is all. The artwork in the Sistine Chapel is stunning, not much more needs to be said.

I continue to be amazed at the lack of respect of so many people who can’t remain silent and leave their cameras in their pockets as instructed but that is life these days sadly. From here we moved onto Basilica di San Pietro and then were released into Piazza San Pietro where the official tour ended.

What an amazing place the Vatican is. The sheer volume of magnificent artworks, sculptures, statues, etc in this place is amazing and the condition of those we saw on display is just incredible. The power and influence of the catholic church is on definitely on show here.

We loitered around the Piazza for a while longer before we decided it was time to head off and find somewhere for lunch. We found a place to eat near Ottaviano station before we stumbled across some street craft markets. This kept us amused for a short while but by mid afternoon we decided to call it quits and head back to the Crowne Plaza. We decided to have an easy last night, get our gear sorted for our departure in the morning and have a meal in the hotel restaurant and an early night.


Inside Vatican City looking at the dome of Basilica di San Pietro


Reproduction of artworks on the Altar end wall in the Sistine Chapel


Reproduction of artworks on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel


Just one of many well preserved marble statues


The hall of maps

One very large communion bowl


Front entrance of Basilica di San Pietro


Inside Basilica di San Pietro


One of the altars inside Basilica di San Pietro

This is Italy

 

[Meggsy]

Day 43

Home time today. After 6 weeks on the road it had all come to an end and we were reminiscing over breakfast how quickly the time had passed. We checked out of the Crowne Plaza at 9am and were booked on the hotel shuttle service to Rome Fiumicino, FCO, for our flight back to Australia. We were booked in J class on SQ 365 FCO to SIN, scheduled departure time of 12:00 arriving in Singapore 06:00 the next morning.

Checkin was quick and bags checked right through to Sydney. We were able to use the “Passenger Lounge” adjacent to gate E at the satellite terminal, which was literally next to our boarding gate. Fairly standard lounge fare, nothing special but a quiet place to sit and have a coffee, last minute recharge and a basic bite to eat if needed. We arrived 1 hour before boarding so settled in with a brew and a book before take off.

Aircraft was a new A350-900 and we were lucky to snag seats 11 D & F, at the forward bulk head in the centre. By far the most foot room of any J class seats on this aircraft when in sleep mode as the foot well is the full width of the seat space. An uneventful flight to Singapore saw us depart and land on time. We had a very long transit in SIN of 14 and a bit hours so a day hotel or a day trip into Singapore was yet to be decided.

No more photos sorry as camera issue started here.


Day 44

We landed at SIN at 0550 local time and were at the gate and off the aircraft shortly after 0600. We were booked on SQ 221 SIN - SYD at 2015 tonight so with 14 hours to kill and feeling a bit fatigued we decided to book a day room at the Crowne Plaza hotel Changi. It was about S$200 for the day and gave you 8 hours of use from check in to check out. We decided to go and grab a coffee next door at Starbucks and come back and check in at 0800. This would mean check out time of 1600 which would be easy to do.

We slept fitfully most of the day, woke up feeling quite refreshed. A quick shower, grabbed our things and headed down to check out. We were airside again by about 1700 and had a little wander of T 3 and the shops before heading to the SQ lounge. Our flight tonight was on the refurbed A380-800 with the new style J seats. We had seats 95 D & F. I’m not a big fan of these seats as I think they are a little tight and awkward for sleeping in. A step backwards in my opinion. A quite unusual sleeping position and footwell that is not big enough for large feet. Flight departed on time and we were soon enjoying our book the cook meals.

Not a lot of sleep for me that night but with only 7 hours 40 flight time to Sydney I got through a few movies and dozed occasionally.


Day 45

We landed on time in Sydney. We were booked on VA 511at 0910 home to the Gold Coast but as it was ticketed separately we had to collect our bags and get ourselves over to T2. We passed through customs and immigration relatively quickly, bags were early out and we were soon on the train across to domestic. Seat 1 A & C on the VA flight was our final leg.

We departed a little late at 0915, but landed on time in Coolangatta, where eldest child was waiting for us. We were sipping a coffee at home before lunch, sharing stories and reacquainting ourselves with our dog. Amazing how much you accumulate on a trip like this and when we started to unpack I was surprised at how much extra we (my wife) had brought home.

What a wonderful trip. Nearly everything ran like clockwork. All bookings were correct and no stuff ups anywhere. Other than the Insight tour and the cruise we made all other bookings ourselves and think we got it pretty right. It was a long time on the road but thoroughly enjoyable every minute of it. We were blessed with fine weather for all but 2 days.

Now I just have to come up with a way to convince the boss to let me have another 6 weeks leave in one hit and try to do something similar next year. Thanks for following and everyones comments along the way. Feel free to PM me if I can offer any tips I learnt from this trip.

 

[craven morehead]

Magnificent TR thanks for making the effort it was great fun to follow along. Cheers!

 

[ellen10]

Thanks for your wonderful trip report. Loved all the photos and the comprehensive stories of your travels.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Thanks for the TR and all the wonderful photos. Glad to hear you survived the pickpocket chaps.

A few years ago, +1 & I visited many of the places in Italy that you also visited; brought back some nice memories.

Glad you enjoyed Herculaneum; I'm always surprised that so few people in Australia have heard of it. We visited both Herculaneum and Pompeii on our trip and while they suffered a similar fate, they are also quite different. Personally I enjoyed Herculaneum just that little bit more.

Thanks again.

JV

 

[RB]

I have really enjoyed following along. Some familiar places & some new & have enjoyed your photos