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Italian road trip 2000

May 31, 2020 by David Herd

Italian road trip

Italian road trip

Italian road trip in march 2000 commenced after a few days in Florence & San Gimignano with my beautiful Italian friend Barbara Manelli, I left with 2 American friends Paul & Dan on a road trip south through Naples, the Amalfi coast & all the way to Reggio at the toe of the boot.

Spanish Steps in Rome

Italian road trip That’s Paul in the middle & Dan aka Scooter Boy on the right. Can’t remember the name of the guy on the left.

Here we are in Naples

Italian road trip The locals are playing a game on the beach.

Naples harbour

Italian road trip Dan & I checking out the boats.

More boats in Naples.

Italian road trip

Getting the boat ready for some fishing.

Next stop Pompeii

Italian road trip

 Pompeii was buried under meters of ash and pumice after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D.

Fairly gruesome

Italian road trip

I guess they never really stood a chance.

Farewell to the streets of Pompeii

Italian trip

One of the most interesting places I have ever visited.

Sorrento

Italian road trip

David, Paul & Dan.

The gorge

Italian road trip The gorge down to Marina Piccola from PiazzaTasso.

Next stop the Isle of Capri

Italian road trip

Took a bus trip around the island, had lunch & checked out the Blue Grotto.

Capri

Italian trip

A narrow Capri street.

Italian road trip Capri was very interesting indeed.

Our guide to the Blue Grotto

Italian road trip

It was nice without blowing your socks off. 🙂

Positano

Italian road trip The jewel in the crown on the Amalfi coast.

Fruit anyone?

Italian road trip

The jewel in the crown on the Amalfi coast. Happy guy with lots of fresh fruit.

Lunch in Positano

Italian road trip A very quaint village clinging onto the side of a mountain, lots of stairs to climb.

Love on the rocks

Italian road trip

Can’t be too comfortable. 🙂

Artist in Positano

Italian road trip My favourite shot from Positano.

Hotel Avagi

Italian road trip 2000 Credit to Sara Tononi Verlengieri  for this delightful photo.

 

Salerno

Italian road trip

A population of around 138,000.

Salerno Boulevarde

Italian road trip

A very nice city, certainly worth a visit.

Salerno by the sea.

salerno panorama

Salerno is a port city southeast of Naples with a population of 138,000 people.

Reggio

Italian road trip

Reggio Calabria is a coastal city in southern Italy, separated from Sicily by the Strait of Messina. 

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Bellagio Lake Como Italy

April 9, 2017 by David Herd

Playground for the Rich & Famous

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

 Bellagio Lake Como Italy with it’s cobblestone lanes and elegant buildings with beautiful views over the famous lake. The village is characterized by century-old buildings & interesting stone lanes & steps.

 Cobblestone steps

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

Climbing all the Bellagio stairs is an excellent way to work up an appetite. 🙂

View from the top of the steps.

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

Every time you turn around there is another great photo opportunity.

Narrow lanes

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

I used to wonder why so many European towns & villages had such narrow streets & lanes. Then a friend of mine Riny Doyle, from Breil Sur Roya in the south of France, explained it was simple to control the temperature. Narrow lanes meant a much cooler environment, & lets face it in those ancient times there were no air conditioned shopping malls where you could get relief from the heat. 🙂

Breil Sur Roya devastated by storm Alex on October 4 2020.

Delightful little cafes & restaurants

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

Around every corner there is a little cafe or restaurant.

If you prefer a water view

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

Here is a perfecy spot to soak up the view of Bellagio Lake Como Italy. Perhaps if you hang around long enough you may see George Clooney wander in with his beautiful bride. 🙂

Sadly I don’t have the time.

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

 

I don’t have the time to wait for George as I’m about to catch the car ferry to the other side of the lake.

Bit of a rust bucket

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

At least I don’t have far to travel.  

Lets explore a little more before I leave.

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

More stairs and more shops.

And another little hidden restaurant.

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

A surprise around every corner.

 Hotel Metropole

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

Right in the heart of town, just book through THIS LINK for a great discount on the room rate.

Or Hotel Splendide

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

Has views of the lake which is even better, just book through THIS LINK.

The crowd builds up

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

Lunch is over, now for some serious shopping.

Farewell to beautiful Bellagio

Bellagio Lake Como Italy

Just a wonderful Italian village.

As Andrea Bocelli would say……

Time to say goodbye. (lets not forget Sarah Brightman)

Ferry across Lake Como

Beautiful Bellagio Lake Como Italy

The views from the ferry are absolutely stunning. 

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Contemplating life beyond 2000

February 6, 2017 by David Herd

A personal photo collection, not a travel blog.

Contemplating life beyond 2000

Contemplating life beyond 2000

Contemplating life beyond 2000 after just completing a huge around the world trip with Tony Murphy & John Martin aka Pothole. The fabulous trip began in November 1999 in Los Angeles then on to Miami, Mexico City, Bolivia, San Paulo, Rio di Janeiro, Salavador, Paris, Bangkok & finishing in  Koh Samui. 

Consequently I really expected 2000 to be a bit of a let down, after all how do you recover after a two month trip like that one?

The photo above was in Sydney for Pothole’s 50th birthday on February 1st. That’s our good mate Paul Slaughter with the glasses & the lovely Kathy who was Pothole’s girlfriend at the time. He was punching way above his weight as you can clearly see. 🙂

Sadly I was as well.

Contemplating life beyond 2000

Punching above my weight also with an Italian princess I met & fell for in Koh Samui.

What a smile

Contemplating life beyond 2000

Her name was Barbara Manelli, however to me she will always be “Gypsy”.

Consequently in March I headed to Florence to see if there was any future pursuing this gorgeous creature. I soon found out that a brief tropical island fling was soon forgotten back in Italy. 🙂

Italy to Australia via Bangkok

Contemplating life beyond 2000

I figured there was only one way to fix a broken heart & that was a week in Bangkok on the way home. 🙂 

Pothole & I with Ian Rich

Contemplating life beyond 2000

We took my boat over to Main Beach to see Ian’s new condo.

View of Paradise waters from Ian’s condo the Grand Mariner.

Contemplating life beyond 2000

My apologies for the low quality photos, I was using my 1st 1.2 mega pixel digital camera. 🙂

Melbas on the Park

Contemplating life beyond 2000

The usual suspects, John Moon, Jim Bell aka “HO HO”, & John “Secrets” Sinclair. 

John Sinclair aka Secrets at Main Beach.

Contemplating life beyond 2000

Here is John with one of the gorgeous Main Beach waitresses.

The dreaded black list.

Contemplating life beyond 2000

Over the years Secrets has always had a black list of people who have been guilty of some indiscretion of which he has not approved of. I have been on & off the list a few times over the years, now in February 2017 I am, with quite a few others, most certainly firmly back on the list. Consequently to commemorate this honour I designed a T shirt & Pothole has arranged to have them printed. 🙂

Melbas was our favourite bar.

Contemplating life beyond 2000

Owned & run by Paul Allen a larger than life Gold Coast character, passed away far to young in 1013.

Celebrated my birthday at the Boardroom in Southport.

Contemplating life beyond 2000

Always a few sexy girls at the Boardroom which was owned & run by Malcolm Pearce.

Always a lot of fun

Contemplating life beyond 2000

As you can clearly see I was being totally dominated here. 🙂

 Skye from Launceston

Contemplating life beyond 2000

What a knockout, here we are having lunch at Melbas.

Let’s go back to Italy

Contemplating life beyond 2000

A flashback to March when my pursuit of the beautiful Gypsy crashed & burned. No that’s not really true, after Samui it never really got off the ground. 🙂

San Gimignano

Contemplating life beyond 2000

We did all the tourist things then I headed south to Rome to hook up with my friend Paul McNeil & Scooter Boy.

The Spanish Steps in Rome

Contemplating life beyond 2000

I hired a car & the 3 of us had a great road trip through Naples, Sorrento, Positano all the way down to Reggio in Southern Italy, the biggest city and the most populated comune of Calabria.

 Artist at work in Positano.

Contemplating life beyond 2000

We covered a lot of territory including Isle of Capri, this quickly became my favourite part of Italy until 2010 when I discovered the Cinque Terre. 🙂

Xmas lunch

Contemplating life beyond 2000

Tradition dictated we would gather at Melbas each year for a Xmas lunch, here we have Jim “Ho Ho” Bell, John “Secrets” Sinclair, David Herd & Tony Murphy.

Best ever Melbas barmaid

Contemplating life beyond 2000

Her name is Aurora & we all fell in love with her. 🙂

Family & friends come to visit

Contemplating life beyond 2000

My brother Warren & his wife Kerry with my cute little niece Laura. On the left is Chris Lockwood & his partner in happier times.

My best friend Ziggy

Contemplating life beyond 2000

We had lots of fun together, plus he was an excellent guard dog.

At the end of the day 2000 certainly was another good year.

Contemplating life beyond 2000 Contemplating life beyond 2000

Contemplating life beyond 2000 Contemplating life beyond 2000

From the top left is Malvina from Paris, Rush from Thailand, & Kerry & Simone from Australia.

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Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

August 18, 2015 by David Herd

Another Italian Gem.

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy is the largest Italian lake. The wealthy and the snobbish will always prefer Lake Como because that’s what they read about in the social pages and gossip columns, the experienced traveller however would most certainly choose Lake Garda as the more interesting and user friendly location.

Lake Garda northern Italy

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

 

Lake Garda is Italy’s largest and most visited lake. The lake is 51km long but only 17km wide at its widest point in the south. The distance around the lake is 158km. Picturesque villages, medieval castles, and lakeside promenades dot the shoreline.

Swimming at Lake Garda

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

The lake has numerous small islands and five main ones, the largest being Isola del Garda. Nearby to the south is Isola San Biagio, also known as the Isola dei Conigli (“Island of the Rabbits”). Both are offshore of San Felice del Benaco, on the west side. The three other main islands are Isola dell’Olivo, Isola di Sogno, and Isola di Trimelone, all farther north near the east side. The main tributary is the Sarca River, while the only outlet is the Mincio River.

Relaxing beside Lake Garda

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

There are many delightful cafes and restaurants around the lake where you can relax and enjoy the sunshine.

Beautiful Lake Garda

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

 

 Lake Garda is known for its clear water, great for swimming in summer. Windsurfing, sailing, and hiking in the lake’s many parks are popular activities.

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

 

Is it surprising that Italy is my favourite European country?

Lakeside restaurant

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

 

A perfect spot to relax by the lake.

Lake Garda church

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

 

If you would like to rent an apartment here use THIS LINK for an excellent rate.

Fabulous colours

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

 

Magnificent colours on the buildings.

Shopping arcade beside the lake

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

 

Shop, drink coffee or enjoy pasta for lunch.

Ferry at Lake Garda

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

 

You can also explore the lake from the ferry.

Old castle

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

 

The lake has a diverse landscape with beaches along the southern shores and rocky cliffs above the northern shoreline.

North of Lake Garda.

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

The surrounding countryside is magnificent.

The Castle of Sirmione on Lake Garda.

Beautiful Lake Garda northern Italy

The Sirmione castle is the most significant example of the defensive structures on Lake Garda. Between the 13th and 14th centuries, the village of Sirmione was a border town situated between the land owned by the Della Scala dynasty of Verona and the property of the lords of Milan. The original nucleus was delimited by a tall square wall with three towers, and was probably built on top of the remains of a Roman fortress.

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Lake Como northern Italy

August 17, 2015 by David Herd

Lake Como northern Italy

Lake Como northern Italy

Lake Como northern Italy

Lake Como northern Italy has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, it’s a very popular tourist attraction with many artistic and cultural gems. It has many villas and palaces such as Villa Olmo, Villa Serbelloni, and Villa Carlotta.

Fabulous Lake Como home

Lake Como northern Italy

Lake Como weather is generally mild. It is known for its Mediterranean-like climate where sub-tropical plants can grow year-round, Average daily temperatures range from about 2 °C (36 °F) in January to 30 °C (86 °F) in July.

Bellagio on Lake Como northern Italy

Lake Como northern Italy

Bellagio is a wonderful upmarket village on Lake Como, certainly a place that attracts the wealthy. Bellagio & Lake Como are both beautiful and famous, however I do prefer the larger Lake Garda which is a couple of hours east. I found it more “user friendly” in so much as there were many more places you could actually access the lake itself. The wealthy and the snobbish will always pick Como because that’s what they read about in the fashion magazines and gossip columns, but the experienced traveller I believe would choose Lake Garda as the more interesting location.

My little road rocket

Lake Como northern Italy

  This little car really covered a lot of miles in the coming weeks, all the way to Saint Tropez, Cinque Terre, Menton, Breil Sur Roya, Verona, Pejo, St Moritz and Salzburg.

 Lake Como northern Italy

Lake Como northern Italy

Taking the shortcut across Lake Como northern Italy.

West side Lake Como

Dramatic scenery Lake Como northern Italy

 

It is a rather short trip on the ferry.

For whom the bell tolls

Lake Como northern Italy

  Pardon me quoting the title of Ernest Hemingway’s 1940 novel, however I’m sure he would have sometime in his life sipped his double daiquiris on the shore of Lake Como. 🙂  

Hemingway did enjoy a drink

Lake Como northern Italy

What a fabulous old photo.

San Giacomo Church, Ossuccio

Lake Como northern Italy

 This Romanesque church is situated along the shore at Spurano, Ossuccio.  It was built between the 10th and 12th centuries. The sail bell tower on the outside wasn’t built until after the 14th century.  The double arched apse is typical of the local architecture and inside the church you can see visible traces of original frescoes.

Grand Hotel Tremezzo

Lake Como northern Italy

Dining outside on the terrace overlooking the lake with the lights of Bellagio twinkling is a magical experience.  

Grand Hotel Tremezzo

Lake Como northern Italy

Way above my pay grade I’m afraid. 🙂

Como Cathedral

Lake Como northern Italy

No, I didn’t go inside. 🙂

Como

Lake Como northern Italy

Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como. Its proximity to Lake Como and to the Alps has made Como a popular tourist destination and the city contains numerous works of art, churches, gardens, museums, theatres, parks and palaces.

  Veal Scallopini

Lake Como northern Italy

  One of my favourite meals is veal scallopini and this dish I had in Como at the restaurant shown below was perhaps the best I have ever experienced.  

Main square opposite Cathedral

Lake Como northern Italy

The food here was fantastic.

Restaurant on the square

Lake Como northern Italy

A beautiful summer day in Como.

Como by the lake

Lake Como northern Italy


As you can see the weather was absolutely perfect at the end of June.

 Garage for the boat

Lake Como northern Italy

I would be very happy living here, 🙂

I’m enjoying a coffee in Bellagio.

Lake Como northern Italy

Thanks for visiting my Dramatic scenery Lake Como northern Italy photo blog, lots more links below.

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Milan Limone Monte Carlo

August 14, 2015 by David Herd

Limone Piemonte Italy

Milan Limone Monte Carlo road trip

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

Milan Limone Monte Carlo road trip stopping for lunch at Limone Piemonte Italy, one of the oldest ski areas in the country. Driving through the Italian & French mountains south on our way to the French Riviera.

Pizza pasta and wild boar

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

My friends & travelling companions Deborah Holliday and Jodie ONeill from the Gold Coast in Australia.


Milan Limone Monte Carlo

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

I had just spent a couple of days in Lake Como waiting for my friends to arrive from Australia before spending 10 days exploring the French Riviera from our apartment in Breil Sur Roya.

Breil Sur Roya was devastated by storm Alex on October 4 2020.

Australian beer in Italy

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

Quite a surprise to see large Australian beer sign.

Nestled amongst the forest

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

 The railway reached Limone in 1891, in 1897 the skiers arrived & competitions began in 1907.

Waiting for the snow

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

Obviously the village would look quite different in the winter.

Charming stone chalets

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

This was a perfect village to have a break on our Milan Limone Monte Carlo road trip.

Here is where we had lunch

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

Very good wine and food at this delightful restaurant.


Main street Limone Piemonte Italy

Milan Limone Monte CarloThe weather was gorgeous as was the village.

The girls are excited 1st day of their holiday

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

Deb & Jodie jumping for joy. 

Mountain creek

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

A small mountain stream runs through the village.

Our road rocket

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

This little rocket was perfect for 3 people. Car hire in Europe is rather inn expensive if you shop around for a good deal. Always try to drop the car off in the country you picked it up in. This will save you a relocation fee. 

David Herd & Deborah Holliday

Milan Limone Monte Carlo

Thanks for joining us on our Milan Limone Monte Carlo road trip, many more photos and information below.

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Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure 2006

April 16, 2015 by David Herd

Another magic world trip

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure 

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure 2006

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure 2006, once again my journey began with a flight from the Gold Coast to Sydney in October 2006,  before arriving in Rio de Janeiro.

I flew to Teresina to meet a friend and her family then continued on to Forteleza and Belem. After Brazil I flew to Italy hired a car and headed for Portofino, San Gimignano, Vinci and Florence.

A friend in Sydney hosted a dinner at his hotel with several friends, great food and 2 very sexy waitresses.

This it not part of my travel blog, just part of my personal photo & travel history from 2006. Mainly revolving around the many people who helped make it another memorable year.

Freeway Hotel Crayfish

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

Crayfish? I can’t see any Crayfish. 🙂

Peter plays it cool

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

The following day I missed my Qantas flight to Rio through a mix up with the airline. I had to purchase another ticket, luckily a couple of months later Qantas reimbursed my original ticket.

A terrific night

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

 

GREAT FOOD, GOOD WINE & HOT BABES, WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT?

 Copacabana Beach Rio de Janeiro, say no more.

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

 

These two look like they mean business.

Alan Austin and his wife Renata

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure 2006

Alan & I met in Rio and became very good friends, unfortunately the following year he ran into some problems with the English authorities and I now visit him every year in various English prisons.

Shenanigans Ipanema

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

Monday nights here there are lots of specials and the place gets really crowded. The guy in the red shirt is Alan’s Las Vegas friend Jay.


The girl from Copacabana

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

  I was relaxing on the beach when this vision appeared in front of me. I have never been one to let a golden opportunity pass so I brushed up on my social skills and introduced myself. Her name was Mel and she came from neighbouring Niteroi. Lo & behold within an hour we were in my apartment making mad passionate love. This certainly was one on the best days of my trip. 🙂  

Mel from Niteroi

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure   

Mel is around 6′ tall with amazing green eyes, a total knock out. It is 2015 and I still have her photo on a shelf in my condo. 🙂  

John, an Aussie guy who owned “The Office” restaurant.

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

John was an Aussie guy from Sydney and we swapped many stories about people we knew and knew of, mainly well known Sydney gangsters. 🙂   The following year John in fact was abducted by Brazilian gangsters who forced him to go to his home in Angra Dos Rios and pen his safe which they cleaned out.  

Cabo Frio

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

Here is my friend Renilda, she lives at Cabo Frio near Buzios with her son and lots of pet dogs. We met in 1999 on Copacabana beach and have had a lot of fun together. I have not seen her since I took this photo in 2006 but I hope we meet again one day.

Sueli and Silmarinha Oliveira

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

I actually met Sueli online so on my way to Fortaleza I decided to stop at Teresina to meet her and her lovely family.

The whole family in Terisina

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure 2006  

Here is the lovely family.

Fortaleza on the north Coast

  Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

Fortaleza is in the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. With a population close to 2.3 million (metropolitan region over 3.4 million), Fortaleza is the 5th largest city in Brazil.  Fortaleza is one of the three leading cities in the Northeast region together with Recife and Salvador. The city will be one of the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, for which Brazil is the host nation.  

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

164 kilometers from Fortaleza is Canoa Quebrada.

Canoa Quebrada

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

 

We rode in a beach buggy  along the beautiful long beaches and wandered through the amazing coloured sands of  Canoa Quebrada.  

Belem at the mouth of the mighty Amazon

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure 2006

Such a beautiful face, (of course I mean the girl) these two were dancers on a cruise I took on the Amazon.  

The catch of the day

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

Belem is at the mouth of the Amazon river which represents more than half the planet’s remaining rainforests and comprises the largest and most species-rich tract of tropical rainforest in the world. Founded in 1616 by the Kingdom of Portugal, Belém was the first European colony on the Amazon but did not become part of Brazil until 1775. The newer part of the city has modern buildings and skyscrapers. The colonial portion retains the charm of tree-filled squares, churches and traditional blue tiles. The city has a rich history and architecture from colonial times. Recently it witnessed a skyscraper boom.  

Old man of the sea

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

 

By now his skin must be like leather.

2.30 am flight Belem to Rio

 Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

Ah! Copacabana I have missed you so much. 🙂  

Lets not forget Ipanema.

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

 

Ipanema is even more beautiful than Copacabana.

Lets have one last look at Mel

  Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

This is the photo I still have in my room today in 2016.  

Transit at Madrid

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

 

Changing planes in Madrid on my my to Italy.

Francesca in Florence

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

  Here is my friend Francesca, I was lucky enough to be able to crash on her couch for a few days.  

The Old Bridge Florence

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

  Certainly one of the most famous landmarks in this great city.  

Great Pizza in Florence

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure 2006

People queue every night to get into this tiny restaurant in Florence, the chef is from Naples and only has 3 choices on the menu, all magnificent.

Ines from Rio de Janeiro

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

Ines is the daughter of my friend Reni from Cabo Frio, she was in Florence at the same time as I was. Francesca cooked dinner while we chatted about old times in Rio.

 Beautiful San Gimignano

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

San Gimignano is famous for its Medieval village architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls form “an unforgettable skyline”

 San Gimignano

  Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

What a wonderful Italian village.

Lunch in Portofino

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

  When you visit Portofino make sure you have your credit card, seafood soup 26 Euros.  Maybe they charged me extra because I was dressed so upmarket. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Fabulous cheeky Portofino

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

    If you own a nice boat the babes will come. 🙂

Club Med yacht.

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

Club Med 2 is a five-masted computer-controlled sailing ship owned and operated by Club Med and operated as a cruise ship. It combines the power of seven computer-operated sails with more traditional diesel-electric power, having four diesel generators that power two electric motors.  

 Arriving in Bangkok

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure 2006

  My gorgeous friend Cleo who I catch up with every time I am in Bangkok.  

The boys at Honey pot in Pattaya

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

  Let the games begin, I’m back in Pattaya. 🙂  

Brazil Italy Thailand

Brazil Italy Thailand Adventure

Thanks for visiting my Brazil Italy Thailand post, it really was another incredible around the world trip.

                           Here are some more posts to check out 

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Counter only started June 16 2020.

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Riomaggiore Cinque Terre Italy

December 10, 2014 by David Herd

Spectacular & beautiful

Riomaggiore Cinque Terre Italy

Riomaggiore Cinque Terre Italy

Riomaggiore Cinque Terre Italy is the 5th and final village that are called in English “the five lands.” Then we have Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. The village, dating from the early thirteenth century, is known for its historic character and its wine, produced by the town’s vineyards.

Riomaggiore, one of the five villages at Cinque Terre

Riomaggiore Cinque Terre Italy

Riomaggiore is in the Riviera di Levante region and has shoreline on the Mediterranean’s Gulf of Genoa, with a small beach and a wharf framed by tower houses. Riomaggiore’s main street is Via Colombo, where numerous restaurants, bars and shops can be found.

Morning gossip in Riomaggiore

Riomaggiore Cinque Terre Italy

Riomaggiore Cinque Terre is the most southern village of the five Cinque Terre, all connected by trail. The water and mountainside have been declared national parks.

Boat repairs

Riomaggiore Cinque Terre Italy

This wonderful village, dates back to early in the thirteenth century.

The locals at Riomaggiore Cinque Terre

Riomaggiore Cinque Terre Italy

Also quite well known for the wine they produce in their own vineyards.

Riomaggiore Cinque Terre Italy

Riomaggiore Cinque Terre Italy

Over the centuries, people have carefully built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the sea. Part of its charm is the lack of visible corporate development. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach them from the outside. The Cinque Terre area is a very popular tourist destination.

Boats are everywhere

Riomaggiore Cinque Terre Italy

The villages of the Cinque Terre were severely affected by torrential rains which caused floods and mudslides on October 25, 2011. Nine people were confirmed killed by the floods, and damage to the villages, particularly Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare, was extensive.

Lots of little restaurants tucked away.

Riomaggiore Cinque Terre Italy

Every nook and cranny holds another surprise.

Relaxing by the sea

Riomaggiore Cinque Terre Italy

Everybody here seems to enjoy a glass of local wine sitting by the sea.

Fresh seafood in Riomaggiore

Riomaggiore Cinque Terre Italy

Some of the local produce, thank you for visiting my Riomaggiore Cinque Terre photo blog.

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1g Duck

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Manarola seaside village Italy

December 9, 2014 by David Herd

Magnificent Cinque Terre

Manarola seaside village Italy

Manarola seaside village Cinque Terre Italy

Manarola seaside village Cinque Terre Italy seems to cling to the side of the cliff, it is the fourth village in the Cinque Terre and quite spectacular. I couldn’t believe how the people would sunbathe on the jagged rocks. 🙂

Manarola on the rocks

Manarola seaside village Cinque Terre Italy

Manarola Cinque Terre may be the oldest of the towns in the Cinque Terre, with the cornerstone of the church, San Lorenzo, dating from 1338. The local dialect is Manarolese, which is marginally different from the dialects in the nearby area. The name “Manarola” is probably dialectical evolution of the Latin, “magna rota”. In the Manarolese dialect this was changed to “magna roea” which means “large wheel”, in reference to the mill wheel in the town.

That concrete looks soooo comfortable. 🙂

Manarola seaside village Cinque Terre Italy

Grabbing some sun anywhere you can in Manarola

Narrow streets of Manarola.

Manarola seaside village Cinque Terre Italy

Wonderful narrow streets wind through the village.

Manarola seaside village Italy

Manarola seaside village Cinque Terre Italy

Manarola may be the oldest of the towns in the Cinque Terre, with the cornerstone of the church, San Lorenzo, dating from 1338. The local dialect is Manarolese, which is marginally different from the dialects in the nearby area. The name “Manarola” is probably dialectical evolution of the Latin, “magna rota”. In the Manarolese dialect this was changed to “magna roea” which means “large wheel”, in reference to the mill wheel in the town.

Manarola cute restaurant

Manarola seaside village Cinque Terre Italy

Beautiful small restaurants here in Manarola.

Manarola gorgeous flowers

Manarola seaside village Cinque Terre Italy

There is a photo opportunity around every corner.

Inportant business in Manarola

Manarola seaside village Cinque Terre Italy

Solving the world’s problems in this seaside village.


Manarola seaside village Italy

Manarola seaside village Cinque Terre Italy

Manarola’s primary industries have traditionally been fishing and wine-making. The local wine, called Sciacchetrà, is especially renowned; references from Roman writings mention the high quality of the wine produced in the region. In recent years, Manarola and its neighbouring towns have become popular tourist destinations, particularly in the summer months. Tourist attractions in the region include a famous walking trail between Manarola and Riomaggiore (called Via dell’Amore, “Love’s Trail”) and hiking trails in the hills and vineyards above the town. Manarola is one of the five villages. Mostly all of the houses are bright and colourful. Manarola was celebrated in paintings by Antonio Discovolo (1874-1956)

Relaxing on the rocks

Manarola seaside village Cinque Terre Italy

One of my favourite places in Italy if not the world.

Manarola seaside village Italy

Manarola seaside village Cinque Terre Italy

You can walk between the villages or catch the train.
 
Thanks for visiting my Manarola seaside village Cinque Terre Italy photo blog.
 
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1g Duck

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Corniglia seaside village Italy

December 9, 2014 by David Herd

The fabulous Italian coast

Corniglia seaside village Italy

Corniglia seaside village Italy

Corniglia seaside village Italy is the third village between Vernazza and Manarola. Many people walk between the villages, lazy people like me catch the train. 🙂

Unlike the other localities of the Cinque Terre, Corniglia is not directly adjacent to the sea. Instead, it is on the top of a promontory about 100 metres high, surrounded on three sides by vineyards and terraces and the fourth side descends steeply to the sea. To reach Corniglia, it is necessary to climb the Lardarina, a long brick flight of steps composed of 33 flights with 382 steps or, otherwise follow a vehicular road that, from the station, leads to the village. Sometimes a small bus runs up and down here.

Lunch in a peaceful courtyard

Corniglia seaside village Italy

The village stretches along the main road, Fieschi Road, and the houses have one side facing this road and the other facing the sea. Corniglia is characterised by narrow roads and a terrace obtained in the rock from which all other four Cinque Terre’s villages, two on one side and two on the other, can be seen. The town planning structure presents also original characteristics compared to those of the other villages: the houses are lower set, and only more recently higher, similar to those of the villages of the hinterland.

Corniglia Cinque Terre Italy

Corniglia seaside village Italy

Documents dating from 1276-77 mention the existence of a castle. However, remains of the castle have yet to be discovered and the location of the castle grounds is unknown.

Wonderful old buildings in Corniglia.

Corniglia seaside village Cinque Terre Italy

The only ruins in Corniglia belong to Genoese fortifications, a stronghold on a cliff plunging into the sea, which dates back to approximately 1556.

Waiting for the puppet show

Corniglia seaside village Italy

All the children getting ready for the show.

Puppet show in Corniglia

Corniglia seaside village Italy

I have not seen a puppet show since I was a child.

Corniglia station with Manarola in the distance

Corniglia seaside village Italy

Village clinging to the side of the hill.

Looking at Manarola from Corniglia

Corniglia seaside village Italy

      Manarola in the distance.
 
Thanks for visiting my Corniglia seaside village Italy photo blog.

Corniglia seaside village Italy

 A wonderful part of the world.
 
 

       
                   
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