Another day, another cloudless blue sky.
We set off early for the hour long drive to Vesuvius. Having navigated some terrifying hairpin bends the driver deposited us about two thirds of the way up the volcano. From there we made our ascent to the summit, aided by pairs of wooden walking sticks, available for rent at the princely sum of 50 cents a set.
The quickest groups arrived at the crater's edge within 25 minutes, while those of us who prefer a more leisurely pace arrived some 30 minutes later, having stopped to admire the view.
As you can see from the photo, we were soon above cloud base, but with stunning views down into the fertile plain below, and the Bay of Naples, glistening in the distance.
After an hour or so pottering around and filling our lungs with the clean and cooling mountain air, we descended down and headed for a local cafe, where we ate our packed lunches, bought ice creams and well deserved icy cold drinks.
And then we were on our way again, heading this time for Herculaneum. The city was an upmarket Roman resort, and the houses here were covered in boiling mud and lava, rather than the ash that smothered Pompeii. Some of the houses here are stunning, with exquisite frescoes in a variety of rich and luxurious colours.
We returned home to the Villa Igea for cooling showers, before dinner and a local bus ride into Sorrento. What followed can be described only as a plague of locusts devouring the contents of the charming souvenir shops. Some of the boys returned carrying a very large number of bags for the girls, lured into doing so by the promise of 20 cents a bag. To date I don't think a single boy has been paid. I would like to think the boys were being chivalrous and won't pursue the issue of remuneration for services rendered. I rather suspect the girls have no intention of paying anyway.
And so on to our last full day - where has the time gone? We're off to relax on the island of Capri, where prices for coffee rival those of St Mark's Square in Venice and the prices in the designer shops require a second mortgage! It will be fun to see how far the students get haggling in the likes of Prada and Gucci.
We set off early for the hour long drive to Vesuvius. Having navigated some terrifying hairpin bends the driver deposited us about two thirds of the way up the volcano. From there we made our ascent to the summit, aided by pairs of wooden walking sticks, available for rent at the princely sum of 50 cents a set.
The quickest groups arrived at the crater's edge within 25 minutes, while those of us who prefer a more leisurely pace arrived some 30 minutes later, having stopped to admire the view.
As you can see from the photo, we were soon above cloud base, but with stunning views down into the fertile plain below, and the Bay of Naples, glistening in the distance.
After an hour or so pottering around and filling our lungs with the clean and cooling mountain air, we descended down and headed for a local cafe, where we ate our packed lunches, bought ice creams and well deserved icy cold drinks.
And then we were on our way again, heading this time for Herculaneum. The city was an upmarket Roman resort, and the houses here were covered in boiling mud and lava, rather than the ash that smothered Pompeii. Some of the houses here are stunning, with exquisite frescoes in a variety of rich and luxurious colours.
We returned home to the Villa Igea for cooling showers, before dinner and a local bus ride into Sorrento. What followed can be described only as a plague of locusts devouring the contents of the charming souvenir shops. Some of the boys returned carrying a very large number of bags for the girls, lured into doing so by the promise of 20 cents a bag. To date I don't think a single boy has been paid. I would like to think the boys were being chivalrous and won't pursue the issue of remuneration for services rendered. I rather suspect the girls have no intention of paying anyway.
And so on to our last full day - where has the time gone? We're off to relax on the island of Capri, where prices for coffee rival those of St Mark's Square in Venice and the prices in the designer shops require a second mortgage! It will be fun to see how far the students get haggling in the likes of Prada and Gucci.
In the afternoon we're planning a boat ride round the island. It should be blissful.
So, until the next time, arrivederci!
Mr vS
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