Start of the Cruising Season 2016

Branko and Ilario

Otranto, May 2016

After a wonderful winter in Roccella Ionica (and we'll be back again this winter), and having done some work, finally, we were all set to get started on our sixth cruising season.

Unfortunately we would have to haul the boat out in Crotone to replace a broken seacock for the toilet, which was stuck in the closed position and meant that we couldn't use our toilet.  This was the second Buck Algonquin seacock that failed within seven years. I bought Groco bronze ones as replacements.

Sailing from Crotone

Crotone yard

We had a lovely forecast for a seventy mile downwind sail, but instead motored in no wind. Two days on the hard saw the jobs done and visits with friends we'd met in previous years, which made for a rewarding stay. A special thanks to our friends Rick and Barb on Far Out for smuggling in some North American cotton boxer briefs and replacement fan blades. I don't know how European men can stand to keep their twig and berries wrapped in synthetic material all the time.

Going to the beach (bow)

Our friend Ilario from Roccella has joined us for a few weeks as we make our way to Croatia for another season to see the bits we never saw the first time. He has made sure that we are well stocked with food and booze and is hogging all the sun on the deck. Beware of Italians serving something called a Negroni (consists of Campari, Martini, and gin)! We set off in the direction of the heel of Italy making for either Corfu or the Adriatic, depending on the winds when we got there.

The sailing made up for the motoring to Crotone, and more. It was a gentle beam reach all the way using our wind pilot to steer the course.

Wylie is always curious but gentle

Lovely little bird

We were visited by beautiful little sea swallows (I think) and I finally caught my first fish, a tuna, after five years of dragging lures in the Mediterranean. It was big enough to feed the five of us two meals - the first night underway and the second night BBQ'd while at anchor in Otranto.

First fish since Bahamas

We thanked him

And now we sit at anchor in Otranto waiting to go to Vieste, Italy, which is a long day sail from Lastovo, Croatia, where we will check in to avoid the disaster that is Cavtat. If you enter Croatia from anywhere south of Bari, you will be fined if you don't check in at Cavtat.

Evening sun on Otranto

thank you Mr. Fish

Otranto from the anchorage

Otranto is a favourite spot because it offers so much, but soon it will be time to move on. We wait for the winds to carry us north and east.

Ciao,
Branko

Christmas in Rocella

The Family!

For Christmas we were invited to our friend Larry's festivities. 

Larry was born in Thunder Bay,Canada but are from Roccella Jonica.   His family moved to Canada in the 60s, had their children ( Larry and 2 brothers) and moved back to Roccella when Larry was 3.    He kept up his English, as did his mother and brothers.   The family owns a huge villa in town here and its split up;  with cousins, his mom, brothers and children all living together but in completely different/separate apartments.   Not like slum landlord apts:-)  but beautiful places,  built out of this old villa, views of the sea, the castles, stone balconies with old Roman busts and situated around the corner from the main plaza square....very lovely.  

Back to Christmas.
Larry picked us up Christmas day around noon, off we went to another town called Siderno,  his wife's family lives there and that is where we were to have Christmas dinner and boxing day lunch. 
Not just the family is invited but cousins, in laws, friends and Canadians are all welcome.  We had never met anyone but Larry,  yet his entire family made us feel like we were old comfortable friends.  It did not matter that we spoke limited Italian and them no English (ok besides Larry, his son and brother in law spoke and understood enough English to make everybody comfortable) we had a fantastic time. 

Just like in the movies,  15 people all talking and laughing at once,  eating plate after plate of food and drinking wine regardless of age:-)   Each plate had one item on it,  for instance there were 2 lasagna ( I couldn't tell the difference) and each were served separately because you could not mix them.   Pickled vegetables, cold meats, cheese and bread,  Lasagna, 3 kinds of meat ( rabbit, pork and goat), then a big bowl of fresh fennel is passes around to chew on,  salad and 2nd helpings of anything.   Then desserts, tiramisu,  4 layered creme cake, grappa, liqueurs, cassata cake and opening of presents.

Lisa and Mom

Santa handing out gifts

The presents were distributed just the same as when we were  kids.   A Santa ( the brother in law, who has a carnival business was the Santa, he was hilarious,  we could just see him working the Italian crowds) picked a present from under the tree, read out who it was for and from, made comments as to what it might be, a joke or 2 and then everyone watched and waited for the gift to be opened, looked at and sometimes put on. 
We got gifts too,  how nice for us and totally unexpected.  Bath stuff (soap and cream, which is great since we buy the cheapest or use soap from the bathrooms soap dispenser..sometimes) wine and fantastic pickled vegetables, like eggplant, olives and mushrooms, plus a pesto made of sundried tomatoes, capers and mushrooms, yum!

Tombola cards

Italians here, play Tombola on Christmas.   Bingo for us English folk but play for money, each card costs 50 cents and the winners get money from the pot.   Lots of fun, laughing, money to be made and it doesn't matter how many people play as there is always room for more.
Boxing day we again went to Siderno and did the entire thing again but with no presents:-)

Branko and his chestnuts

Besides Larry's festivities we ( the Swiss couple, the American guy and us) celebrated 1 Sunday in advent, having brunch, drinking wine, playing Mexican train and bolles on the beach.

 The winter solstice,  Dec 21st we made a bonfire on the beach;  watched the sunset, roasted Italian sausages, drank wine ate roasting marshmallows (unbelievable but found marshmallows but no candy canes) fun and nice to finally celebrate the solstice in some pagan style.

Happy Winter Solstice!

On New years eve we rode our borrowed bikes to Roccella, along the beach boardwalk to celebrate with Larry and the usual suspects.  Basically more fun, food and drinks. We had a view from his balconies to watch all the fireworks.

Next day, new years day we were back to Larry's for more eating, drinking and a few rounds of Bingo.

Just beginning to recuperate, mostly from all the food, as we drank sparingly, no room for liquids.

The very (belated) best wishes for you this new year.

Bay of Naples

Street scene, Naples

Hand painted tambourines

Rocella Ionica, Calabria, Italy
March 2016

The four of us rented a car from a company at the Reggio Calabria airport for only 7€ per day.  We took it for 10 days and made a trip to Naples (Napoli).  From our location here in Roccella Ionica it's a 500km drive on scenic highways through the mountains of southern Italy and along the Tyrrhenian Sea, with spectacular views all along the way.

We stayed in Herculaneum, a town at the base of Mt. Vesuvius and about 20km away from Naples.  There are two now famous towns that were buried by ash when Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D.: Pompeii and Herculaneum.  A short walk from our B&B brought us to the excavation in Herculaneum.

The chariots just went by.

Original wall painting, colours too

It was buried in 60 feet of ash, which has turned to rock, and was discovered slowly as a result of wells and tunnels dug into the town. The first excavation took place in the 1700's. Seventy five percent of the ancient city is still buried under the present day town of Ercolano.

See the modern city above Ercolano?

Roadside restaurant, help yourself!

This is what is still under Ercolano.

What sets it apart from Pompeii is that, while the actual site is smaller, it is much better preserved.  Three story buildings still stand and in some cases the original wood lintels in the doors and windows exist, now charred in appearance due to the extreme heat of the eruption and ensuing pyroclastic surge of gas and ash.  There are grim reminders of the catastrophe in the form of fossilized skeletons of victims that were instantly killed by the fury of the volcano. When you stand in the present-day town and look over at the distant Vesuvius, it is hard to imagine the violence of the eruption that erased the towns between it and the sea.

Branko made me take this.

Check out the floor.

That was on the first day when we arrived.  The next saw us take the circumvesuvio train to Naples, which is only a 20-30 minute ride.  The station is near the historical centre of town and we hoofed directly to it.  Naples is one of the bigger cities in Italy, and like most of them, has wonderful sights.  We love to traipse through the various neighbourhoods, climb through narrow alleyways and up to vantage points to get the best views, and to chat with folks and see how they live.

Duomo ceiling, Naples

Gateway to old Naples

The famous steps

 Naples does not disappoint.  There are the requisite beautiful cathedrals, historical buildings, castles, forts, and museums, but what I liked best was the view from the hilltop at the north end of the city. An arduous set of stairs lead up to the castle, now a museum, atop the hill.  From there you see Naples lying at the top of the Bay of Naples, the sea to your right and the sleeping volcano brooding away in the distance.  The descent takes you down to the port and the massive four-cornered castle that once guarded the port.

We spent two days walking all over Naples and each night we all came back tired and grimy to our digs - called Vesuvius Smiling - to take a shower (pups too cause they were filthy walking so close to the ground) and rest.  I was also on a mission while in Naples to have my guitar (thanks Gayle and Jeff) refretted because I actually wore ruts into the top three from playing so much and using a capo.

Branko, his fixed guitar and new friends.

On Via San Sebastione there are several excellent music stores and one special luther's shop called Anema e Corde on a side street called Port'Alba. They carefully repaired the frets for me on the same day and gave me a tour of the shop.  If I had 3000€ I would have bought one of their guitars even though they specialize in Italian mandolins and restorations.

On the drive back we took a route through the rugged mountains of Calabria to see the spectacular scenery and the mountain towns.  Before there were cars and roads, these places were remote and often if you were born in one of those villages, you likely never left it.  No problem for us, though, except for the poor condition of some the roads and the torturous, twisting turns.

Selfie 

What next they ask?

We had the car for a few more days, so we made a trip back to the Tyrrhenina Sea to visit the town of Tropea along with new friends Tracy and Mike from Rio Luna. I realized when we arrived to this beautiful sea-side town that I was starting to take for granted all the beautiful things to see in Italy.  Here we were strolling through a picturesque and popular resort town with a beautiful beach set in the rolling hillside and I wasn't overly impressed.

Caulonia Superior

Back road to Stilo

Tropea, from the sandcastle

Tropea again

Festa in Caulonia

Winding roads

When we eventually leave the Med, we will pass through the Messina straights and visit more of the Tyrrhenian coast of Italy.  I will promise to be more impressed.

Branko