winifredcreamer

Two views of Naples

We spent our last night in southern Italy at the Grand Hotel Vesuvio with a sea view room. Our hallway was lined with old prints of Mt. Vesuvius. Buildings facing the waterfront where the Vesuvio is located are all in good repair, recently painted, and punctuated by good restaurants. In the afternoon we tookContinue reading “Two views of Naples”

San Mateo, Patron of Salerno

The story of St. Matthew and the martyrs of Salerno is a triumph of faith over history. Briefly, St. Matthew the Apostle died a martyr in Ethiopia, where he was buried. Three hundred years later, the story goes, his remains were transported by Breton merchants to Legion, a town located in the westernmost part ofContinue reading “San Mateo, Patron of Salerno”

Riding the ferry along the Amalfi Coast to Capri

I’ve been lax on posting lately and will now catch up by posting a few pictures from some of the places we’ve enjoyed this month. Taking the ferry along the coast gave us a great look at Amalfi and Positano from the water. The ferry stops at both places on its way to Capri. WeContinue reading “Riding the ferry along the Amalfi Coast to Capri”

What I love about Pompeii

As an archaeologist, I was amazed, surprised, and delighted by Pompeii. Other sites may be bigger (Tenochtitlan, Mexico), have larger temples and pyramids (Moche, Peru), or more spectacular settings (Machu Picchu, Peru), but more is known and brings the city to life in Pompeii than anywhere else. There are lots of buildings, walls and streets.Continue reading “What I love about Pompeii”

Sorrento

Need I say anything?We ate lunch looking over the Bay of Naples, Vesuvius in the background, a six-masted cruise ship moored nearby and a ferry to Capri at the landing. Sorrento is charming for a stroll, shopping and lunch. We had a lovely day. We did drive to Sorrento from Salerno, parking in the firstContinue reading “Sorrento”

After Ferragosto

Ferragosto is the annual down time for all of Italy. During the two weeks from mid-August until the first of September almost everyone takes a holiday, and every desirable hostelry in the country is jammed to the doors. That’s why we left for Ireland. We returned to Italy when order was restored on Sept. 1.Continue reading “After Ferragosto”

Salerno, Italy

We now have a very comfortable apartment in Salerno, Italy, just south of the Sorrento Peninsula. From the long avenue along the harbor you can see the entire Amalfi Coast.Our house is a former worker’s cottage, now spruced up. The giant bread oven is now our bathroom. Tucked in here and there in Salerno areContinue reading “Salerno, Italy”

12 hours of madness, and incidentally, New Grange

(Things got a bit out of order and this should have appeared before the previous) We left Bundoran on Aug. 30 and embarked on 12 hours of madness as we tried to get me in and out of the outpatient unit at University Hospital, Sligo for a shot in my eye to treat my macularContinue reading “12 hours of madness, and incidentally, New Grange”

Last stop Dublin, and what’s Good to Know about Ireland

Our last day in Dublin was spent inside the National Museum of Ireland. Lyra was wonderful in agreeing to stay with her crazy parents in the museum all day when all of Dublin was beckoning. After visiting many archaeological sites around Ireland we had often read reference to finds made at a site followed byContinue reading “Last stop Dublin, and what’s Good to Know about Ireland”

Irish Houses

As you drive around the Republic of Ireland, you notice only variations on a single house type. Abandoned Cottage Occupied cottage Architecture in Ireland appears to take a simple cottage as the basic model for all housing. There are hundreds of abandoned cottages (L), and there are many restored, rebuilt, or new cottages (R). SomeContinue reading “Irish Houses”