Sicily and Southern Italy
內人和我在14年前參加了Insight Vacations 的西歐國家的旅遊團。包括了義大利羅馬以北的幾個有名的城市，佛羅倫斯，威尼斯等地。這次為了看Pompeii， Naples, 和西西里島，所以參加了Globus 的南義大利和西西里島的旅遊團。這次對南義大利的印象是好壞皆有，略述如下：
好的印象是風景的確不錯，東西兩岸的大城市多是建築在面對海灣的山坡上. 山坡城市的道路很窄，兩車相互通過時是個大學問。尤其是兩部旅遊的大巴士。駕駛的技術是一流一的.
巴士經過的郊區，有時盤山而行，有時在沿海的山腳下的平原而行。平原上種植了很多的橄欖樹和果樹如橘子和檸檬，尤其是葡萄.義大利的酒生產出口量已經超越法國，是世界第一。蔬菜，茄子，番茄也是農人常種的.南部的義大利雖然是山多，但也是有許多農地，可謂土壤肥沃。物産豐富的地方。但是相對的來說南方還是比北方，貧窮些。
這次來到義大利才知道他們也是很Green 的國家，看到許多郊區設有風力發電的風車，和太陽能發電的平板.效果和成本就不得而知了。
至於失望和不解之處是垃圾到處都是，城市內的垃圾箱設在路邊，裡面裝滿了當然就放在旁邊的地上。常常在郊外的道路兩旁也是垃圾滿地。問題以我看是政府的責任. 國家因為旅遊事業所帶動的旅館，餐廳，商店的生意，是有刻稅的。政府實在需要多增加垃圾清理的預算，增加垃圾收集的次數，以免垃圾到處氾濫.
義大利城市内的交通是失控的. 摩托車亂鑽，小汽車亂切入，只有旅遊大巴士還算守規矩些. 班馬線很多,但穿越時不代表安全通過。自求多福.
總之，義大利的旅遊事業，生意很好，帶來的外匯也是很多的，但是政府在許多地方實在是有改善的空間。
4月24日從Sorrento coast port 乘快艇Jetfoil 過海去到了Capri 島， 乘坐纜車上山到巿中心。由當地導遊帶領我們做了步行參觀，在離島返回Sorrento coast 之前，大部分的團員買了環島遊艇的票，做了大約一小時的海上觀島之旅。景觀甚佳。值得票價，每人18歐元。
4月25日來到了在79 AD被火山爆發所噴出灰和火山岩石等所埋沒的城市Pompeii, 在1599 年被重新發現，於是在1748年由西班牙的工程師又再度的做更廣範的發掘。此處是UNESCO World Heritage Site. 每年有2.5 百萬遊客到此一遊，這也是我們參加此旅遊團的主要目的。下午我們參加了另外付費的短途旅行，去Amalfi coast 觀景之遊。
4月26日來到了Naples,這是義大利南部的大城。有一位英語很好又長得不錯的當地女導遊，中國大陸所謂的地陪，帶領我們在市區歩行參觀。下午我們從西岸横跨義大利來到了東岸靠海的城市Bari.
4月27日在Bari 的老巿區由當地導遊帶領我們在老市區步行參觀。然後去位於東南170公里處的Lecce.此處號稱是義大利南部的”佛羅倫斯”. Lecce 有許多巴洛克式建築和廣場。
4月28日我們轉向西北方132公里處的Martina Franca 和Alberobello 兩地參觀。此區房子的特色是多用石塊建造，而且屋頂多是尖角錐型的。奇特的房屋Trulli 式建築。2-3 BR 小房，平均巿價為25-30萬歐元。算是很貴了。
4月29日我們開始再次轉向去西岸。途中先在Matera 停留，此地有古老的石窟洞穴居住之處。非常雄偉，是個很好取景拍照的好地方。再向西行，就到了腳指頭位置的Scilla. 此處被稱為”Venice of Calabria “. 下午我們來到了Reggio Calabria, 參觀了當地的博物館. 這裡有許多近來出土或是海底沉船所打撈上來的一些古董物件.參觀完畢後，步行回旅館，順道經過被評為義大利第一名的Gelato店，這一個小亭子似的小店，門口大擺長龍，為了吃考第一名的gelato, 只好耐心排隊. 價格還算OK. 品質的確一流.
4月30日從Reggio Calabria 來到了ferry port, 準備人車一起上船，橫跨Strait of Messina 去到世界有名的西西里島.號稱是義大利黑手黨發源地.Sicily 島是一個地中海世界的大熔爐.有許多人種來自附近的國家.有早期來到的腓尼基人、諾曼人，希臘人，法國人，西班牙人，所以這島上有多種的文化. 島上的建築物仍有各統治者時期所留下的痕跡。
5月1日來到Taormina Rivera. 此處風景優美，也是古希臘統治時期的海港.下午我們參觀在Syracuse 的考古遺址. Syracuse 也是希臘偉大的數學家阿基米德的出生地. 也參觀了Cathedral of Syracuse.
5月2日我們參加了另外付費的短程旅行去到歐洲最高的活火山Mount Etna.山區約有119 平方公里。山高將近11,000 英呎.這個火山被列為UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 我們的大巴士可以上山並且參觀了四個火山口之一。可以看出偉大的大自然力量.
5月3日在西西里這個大島上，向南行，來到了Agrigento.當地的導遊帶領我們進入了Valley of Temple. Temple Di Juno, temple Di Ercole, and the most popular one the Temple of Concordia. 這些在希臘統治時代所建築的偉大建物，奇蹟似的存在24個世紀。下午我們𨍭進了西西里的首府Palermo. 此地是西西里島上的最大城市。
5月4日當地的導遊帶領我們去巿區的廣場，蔬菜水果市場，以及位於郊區的the Cathedral of Montreal (UNESCO World Heritage Site). 下午回到市區參觀了the Palermo Cathedral 和布洛克式的教堂baroque church.然後去到了cheese maker 參觀了如何制做 a fresh ricotta.
晚間我們隨著Tour Director 參加了告別晚宴，團員盡歡而散。
5月5日一早開始，分別依照飛機航班時間而分别安排從洒店去Palermo Airport. 告別義大利，各自返家。
St Peter Square, Rome, Italy
Castel Stant Angelo, Rome, Italy
Barberini Gardens
The facade of the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo
Barberini Gardens
Barberini Gardens
Barberini Gardens
Barberini Gardens
The facade of the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo
The facade of the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo
The facade of the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo
The facade of the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo
The facade of the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo
Sorrento, Italy
Sorrento, Italy
Sorrento - City Hall
Sorrento, Italy
Positano, Italy
Sorrento, Italy
Polignano A Mare , Italy
I have seen her movie “Two Women = La Ciociara 河孃淚）when I was in elementary school.
Capri, Italy
Capri, Italy
Capri, Italy
Capri, Italy
Capri, Italy
Capri, Italy
Capri, Italy
Pompeii, Italy
The main street of old Pompeii, Italy
Pompeii, Italy
Pompeii, Italy
Pompeii, Italy
Pompeii, Italy
Pompeii, Italy
Pompeii, Italy
Pompeii, Italy
The main street of old Pompeii, Italy
Looks like the sunken living room of a rich family. Pompeii, Italy
Pompeii, Italy
Pompeii, Italy
Volcano Mt. Vesuvius
Bay of Naples
Bay of Naples
Big shopping Mall in Naples, Italy
Big shopping Mall in Naples, Italy
The local guide of Naples.
Castel Nuovo, often called Maschio Angioino
Very Green
Polignano,Puglia, Italy
Bari, Italy
It is named after the plebiscite taken on October 2, 1860 that brought Naples into the unified Kingdom of Italy under the House of Savoy. It is located very closely to the gulf of Naples, and bounded on the east by the Royal Palace and on the west by the church of San Francesco di Paola with colonnades extending to both sides. Other surrounding buildings include the Palazzo Salerno and, its mirror, the Prefecture Palace (on the left arm of the church).
Polignano,Puglia, Italy
Nel blu dipinto di blu" (Italian pronunciation: [nel ˈblu ddiˈpinto di ˈblu]; "In the blue that is painted blue"), popularly known as "Volare" [voˈlaːre] (meaning "To fly"), is a song recorded by Italian singer-songwriter Domenico Modugno. Written by Franco Migliacci and Domenico Modugno, it was released as a single on 1 February 1958.
Bari Basilica San Nicola
Bari, Italy
Located in the Piazza del Duomo, Lecce cathedral is on par with the Basilica di Santa Croce as the most important religious buildings in the city.
Trulli houses.
The Roman Amphitheater on SantOronzo Square in Lecce, Italy
This amphitheatre was not unearthed until 1929 but it was built in the second century AD and had a capacity of 25,000.
The Porta Napoli is a relic from this defensive network and is one of the three remaining city gates (main gate of Lecce).
Originally constructed in 1548 in honour of King Charles V, the portal features a Baroque design and is made from white Lecce stone.
Local kids.
Trulli houses.- Farm Houses
Funny shape houses in Alberobello, Italy
Funny shape houses in Alberobello, Italy
Parco della Murgia Materana.
Very green
Ruffo Castle, Scilla - Reggio di Calabria, Italy
Scilla - Reggio di Calabria, Italy
Big ferry ship
On the big ferry ship to Sicily, Italy
Hilton Hotel at room balcony
Scilla, Italy
Basilica in Taormina, Sicily, Italy
(Church of St. Joseph)
Siracusa Cathedral in Square Piazza del Duomo in Ortigia Siracusa, Italy
Ortigia, Italy
Roman Amphitheater in. Syracuse,Italy
Ortigia, Italy shore line.
Remains of ancient Greco-Roman theater now used for entertainment events, with views of Mount Etna.
Syracuse - birthplace of the mathematician Archimedes
The Ear of Dionysius is a limestone cave carved out of the Temenites hill in the city of Syracuse
The Ear of Dionysius is a limestone cave carved out of the Temenites hill in the city of Syracuse
Volcano Mt. Vesuvius
Volcano Mt. Etna one of the four craters.
Volcano Mt. Etna Lava flow path
Volcano Mt. Etna Lava flow path
The traffic is out of control in Italy. BAD,BAD,BAD!
Even the dogs dont care about it. The cars and motorcycles running by, the dogs DO NOT yield or move at all.
So called good dog don’t block the road. （好狗不擋路）
The Temple of Concordia is the best .
Temple Di Ercole, Agrigento, Sicily
Temple Di Juno. Agrigento, Sicily
The Cathedral of Monreale ( UNESCO World Heritage Site)
The Cathedral of Monreale ( UNESCO World Heritage Site)
The Cathedral of Monreale ( UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Palermo Cathedral.
Angelos stall faces one of Palermos most spectacular baroque churches.
Teatro Massimo - the largest opera house (Palermo) in Italy
The monument for the people got killed in the Mofia world, Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Eating #1 Gelato in Italy 1 - Reggio Calabria
