ABBA - Thank You For The Music

Yesterday allowed us to fully re-charge. A day filled with rest and recovery (although Donna who is not used to sitting still for so long felt it).  We spent a few hours having a look at what there is to see and do in Stockholm and finding accommodation.
Everything in Scandinavia is far more expensive than any other place we have travelled, so accommodation doesn't come cheap.  Since we are paying a premium, it might as well be somewhere nice, and central to everything. 


So this morning we headed back from the Raddison to the Stockholm Airport on the free connection bus because this is the easiest way to connect with the public transport system into the centre of Stockholm.  The express train in to Stockholm City is not included in the public transport and at AUD$50 per person, we don't hink it is cheap.  But with the journey cut to 20 minutes as the speed gets up to 190 kph - couldn't quite catch it as the monitor kept changing.highlighted!


At the main station, we go down to the metro station and get a 72 hour all-public-transport pass for the same price as our trip this morning AUD$50 each.  Now, we are set. We know that there is no transport right to the door of our hotel today, so succumb and take a taxi so we can divest ourselves of our luggage.  The taxi driver complains of the amount of roadworks, but we assure him that there is no more than most other cities.  He moans about the Green Party, who hold the balance of power and are influencing the investment in environmentally friendly transport modes that will restrict vehicles in part of the City.  Sorry, just can't agree with him. It was nice to get a couple of photos of the inner city as we were driving to the hotel.  I hope to get clearer shots over the next couple of days.

We finally reach the hotel where we will spend the next couple of days - the stunning Hotel Skeppsholem set just up from the waterfront on the island of Skeppsholem.  The Hotel has a long and colourful history. Originally built in 1699-1702 with the purpose of housing the Royal Marines of Karl XII. Since Sweden’s financial situation of the time was poor, most of the building material came from ruined castles on the countryside. The buildings, known to locals as “The Long Row”, was never used for the soldiers as intended, as most of them never made it home from the wars. They were therefore left uninhabited until 1710, when the city started using them as a hospice for poor people infected with the plague. 

Years later after renovation, the buildings became offices and storehouses for the Navy, and also housing for military employees. The Martial Court was accommodated here too. In the 1900’s most of the space was turned into apartments for Navy staff, mostly officers and their families, and in the 2000’s it was once again adapted to be used as administrative offices. It is fascinating and lovely. We arrive in the sunshine with lots of people sitting in the garden.

Our room is not yet ready, but that is okay as the hotel will gladly hold our luggage.  So off we head down the path and then out along the quayside walkway to the ferry terminal.  We are off to see the ABBA museum that I had booked tickets for while we travelled in to the City on the train this morning.

So, one cannot come to Stockholm and NOT go to the ABBA museum.  Not sure where to start.

For those who know me, I am an ABBA tragic from way back.  I'll never forget the day when a teenage Gen was horrified when she found me singing to Fernando in one of the band's later incarnations.  She didn't know at that time that the band was universal and timeless!

Because we have pre-purchased our tickets, we can skip the line at the door and waltz straight on in.
We end up spending more than 4 hours here.  It is filled with the stories and memorabilia of the individuals and their personal lives before,during and after the ABBA phenomena, the band and their hits and tours, the stage play and the two movies.  It included interactive sections where you could try mixing the songs, auditioning for a supposed opportunity - and no, I am NOT putting that up here, nor the photo shoot of me as the various band members - suffice to say those are the pics that horror movies are based upon!

There is nothing that is not covered.
The costumes, the props, the newsreels, the platinum records - everything.  From the foursome's childhoods to the current day.
It is a wonderful tribute that allows so many people to re-live their teen years.  And the story of the Australian link to their fame is well

So as the day is drawing to a close, and the weather starting to chill for the night, we head back across the bay to our island and our hotel.
Dinner is served until 10 pm, but with a full hotel, the best we can manage is 6:45 pm.  So we take it.  The restaurant here not only services the hotel, but locals also, and is very well known here.  Restaurant Långa Raden caters to discerning diners (and the bus tour groups lodging here).  The food is typically Swedish with a modern twist.  Donna and I decide that we can only do two courses and opt for a main and dessert.  The food is fabulous.

Mains - Donna
Hängmörad svensk ryggbiff med kryddsmör, tomatsallad och rödvinssky 
Dry aged Swedish sirloin steak, spice butter, tomato salad and red wine jus  
Maria
Köttbullar med potatispuré, pressgurka, lingon och gräddsås  
Meatballs with potato purée, pickled cucumber and lingon berries and cream sauce  

Desserts - Donna
Hallonyoghurtglass med kolabrownie och maränger 
Raspberry and yoghurt ice cream, caramell brownie and meringues
Maria
Vit chokladpastej med citrusmarinerade jordgubbar och smultronsorbet 
White chocolate cake with lemon marinated strawberries and wild strawberry sorbet

Those desserts were 'died and gone to heaven delicious'!
 
Back in the room as we are putting our gear away, Donna comes across the purchases that you can make on the room menu - the smalls you might have forgotten - socks, jocks, nickers and tights (small to extra large- one in each size) - now THAT is class!!
Donna then did a Michael and went out to take some night shots - we will share them tomorrow.

Tomorrow we are heading into the Old Town.

The Isle of Capri swimming in azure seas

You should have seen the views we had when we woke at the Hotel & Spa Bellavista Francischiello - oh, hang on a sec - you can! Thanks to the age of the digital camera. Before we went down to breakfast, we watched the sea get choppier and choppier from the other side of the bay. Out towards the Isle of Capri however, it was like a millpond.

Breakfast was served down in the restaurant and was sumptuous. Helen was commenting that it was the first time in ages that we have not had croissants and before we could blink, three were delivered to our table! The coffee was great and there was a functioning toaster so we could have dead set real toast - yum.

Once we had checked out, we got into the car and braced ourselves for the trip down into Sorrento from our wonderful hotel on the hill. By the time we get down there, we need to find a parking station - there is NO on-street parking anywhere for cars - just motorbikes, so it is in to one at €1.50 per hour which is much more reasonable than I expected. We head back to the main square which is really a very small roundabout around which cars zoom from 5 directions and look for the signs to the Porto.

From here we follow the signs that point down one of the narrow shopping streets and then away. Too late, we realise that the way down (and I mean down!) to the Port is via a steep hairpinned road, or a number of sets of staircases. Steep staircases. Too bad we did not have a map before we set out on this leg, we could have known to catch the bus down! So, down those blasted stairs we go. My hip is not happy and Hels has jarred her knee - not a great start to our island day!

Once we are down at ground zero, Michael and Helen head off to buy ferry tickets. Eventually the ferry arrives about 10 minutes late. I don't get a good feeling while watching them try to berth it - 3 goes it takes with the vessel tossing and lurching in the surf that is trapped inside the harbour walls being fed by a large swell! The poor fellow who is tossing the mooring rope has to rescue it, sodden, from the water twice. Not a good look at all! The passengers disembark and then it is own turn to board. There is a long line of people waiting and we slowly inch forward onto the pontoon. Then onto the gangways that have a mind of their own - sliding and jumping on the pier. They are each being held firm by two of the crew who struggle to keep them still while we all clamber to get on board. Once on board, it does not seem nearly as rough as it looks - ah, thank goodness for catarmarans!

The water is very choppy inside the harbour, but once we are outside its walls, it settles to a more reasonable roll very quickly. The trip will take a little longer than the advertised crossing time of 25 minutes as they are taking the boat further along the coast of the island to ensure a safe approach. So a little more than 30 minutes after we depart, we are docking at the Isle of Capri. People pour off the boat onto land. It takes a few minutes for me to get my land legs together and stop the rolling that they had just become used to. The crowd disperses into the island where there are loads of taxis waiting and one lone bus. Along the shore there are a number of ferry moorings and a small fleet of private boats - including some that would have very heavy price tags!

The bus up to the top of the Island is packed with people jammed on like sardines from the bay! There is no way that we can get on, so we wait for the nest one, supposedly sue in 10 minutes. While waiting we check out the cost for one of the taxis. Now, the bus fare is all of €3 and the cabbie wants €25! So you know where he can put that!!!
The taxis are all convertibles - and they must be a joy to ride the winding roads on a warm and sunny day. In fact, today is quickly going from drab to fab as the sun burns off the clouds that had threatened to dampen our spirits. He starts his negotiations for a 2 hour tour at €150, but quickly comes down to €120. He won't budge below €100 though and that is way over Michael and my budget for the day. So, back to wait for the bus we go.

The bus eventually turns up 20 minutes after the last one. A queue has grown again, but we are one of the first on and so manage to get seats on the small bus. By the time we leave about 5 minutes later, it is jam-packed again! Gosh, I know that the main tourist season is over, but in this shoulder season there should still be more services operating. And so, off up the hill we go. Now we have travelled on some narrow roads recently, but this one really takes the cake. At some point, we meet another bus coming down the mountain and things get very very tight - there is literally one inch between the side mirrors of the two buses and the side mirror and the rock wall we are passing - I kid you not. Helen actually took a video to show her kids, but the file is too big to upload here. Ask her to show you (and you will hear her in the background tell how she has been scarred for life while driving the Amalfi Coast roads that are about twice as wide as this road!)

Its only about 10 minutes to the top where we all alight into - streets even busier with tourists. We are hungry and so find a cliff top little cafe and settle in for toasties, pasta and milkshakes - mine was lemon - and don't knock it till you try it - amazing! As soon as we are finished we head over to the railing edge to have photos with the amazing beauty of the island and the Gulf of Naples in which it sits.

Shopping on the Isle of Capri will generally require you to have long arms and filled deep pockets. Especially in the resort town of Capri, the offerings are all up-market and up-price. Lots of high end fashion and jewellery on sale - and lots of Japanese tourists who have bags from these shops walking around here! Helen has been looking for a pair of Capri pants and had an experience much like Julia Robert's character in Pretty Woman (when she quotes "I tried to buy some clothes here yesterday, but you refused to serve me. Big mistake, Huge!") Many of the shop-keepers in Capri have a very disdainful attitude to the tourists. That might not be an issue for them in the summer months, but now that the main holiday period is over, you would think that they would welcome the sales income. So a rude, uncooperative seller who had shirts that appealed lucked out on what would have been a fairly major purchase. And in his place, we found another two shopkeepers in the quieter part of the tourist stretch at the front of the marina who could not have been more obliging. And guess what? They were rewarded with good sales when she found the elusive capri pants - we had assumed that they would be easy to buy here, but they were not! Thanks for being so lovely Vincenzo and Claudia!

Helen had been the one who really wanted to come to the island today with the hope of seeing the famous and beautiful Blue Grotto. But as the sea is so rough, cruises have been cancelled. There is one company who is selling tickets on a cruise around the isand, but as we watch, they cancel that and bring the people who had been waiting on the boat, off. The gangplank was bouncing even more than what it was on our ferry earlier. So, unfortunately, the closest poor Helen gets is to the poster outside one of the sales kiosks! And while we are there taking this photo, I turn to the harbour where we see some amusing warning signs. This one in particular took my fancy!

And all too soon, our time on the Isle of Capri is done. We have tickets to get the ferry at 3:45 pm. It's running late due to the seas, and then when they do berth they are frantically hurrying everyone to get on board - no doubt they are trying to rescue their timetable. The boat is full and we are all separated in finding seats for the trip back across the bay. All too soon, we are back at Sorrento later than we would have liked as we haved a 4 hour drive ahead of us to Roma. So it is a cab trip back to the parking station to save our (my) legs and some time. We leave Sorrento and drive further around the coast to join the motorway to Rome. And back on the motorway we pass again through the outskirts of Napoli - seeing smoke yet again, but this time we are witnessing a house fire.

On the road trip in to Roma, the changing sky tonight is very beautiful after the rain. We watch as the rays first shine on through the cloud layers before later they create an awe-inspiring silver lining on another bank of clouds before the night claims victory over the sun. And then as the lights in the City come on, we join the queues of traffic seeking entry!

We have opted to save some money by staying a little way out of the centre of Rome, but on good transport connections. And our approach has paid off! Our accommodation at the Hotel Domidea is a few steps from a bus that takes us to one of the main Metro lines into the City. They also have a shuttle bus that they use to ferry their guests to and from the station with prior booking. Both are convenient! And our room is a suite! Helen has her own bedroom for only the second time on her trip and we share a separate bathroom. But there is no restaurant on the premises. They suggest the restaurant next door - La Biga. It presents as more of a function centre than as a restaurant complete with tacky decorations, big screen with the ever popular 'booby' Italian game shows and musak blaring. The food is definitely the pre-packaged 'heat-in-microwave' variety. But food it is. Actually, my main course of Tagliolini al Limone is actually very good - ah lemons, one of the best fruits that Italy has to offer!

Off to do the Vatican in the morning, so not too late a night!

On the recommendation of locals

Hotel Internazionale in Domodossola - it was nice knowing you, but we hope that we never have to see you again. The rain has stopped and the air is so clean and clear. There is plenty of water still around - some of the waterfalls are still running, but most have dwindled away by this morning. There are however, still plenty of clouds snaking through the valleys. And those big fluffy cottontails just don't want to leave. Even though they have emptied their watery loads, they love these mountains and now frame them beautifully against the clear blue sky.

So we're off on the road to . . . Milano - yet again, ughggh. Thankfully this time we are skirting around the northern edges. We seem to be doing the groundhog day thing again, and we are feeling a little crazy (hehe hoho haha) and so here are some of the songs that remind us of Milano as we head across the motorway to the north:
I Can't Take my Hands off you, I Put a Spell on You, Ring A Ring A Rosie, Route 66, Devil Gate Drive, Highway to Hell and finally Under my Skin!

We are not un-happy as we turn on to yet another motorway and head for Venezia. But its not too far down the road when again we are caught in a Milano special - a traffic jam. But wait, far far ahead, we see a thick column of black billowing smoke. Hhm - something major going on up there. We hear a siren and along comes the fire tender, screaming up the highway verge - just as well - there was nowhere for any of the other cars to go. It takes us the better part of ¾ hour to reach the source - a truck fire. Poor bastard. Luckily the driver has been able to disengage the prime mover and move it away slightly. Plumes of acrid black smoke were followed by the lingering white smoke that showed no signs of abating. Looked like it might have been car parts or maybe even crushed cars in the back of the pantech, but we will never know - they were too charred and still smoking heavily (obviously no-one had told them that smoking is bad for their health - ha ha). Once passed, it is open those engines baby and lets keep moving!

We start to get sneak previews of regional villages appearing beyond the boundaries of the motorway guard rails. Lots of church clock towers and the gelati colours of painted houses under their terracotta tiled hats. Very picturesque. We rush through the outskirts of Brescia - separated from the busy life that is apparent by the motorway walls. There are big marble factories in lines along the roadways with the mountain sides raped of their precious innards in the distance beyond them. Life here looks very industrious. And in the centre distance, the domes of Brescia, while on the hills surrounding the city there is the Via Musei which was built atop the earlier Roman forum. Brescia was also once known for it's high quality furniture industry.

At the base of the peninsula into Lago Garda, ran a Roman road connecting the cities of Verona and Brescia and Sirmione was a stop for travelers with a number of mansions built there. Today, Sirmione is at first glance flat and touristy. Dry and uninteresting. BUT once we got down to the peninsula that joins the mainland and could first smell and then see the water, all that changed. We enter the peninsula through a residential area that has palatial homes and a road divided by trees and garden beds. It is amazing how much cooler it is when you get off the autostrada and under some trees. Its not long before we get down on the waterfront, past one of the marinas with millions of dollars at rest, waiting for some elusive breeze and their keen weekend sailor owners. Here come the hotels. Not one, not two, not even twenty - more like 200! But do you think we can find Hotel Le Paül? Kate assures us that we "have arrived at our destination" but we can't see it anywhere. Takes us a little while to work out that the street numbers are at the high end where we are, whereas we need no. 26. Oh, be quiet, the street numbering is far from great!

Hotel Le Paül seems a bit special at first with lots of spa-type promos in windowed boxes and even in the lift - you know the sort, the perfect beauty of a well aligned back with the stones tracing the spine, or the oil-sprayed, liposuctioned and sculptured body that suggestively poses the massage services. Hmmm. What have we got ourselves in for? A lovely relaxing massage? No - they are not at the hotel, but at another centre in town. Bugger, oh well. Our room overlooks the pool where there is a man lying legs askew on a sun lounge below us. The room is comfortable enough, but hey, we are not here for the room. I enquire as to dinner only to be told that the restaurant is full for the night! There are a whole heap of scout leaders here, so maybe we should blame them!

After we unload the car at the hotel, we head down towards the old town. Despite the main tourist season being officially over, there are still plenty of people and groups on buses moving through here. We park just back from the waterside and head further down the peninsula on foot. At this point there is quite a heavy covering of trees and we don't see very far up the street. At the end of the road, we finally get our first glimpse of what Rosaria was getting excited about - a small walled city complete with Castle just inside the bridge through the gate. Helen goes very quiet. Took us a while before we realised that she had not seen a walled town before - LET ALONE A CASTLE!!!! And the place is absolutely crawling!

A quick stop at a local cafe called The Bounty for a snack before we go exploring, and Helen is as happy as a pig in mud. Finally she gets someone to make an iced coffee - Australian style, on milk and not just on ice. It looks and tastes so good that after a while I order one as well. The service however is terrible - all the wait staff are disdainful of the tourists. Pity, because the food was tasty.

And so over to the Castle. The Sirmione Castle (also called the Rocca Scalgera) sits on Lago di Garda. The castle was constructed in fits and starts from the 13th Century - yep, about 800 years ago. It has unusual crenellations - probably the most decorative that we have seen in our travels to date. And yet this was a defensive working castle, built to protect the town from attack from across the Lake. The castle was built by a rich family from Verona to show off their wealth. The castle is said to be one of the best, if not possibly, the best preserved castle in all of Italy. Its ideal location on the peninsula has offered the castle the protection that it has needed over the years. Michael and Helen climb the donjon - the sightseeing tower for fantastic views of the walled ravelins that bring the lake into the castle as well as out over the roofs of the town to the lake itself. It really is quite a view and for Helen, a new challenged conquered. There are about 150 steps up - firstly to the battlements on the wall and then up inside the tower through the two rooms that once would have housed the noble family.

Back on ground level, Public Art abounds in Sirmione at the moment. There are a mob of bright Meerkats in the main square that takes our fancy and I made sure I got a photo of Helen 'doing the meerkat!' Later in the afternoon when we are wandering the back streets of Sirmione, we see this 'Kiss ... Please' sign in a very picturesque corner looking out of the Lake and Michael and I are compelled to obey! Its also nice to see that i this old old town, where the locals have such beautiful places to sit and chatter, that modern technology keeps them connected to a much busier place beyond te walls.

Those back streets hold amazing jewels shining on the shores of the Lake. There is Church, lots of upmarket shops that obviously cater to the well-to-do tourists who come to enjoy the spa waters as well as the fantastic setting, gelateria after gelateria all vying for the trade - most sell a good variety and at this time of the year, the cones are piled high as people enjoy not only the weather but also exotic ice cream flavours. We follow suit and take our cones out across the plaza to the ferry mooring point. The late afternoon is beautiful. There is a soft breeze wafting off the water that tempers the warmth of the slowly dipping sun. The water glistens, broken only by the occasional ferry or fishing boat that cuts across our view. Children and adults alike feed ducks off the pier and the flags of the nearby marina wave in the breeze. Ah, what better can there be to do than enjoy a fresh ice cream in a crisp cone by the water - nothing I suspect.

We hear before we see a number of rally cars arrive. Hels gets excited. Michael and I don't!! We must be such bores to not get excited by cars - she can't wait to get home to her bright green Ford GTP - something XR or Z or Y or whatever. Ah - my friend the petrol-head! Michael is however interested in the Jaguar 4 that parks down near the water.

And after an afternoon exploring the town, we head back to the hotel where we are given directions to a nearby restaurant for dinner. The Ristorante Erica is as busy as. They cater to groups and there is a bus group of Italian pensioners off to one side as we enter. Despite being busy though, our waiters are pleasant and helpful. Michael began with Polpo caldo con patate (warm octopus salad with potatoes). Helen and I forgo entrees. For Mains we order:
Luccio de Garda alla piccole verdure (Lake Garda pike with vegetables) Michael
Trancio di salmone alla griglia (Grilled salmon steak) Helen
Medaglioni di filetto di maiale al pepe rosa e pinoli (Medallions of pork fillet with pink peppercorns and pine kernels) Maria
To share we also order Patate rosolate (browned potatoes) and Verdure alla griglia (grilled vegetables).

All yummy - and it is nice to taste the local foods. So we head back through the haze that are clouds of midges with me scratching my head to the hotel. Tomorrow will be a big day - through Verona for a little while before we hit Venice.