I woke up this morning in complete darkness, pressed the button on the phone, 8:20am! I had slept 8 hours, my jet lag has finally expired, about time. Opening the window shutters allowed brilliant sunlight to stream in. I have a theory that it’s your brain being dazzled, not your eyes. You can keep either eye open, but not both, until you have adjusted. Quick shower, since breakfast is scheduled at 8:30. As I read once, the hotel towels were so large and fluffy that it was hard to close my suitcase. Continue reading “Day 11, Thursday, Palermo”
Day 10, Wednesday, Palermo
I’m sitting in an outdoor restaurant in a piazza somewhere in central Palermo. I rode 730km today, too far as it turned out. It’s 9:30pm, soccer playing on the TV, and the place is really alive. I arrived only an hour ago, from Caserta. Continue reading “Day 10, Wednesday, Palermo”
Day 09, Tuesday, Caserta
This morning the window shutters at Roberto’s worked so well that I slept until 7am. The room was the antithesis of Giuseppena’s. Hard concrete floor, spare modern decor, and an ensuite! It was on the 5th floor of a very nice stone building with a cavernous ground floor, marble stairs, and one of those tiny lifts where you open an external door then 2 internal doors to get into the lift, close them all again to get moving, do it all again at the destination. Almost easier to just run up the 5 flights. Continue reading “Day 09, Tuesday, Caserta”
Day 08, Monday, La Spezia
I’m sitting in a laundrette in La Spezia right now, so I may as well write this. This morning Guiseppena served me a traditional Italian breakfast of fruit, prosciutto, cheese, bread, croissant with cherry jam, juice and coffee. It was a work of art, but I could not get through it all. Continue reading “Day 08, Monday, La Spezia”