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30 January 2008

Thoughts and facts about airlines

I promised it to you time ago but had problems with my PC and Internet, so I can write about it only today. And there are different notices to tell you.

So, I begin with the list of the best low-cost carriers (Forbes)

This year I travelled much with these type of companies and think they are good. The only problem I had was with EasyJet.

I prefer to buy tickets via Internet and there was written in my ticket: "Go directly to embark". I waited about 5-7 hours in airport for my flight and went directly to embark so as was written in my ticket. But it was not true. I had to register before and I didn't do it. If I felt good in that moment, maybe I had time to read more information in the time I had to wait, but I felt very bad and could not think about anything.
So I missed the flight because the confirmation mail had not right information.
And nobody from this company wanted to speak with me. For the team of EasyJet did not exist this passenger. The money they received from me, so what do you want else?

Other companies look for their passengers, call you 10 times to come to the place of embark, wait for you even if your airplane has to fly - so was with me before, with other companies, and this was the first time in my life that the customer service was so bad.

But the same EasyJet I found between the 3 best low-cost carriers of Forbes. The first is Jetstar Airways and the second is AirBerlin. In Europe.

What was the difference from low-cost ticket and normal price in one of the airplanes? Our places were in the tail of the vehicle and we had to buy coffee if we wanted it. The difference in price was about 200 euro for 1,5 hours flight.

The other notice is from Sweden.
In some of airports you will leave your finger-prints to check and then receive back your luggage. They say, it will help not only with terrorist's danger but the check up will be much more quicker and sure.
Something like this want to approve UE for the flights too. From February all the passengers will pass 3 types of control.

In airport of Naples they said me to undress completely (I don't joke) when a woman customs official saw a bottle about 30 ml of oil in my bag. Later I new that the law allows 50 ml of liquid to have in the bag. Without show striptease to presented persons.

Finally, if you read this post today, 30 January, you have time to win one of the prizes that other from the best low-cost carriers, Ryanair, will give to the best kissed couple in Dublin 31 January. 20 best of couples will have 50 euro prizes to fly with Ryanair on 14 February and all the best couple will sleep one night in one of the best hotels of Dublin.
So take your love and go to kiss her/him in Dublin tomorrow.


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25 January 2008

Dulce de Leche in Argentina

What do you see on this photo is "Dulce de leche" and different forms of use for this product.

Why I write about this aliment in a travel blog?
Because it's a "national" product of Argentine.
And we are here in a travel-cafe or no?

Not that you don't meet it in other countries. There are many places where milk is worked in this way. It's concentrated milk with sugar boiled then for different hours, posted the tin in the pan with water.

But the Argentinians make worship with this product. They have infinite sorts of biscuits and chocolates where they use it. Some of them you can see on this photo. There are tins with pure milk like that on the left and there are all these other sweeties (on the right). I like "Bocadito" and that other biscuit in black (it's the same like other in white, but the recipe is much better).

So, if you are to go in Argentine, don't forget "Dulce de Leche"

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21 January 2008

Batu Caves Hindu's Shrines

I'm very happy to present you the second article of Berry Sudirno from Jakarta/Indonesia, author of these interesting blogs: howtoboostyourwealth, journeytomakemoney, sweetjourneyinmylife .
You know him in my blogs from the first article Endagered Species -Orangutans that many of you found interesting.

Batu Caves is a limestone hill in the Bukit Gombak District, about 13 kilometer north of Kuala Lumpur the capital city of the Kingdom of Malaysia. The cave is sacred for the Hindu’s and one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India.

Batu Caves could be reached by taxi or by bus from the Pudu Raya bus terminal at the city of Kuala Lumpur or you may use the tourist bus which is available at your Hotel.

You must climb 272 steps in order to access the temple at the summit of the hill. They consist of 3 main caves and number of smaller one.

You will be greet by a lots of long tail monkeys which expecting some foods like peanut, banana from you. You must be careful because some of them are very naughty they will raid you and steal your hat, bag or any other things. Besides that there a lots of birds around and expecting you to feed them with corn. Those foods could be purchased at around Batu Caves.

“The site serves as the focus of the Hindu community’s yearly Thaipussam festival. A procession begins at Sri Mahamariamman Temple Kuala Lumpur with some people carrying kavadi and last eight hours. In 2007, the festival attracted more than 1.5 million pilgrims, making it one of the largest gatherings history.” (Wikipedia)

(photo of my daughter at Batu Caves was taken a few years ago)

If you are interested that I publish your article/post or your photo with MY post (I can host and retouch your photos) in one of my blogs you can write me a mail (my address you can find on the right side of the page) with very clear object (that I do not cancel your mail as spam). In change I ask you to post my blog's addresses in one of your permanent posts -like this (you can copy it):

My friend's blogs:
Diary,
Animals as Friends,
Lazy Yogi,
Vacation and Travel Talk

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19 January 2008

Don't visit this places!


Every day I read now articles about different lists made by Forbes. People discuss if it's true and if translators know English good enough ecc ecc. Nobody wants to believe in these lists. So, I decided to control myself if these lists really exist and what are they about.

The first I found was the list of the most dangerous places (photo)where you have never go without professional security services or -in some cases- you have not to go there at all.
"Now, a tourist or business traveler might worry more about terrorist attacks on mass transit, getting caught in a spontaneous uprising or a bombing of a nightclub or hotel."
This is the list:
Somalia,
Iraq,
Afghanistan,
Haiti,
Pakistan,
Sudan,
Dem.Rep. of the Congo,
Lebanon,
Zimbabwe,
Palestine

I was surprised to see Haiti in this list. I thought, it's a paradise of beaches. But Forbes says it's paradise of drugs and corruption.

The other interesting list of Forbes for me is the list of the best Low-Cost companies. I use them from time to time and had a great problem with one of them in october. But I think it's better do not mix these 2 themes in one post.

Interesting blogs to visit:
Blogger Of The Web
OrCarrier Cruising
SiteProPlus

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17 January 2008

Indian coffee


What do you know about coffee?

I knew not soo much about it.
What I knew:
there is coffee from Brazil and from Vietnam. That from Brazil is ecological and biological, that from Vietnam is not very good because with dangerous, toxic substances. And I knew all sorts of coffee I can buy in the supermarkets here.

Today I learned, there are many different coffees from different countries.
And from India too. (I wanted to write a post about India and found this information)

Indian coffees are good balanced and mild with low acidity and spicy notes. And there is a special one -the Monsooned coffee. An other interesting case is High grown coffees with high acidity.

Coffee was introduced in India from Yemen by a Muslim pilgrim Bababudan Sahib in the Chikmagalur District in 1610. 123,681 farms with 3 000 000 workers produce it today. And India is the 2 in Asia and the 8 in the world. (I did not find all lists). And harvest is in November and February.

Interesting. I wanted to taste it too. Sunday we will go in a great supermarket, maybe I'll find it there?
Source

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Violations in Goa

This map and really many interesting info about Goa -the best I found


I receive not very good notices from India for 2 or 3 days. You are right, I mean tourists and travel notices. They tell about very difficult situation, particularly in Goa, for european women travelling alone. Very great % of violations. Most women (that went in police) are Brittish but there are women from different countries. The men were not only first they meet on the beach for example, but the owners of the hotels, restaurants ecc. People, you would never think they can allow themselves something like this, because they had to think about the good name of their business.

All us we know this situation. It has different sides, surely. And we can say the same not only about Goa, but about many other countries.

1/ Many modern european women live alone, and are completely independent. They feel young, beautiful and full of energy in any age. They like to caress themselves. They have money and time for travelling. Why not? If she is a woman and doesn't want anybody that sit on her neck, it's forbidden for her to travel?

2/ Men in many countries (and european men in the depth of their souls too) want and continue to live in Middle Age mentality. They understand a woman only if she is sitting in a trunk (like in that fable about Jin). Women in that countries allow it to them because are dependent and for tradition. Every woman out of the trunk is for them a woman, inviting all men to abuse of her.

These 2 ideas are the main problem.
Women from all european countries don't understand they have not to feel sure and protected.
Because they are not protected.
Maybe now, after this scandal, the government of India will do something to assure it's income of money. And it will mean that India will become the most good place for alone travelling women. For some time.

I read many meanings about this problem in the forums.
Imagin, those who visited Goa, are saying 2 completely different things: it's true, it's impossible to go out there -and it's not true, persons are the best in the world there.
Can you add yourth?

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13 January 2008

Buddhist pilgrimage at Travel Pangs

I asked Footiam the author of very interesting blogs Stepping out, Dragon Descendants, Dhamma Delights, Beautiful World, Our Impermanent world the permission to write about his piligrimage in India to the places of Buddha birth and other important for Buddhismus places.

He sent me some photos ( inedit!!! Only for my blog!!!! I'm incredibly proud -unfortunatelly he forgot the description of the photos... but I think it's Bodh Gaya)
No,
Bodh Gaya is the place of Enlightenment of Buddha
Lumbini is the place where the Buddha was born.

and this mail:
Dear Liudmila,
I read somewhere that a pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred place as an act of devotion and faith. In Buddhism, faith or Saddha shouldn't be blind or based on wrong view. The confidence on the religion has to be professed based on understanding of that religion. A pilgrimage is also all about the mental aspect. The physical part is easily taken care by any travel company and would satisfy any normal tourist seeking the pleasure of sightseeing and enjoyment.In a pilgrimage however, the sight of holy shrines and the veneration or reverence of the pilgrims for them, do not arouse craving but wholesome mental states such as Right Thought, Right Speech and Right Action. I was lucky thus to be invited by a friend to join a Buddhist group on a pilgrimage to North India, visiting some of the important Buddhist sites there, most notably Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath and Kusinara which form the four holy places of pilgrimage and Sarvvasthi, Rajgir and Vaishalli which together with Sankasia, are the four places of principal miracles. Do check out my travel blog and have a serving of a Buddhist pilgrimage at Travel Pangs!

Sarnath.The Dhamekha stupa is considered to be the sacred place where Buddha began to teach with the first discourse on the 'Wheel of Law'.The present size of the stupa is 31.3 m high and 28.3 m in diameter. (source)



Maya Devi, his mother, gave birth to the child on her way to her parent's home in Devadaha while taking rest in Lumbini under a sal tree in the month of May in the year 642 B.C. In 249 BC, when the Emperor Ashoka visited Lumbini constructed four stupas and a stone pillar with a figure of a horse on top. (source)




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12 January 2008

Everest's first conqueror died

this map you can find here click on the map to see it bigger







photo from Telegraph.co.uk click on the link to watch the video

One of the 20th century's greatest adventurers (GMANnews), 88 years old Sir Edmund Hillary, one of 2 (the other was Sherpa Tenzing Norgay) officially recognized first persons stand on the summit of Everest on May 29, 1953, died.

The best-known New Zealander wrote about this adventure:
"Another few weary steps and there was nothing above us but the sky. There was no false cornice, no final pinnacle. We were standing together on the summit. There was enough space for about six people. We had conquered Everest."
"I removed my oxygen mask to take some pictures. It wasn't enough just to get to the top. We had to get back with the evidence. Fifteen minutes later we began the descent." (source)
12 pictures about that adventure

The world's highest peak has 8850 m
These courageous climbers ascended through to the South Col from the Khumbu Glacier, and continued their ascent to the summit via the Southeast ridge. Their route is now referred to as the Normal Route (quote and photo of Everest)

And here more:
Absolutely incredible panoramic photo view from the top of Everest click on the photo there and pull it right or left

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11 January 2008

New penality for smokers in Thailand

This map you can find here
I wrote about Thailand some days ago and here is
an other interesting notice from this country.

Specially interesting for smokers.
Don't smoke in bars, open markets and nights from 17 of February! It will cost you 68 dollars of penality. It will be valid for all closed places too.
This is the difference: befor smoking was forbidden in closed places where persons eat only. The health minister of Thailand said: it will be very healthy for all visitors of all these places and for those who works there.

This country is a very interesting for tourists from all the world in the last period but sometimes happen bad surprises to unprepared persons. There are notices that some tourists finished in a prison in Thailand. So be carful to respect new laws too.

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09 January 2008

Hookah, the Waterpipe

Hookah has different names in different countries. Nargile, shisha, waterpipe, hubble-bubble, ecc. One Pakistan dictionary says "huqqa" means in persian language "a little pot for incense and jewels".

In a village not far from us opened one italian, turned from Egypt, a little kebab-shop. He told me about something, I could not understand what it was. Only when he took the pipe in the shop was clear: we speak about the same thing.

This waterpipe device for smoking is used to smoke herbal fruits too, but the main is tobacco. Some persons say it's not dangerous to smoke hookah, at least not so dangerous as to smoke cigarettes. Egyptian researchers (physicians and engineers) were intrested to control it and here are the results:

1/ if you smoke 25 g of shisha they are equal to 60 cigarettes = 3 packs
2/ the t° of the moke is 450°C and when it passes through the pipe has not time to become cold
3/ to inhale 500-600 cub. cm of this smoke makes the lungs less flexible, they become bigger and do not work efficiently

But the hookah smokers do not want to accept these results. They say, it's enough to see on the towel after you smoke a cigarett and hookah to notice the difference.

Because it becomes more and more popular in Europe and America, the interested organisations think this research's results will help in the battle contro the hookah smoking.

Whant to try it? Visit Egyptian Friend, Ali, and his hotel

Sources:
Hookah (photo)
Египетские ученые развеяли миф о безвредности кальяна
Hookah lounge

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08 January 2008

The King of Thailand

I could never imagin the citizens of Thailand love their king sooo much.
These are notices about the events of december, when the king has his birthday.

First of all who is he?
King Bhumibol (Phumiphon) Adulyadej, Rama IX of the Chakri Dynasty, born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America on 5 december 1927, is on the thron from 1946 and with 60 years of this work (in 2006) is the longest serving monarch in the world. In this period there were 21 prime-ministers and 15 constitutions in Thailand.
This year was his 80 birthday.
He has no constitutional power but is the most powerful person in the country.
His "names" are The Father of the Nation, The National Godhead, The Lord of the Lands, The Soul of the Nation, The Possessor of the Four and Twenty Golden Umbrellas.

In october the king was ill and passed 3 weeks in a hospital. When he went out he weared rose clothes because astrologists said to him this colour is the best for his health in this period. From that day there is a stock-jobbing in the country. Everybody wants to wear rose shirt.

From 2006s many persons wear yellow clothes mondays because the king's birthday was monday and yellow was his colour of that year.

The birthday of the king (December 5th) is national feast. On this days all shops, bars, places for entertainment and massage are clothed. Sex and alcohol are forbidden. There were many interesting manifestations like Festival of sand sculpturs and Pattaya International Balloon Fiesta 2007 where one of the presents for king was a fantastic Cake Balloon, Elephant balloon ecc.

Sources:
BBC News (photo)
http://www.soravij.com/rama9.html
Новости туризма
Pattaya International Balloon Fiesta 2007 (photo)

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06 January 2008

Friends,advertising,trip planing,web-content and photography: Italy,Russia,Lithuania and more

Special page you can find here and here
This page is in construction so I please you to visit it later for more new info.

Everything seems to be accessible in this world of information,but there are things only who lives in the place you are interested in can know.

This is the "hidden" information about busses,good (rational) prices,interesting places (not only those that agencies whant to buy to you), -if you tried to organize a trip you know what is I speak about.

If you are looking for more friends in these countries or you want people in these countries know about your business -you may have problems with translations,with advertising.
We know what to do,how to do that everybody(or those you are interested in) knows about you.

We can help you with web-content,photography,virtual assistance.
Write to us
liudmila-@hotmail.it

Related blogs:
Seay's travel journals

Carnival in Italy

Special page about Italy you can find here and here
This page is in construction so I please you to visit it later for more new info.

There are 2 great carnival feasts in the world, Brazilian and Venetian. Everybody knows about them and if you think to visit a carnival you think only about this two.

Not all of you know every town and village in Italy has it's own carnival and some of them are very interesting too.

The most popular is the Orange Battle in Ivrea. The carts with assailants full of oranges enter in the town to conquest it and the defenders have to drive them back.


You can participate on this spectacle when you buy oranges, but you have to know, the battle can provoke real wounds. That is why assailants have helmets on the heads, there are emergency-cars in the near streets and all visitors are behind the columns. But not only. Your clothes can be damaged by the orange-paste that arrives sometimes till your knees...



There are other interesting places to visit.

In Fano during the carnival-manifestation come all visitors with umbrella. They open and turn them to catch sweets that fall from the window on their heads.

Liguria is faithful to their car-sculptures and scenes. More popular is the procession of flower-sculptures that takes place some weeks before carnival, but it's beautiful to see too.

Interesting tradition can you find in Sardenia. The masks are horrible here, the dancers are not so numerous and they dress goat-hides and bells. Nobody knows where comes this usage from, so old is it.

Did you know that "carnival" comes from "carne"-"meat" and means last meal with meat before Great fast?

Vesuvio

Special page about Italy you can find here and here
Excuse me,this page is in construction so I please you to visit it later for more new info I'll add there with time.

vesuvio.jpg

There are no doubts,this is the most known volcano in the world.Scientists have an incredible quantity of their devices there,they study it day and night and are sure,they know everything about it.

I'll tell you a little story in this contest.

Some years ago one of the volcanologists become a minister.And he spoke different times to population,telling all,they have not to be afraid about Vesuvius.There is no other volcano we know so good as this,said minister.

I can't explain you how was it possible - was the same Vesuvius angree with scientists or maybe the mother-nature wanted to show them they have not to be too sure of their knowleges about her -but some days after one of these speeches happens a little eathquake.Just enough to catch out of their houses all residents of one of the villages situating on this mount.It was in winter in the night,people jumped out from their beds and remain till morning clothing their pijamas or what they wore that night in streets waiting for second shake.

Next morning there was no one person in Italy that did not ask that minister:why? And the poor volcanologo could say nothing only "It's unpossible,because...is unpossible"

If you have seen other mountains,you can't be impressed seeing Vesuvio. It's not so high. One crater is only 1281 meters high,other 1133 m. You can visit them.

But when you remember the passed times and scientists that promise eruption in the next 15-20 years, you can't understand people building houses here. There are on 700 m hight.Then, this zone is the most populated in Europe with 13000 persons on 1 km quadr. The streets are too strict and there is no possibility to save if the eruption really happens. It will be great tragedy.

During it's life Vesuvio leaved signs in all directions.Last eruption of 1944 covered with 2 m of ashes Salerno distant about 30 km, I think. Those are not ashes from your oven,but real stones.

Vesuvio is the most famous but not only and not most interesting volcanic place to visit here.The same Neaples is situating on many craters.Inside one of them you can go for a walk.

Campi Flegrei

this article I found today in the physorg.com

Geologists are reporting the ground at the Campi Flegrei caldera, near Naples, Italy, is undergoing renewed uplift.

Researchers at Italy's Geophysical National Institute and Volcanology Observatory report the volcanic area, which had its last eruption in 1538, started a new uplift episode in November 2004. That uplift began at a low rate but has slowly and steadily increased

According to previous studies, the 16th-century eruption occurred after decades of uplift coupled with brief periods of subsidence. Within the past 40 years, the caldera experienced a huge uplift phase until 1985. The new data indicate a subsequent period of subsidence has now ended.

... the uplift is associated with input of magma from a shallow chamber.

myspace layouts, myspace codes, glitter graphics
This is the article.And it will be true.

But I remember about a year after I came to live here (1996-97, I think) there was a great story in this zone of Campania. They said, there were movements of ground there that arrived to 1 meter a year. This maybe is an urban legend because I tell you what we listened here about it. I know the region government wanted the residents go to live in other places but nobody left their houses.

This zone is very interesting to visit. Not only you can enter in the alive crater of Solfatara and to see an underwater-city from a boat, it was one of the most popular recreational places in the Roman time. There are too many places to visit there. And the other interesting thing,when you turn back to Neaples you can see clearly Neaples is situated on different craters.

I post here only this info and the article today.Later I'll describe this place and post some photos.

Castles of Campania

second part of this post is Castles (2)


If you don't know, Campania is a Region of Italy. Nord of Sud :))) Were you want to put your feet here, you find meters and meters of history under you. Prehistorical settlements, all sorts of travellers and occupants,medieval towns ... and unbelievable quantity of castles and churches.

You are surprised when you see them every step praticaly. Castles you see in this post I photographed on my way from Camerelle (Nocera Superiore) to Caserta -about 50 km. And this is what you see from the motorway. There are many others in the inner land.One man in Castel San Giorgio said me, he had photos of 12 castles situating near his town. I could not find the precise number of how much castels are there in province of Salerno or Neaples, but there are 25 only in Matese (nothern part of province of Caserta).


This castle is not far from my house.It's owners wanted to create a dancing place there, but had not success with this idea. Many owners try to do something to maintain their property. It costs too much to be owner of a castle. So you can find castles-museums, -hotels, -restaurants and others in Italy.


Castle of Lanzara is probably one of the 15 build here by Arechi I. He needed them mostly for supervision of conquered territory.



Sarno. Castle of Arechi II. You can see the difensive plan very clear here.




San Felice a Castello. Other Longobard castle. What is interesting: people finished to build castles because they were not efficient to protect them from cannons and firearms. But they were in use by germans and americans during the second world war (this castle too).



I asked the director of Archeological Group, why italians need sooo many churches and he said me: you go out in the morning in church for remission of sinns. But in the street is it unpossible not to sinn. So you enter immediately in an other church and remiss what you did. And so all day long.


The truth is probably this: forces that controlled the region changed very frequently during all italian history. Thenew governments had to be tollerant to previous uses of the population. And the second reason is every rich men wanted to buy good place in the paradise( this you find written on the door of the Dome of Salerno,for example). That is why they built their own churches or monasteries.


Medieval castles were born from the death of Roman Empire. There were not more central institutions to protect people, and the country was full of bandits and military troups,that were not very different from bandits.


And then it was a period of "famine, war terror, flood, plague and hunger", says one document in archive of Castel S.G.


So the first castles were wooden towers posted to protect a farm or to control important ways. The good known italian mafia was born from the necessity to protect the farms too.


Sometimes there was not only a tower, called mastio or maschio. This castle could have a yard and a wooden wall. The head of this group of men became a great person because all paesants called him to protect them. The castle became a residence for the head and his family, members of the group and their families. In this period the tower contains the room for banquet and privat rooms of the leader's family. At the end of the XII century began to expand castles of stones. This is what you find in the books about history, but castles on the photos are from the times of Arechi I ( VII century) and Arechi II ( VIII c). People prefere to build their houses of stones that were more accessible then wood even in that period. I think.


During the Middle Ages all towns, rural districts, ownres built their own castles.So I found an interesting word that characterizes that period "incastellamento". Close in the castles.


In the second part of the Middle Ages castles become what we are inured to see in films. Inside them live not only the owner's family and the families of the troup, but everybody can be useful for them. Entire towns praticaly. In our zone castles are in inacessible places and owners have palaces in the towns and the fortresses on the rock.


From 1500 cannons and firearms make castles not efficient protection and their building usless.




second part of this post is Castles (2)

Castles (2)

Here I want to post some new photos.Two castles: Lanzara-c. (I wrote about it in the 1 post) seen from other point and the castle of Nocera. You can clearly see the difference from "modern" castle of Nocera and Longobard castles of the first post.

Lanzara



Nocera



This castle was a residence with very long story that I'll tell you next time. Now I wanted only to add these photos to complete my first story. After this weekend I hope to add here the most important castel of the province, the castle of Salerno.


Now I wanted to show you other photos. This is Baptistry of Nocera Superiore (that was part of the unique Nocera). You can see how many meters under modern street-level is situated this building of VI cent (!). On the right from the baptistry entrance you see a hole. Archeologists found mosaic floors of roman houses (first centuries) there. I'm sure, they'll find other centuries of story if they would see under these floors. From the foundation, IX bC, maybe.


If you continue your walk on the right of my photo, you'll find "Pompei of Nocera" :))) .


This zone has realy incredible story. Battle with Gots when they disappear, Hannibal deceiving defensors to enter in the town, senators killed with steam in "terme" (baths), alphabet of Nocera (!), capital of sannitic alliance... -adventure novel is the story of this city.




This is a site of "Top 100 medieval castles"


About medieval life you can read here

Walking trough Neaples

Some times a year the statemakes feasts for citizens.They call them "open doors" in museums and excavations. It meens you have not pay the ticket that day.

These feasts have 2 interesting sizes. First of all they are organized on the weekends. What is so interesting in this, ask you? Saturday and Sunday are holy days for italians. They do not work, go in church and stay home. It meens everything is close from the 12:00 of saturday till monday. Museums too. So if you want to visit museums in Italy you have to chose working days for it. In the "open doors" sunday you find only some of them realy open. But you can visit excavations normally closed for public. There are even special busses for it.

Second interesting side is, there are not many persons that know about it.

I was 2 times fortunate this year: I knew about it some days befor and it was very beautiful sunny weekend. The weather was instable for 3-4 weeks, we could hardly seen some hours of sun in this period. And then 3 days of spring.

Neaples is not so far from Nocera, about 50 km, and I go there with train. I like this way because a part of it is so "romantic":



You can see Sorrento-coast (on the left here) and the island Capri (in centrum) when the weather is good for photography. This day the air was too wet and it was possible to see only the shape of the coast.


 


I like walking and came in Neaples for a walk this time, but I had a hope to find castles open this day. That is why I went directly to the Municipal square. Unfortunately the New Castle was closed.


 



 


Here on the right you see Real Palace. I go to the castle to feel the sence of it's enormous force. The "alias" of New Castle is Maschio Angioino, the fortress of d'Angio family. This "alias" is more known as the name. It happens often if you ask about New Castle people don't understand you, "Maschio Angioino" knows everybody.



 


The Real Palace begins with it's garden where there were many persons when I passed there.But the garden is not very sunny in the afternoon and I wanted to see if other castle was open.


 



 


When I'm near this entry, I remember always Horses of Klodt in S.Petersburg. Maybe they are from the same period. Ten steps and I reach Theater. But there is an other interesting place here. To see it I have only turn right. Galeria of Umberto I.


 



 


These are 2 little covered streets where you can stay with pleasure even if it rains. The only problem is they are too short.


Here everything is near: turn left and you are in the Plebiscit square. Sincerely I have the sence, somebody took parts of S.Petersburg and put them on this hill.


 



And when I turn my head left this time I see the entrance of the Real Palace, that is open for public. There are statues of forefathers on the front. Finally I "meet" Ruggiero Normanno, Carlo d'Angio ecc Till last character, Murat.


 



Here is the road going downhill to the sea. There is one of the most traffic streets under it and you see New Castle and RealPalace from their other side. This is realy very nice place for a romantic walk.


 



But my aim is other today, I continue on my way and enter in the part of the city named Santa Lucia.


read second part - in russian is ready here)

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