Palermo : I Like You

June 30, 2025 / brisbanefrannie / 2 Comments

Travel is so easy these days with phones holding tickets, maps, advice, hotel bookings. Everything you need is saved online.

We had a eSIM in England but here we’ve managed with Wifi with the odd day on Telstra.

The bus into Palermo was about 2, hours from the ferry at Trapani. It was a very hot day so the good air con was welcome.

The bus stopped at Via Vittorio Emanuel and 5 minutes walk we were in our hotel.

I was very pleased with this one. A lift! is a win , a big cool room and bathroom. 4th floor and the loveliest young woman on reception.

Steps outside the hotel is …… everything. We are just a few steps to the corner Quattro Canti at the end of via Maqueda which is the restaurant, cafe bar street and leads everywhere.

Leaving out bags we headed out for a slow walk. It was hot but walking on the shade side was good. A nice breeze came up from the port and we wandered past Palazzos which in their day must have been amazing.

Now they are home to multiple apartments and BnB’s though it easy to see how grand they would be.

Three hours walking led us to an afternoon in the cool before heading to our roof to for an evening Aperol before our passaggiatti

The roof top bar is like an oasis above the noise of the street below. In need of a secondi – a plate of something other than antipasto we headed out into the street walking past the buskers, the street food vendors , the aperol mobile carts, the few rough sleepers, teenage groups of Ragazzi , people sucking on vapes, groups drinking vino outside restaurants waiting to get in

Palermo is a surprisingly lovely city. It has its edge. It’s busy, but quite clean. Magnificent buildings

We’ll find out more about its ‘ underbelly ‘ tomorrow on the No Mafia tour

Swim Trek :Day2

June 24, 2025 / brisbanefrannie / 3 Comments

Another slow start. Breakfast at 8 , walk to the harbour and away.

In the crystal waters by 10.30 we had to swim the coast – in and out of the little bays , past people sitting on little beaches or playing in the water. They must wonder what in earth we are doing.

We had a great swim along the coast. Sticking together our group of four Beth, from Sydney, Kaz from San Francisco, Steve and I form a good team. Poor Kaz swam with no fins and struggled to keep up, so tomorrow she’ll definitely wear her fins!

Great little movie if our swim.

We ended up swimming 4 km. I felt pretty good though do get leg cramps. In cool water. It’s about 21 in.

We had another salad lunch. This one a big rice salad, meat, cheese and bread.

We swam around an island in the afternoon. About 1.5km. Short! Because this morning was so long.

The group are bonding.

We stopped for a beer and delicious icey granite on the way back.

Poor Jen tripped before the swims began and had to miss a day.
Big cut on her head.

A little washing a little rest and dinner.

Once again we had dinner by ourselves. So strange for a swim trek not to be eating together. Never mind. I was so tired we had a delicious tuna salad and we ready for bed by 9.

A big day tomorrow. An island to island crossing.

Snapshots of Trapani

June 22, 2025 / brisbanefrannie / 6 Comments

Lots of smokers sitting in bars

Ancient buildings

Stone staircases with many flights of stairs

Narrow streets

History around every corner

Smelly drains

Fewer thin Italians than years ago

More tattooed Italians

Love their mobile phones

Constantly on their phones shouting for all to hear

Welcoming polite people

Bus drivers don’t worry about tickets. They wave you on board

Not too many beggars on the streets

Bars give complimentary chips and nuts

Dogs are loved. Even barkers!

Children also loved and indulged

Waiters tend to be middle aged men – not young students

Toilets are often downstairs

Basic Italian accepted

Aperol spritz is still the drink of choice

Sunsets are amazing

Far less rules compared to Aus

The water is a startling blue

Lots of motor scooters

Italians chat a lot

Very loudly

Many sunburned people

Lots of little cars. No big 4W drives

Italians don’t wear sun hats

The beaches are full of people standing and walking. Not swimming

Some beaches are free others are private so you pay for a chair and more for an umbrella ☂️

Lots of little stalls set up selling hats and bags and jewellery

Different breakfasts. Lots of carb

The statues used in the religious parade at Easter.

Italia : Finally back to visit

June 20, 2025 / brisbanefrannie / 5 Comments

Flying into Turin or Torino, its Italian name was easy. A bus from there airport to our hotel right near the train station.

Our hotel the Star majestic was one of the best in terms of facilities.

Hunger got to us. An hour late arriving it was nearly 9pm very late for eating. But we found a good salad nicoise and muscles for Steve.

A walk in the morning for Steve taking photos of the grand buildings and then onto the train. A long journey to Lerici. I’ve stayed with niece Berti several times before and love the town of Lerici. They live back from the coast in the hills with beautiful views. We’re staying in their little Airbnb with lots of little steps up to the top bedroom which has wonderful views.

A little corner in Cerri my niece’s village

We had a lovely catch up over dinner and planned the next few days The next morning the wind came up but Fabio decided we’d still go out on his new boat. He was keen to show us.

Down to the not so little Marina with around 1000 boats of various sizes tied up.

We got onto the boat. It’s new and comfortable and headed out across the Golfe de Poeti.

Passing PortdeVenere, I love looking at the church right on the point. I visited it with Pip my Sydney niece when we visited 24 years ago.

We headed down the coast towards the five little Cinqueterre villages pulling in to a protected cove with a little waterfall and an old building which turned out to be the train line. While we were there several trains passed very close to the edge of the cliff.

We had lunch and a lovely refreshing swim before heading back as the wind came up.

Fabio has a new pizza oven and that night we sat under the pergola and made our own pizzas.

Fabio had made the pizza dough. It was a lovely relaxing chatty evening. We planned the next days activities.

Fabio making his pizza with zucchini flowers

Steve and I decided to go down to Lerici as Berti had to work. She’s a teacher but does holiday activities with the children as part of her contract.

We caught the local bus down and it takes you on a little tour of some of the other little villages nearby.

We arrived at Lerici and took a nice walk along the waterfront. Watching about 8 little boys getting ready for their sailing lesson as part of vacation care!

Steve went up to the castle which brings back a lot of memories for me as my friend Pat and I had a week in a little Airbnb up behind the castle. It was quite a few years ago but I remember like it was yesterday.

Steve went up the art show in the castle. A modern version of the last supper.

We checked out a few little shops nearby and found one cranky Ligurian man who pushed us out of his shop because we didn’t want to buy anything. It was almost siesta closing time. He must have been ‘hangry’.

Cleo caught the bus down and met for lunch. She’s 15 now and a lovely young woman. Very interesting, studies hard, likes school and is such a great mix of her Australian mother and Italian father.

Berti picked us up and we went home and had a relaxing afternoon. Their little village is extremely small so there’s really no where to walk to within the village except up-and-down the little winding steep laneways.

Fabio decided to cook and sitting on the terrace in their lovely garden eating asparagus risotto with chilled wine made it very special.

Berti had suggested an activity for tonight. Going to her choir. At 9.15! So late. That is almost bedtime but not in Italy.

It’s a group of village ladies – 5 and 1 man. But 2 could come tonight so I made up the numbers.

They were lovely. So welcoming. First off was a chat – about their children. Then Bertie who is the unofficial choir organiser started up the music. They have several Italian songs and 2 English ones. They claim it helps their English.

After being at my choir concerts in England it was lovely singing with these ladies in their tiny Italian choir. I hope word spreads and it grows.

Back up the marble steps for a good nights sleep. Bertie informed us the water is going off at 8.30 for work being done in the laneway.

And tomorrow we leave this lovely little piece of Italy. I love my time here with niece Roberta – her official name. it was lucky Fabio was home. He’s usually away on his ship. He’s a ship engineer with a cruise line and spends months away.

“Take me out to the Ball Game….

May 18, 2018May 21, 2018 / brisbanefrannie / 4 Comments

Our little apartment is proving to be a cosy nest. Close to everything in the West Village. This morning we decided to explore it a little more.

What better way to start then by walking the 6 mins to Rob and Jordan’s and adding to the walk by going up the six flights to their apartment. You sure would keep fit living there.

They were ready to go to work so…..

Back down stairs and a quick photo.

If you visit NY, an apartment in this area would be great. We’re in Charles St. They’re in Commerce Street.

Other streets around like Christopher, Grove, Waverly are all quiet and have easy access to three metro stations. 14th Street, Christopher St are on the red 1,2,3; and W4th and Washington has blue ACE and orange BDFM. Once you’ve bought a card and loaded it with cash you’re right to go. The subway, buses etc. are an easy system once you know which direction you are going!

Washington Park is nearby and one of my favourite spots. It has a wonderful stone arch, beautiful fountain and areas of lawn for relaxing. And a dog off-leash area where all the locals mix and mingle – dogs and owners.

I love the sign on the grass here.

We walked past the University of NY law school and saw recent graduates fluttering around in their purple robes, stopped for coffee at one of the many coffee places in this area before continuing onto Soho. David Prior, an Australian food writer living nearby recommends Stumptown coffee and Atla for breakfast.

Soho and it’s charming streets – Prince, Mercer, Green, Worster and LaFayette – are littered with lovely boutiques. Some big known names, others new designers. Fortunately for Steve most weren’t open. Hours here are more 11-7pm. Or even 9pm.

Jordan works in this area at Glossier – a skin and make-up company. I’ll be visiting her on Friday so more about that then.

We reached Canal Street and bought a cheap duffle style bag for the extra purchases we’ve made including some birds for the garden! Fibreglass, not live!

A map of the area with a red dot marking Glossier.

By now it was Ball Game time.

So onto the Red1 to Times Square a quick change to the 7 out to Citi Fields, home to the Mets. One of the local baseball teams.

The whole thing was great.

Arriving and walking through the now grey rainy skies to the entrance.

Inside and up the giant elevators to the concourse, past all the food vendors selling beer, sausages , pretzels, cotton candy, supporters gear and cocktails!

We found Lynn and Bill and braved the conditions to sit in our $91 seats a few rows back from the protective net.

Great seats. Pity about the rain. But Barry bought Bloody Marys! Apparently that helps with the now cool conditions and the cheering & supporting!

Lynn and I huddled as she explained the finer points of the game. She’s been a Mets fan for years. She knows a lot!

They were playing the Blue Jays from Toronto where Barry comes – from so Steve became a Blues supporter with Barry.

By the third innings the rest of our swim trekkers had arrived and we knew the local Mets team were struggling. No home runs to 3. Not a great start for them.

Food called – so off to the Shake Shack. All coloured lights and fast food. Burger, hot dogs, beer and nacho! By now the temperature had plummeted, we were cold and sought shelter in cheaper seats under cover.

At the end of the 7th inning they sing. ‘Take me out to the ball game…..’ we all sang with gusto and beer-fuelled voices.

The Mets were still playing like they had celebrated too much after their 12-0 win last night. They play about 4 times a week – at least. It’s big money here so they play them all the time.

Despite many leaving – it was still raining – we stuck it out. We made it to the end and caught the train back into Manhatten.

Steve and I headed home to rest up because we had a dinner date at a restaurant called Blue Hill Farm with Rob and Jordan.

I had heard about it on a podcast with Leigh Sailes. Jordan had also heard about it and as it was close by here Jordan made a reservation a month ago.

It was wonderful. Expensive – yes. An experience- yes again. The food was fresh and simple and just lovely flavours.

There is a four course menu for about $95. I choose the fish followed by artichoke in a delicious sauce followed by pork and a gorgeous raspberry dessert. The restaurant was friendly, not pretentious at all, with an elegant design.

What a lovely night with the new Mr & Mrs Maitland.

Palazzo Tour

July 18, 2016January 2, 2017 / brisbanefrannie / 3 Comments

There’s something lovely about breakfast on a terrace with a beautiful view. Do you agree?

Today we sat on the terrace and had coffee and planned our day.

We planned a trip to the beach but before we left we spoke to Sonia our host at the Palazzo. I asked could we have a tour of the house as our Swiss friends had yesterday and told us the owners were happy to show guests their house.

She was lovely and organised her father to take us.

We had to walk out our door No 27 and along to No 39 -they own it all. We re entered and Luigi Senape was there to greet us. He guided us through their private Palazzo. Too many rooms to count. All very luxurious. He explained the family history – all in Italian and we understood almost all.

Luigi Senape in one of the tooms of the Palazzo

The Palazzo has been in the family for 300 years. Luigi grew up in this place and like his father was an advocat – a lawyer.

There are many old valuable items in the house including 3 pianos, one a grand which Luigi plays.

He was so charming and at the end told us he was 88.

In the library Steve saw a Dan Brown book he had just finished. He pointed it out and said (in his best Italian) that he had just read it.

Later in the afternoon, after our trip down the coast I saw his daughter and she asked if my husband was Dan Brown!

Lost in translation!

So after the Grand Tour we left for the rest of our day…….

A drive down the coast road to the tip of Italy. A little seaside place called Santa Maria da Leuca.

To get there we drove past : hundreds if not thousands of Italian beach lovers with their umbrellas, plastic deck chairs, buckets, spades, blow up play things. And all the women wear bikinis. Young, old, thin and not so thin. I’m definitely overdressed.

It’s a colourful scene and proves its not just Australians who love the beach!

We stopped for coffee at a little beach side cafe. All blue and white tables and a smiley, friendly nonna served us – but it was very windy so we didn’t swim.

We passed trattorias, osterias, cafes, apertivi bars, camping grounds, holiday homes with shutters down against the heat or …..perhaps they were empty?

We arrived at SS d Leuca in time for a lovely swim and picked a place for lunch right on the beach. The place in the photo above the blue umbrellas.

Once again simple delicious food

We watched the swimmers and soaked up the atmosphere.

Naturally we finished with a gelato – just a small one! As we walked also the promenade.

We arrived back at Gallipoli and our Palazzo Senape and decided to take another swim. This time at the beach at the end of our street.

I love the blue mats running down the sand so when you get out you don’t have to get sandy! This beach unlike many of the rocky beaches has coarse sand.

We’re back at the Palazzo writing and preparing for dinner at Bastion a lovely looking restaurant recommended by our hosts.

More later!

Lecce you are Lovely

July 15, 2016January 2, 2017 / brisbanefrannie / 7 Comments

Today is Friday and we are feeling sad about the terrible tragedy in Nice. Travel is wonderful but these days there is an element of danger. But we won’t let it stop us.

So today we met our guide for the day. Lovely Simona. I found her website and booked a three hour tour. It’s great going with a local and as it turned out she lives around the corner from our apartment.

We set off and she began to tell us about life in Lecce both now and in the past. She is a born and bred local, though her partner Tim, she described as more English than the Queen !

We walked and she pointed out the features on the buildings. This was a wealthy area in days gone by due to production of wine, olives and tobacco. There are a number of large Palazzo, now either privately owned or broken into apartments. In this way it’s like the very lovely areas of Rome.

We looked at the markings above the doors, the churches, Cathedral and Basillica. They all have a story.

The really interesting thing about Lecce is the use of Cartapesta or paper mâché as as an art form. Used to make statues, it is particular to this area. It’s used in Venice for making masks but here it’s in the churches. You can hardly tell the difference between the statues made from Paper mâché , wood and stone. Such craftsmen.

We visited one shop in a quiet area behind the Cathedral and had a nice talk with the owner. A lovely lady named Stefania. Ginetta – you and Em would love this work. Her more modern work is also amazing. She had made a bustier you would love and a dress. And a mermaid!

We looked at the altars of different style – Baroque and Renaissance.

Baroque

Renaissance

Such beauty in one place.

We had to stop for a refreshment. A coffee over ice with a dash of almond milk to make it sweet. Delicious. It’s called ‘Cafe in Ghiaccio con latte Di Mandorle’.

More walking and talking and noticing things we would otherwise have missed – including the drain cover marked with the city symbol of the she-wolf and the oak tree; and the fascist symbol from the 1930’s.

Significant symbols everywhere.

We retreated to our apartment for a piccolo siesta and to catch up with the Tour de France

Then it was time for our passeggiata. We walked, we shopped, we had a glass of wine and we watched others doing the same.

Dinner was at Osteria 203 recommended by Simona. It was a beautiful meal with a gorgeous bottle of local red. To make it more special we watched a parade go past our restaurant. It was to take St Carmine back to her church. Accompanied by a band. Steve thought the band almost unique – not because of the typical Italian playing con gusto and slightly off key – but of the 40 or so members, no three of them were in step even with each other!

After dinner walked some more and visited another lovely shrine – the most popular Gelateria named Natale. What a place.

Buona notte my friends

Please leave a comment about something you love when you travel

A day to explore

July 11, 2016January 2, 2017 / brisbanefrannie / Leave a comment

We left Alberobella this morning after witnessing the fun run and visited a few nearby villages.

Runners making it in the heat.

A little boy stretches with his dad after the run.

I’m pleased we booked to stay there. Alberobella is a very interesting village but keep in mind that it is touristy. Arrive late in the afternoon when most the visitors are leaving.

We then stopped in Locorotonda which is another very nice village.

When visiting a church we happened upon a Christening. A little girl named Georgia. She was very good but after awhile got grizzly and cried. So Nonna to the rescue. She came forward out of her seat. Squeezed some drops into a dummy and pushed it in the baby’s mouth. Instant quiet. Sedation works!

Baby Georgia being met at the door to the Church. Before sedation

As we drove we got closer the sea. This is the Golf of Taranto the bit between the point and the heel of Italy’s boot.

A cluster of Trulli

A beautiful park in Locorotonda

Everyone seems to have a small garden outside their door

Arriving in Matera was breath taking.

The Sassi of Matera has been used in many films. Including Jesus …..with Mel Gibson

Not long till the next Swim Trek

June 19, 2016June 23, 2016 / brisbanefrannie / 6 Comments

To get you in the mood I have included this to tell you how I got into swimming!

Life is going swimmingly!

“You do realise this swim trek is a swift swim?”

That sentence leapt from the email. What have I done I asked myself?

My husband, a keen swimmer was wanting to go on a swim trek holiday. Some people choose walking holidays , some choose to cycle (activities I enjoy) but my husband wanted to swim! “I don’t swim” I said. “You’ll love it!” replied my husband!

I did think it sounded great, puttering around on a boat in the blue waters of Sardinia, enjoying the scenery whilst my husband swam. Then I found out I couldn’t go on the boat unless I was a swimmer! I’d be left at the hotel on a small island all day by myself.

So I decided to take up swimming.

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To start with, I couldn’t swim the length of a 50 metre pool, so I quickly switched to a 25 metre pool and took a few lessons. I’d recently retired so had time to get to the pool each day and swim. Slowly. Up and down.

I was slow. So I added fins. I persisted. I started to enjoy it.

I counted down the days till we left. I checked the website describing the swims we would be doing – 2-3km a day. Each day. Every day for 6 days!

Then we had to email our swim times over 1km. Proudly I entered 32 mins. I was quite chuffed that I could even swim a kilometre. Then that email arrived. A Swift Swim. As opposed to their usual leisurely slow swims – let’s enjoy the scenery type swim. I was the slowest by far. Longer distances for more experienced swimmers.

I replied quickly saying I would wear fins , would improve daily, and know when to get out of the water. They agreed. I’m not sure if I was pleased or not.

We arrived on the beautiful island of La Maddalena and I felt physically ill during the orientation chat, when meeting our fellow swimmers and telling “our swim story”. I was the least experienced swimmer, and despite my husband’s constant encouragement started to wonder about my stupidity at joining the swim.

On the first day I hyperventilated during the orientation 300 metre swim. It was only our beautiful, caring, encouraging guide, Italian Francesco, my fellow swimmers and my husband who kept encouraging me that I did some of the afternoon swim.

Francesco

Then slowly and surely I got in to swim a little after the other swimmers had started. About 3 km after! Then on day two I swam about 2 1/2 km. The next day I jumped in earlier and sure enough covered about 3 1/2 km. And each day it increased and as it did so did my confidence and my enjoyment. The swims were challenging, safe, but most of all fun. The waters were clear and beautiful and I would hate to have missed out.

At the end of the week’s fantastic farewell dinner I was presented with Francesco’s ‘Capo Bianco’ for the most improved swimmer. What an honour! The friends we made on that first trek have remained friends and we have swum together several times, included a crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar – from Spain to Morocco. No I didn’t do that!

Who would have guessed that 3 years later with 2 more swim treks to Sardinia and gorgeous Greece I would become a very keen swimmer. I’ve joined a local squad and though still not very fast and still sometimes using fins, I actually love swimming.

July 2^nd we start our week-long swim trek in Montenegro. I’ll keep you posted on my swim journey. I’ll be sending in a post to this blog. Read along as I swim!

Who said you were too old to take up a new sport?

The 3 islands swim

July 3, 2013May 8, 2016 / brisbanefrannie / Leave a comment

Biggest swim today -for me!

We motored off on Marco’s boat and arrived at the first island, admired the “pink” beach then moved a little down the coast and off we went.

The first swim was 5 km and I started a little behind the first group, swam the channel, had a little break then finished with the group at the most gorgeous bay – Santa Maria. I must have swum about 3.5 km . I can hardly believe it. A week ago the furthest I had ever swum was 1km.

We stopped for lunch and rest time and swam a little in the crystal waters then set off at 2.30 for the next 2km along the coast to the lighthouse. I did more than half – so all up around 4. 5km!

There I go

Lunch was a gorgeous pasta dish with salad. Francesco with his bandana prepares a pretty good lunch.

Francesco making lunch

The ride back was just a little rough as the wind has come up a little.

Now in the hotel having a coffee followed by a Aperol Spritz. Dinner out with the group tonight. They are such a fun group. All starting to bond.

Tony, Kerrie, Chicca, Steve, Isabelle, Liz and Peter

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