Day 12 June 10th Messina (Sicily) Very hot, sunny and clear, windy.
As we sailed between the mainland and Sicily we could see the summit of Etna but it was a bit misty so did not photograph at all well.
We had originally intended to go to a beach in Sicily, but the trip was cancelled due to lack of numbers. We decided to just look around Messina rather than do another tour which would have been a bit too long for our liking.
As we have climbed up to the Church on the hill we decided to explore the shopping areas and then have a look at the Railway Station. We noticed that a Rome train was due so waited for that. After it arrived the engine was uncoupled and we realised that a diesel engine was going to shunt the carriages onto a ferry for a 35 minute crossing to mainland Italy.
This picture shows the rail tracks for loading through the open bow door, the car loading ramp raised on the left of the upper deck (passengers also use this ramp, mixing it with the cars, and Silhouette in the background. Great pic. Alan if he says so himself!
We then spent some time watching the carriages loaded on the ferry: it looked like they were all put on and then taken off but it might have been that they were shunted onto different tracks within the ferry.
Carriages just visible entering ferry – it was difficult to get this picture as Alan had to lean out of a window with Jack saying ' don't lean too far'!
We then enjoyed watching the various ferries come and go from the comfort of the ship. We were a little disappointed to visit Messina for the third time but having discovered the loading of carriages onto and off the ferries it certainly made the visit more interesting than we expected: yes we are sad train and ferry junkies!
Car only ferry enters the docks to join the four rail ferries
Final Silhouette cast show which we enjoyed, with acrobatics and jugling, but we found the music a bit durgy!
Day 13 June 11th Naples Very hot, sunny and clear.
Our last visit to Naples was on a Sunday and we found the city a little intimidating and not very nice. However we decided to look around again and this time we found the main shopping and old town area. We even managed to go up to the fort overlooking the harbour on the funicular. Could not quite see the ship but the view over the city was worth the effort.
We really enjoyed Naples this time with its grand architecture and many ornate and imposing churches.
Piazza Plebiscito with St Francesco church
Inside one of the many amazing churches – this one is:
St Maria La Nova
There was a particularly fine 19th century shopping mall called Galleria Umberto I, with its amazing high glass roof.
Galleria Umberto I
Exhausted we returned to the ship for lunch and a very lazy afternoon and evening. Have decided to miss show which is the magician that we walked out of last time.
So time for packing and up early tomorrow for our flight from Rome to Gatwick. We are ready to come home and will not miss drivers who chase you across pedestrian crossings, scooters on pavements, and the general hustle of Italian cities. Maybe the IOW weather will improve a bit!
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