AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO SAID:
The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.
At the station for the Pompeii ruins.
To get from Napoli to Pompeii, we take the fast train called the Circumvesuviana. Usually, those wanting to visit the summit of the volcano Vesuvius, would catch a shuttle bus or use tour guide vans. They bring the visitors up a narrow but smooth road to a large parking lot. After leaving the vehicles, every one starts to climb a gradual foot path with a wood railing for those who want a little support while climbing. It is actually a very easy climb although some may think of it as a rather steep ascent. I actually did not take any shuttle bus or tour guide van. I first visited the Herculaneum ruins then I walked from there to the summit of Vesuvius. There were a couple of villages on the volcano's slope to pass through and several strange sculptures along the way. It took me all day and evening to reach the summit, linger there for a while, then descend to the closest town where I could catch the train back to Napoli. I also did not walk back down the road on the descent. I took what I thought was a path but I often found myself walking through ravines and bushes looking for the first road to speed up the downward trip and yes, I did trip a few times. đ Stay on the road if you can not find a clear path (there is a path or two going up the slope of Vesuvius, I just did not find a real path). I returned to a town after sunset and I had no idea what town I was in. I just had to jump on a local bus that was traveling down the mountain and find a bus station or a train station for my return to Napoli after arriving at some town center at the foot of Vesuvius.
Approaching the ruins of Pompeii.
IN THE TOWER OF BASILICA DE LA VOTA NACIONAL, WE WERE ABLE TO RELAX AND SNACK A BIT. I DO NOT KNOW IF ALL THE TOWERS HAVE CAFES IN THEM. WE CLIMBED THE TOWER THAT IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF THE CHURCH. I DO NOT KNOW IF PEOPLE WERE CLIMBING THE TOWER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MAIN ENTRANCE BECAUSE WE DID NOT SEE ANYONE IN THAT TOWER. WE DID SEE PEOPLE CLIMBING THE THIRD TOWER WHICH IS NOT AS HIGH AS THE TWO FRONT SIDE TOWERS. WE ORDERED TWO HOT TEAS, A TEA WITH MILK, ONE HOT CHOCOLATE AND TWO HUMITAS. I CAN NOT GET ENOUGH OF THOSE HUMITAS.
THIS VIDEO IS A RATHER LONG WALKING TOUR AROUND THE AREA OF THE HOTEL WHERE WE WERE STAYING. I WAS LOOKING FOR THE BAKERY WHERE I HAVE SHOPPED A COUPLE OF TIMES ALREADY AND FOR A DESSERT PLACE CALLED GELATO MIX. I FOUND THEM AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF OTHER INTERESTING PLACES. WE CAN SEE HAPPY PANDA CHINESE RESTAURANT FROM OUR HOTEL WINDOW.
THE BAKERY IS NEXT TO THE HOTEL; PANIFICADORA AMBATO. GELATO MIX IS LOCATED ONE CITY BLOCK FURTHER DOWN AVE. 12 DE OCTUBRE. CAFĂ QUITO IS AT THE SWISSĂTEL QUITO WHICH IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR HOTEL. THERE IS ALSO AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT CALLED LA BRICIOLA AT THE CORNER OF AV. ISABELLS CATĂLICA AND FRANCISCO SALAZAR. SAN HONORĂ AND MUSA RESTAURANTE ARE ALSO GOOD SOUNDING PLACES IN THEIS AREA.
OH, AND WHILE AT CAROLINA PARK, WE TRIED THE ESPUMILLA. WE DID NOT REALLY LIKE IT. THE TOP PART WAS RATHER FUNKY. THE TEXTURE IS ODD AND THE FLAVORS DID NOT STAND OUT ENOUGH TO MAKE UP FOR THE STRANGE TEXTURE. WE DID LIKE THE BOTTOM PART THAT CONSISTS OF SEVERAL TYPES OF FRUIT PIECES SOAKING IN A DELICIOUS RED SAUCE. ESPUMILLA IS A TRADITIONAL ECUADORIAN DESSERT. IT IS A FOAM, NOT AN ICE CREAM, WHICH IS WHY IT IS NOT MELTING AS VENDORS SELL IT IN THE STREETS. IT IS MERINGUE WITH EGG WHITES, SUGAR, AND PUREED FRUIT. THE FRUIT IS SOAKING IN A RED BERRY SYRUP. THAT LAST PART IS GOOD.
WE SPENT SUNDAY IN SHOPPING CENTERS AND PARKS. WE FIRST WENT TO PLAZA OF THE AMERICAS. IT IS REALLY SMALL WITH FEW SHOPPING OPTIONS. IT DOES HAVE A FEW NICE CAFES AND A LARGE CINEMA. THE PLAZA OF THE AMERICAS IS SMALL BUT COZY. IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE A SQUARE PARK WITH SHOPS, CAFES, AND CINEMARK SURROUNDING IT. AFTER WE LEFT PLAZA DE LAS AMERICAS, WE WALKED DOWN TO PARQUE CAROLINA. WE STOPPED TO TAKE A PHOTO AT A FUNKY STATUE. I COULD NOT FIND A NAME FOR THIS STATUE OF FOUR CHILDREN SITTING ON A BENCH TALKING TO EACH OTHER. IT IS IN A TINY PARK AND MAY BE CALLED DESCANSO. WE THEN CONTINUED WALKING UNTIL WE REACHED THE VERY LARGE PARK. IT HAS A VIVARIUM HERE. IT IS A SMALL SAMPLE OF REPTILE SPECIMENS INDIGIONOUS TO ECUADOR. THERE IS A SUPERMAXI SHOPPING CENTER ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SOUTHERN END OF CAROLINA PARK SO WE WENT THERE TO BUY COLD MEDICINE FOR RENO WHO MAY HAVE GOTTEN A HEAD COLD. WE RELAXED AT A SPECIAL PLACE CALLED REPUBLIC DE CAFĂ. THERE IS A VIDEO HERE ABOUT JUST THAT. IMMEDIATLY ON THE SOUTHERN END OF PARQUE CAROLINA IS A METRO STATION. ONCE I SAW THE STATION ENTRANCE, I DECIDED WE SHOULD TRY IT OUT. IT IS GREAT. IT IS STILL NEW AND MADE TO BE EASILY USED BY THE MOST UNITIATED PERSONS IN METRO USE. IT ALSO COSTS ONLY .45 CENTS FOR ADULTS. I AM HAPPY TO HAVE USED IT. I TOOK A VIDEO OF IT WITH MY CELL PHONE SO I MAY UPLOAD IT HERE ALTHOUGH VIDEOS FROM MY CELL PHONE COME UP SMALLER HERE. WE GOT OUT AT PARQUE EJIDO METRO STATION. AFTER TAKING A COUPLE OF PHOTOS OF WRITERS (THERE ARE MANY STATUES OF POETS AND NOVELISTS HERE), WE WAKED THE REST OF THE WAY TO THE HOTEL.