After Como we drove over to Venice and stayed with the parents of a sailing friend of mine. I really liked Venice a lot especially running around on the water buses. Talking to people it seems like you either really like or really dislike Venice. So after a day and half wondering around very hot it was off to London for the night to stay with my parents and make an Italian feast. My little brother Myles surprised me by coming home a day earlier so that we would get to hang out. He is now getting ready for Navy interviews having spent the last 8 months on a super yacht fishing in South America.

Next stop was Mill Valley for the night before getting on the Quest 33 for the spinnaker cup down the coast to Monterey. Luckily we got in just as the wind was dying at around 3am. An off watch asleep and drive back to Mill Valley by midday for some time with my nephew and nieces before a week of work.

The Italian vacation was really great fun. The next 12 weeks are going to be busy with work and getting ready for going south the southern ocean!

A very relaxing day in Como with no tourist sites just some strolling around in a beautiful area of Italy. The yellow place in the first photo above the lake is the youth hostel.

This really is beautiful country. The top photo is the view from the youth hostel over the lake. Took 5 hours to drive from Cinque Terre so tomorrow is exploring the lakes day. We did a quick trip over to Lugano so Becca could say she had been to Switzerland!

The Italians have some crazy food. Ask Becca about gorgonzola ice cream! Yuk. See the picture of the great ice cream and french fries pizza! David the sculpture was amazing even for someone like me who isn’t that into art!

The photos are all mixed up….

The Collaseum at Rome.

The Forum at Rome

Sore feet but a great day of siteseeing. The buildings are amazing in the scale and grandeur.

Beautiful frescos in the Villa of Opolonti a underrated site.

Abbey at Monte Cassino high above the valleys

Our hostel high in the clouds above the Amalfi

Herculeum the little sister of Pompeii.

Roman take out stands in Herculeum

The crater of Mount Vesuvius the view from the top was amazing and the picnic we had of fresh fruit and mozarella and bread from a market was very tasty after the climb.