European Family Vacation Extravaganza, pt. 2

Family Vacation

Family Vacation 2017 - pt. 2

Towards the end of the 2017 summer the Kernes family took a vacation around Europe. Part 2 takes place during a 10-day cruise around the Mediterranean.

Steven, Amy, Justin, and Adam on the island of Santorini, Greece.

Messina, Italy

Saturday, September 2

My day started on the helipad as our ship pulled into the port of Messina. Blinded by early morning light, I tipped back my complimentary mimosa and went to get breakfast. Our tour was through the towns of Taormina and Castelmola, both of which are on the island of Sicily. There was an infamous and picturesque active volcano, Mt. Etna, but it was so hazy, the view from 20 miles away was almost unintelligible. Apparently there's a ski resort on the Southeast face. Bucket list: shred a volcano. The bus driver navigated through narrow stone streets and around petite compacts. If our tour guide had claimed he was a stunt driver on the weekdays, I would have believed her. Castelmola seemed to be straight out of a fairy tale; it was incredible. I stood on some ruins and looked out over the sea, trying to imagine what it would have been like to see invading ships coming for 'my land'. We walked through colorful alleyways constructed hundreds of years ago. Lunch was a real treat—authentic Sicilian pizza. The four of us split three 'zas with a unique highlight being a prosciutto, honey, walnut, and Parmesan pie.

Hang glider over Piazza S.Antonio in Castelmola, Italy.

Valletta, Malta

Sunday, September 3

I bagged another new country today; Malta, just south of Sicily by a couple hundred miles. Our port was in Valletta and we took a ferry to neighboring city, Birgu; one of the many peninsulas on the island. We were scheduled for a informative golf cart tour around the city. Dad was handed the keys and we all given some instruction. Navigating new streets with an entirely different alphabet was little tricky—especially on the right hand side of the road. We all took turns driving and getting out whenever we pleased. It was a great way to see part of this country. Adam found a small stand selling beer by on of the quays. The water was littered with million dollar yachts.

On board Three Cities ferry.

View of Senglea, one of the Three Cities, from the ferry.

Stone archways in Birgu.

A worn down wooden door.

Maltese locals swimming in The Grand Harbour.

Quiet alleyway in Birgu.

Mykonos, Greece

Tuesday, September 5

Yesterday, we spent a day at sea. I slept late, ate way too much food, and lounged deck-side all afternoon. It left me unprepared for the additional hour gained crossing into another time zone. A small ferry transported us to the main port of Mykonos, Chora to the locals. A city entirely in white engulfed by clear blue waters and sky. It was pushing 100 degrees so Adam and I kept our eyes peeled for places selling beer. Not five minutes of walking around and we were rewarded with a local stout. Greek beer: check. We navigated through stark-white alleyways to find some windmills just off-shore. The entire time, I had my eye on the sea. There weren't many places to access a “beach” but we found a small swath of waterfront with some tourists sunning themselves. I dipped my feet into the Aegean Sea. It felt like the Pacific, but warmer. Expected. Still fun. Adam and I got another beer for the ferry ride back to our ship.

Little Venice, or Mikri Venetia.

Rhodes, Greece

Wednesday, September 6

Today has to have been the hottest day of our entire trip. We disembarked and made our way down the pier. It was easily over 100 degrees on the cobblestone streets. Despite being in a new country, once again, I couldn't help but feel tired and worn-out. Is it possible to vacation too hard? Adam and I split off from Mom and Dad and decided to drink away yesterday's hangover in the shade of a quiet bistro. After cooling down, we took a stroll around the Palace of the Grand Master. Around, because we were unwilling to pay admission fees. We made friends with a chill pigeon and found half of a nude mannequin with an impeccable style.

Mannequin with a raw sense of style.

One of the many fortifications of Rhodes.

Santorini, Greece

Thursday, September 7

Our entire trip, I had been anticipating today—Santorini. We took a ferry ashore, and the entire ride over, stared up at cliffs of desolate volcanic rock. The family opted to take three-minute gondola ride to the top, leaving us in the town of Fira. With hiking shoes laced and water bottles filled, we set off to Oia, a large iconic town at the north end of the main island. A leisurely walk through a quaint town quickly became a strenuous hike out on the exposed island. At nearly seven miles, I was impressed to find Mom and her recently replaced hip keeping up with us boys. Finally, we got to Oia and searched for lunch. Dad picked a restaurant called 218°; the name having to do with an expansive tableside view. We had grilled octopus, fried feta, phyllo-wrapped cheese pockets, Kalamata olives; all dipped in refreshing tzatziki. It's getting hard to distinguish favorite meals. Worn out and full, we caught a charter bus back to Fira. The line for the gondola seemed to be about an hour long. Adam and I decided to ditch the wait, grab a beer, and hike down a steep and slick cobblestone burro path to the waterfront. Ma and Pa beat us back to the ship by 15 minutes, but there is always spare time to scratch some burro ears.

Steve hikes up to see the church of Panagia.

Adam taking the path less traveled to Oia.

Almost at the North end of Santorini. The town of Oia is on the right, island Thirasia on the left.

Typical landscape found in the semi-arid climate of Santorini.

Lunch spread in Oia. Hard to tell if the food or view was better.

Athens, Greece

Friday, September 8

It's the last leg of our trip; we only make port once more before our flight back stateside. Today we had a tour of Athens with only two other couples. At 8AM, our small group made haste for the Acropolis. This was good for two reasons; the day was only going to get hotter and the crowds larger. Five years after a four-year art degree, seeing the Parthenon in person was fulfilling to say the least. After admiring the views, we hopped back in our tour van and headed for The National Archaeological Museum. Apparently, the French President was touring Athens this week as well; traffic was crazy. In the museum, whilst staring at ancient pottery, the President's wife quickly made her way through the same exhibit, flanked by security. Our tour guide didn't seem the least bit phased. We had a much needed lunch break, then it was back sightseeing. We saw the changing of the guard at the Hellenic Parliament; the Panathenaic Stadium, which is made entirely of marble; the Temple of Hephaestus; and ended with the Temple of Olympian Zeus. As we sailed away, we got easily the best sunset of our entire trip. A gorgeous sendoff.

Admiring the Parthenon on a hot summer's day in Athens.

Tourists and locals taking in the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

Looking through the Temple of Hephaestus.

Mediterranean sunsets look better out at sea.

Naples, Italy

Sunday, September 10

Today was our last port city and it couldn't have been nicer in Naples. For the first half of the day, we were scheduled to hike up Mt. Vesuvius. About 3,000 feet of elevation change was no big deal for us avid outdoors people. However, fat tourists abounded. My ego felt great after a quick jump, skip, and hop to the top of the caldera. Views of the Napoli coast were stunning. For the second half of the day, we were scheduled for a tour of Pompeii. For hours, we walked through piles of rubble and partially standing walls. It was hard to follow our guide along and imagine what had once magnificently stood there. Back in town, we 'accidentally' stumbled into a limoncello store. There were three different free samples. It was a sweet sendoff to a sweet trip.

Adam on the trail up to Vesuvius.

The tail end of Italy, where it becomes a 'boot'.

Miss the first half?

European Family Vacation Extravaganza, pt. 1

Family Vacation

Family Vacation 2017 - pt. 1

Towards the end of the 2017 summer, the Kernes family took a vacation around Europe. Part 1 takes place in Florence and Rome Italy.

Steven, Amy, Justin, and Adam on the island of Santorini, Greece.

Florence, Italy

Sunday, August 27

Yesterday, after 20 hours of monotonous travel, the entire Kernes family arrived in Florence, Italy. A glorious and full night of sleep helped erode a sizable amount of jet-lag. Breakfast was a buffet with far too many croissants at the hotel, then it was off to see the Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze. Of course, the goal was to see "David". It looked better than the slides from art history class. A bonus was a tapestry made in the 14th century which was easily over six feet long. The level of detail was intense and hard to comprehend. On the way out of the museum, I spied a few electrical boxes with some clever street art. 'Scubadore Dali' was my favorite. Lunch was a ham and Fontina panini with a glass of red just a few blocks away from the Galleria. After, we took an electric bike tour of Florence. The sun was setting while we were effortlessly propelled up the hilly streets. Our tour ended with an aperitivo at La Prosciutteria; creamy peppered-Gorgonzola and kalamata tapenade served on fluffy, fresh bread. More red wine. Satisfied, Mom and Dad bid us goodnight and hailed a cab. Adam and I decided to explore and find more food. After walking around for a few hours, we found ourselves across the street from our hotel. A small carnival which had live music, old couples dancing, and cheap food drew us in.

The usual crowd around Michelangelo's "David".

Close up from the tapestry "Coronation of the Virgin", by Jacopo Cambi.

Various works by Blub L'arte sa nuotare.

Biking along the Arno.

Monday, August 28

Our tour of Il Duomo di Firenze, or those looking for more of a mouthful, Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, was first on the day's agenda. Had a quick shower and hotel buffet before our 9AM tour time. Having walked around for a whole day yesterday it wasn't any secret where we were headed. We arrived, met our guide, received our earpieces, and started our three-hour walking tour of the Duomo. For 445 years, this was the largest dome in the world, and today, it is still the largest masonry dome. It was hard to comprehend a project of this magnitude during the age in which it was constructed. After the tour, we had an opportunity to climb to the top. Adam and I were the last two people for the day—we narrowly made it past the velvet rope! From the top was a panoramic view of Florence as well as the Basilica di Santa Croce. We climbed down. By then it was well into the hottest part of the day. Coffee gelato helped to cool us down. Lunch was a sandwich place, I' Girone De' Ghiotti, who's infamous line we spotted wrapping around the block yesterday. It was well worth the wait. Adam and I split a 5 euro bottle of wine and we all walked back to the hotel to power nap. Three-course dinner at a vineyard complete with wine pairings and ample mosquitoes. That was the only complaint we struggled to find.

Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore from across the Arno river.

Light streaming into Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore.

Basilica di Santa Croce seen from atop Il Duomo.

"In accordance with...the criminal code, whomever defaces or soils property of historic or artistic interest by any means, including but not limited to indelible pen, shall be punished by detention of up to one year, or by fine of up to two million lire."

Adam carries the 5 euro wine.

Tuesday, August 29

This was a travel day.

Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station.

Rome, Italy

Wednesday, August 30

Upon waking, it was easy to tell it was going to be a hot day. Breakfast options were slim and expensive so the family decided to chance it and head out early. Today's tour was of the Colosseum; we banked on finding street vendors around the area. Our patience was rewarded with a three euro caprese-style panini. The tour was extremely thorough and went on a little longer than expected. We were left tuckered out having walked around in the 95 degree sun all morning. Everyone decided it was a good time to go back to the hotel for a siesta. Dinner was a planned event that was unfortunately canceled an hour before we were supposed to go. Dad scrambled and did some intense Google searching. We ended up at Osteria 44 which turned out to be my favorite dining experience of the vacation so far. Sergio, our waiter, made the whole night even better with his dry wit and excellent recommendations. We all shared several dishes. Ravioli with shrimp and asparagus, as well as a classic carbonara were our entrees. Osso buco with roasted potatoes and green beans, and sea bass with some sort of spicy creamed spinach were our secondi . Everything was an 11/10. As a family, we wined, dined, and laughed for the whole two hours—a rarity. Dad didn't stop there. It just so happened the highest rated gelateria was a small detour on our walk home. I went with my usual selection of coffee.

Colosseum exterior cross section.

Colosseum interior.

A street in Rome.

Thursday, August 31

Today we had a tour of the Vatican City State. We decided to play on yesterday's luck and leave early in search of breakfast. Once again, we scored and found a quaint cafe. I had a smoked salmon sandwich with arugula and tomato, crust neatly removed, and a cappuccino. The coffee was a transformative experience; more so than coffee usually is. We finished and met up with our tour group outside the city walls. “Customs” was pretty easy. We were through the line in minutes. Unfortunately, we also walked through the expansive museums far too quickly. There was easily enough art to look at for several weeks. Our tour guide seemed to know this as well and tried to cram in as much as possible. The size and grandeur was hard to process. Gold, frescoes, multi-colored marble patterns, statues, every square inch was adorned and bespoke with a level of ostentation I didn't even know was possible. And then we went to Saint Peter's Basilica. For a second, I forgot how hot and humid it had been. The Sistine Chapel was an absolute zoo. Hundreds of people, ourselves included, had their necks cranked upward at the magnificent ceiling. My neck was sore. Our tour ended and we decided to wait out the hottest part of the day in our hotel rooms. At 3PM, we were scheduled for a more relaxing golf cart tour of Rome. We puttered past the Colosseum, Circus Maximus, and the Parthenon. We were dropped off at Saltimbocca for dinner. Meal highlight was a smoked provola and speck pizza. And you best believe we stopped for gelato on our way home.

Vatican artworks and frescos. Most importantly far right; "The School of Athens", by Raphael.

Busy crosswalk at the Colosseum.

Businessman texting outside the Colosseum.

A view across the Circus Maximus.

Sunlight against a brick wall at Giardino degli Aranci (The Orange Garden).

Saint Peter's Basilica as seen through Il Buco Della Serratura (keyhole).

Late-afternoon sunlight in the Pantheon.

Wait, there's more!