We have been away a week already, but it feels like a month. We are very relaxed. Today we cruised from Porto Ercole to the island of Ponza in the Tuscan archipelago. The wind is strong and the sea slightly bigger it was a 10 hour bumpy trip over, arriving about 5 pm at this rugged rock island with a delightful and colorful Mediterranean village. There is interesting history here with some notable Roman persons being exiled here about 30-40 BCE, such as Nero's mother Agrippina, and Augustus' daughter Julia. Mussolini was also imprisoned here in 1943. Tomorrow we shall explore.
Thursday, we have had a very funny day today on the island. We went ashore around 10am, into a delightful Harbour with a fishing fleet of about 50 boats. There are however, few good fresh fish to buy due to the bad weather. We went with captain Paul and walked the waterfront shops and small streets. There was good clothing and souvenir shops. We then rented a car (of sorts), to do a tour of the island.Only one road that takes about 30 minutes from one end to the other. The car is old and pink. We have to jump start it twice so we learnt to park it on a slope facing down hill.Views from he road are again spectacular .
We stop at 'Anna's' for lunch, a small family restaurant where they catch their own fish and grow their own vegetables, herbs,etc.
We laugh all the way back with Capt Paul at the wheel. A 3 hour use of the car cost 30 euros.
This island has many archeological sites including amazing Roman cisterns cut through the mountains. There are tunnels and caves to the sea some of which were used for fish farming.
All water for the island is now transported from the mainland in ships
And pumped thru the old aquaducts built 2000 years ago.
Tried our luck at fishing again no luck.
JB and Mick.