We start our Christmas with Panettone, a traditional Italian Christmas bread, and we leave at 8:30 to drive to the Vesuvius. It’s the only site that’s open today, and it’s sunny again, so there’s no reason not to go.
Even the shuttle service runs today at 9, bringing us, and two other couples, from the parking at 800m to the start of the hike at 1000m, just 170m below the top of the crater. It’s sunny, but cold, with a wind. Luckily we brought our warmest clothes today.
We have some issues loading the ticket on our phone as we don’t have any reception. Typing the 4 lines long link over in Olga’s phone with frozen fingers does the trick, and we can enter the site.
Tim is in a hurry, Olga and the kids take it easy, and picture animals in the snow leftovers on the side of the path. We identify dragons, sea horses and camels. A white Christmas after all!
We meet Tim again at the top. Steam is still coming from the cracks of the crater. It’s really quiet, only a dozen people. The path continues for about 800 metres along the rim of the crater. We can’t go the whole way around, but this gives us the opportunity to get some different perspectives.
We lose Tim again when we walk down, Olga was already picturing Tim falling into the crater, but he reunites with his family when we’re nearly back at the shuttle bus stop. He was just looking at the crater from another perspective. Olga should have known better after 9 years of marriage.
We enjoy a simple but good Christmas lunch in the sunny garden. It’s extremely good weather back at sea level. The kids play hide and seek and discover a slide and swings in our big garden.
We did not explore our garden yet because of all the rain. We decide to enjoy it the fullest this afternoon, when we bring our books and games, pick clementines from the trees with the Vesuvius in the back.
At 14, Tim walks to the beach, while Olga and kids watch « Iep! » and eat some more Panettone and finish the home made Christmas cookies.
