Lau On Tour Day 7: Naples

Part 7 of my new series, Lau On Tour. Catch up with yesterday's destination and find out what the series is all about before you join me in today's destination, Naples

Image: Montse Monmo/Unsplash

The itinerary

Ah, Naples. I was due to visit the Italian city with a friend in May 2020, but coronavirus brought our plans to a crashing halt. I'm using this virtual trip to get a better idea of what I'd like to see and do when we finally make the trip.

Image: Judi Smith/Unsplash

To be honest, my two main reasons for wanting to visit Naples aren't actually in Naples itself. Mount Vesuvius and its archaeological ruins at Pompeii and Herculaneum are just a short way down the coast, and are something I'd love to see. Several aspects of Pompeii, including temples, baths and an amphitheatre, can be viewed online, and an Italian-narrated YouTube video gives further insight into two houses in the city, which was buried under ash from an eruption in AD 79. It's really impressive how well the buildings have been preserved, and gives an insight into the damage Vesuvius could do again, if it was so inclined.

I haven't been able to find any official virtual tours of Vesuvius, but I have watched this tourist video of a day out, beginning at the train station and making their way up the volcano, on a coach and later on foot, the buildings of Naples reduced to mere specks in the distance, until we're finally looking down into the crater.

Image: Prowalk Tours

The second reason I'm so keen to visit Naples IRL is to see the nearby island of Procida. The Amalfi Coast towns of Positano and Sorrento are known for their Instagram perfect colourful buildings, but Procida is equally beautiful, yet not quite so well-known (so far...). It's easily accessible from Naples via ferry, and this walking and drone tour has made me even more keen to visit. The houses are beautifully vibrant, putting me in mind of Burano in Venice, and the sea is a gorgeous blue. Helpfully the video is broken into chunks, so you can watch the whole thing, or just dip in and out to see what you want to see. There's even a map of the route to accompany it.

Where I'm staying

Image: Hotel La Corricella

So enamoured am I with Procida after watching the above video, I've decided to find accommodation on the island too. Hotel La Corricella, with its seaview rooms and terrace restaurant overlooking those colourful houses, has won me over - and it's not too pricey, so I'd consider staying there for real too.

In pop culture

This virtual trip to Naples coincides with the broadcast of an episode of travel documentary The Secret Mediterranean With Trevor McDonald which features the city. The segment's central focus is the looming presence of Vesuvius, and the continuing threat it poses to the people and buildings of Naples, which has spread into its foothills. Fascinating though it is, it has made me think twice about going to Naples, and specifically to Vesuvius, knowing that it could erupt at any moment. Then again, it might not erupt for 50 years.

On the menu

Naples is the birthplace of pizza as we know it, and home to the world's best pizzeria if Eat Pray Love is to be believed, so today's dinner is of course, a homemade pizza topped with two cheeses, mushrooms and salami. Delish.

Souvenir shopping

Aside from pizza, there's not a particular object or thing I associate with Naples, so choosing a  souvenir to bring home was tricky. Research suggests that ceramics and leather goods are common in Naples along with - oddly - Christmas ornaments. I've also learnt that Naples has a whole passageway called Christmas Alley, which only strengthens my desire to visit - and yes, I'm carefully wrapping some festive tree hangers in my imaginary suitcase right now.

Lau On Tour Day 6: Australia

Part 6 of my new series, Lau On Tour. Catch up with yesterday's destination and find out what the series is all about before you join me in today's destination, Australia.

Image: Keith Zhu/Unsplash

The itinerary

Australia is somewhere that's not on my real life travel bucket list - I have nothing against it, but it's so far away, there are plenty of other places closer to home that I'd like to visit first, before committing to that lengthy flight. Thankfully, the Australian tourist board offers virtual tours of plenty of the country's cultural experiences, including Dinosaur Walk at the Melbourne Museum, and the art collection at the National Gallery of Victoria. No plane ticket required.

For me, one of the most iconic Australian sights is Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Sydney Opera House. If I do ever make it to Australia in person, I'd love to climb the Harbour Bridge, but in the meantime I'll make do with this 3D tour of the area by Qantas, and this 3D rendering of the Opera House. If you're more about the culture than the architecture, a programme of digital performances is available to watch at home, including the Australian Ballet performing Swan Lake.

Image: Australia Zoo

Teleporting several hours north to Brisbane, I'm dropping in on Steve Irwin's famous Australia Zoo, with a video tour given by his son, Robert. He's clearly inherited his father's enthusiasm and love for animals, and it's a great introduction to Australian wildlife, including wombats and wallabies - and the excellently named Crikey Cafe.

Finally, a couple of days (!) drive away in almost the centre of the country, is another of Australia's most famous sights, Uluru. But before we get there, can we take a moment to appreciate just how vast Australia is, and just how remote some parts of it are. My curiousity for maps had me Googling a route between Australia Zoo and Uluru, and it's a 35 hour drive.  Not only that, it's a very round-about route, going down to the coast at Adelaide and back up, instead of cross country, presumably because there are no roads travelling across that route. It amounts to a diversion approximately the length of the entire UK. Mindboggling.

Anyway, back to Uluru, my final stop on this Aussie tour, just in time for sunset. Parks Australia offers several online Story Spheres, complete with 3D footage and voiceovers and sound effects. Best of all, it goes into the Aboriginal history and folklore of the area, with stories told by Aboriginal people and Anangu traditional owners, and translated into English. I found it absolutely fascinating, not only to hear about the culture, but to get an idea of the size and scale of Uluru, and learn that it's not just a flat rock, but has caves and water features within. The best virtual tour I've found on this trip so far.

Photo: Danny Lau/Unsplash

If you fancy a quieter Uluru stroll without the commentary, Uluru Tours Australia has one embedded on its website.

Where I'm staying

Image: Taronga Zoo

From rainforest retreats to beach island huts to railway carriages, Australia isn't short of quirky accommodation options. After some serious window shopping, I've settled on the Roar and Snore accommodation at Taronga Zoo in Sydney. The safari-style accommodation offers views over Sydney Harbour, and a night safari through the zoo.

In pop culture

"It's not just cricket and kangaroo" says Simon Reeve in the opening series of his BBC series, Australia with Simon Reeve, and by the end of the first episode, which features hundreds of thousands of wild camels, gold mines and cross country sleeper trains, I completely agree. It's exactly the sort of travel documentary I enjoy, and I'll be watching the rest of the series over the next few days.

On the menu

It's not the most photogenic of dishes

If you've ever heard of a parmo, chances are you've had dabblings in either north-east England, or Australia. They vary slightly, and I tried the Middlesborough version back in 2014, but today I made the Australian version - breaded chicken, topped with tomato pasta sauce (the English version sticks to Bechamel, I'm reliably informed), mozzarella and a slice of ham or bacon, and baked in the oven. Apparently it's typical Aussie pub grub, and I'd certainly try it again, though for me it's more of a winter warmer than something to chow down on in the boiling Aussie summer.

Souvenir shopping

Other than a cuddly toy kangaroo or a koala keyring, the most Australian object I can think of is a boomerang, and even in researching this, I've learned more about Aboriginal history. Aboriginal Australians used a non-returning variety of boomerang for hunting, though I'll probably just stick to the iconic L-shaped one for my wall.

Lau On Tour Day 5: Scotland

Part 5 of my new series, Lau On Tour. Catch up with yesterday's destination and find out what the series is all about before you join me in today's destination, Scotland.

Image: Peter Cordes/Unsplash

The itinerary

I'm starting my Scotland tour in its capital city, Edinburgh, and at Edinburgh's most overbearing landmark, Edinburgh Castle. So huge is the clifftop fort, that I barely managed to see it all in a day when I visited in person in 2018. This time, I'm taking a whistle-stop virtual tour via a 3D model.

Just spitting distance from the castle, and an unexpected highlight from my previous trip is the Camera Obscura, a Victorian contraption which offers views over the capital, set at the top of a building containing all manner of tricks and puzzles. Alas, the attractions themselves don't seem to be available to view online, but I enjoyed exploring the 360 degree view of the city (if it inspires you to climb Arthur's Seat, read this first). 

My final stop in the capital is Edinburgh Zoo, on the outskirts of the city. It's most famous for its resident pandas, which were the original reason for my visit to Edinburgh in 2018. These days though, they can be seen online via Panda Cam, though patience is key. The Zoo, like many, is struggling to survive financially at the moment, so if you enjoy Panda Cam, consider making a donation.

Image: Stuart Yeates

I'm finishing my Scottish tour at another of its key tourist attractions, Balmoral Castle, over 100 miles away from its Edinburgh counterpart. I was hoping for a virtual tour of the Royal residence, but I hadn't bargained on Squirrel Cam, which offers a chance to see the rare native red squirrels. Alternatively, take a spring walk through the gardens, but that's as far as you're getting - you'll have to go to Balmoral in person to ogle the famous Castle Ballroom, with artworks by the likes of Landseer.

Where I'm staying

Image: The Witchery

While I was impressed with the Edinburgh hotel where I stayed in 2018, that choice was constricted by budget. This time round, my (imaginary) budget is unlimited so you'll find me at The Witchery by The Castle, specifically in the Turret Suite, as I've always had a thing about turrets. The Highland hideout-style decor, huge rolltop baths and four poster beds appear to be the height of luxury - much needed after a day or two climbing Edinburgh's many, many hills and steps.

In pop culture

2013 musical film Sunshine on Leith is set in the Edinburgh district of the same name, and uses music by Scottish band The Proclaimers. I first saw it at a rooftop cinema in London around the time of its release, but although I remember enjoying it, the intricate details of the plotline were hazy until this rewatch. The actors are very much that - actors, rather than singers - and if you're not a fan of spontaneous singing or dancing it won't be for you, but it gives me a renewed fondness for the music of The Proclaimers. Oh, and also for the dreamy views of Edinburgh Castle from the bar at the DoubleTree by Hilton.

On the menu

If you were coming here for haggis, you can pass right on by. The Scottish section of my culinary heart sits firmly with shortbread, thanks to my sweet tooth and preference for easy to bake dishes. It's not my first time making shortbread, but it makes an excellent film snack.

Souvenir shopping

I'm not one for whisky, and we've already covered shortbread, so my souvenir shopping is focusing on fashion rather than food. How about a nice tartan scarf, to wrap up against the Scottish weather for when I return in real life and claim my rightful place in that Turret Suite.