Retire Early
Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler
In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age
of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this
financially independent lifestyle, they invite you
to take advantage of their wisdom and experience. |
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The Clean
Modern-Day Streets of Gaeta, Italy
Billy and Akaisha Kaderli
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As we have mentioned
before, Gaeta has a colorful history. The first inhabitants date back to the 8th
century B.C. The Romans eventually conquered this harbor town and it became an
important holiday resort for their rich and elite.
But after the fall of the
Empire, this town was
sacked over
and over again by barbarians.
Everyone who came through
here left something - for instance, the layout of the streets with Roman roads
and urban planning is noticeable. Differing architectural styles in
buildings can be seen as well, and there are narrow alleyways and ruins of the
civilizations past.
Come take a look.
![collection of bird houses in a tree, Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town1.jpg)
An assortment of birdhouses in a tree
Not far from the waterfront we saw this
whimsical collection of birdhouses artistically displayed in a tree.
A hotel is to the left and an outdoor cafe
with people sitting down is to the right.
Beautifully, there was lots of greenery in
the town as well.
![A variety of directional signs, Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town2.jpg)
City of Gaeta road signs all in one place
This grouping of road signs lets you know
where the commercial port is, the parking lot, and where the historical center
of town is.
The
city of Naples (known for its deep-fried
pizza) is also listed, as well as the port town of Formia where Roman Emperors
Cicero and Tiberius used to vacation. Formia is also a a popular destination for
beachgoers and water enthusiasts.
![A sun lit palm tree boulevard, Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town3.jpg)
A boulevard in Gaeta
Today, Gaeta's streets are a blend of historical charm and modern amenities.
Here you see a tree-lined boulevard with
beautiful buildings along the side and up on the hills.
For a city, we saw green, green everywhere.
![Beautiful building down by the harbor, Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town4.jpg)
Clock tower and building on the seafront
promenade There
are many squares and piazzas in Gaeta offering distinctive types of architecture
and there is
a mix of old and new buildings lining the coast.
This is a beautiful clock
tower here along with a bell in the top section.
The Tyrrhenian Sea is just behind us.
![typical street in Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town5.jpg)
Apartments and shops by the sea
Throughout Gaeta were apartment buildings.
Other than some Roman ruins indicating homes, we did not see any single family
dwellings here.
The apartments were attractive, and
we stayed
in one during our visit.
Gaeta is a summertime and weekend holiday
sort of town, and we figured many of these apartments were second homes.
Notice how the public walkway and sidewalks
all line up with no curbs. Easy for wheelchair and baby carriage access.
![Narrow alleyway between stores, Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town6.jpg)
An ancient alleyway turned modern
This narrow alley was probably a walkway
during the Roman Empire days and then utilized during Medieval times as well.
Commonly, people simply hung their wash out
on the line by their home as you can see above.
Out there for everyone to see, you knew if
someone purchased new sheets or a new shirt.
It is all part of the neighborhood scenery.
We found that many people seemed to have
washing machines, but the utility bill was a determining factor as to whether or
not anyone owned a clothes dryer.
We saw no clothes dryers on our trip in
Italy.
![Older gentleman on park bench, Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town7.jpg)
Man reading on a park bench
This older gentleman is reading a book as he faces the Gulf of Gaeta from a small park
just down from a bakery we had just visited.
Once again, you can see the ubiquitous
apartment buildings we saw in Gaeta.
![Older gentlemen on Park bench, Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town8.jpg)
Billy and Antonio
Antonio was a man Billy met and they communicated via Google
translate. We found out that he's 88 years old, and Billy and he
discussed
the war (WWII), life, and Gaeta.
![Older gentlemen on park bench, Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town9.jpg)
Angelo Michael and Antonio
Angelo Michael is 87 years old and he hung
back during our conversation with Antonio. I wasn't sure if he was shy or
suspicious, but once Antonio began laughing and continued to engage with us,
Angelo Michael slowly approached.
Angelo Michael (named after the Italian
artist Michael Angelo) was a naval man during the War.
These were the men with the stories.
You might notice that Antonio is wearing two
gold wedding bands. It would be my guess that his wife has passed on, and the
second ring belonged to her.
How tender and devotional.
![Apartment lined street in Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town10.jpg)
More apartment buildings
Row after row, street after street were these
pastel-painted apartment buildings all over Gaeta.
![Street corner signs in Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town11.jpg)
Street sign named Europe
A corner street sign named Europe, you know,
in case you might forget where you are...
Wrought iron balconies with plants spruce up
the area.
![apartment buildings in Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town12.jpg)
Apartment buildings and motorcycles
The coast of Italy is
a great place to ride a motorcycle. Much cheaper to run than a car and more agile, it's a favorite mode
of transport.
![Street with harbor view between apartments, Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town13.jpg)
Street leading to the harbor
Straight ahead is the harbor and the sea
promenade where we had walked earlier.
Shops are on the bottom floor of these
buildings and, you guessed it, apartments to the top.
Gaeta is a pleasant seaside town, and very
clean.
![pastel painted apartments Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town14.jpg)
Modern-day apartments
Wrought iron balconies, large sun shades,
flowering gardens and the daily laundry out to dry in the breeze.
Topside terraces with satellite dishes for TV
are seen from ground level.
![Powder blue colored small vehicle in Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town15.jpg)
Fiat 500 or "Cinquecento"
This is a common car on the roads in Italy,
the Fiat 500. You will notice how small it is - easy to travel down the ancient
alleyways and narrow streets you will find everywhere.
The original Fiat 500, known as the "Nuova
500," was introduced in 1957. It was designed as an affordable and practical
city car to meet the post-war demand for economical transportation.
The Fiat is considered an icon of Italian
mobility and industrial design, often associated with the concept of "La Dolce
Vita" and carefree urban living.
![mountain bike trail map, Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town16.jpg)
Mountain bike map
For those who like to mountain bike, there is
this urban park with roads perfect for this sport.
![Hotel residence in Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town17.jpg)
Gajeta Hotel Residence
Renovated from an historical building in
Gaeta, this particular hotel is upscale with all the appropriate pricing and
amenities.
Inside is a restaurant, a rooftop view,
exercise room and spa.
![Road by the harbor in Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town18.jpg)
Riviera di Ulisse
This coastline is known as the Riviera di
Ulisse (Ulysses's Riviera) after the famous Greek story that Homer wrote, The
Odyssey.
The legendary Greek hero, Odysseus (known to
the Romans as Ulysses) was the king of Ithaca, a small island in the Ionian sea.
After fighting the war against the city of Troy with the Greeks, he started his
journey home, hence the name of the story, The Odyssey.
This harbor has quite a history including all
the invasions by the Byzantines, Lombards, Normans, and Papal States.
It had a "glory period" between the 9th and 12th centuries
where Gaeta was an
independent maritime republic known for its naval prowess.
It was a hub of activity, bustling with trade and commerce as merchants and
sailors conducted business.
![Older couple in front of wooden door, Gaeta, Italy](gaeta-town19.jpg)
Billy and Akaisha
These old doors are from the Medieval period.
With thick wood, huge nails, and tall enough
for a man on a horse to ride through, they are magnificent!
Gaeta has become modern, but the memories and
relics of previous times are everywhere.
For more stories, photos and videos of
Italy, click
here
For more on
Retirement Topics,
click here and
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