Italian Odyssey - 12.

Few people who travel to Italy will stay in Polinago, a small rural town in the mountains outside Modena. Back in 2013, Carolyn found a small article in the Doc Holiday section of the Sunday Paper travel supplement, referring to a small B&B not far from Florence that was run by ex pat Aussies, where you could get a taste of Italian rural life. We sent an email, and owners Win & David became part of our holiday planning, with so much local knowledge, not just of their region, but all of Italy, we have had some experiences, and visited many places we certainly would not have found on our own.

We headed off from Lucca, taking a wonderful drive over the Appenine Mountains. The river gorges and hillside towns were amazing. We stopped at Devils Bridge, a medieval bridge still in working order. Incredible construction. At the top of the mountain is Abetone, a ski resort, so it is a high mountain pass. The GPS took us right to Win & David's door, the Cherry House B&B, where we finally met Win & David, Marty the dog & their two cats! We are staying for 5 nights, and another couple, Viv & Mal, from Katanning in WA, are also staying, but for an extra 3 days. This is not like your average B&B. As David says, we like to think we are more of a home stay, so there are lots of joint activities planned, utilising David's comfortable LandRover Discovery, to fit us all in. After all the introductions, we settled in for drinks, and the first of many home cooked meals around the large dining table. Win loves to cook, and utilise the wonderful local fresh produce at her disposal. We are in the area that produces among other things, the wonderful Parmigiano Reggiano, the king of Parmesan cheeses. It has been produced here, and only here, on the same farms, for centuries. The regionality of food in Italy is amazing. The pastas change as do the sauces, the meats and the recipes. We had a lovely evening talking around the table, and by the time we went to bed we felt like old friends.

Next morning after a delicious breakfast featuring the fresh season fruits and other goodies, we were off to visit a nearby farm. Mal's hobby is collecting & restoring vintage tractors. He has over 40 tractors at home, and he is in search of a rare Landini Tractor from the early 1900's. David has located one at a farm nearby, where a local guy has a private collection of cars, tractors & motor bikes. The Landini was sitting out in front of the barn, all fired up and ready for Mal, who was like a kid in a candy shop! We spent some time with the tractor, the antique Moto Guizi motor cycles, some old Vespar scooters and little Fiat 500's, all in working order. Paolo, the owner was so proud of showing us his collection, but nothing was for sale. He told Mal he had a friend who had a Super Landini, a much larger tractor, which might be for sale, so we all piled into the car and headed to another farm. It was huge compared to the first one, and I am sure negotiations are continuing. Apparently, getting Italian's to make big decisions takes time, lots of time!

That afternoon we were all back in the car headed for Verona. We passed by hundreds of huge ceramic factories, with pallets of Italian tiles reaching for the sky. If you have Italian tiles in your bathroom or on your floor, they would have come from around here. The plan was to spend a few hours walking the streets of Verona, which was lovely. We saw Romeo's house, and Juliet's balcony, plus some incredible buildings. Verona dates back to Roman times. There was a bell ringing contest going on, with flat top trucks mounted with bells of all shapes & sizes, being pushed and pulled by lots of men of all shapes & sizes. The sounds were incredible, but after a while my head was ringing & I was hoarse from shouting. We stopped for gelato at a praline gelato shop, now that was good gelato, and eventually arrived at our restaurant for dinner. This is a favourite of Win & David, and we can understand why. The food was fantastic. I took David's lead, and had the local delicacy of liver with onions & polenta. This was a big step up from lambs fry & bacon! Fantastico! Carolyn had the special pasta, with asparagus and speck. All the food was wonderful. After dinner we all headed to the colosseum, built by the Romans more that 2000 years ago, and one of the best preserved in Italy. We were all going to the Opera, to see Aida. We are not opera buffs, and Aida isn't the brightest and liveliest opera written, but the experience of sitting under the stars in this huge arena, listening to the opera, was something we will never forget. It didn't finish until 1.00am, and it was 3.30am by the time we got home!! To let the crowd disperse, we stopped for a coffee. An Aussie lady came over when she heard our voices. We got talking, and it turned out she came from Perth. We talked some more and it turned out that Jane was the sister of Geoff Pilling we have become good friends with through our caravan travels. Geoff & Moira couldn't believe it when we posted our photo with his sister in Verona!!!

Next day we all slept in and Win prepared a delicious brunch. Carolyn accompanied Win to the local market, to do the shopping. Talk about a girl in her element! After brunch, we headed out for a drive through the countryside. We stopped and walked into the forest to see a natural rock arch, that was used in Roman times. They think it was some spiritual place, as many Roman coins have been found around the arch. We also went to medieval bridge, on a beautiful river where there were lots of young people picnicking & swimming in the cold water. It was a real lovely spot. Back home, we started the evening with happy hour on the veranda. Win was busy in the kitchen again, when there was a knock on the door. It was their neighbour carrying two pizzas he had just taken out of his oven! The Italians eat their big meal in the middle of the day, and so pizza is often the choice for dinner. Apparently this is a regular Sunday thing with the neighbour. They were absolutely delicious! Win cooked a delicious dinner featuring the most incredible shish kebabs prepared by her butcher. They had beef, chicken, mortadella, & some things I didn't even know. With a mushroom risotto, veggies and salad, it was a feast. Some lovely wines followed by home made Limoncello & Nocino, a walnut liqueur they make, and we wobbled off to bed. 

Next day, we were off to Lake Garda. This is Win's favourite lake in Italy. Today, we were taking ourselves in our hire car, to give Win & David a break. We asked Viv & Mal if they would like to come with us, and we're really glad when they said they'd come. We had a great day in beautiful weather. The scenery is postcard stuff. It is the largest lake in Italy. If we ever come back we will stay around the lake and enjoy the many wonderful little towns that dot the shore all around the lake. We stopped in Lazize and walked the streets & lakefront. We had a coffee, before heading on to Malcesine, where we had lunch at a waterfront Pizzeria. Here Carolyn & I sampled a local rolled pizza wrapped in prosciutto. It was extremely good. There is a funicular to the top of the mountain in Malcesine, but the crowds and time made us miss it this time. From here it was on to the top of the lake to Riva de Garde, which is a high end resort town. The lake area is extremely popular with Germans, so much so that all signs are in Italian & German! We stopped in Limone Sul Garde, a delightful town, where we had time for gelato, the local special flavour being green apple! By now it was 5.00pm, and we still had quite a lot of lake to see! We just drove through Gardone Riviera, and Salo, as we wanted to visit one of the jewels of the lake, Sirmione. Here there is a walled city from the Middle Ages, situated at the end of a narrow piece of land stretching up into the lake. We found a little bar by the lake & had a drink and snacks, which always get served with the drinks, then figured it was time to head home. It was now 8.00pm and we had a two hour drive home. It had been a great day out and we really got to know Viv & Mal, the girls sharing shopping time, Mal & I sharing bench time! The trip home got longer, when the traffic on the Autostrada stopped. A truck had rolled, and there was no way back! Thankfully, we were moving again an hour later, and arrived back in Polignano at 11.30pm, another huge day!

I am writing this as we fly across Italy from Florence to Turin in our comfortable Frecciarossa fast train. It is super comfortable with reclining leather seats, complimentary drinks & snacks, and I just looked up to see that the screen was telling me we just hit 300kph! 

For our last day Win & David had planned a day visiting Bologna, Modena & Maranello. Bologna is called the food capital of Italy. We drive down through the mountains, then the land flattens out to fertile farm land, where corn, wheat and arborio rice are grown, along with lots of veggies and sunflowers. The sunflowers make a spectacular sight. David dropped us off and parked the car, and then Win took us on a walking tour of the Centro area. We really liked Bologna. The streets are narrow as usual, but the footpaths are all covered with huge porticos so are very shady, and the shoppers never get wet! It is very pleasant to walk around. We walked through the main Piazza and saw an endless number of impressive buildings. There was a lot of roadwork & building work going on. Win led us into the food market part of town, which was on a scale like nothing we have seen. Street after street of butcher shops, fish shops, ham & salami shops, fruit & veggie shops, wine shops, chocolate shops, flower shops. There wasn't any kind of food you could not buy. Win had booked lunch at a traditional style of restaurant, where there are many dishes pre cooked just for today's lunch. A huge variety! At Carolyn's suggestion, we managed to get plates of many dishes to share around the table. Win told us that it was normal to share an antipasto plate, but then everyone picked a dish, but when she put it to the owner, he was most obliging! It was all great, and David had chosen a local Lambrusco wine to go with it. This is not like any Lambrusco we have had at home. Closest thing I could compare to would be a sparkling Shiraz. 

We had spent so much time drooling over food, we cancelled Modena , and went straight to Maranello, so Carolyn & I could go to the Ferrari Museum. The others had all been before, so they had a Ferrari coffee instead. Talk about big boys toys! First David parked on the roundabout near the factory, so we could get our photo taken with the prancing horse statue that is the centre piece of the roundabout! We then went to the museum. It is excellent. So many cars dating back to the beginnings when Fangio was king of the track. There are lots of F1 Cars, plus lots of private builds and limited edition cars built for special people or special occasions. There was a car built for Eric Clapton! Enzo's office has been recreated, and where are so many video screens and simulators. The exhibition dedicated to Ferrari's F1 Driver & Manufacturer Championships is impressive, as is the tribute wall featuring all of the Ferrari World Champions. Sad to see Michael Schumacher at his peak, considering where he is today. With more time, I would have liked to do the Ferrari Drive experience. Maybe one day!

We returned home the long way through the mountains. Win cooked us one last lovely meal of pasta with so much more. We enjoyed David's wines and liqueurs and coffee. Next morning, after a delicious breakfast of bacon & eggs, we can't remember the last time we had bacon & eggs!, we were saying our goodbyes. This had been an experience we will never forget. In Win & David, Viv & Mal, we have made lovely new friends. We shared some wonderful moments together and have seen and experienced so much more than we could ever imagined on out trip to Italy. If ever you are in Italy and want to experience Italy with a difference keep Win & David in mind. www.cherryhouseinitaly.com

We returned our little Fiat to the Avis man at Bologna Station, and jumped on the fast train to Florence, just 45 minutes away. In Florence we are staying in a convent, across the river Arno. The taxi took us to the door, and a bright & cheery lady checked us in. Our room was huge with 4 single beds! What happened to go forth & mutiply!! The ceilings are 20ft high with frescos, and we have two huge columns. There are two showers! Why, we do not know, and a big bathroom. We could have sub let space! We headed into the streets of Florence. Nothing is far away. Florence is the city of the arts, dominated by the huge Duomo, the Medici Palace & Uffizi Gallery all grouped close together. We did two excellent tours, the first was a walking tour of Florence which ended at the Accademie, where the original Michaelangelo statue of David resides. Seeing that statue is a goose bumpy moment, and having our guide point out the exquisite detail, makes you understand what a genius Michaelangelo was. It is a huge statue! That afternoon we walked the streets around the Central Market, which is just street after street of market stalls, selling leather handbags, belts, scarves & souvenirs. I don't know how they compete, as there are dozens of stalls all selling the same thing. Have never seen so many handbags! That night, as it was another public holiday, this time John the Baptist Day, the streets were packed, and we were quite exhausted after all the late nights at Polinago, so we decided to eat near our convent. We found a lovely place called Nomero, which said it was a Pizzeria, but it was much more. The larger than life old chef, with glass of wine in hand, welcomed us in, and the equally friendly staff served us with such style. Within 45 minutes the place was full, and there was a line down the street. We had picked a beauty! We shared two things off the daily special board, a pasta with the tomato sauce they bottle & sell, and one of the wood fired pizzas. Both had so much flavour. Our waiter told us we had to have dessert. We agreed to share one. Each time Carolyn made a choice, the waiter said no, until she reached the last one on the list, soufflé Nomero. It goes down as a serious contender for best dessert ever!! It looked like piece of cheesecake, but was the lightest, warm soufflé filling, in a biscuit crust that dissolved on your tongue. It was divine, and we wished we had had one each!

In the morning we walked the few blocks up to the Ponte Vecchio. This historical old bridge is the only one to survive the allied bombing in WWII. It is the gold & jewellery centre of Florence, with store after store competing for business. Somehow, I got tricked into buying Carolyn's Christmas present! It should still be a surprise with Christmas so far away! From the bridge we took a taxi up to Piazzale Michaelangelo, a square high on a hill, that offers those iconic views out over Florence. It is a lovely spot, and you get a real perspective of the city. We lunched at the central market, where the first floor is like a giant cafeteria, with dozens of vendors offering everything imaginable, including a tripe sandwich! It is busy & noisy, and the food is good. After lunch we took in the huge Duomo, which is such an imposing thing from the outside. It is so huge it is hard to get a photograph of the entire building! Inside, the building lacks the glitz of some of the other Cathedrals we have seen. Our guide seemed to think that it was because people were scared the dome, which took ages to complete, might collapse! Our last thing for the day was a small group tour of the famous Uffizi Gallery. There were six of us on the tour, and our guide was passionate & incredibly knowledgeable. She brought each artwork to life with her insights. There are so many masterpieces to see, by the greats of Italy, Titian, Raffael, Michaelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci. They are simply stunning, as are some of the dark works of Caravaggio. What a wonderful tour to finish the day. We found a bar on the way back to the convent, and sat talking to a lovely couple from California for some time. By the time we left the bar it was 8.00pm and we were tired after a day of walking, so guess where we went! When on a good thing you stick to it! The dessert was even better, the second time!

Next morning we were on our way to Turin by fast train. It is just three hours, and the time flies when you are blogging! Our immediate impression was not good. Our hotel was just a short walk, through a dirty smelly neighbourhood, full of Africans, sitting on anything they could find, which was mostly the footpath! We found our hotel, and our concierge told us not to go into that area after dark! We dropped our bags and headed out into the streets to explore. It is our least favourite place in Italy so far. We walked along the river PO, where the walkway was full of graffiti & rubbish, and smelt of urine! There are some impressive buildings, and there is a lot of history. It is the first time we have seen groups of young people drinking in the streets, and loud and somewhat unruly, behaviour. As we walked into the main part of the city, we entered Piazza Vottorio Veneti, the largest open Piazza in all of Europe! It is huge. There was a rally of Fiat Barchetta sports cars being held. You hardly noticed the 100 or so cars, due to the size of the Piazza. Probably the most famous building in Turin is the Museo Nazionale del Cinema. It is a vertical museum, stretching into the sky. There was a huge line waiting to go up on the tower where you stand on gantries around the outside of the building for great views of the city. Not this little black duck! As we tried to walk back across town, we were stopped by a big & very loud demonstration. That night we found a nice little cafe in a side street, and enjoyed a simple Sicilian meal of pasta with sardines & pizza. The bowl of pasta was huge!

Next day, we decided to do the hop on hop off buses. This gives us a good lie of the land and lets us see the main sights. The first route takes you around town. It quickly became apparent that there was more to Turin than the area we were in. Imagine you arrived in Sydney and your hotel was in Redfern! The other side of town was much classier. Though, the city still remained unkept, with rubbish & graffiti, and the grass in the parks looked like it hadn't been mown for months! Turin is supposedly the greenest town in Europe, and there are lots of big parks and tree lined streets. The architecture is quite different, with the Savoy family having an Austrian background and the buildings reflecting that style. There are lots of impressive places to see, none better than Piazza Castello, the Central Piazza of Turin. The afternoon bus route was much longer, and took in the history of Fiat, with a drive through the industrial areas to see the old & new Fiat factories, as well as the huge high rise urban sprawl that housed the thousands of workers who came from all over Europe to work at Fiat. It was a very interesting tour. When we got back to the hotel, and checked our Facebook, we were delighted to see that Viv & Mal had arrived in Turin for an overnight stay, so we worked out a way to get together for dinner. They are such a lovely couple. Unfortunately, we chose one of the Eataly Restaurants to have our dinner. This is a worldwide chain promoting fresh Italian food. It was the worst meal we have had in Italy by a mile! We wiped away our disappointment with an excellent gelato as we walked back to our hotels, and said our goodbyes again! 

Next morning, we decided on fresh fruit for breakfast. Whilst the hotel breakfast are good, there is a sameness about them! Across the street was a lovely little fruit shop, where we bought 6 of the biggest figs we have ever see, at €4 per kilo, and 4 of the incredible flat peaches. So fresh & full of flavour. We also called in at the Pharmacy to stock up on cold medication, as John is getting dose number three! I never get sick!!! From here we took a taxi out to the airport to collect our hire car. It didn't take long, but I guess when the taxi is doing 160kmh down the Autostrada you get there quick! We have a few days to drive up through the Italian Alps, and around Lake Maggiore. Should be lovely.

Italian Odyssey - 11.

We left Orvieto to head for San Gimignano, where we would be staying for the next 4 nights. This would be a good base to explore central Tuscany. It isn't far, so we decided to take the scenic route option on the GPS. It said there were some unsealed roads, which we thought would be fun. Well, we got terribly lost, deep in a forest, where the road had become two wheel tracks, and the man in the machine with the world's worst Italian accent, had stopped talking to us! We did a fifteen point turn, on the narrow track, and headed back the way we came, settling on a more established course for San Ginignano.

The scenery in Tuscany is just beautiful. Rolling hills full of vineyards, olive groves and a wide variety of crops. There are hundreds of paddocks full of sunflowers, some of which are just starting to flower, and in a few weeks Tuscany & Umbria will be a sea of gold! And of course there are the tall pencil pines. In the towns, the smell of star jasmine fills the air. It is a lovely time to be here. You see San Gimignano from a long way away, with its famous towers jutting up into the sky. It is a lovely walled town, high on a hill. Our hotel, is a short drive outside the wall, and is called Relais Cappucina. It is quite modern, set on quite a lot of land, and has a lovely pool area as well as its own restaurant. The included breakfast is excellent, served out around the pool. After a quick check in, we headed into town to explore. You have to park outside the city walls, unless a resident. There are a number of designated car parks. All the hilltop or walled cities are the same, and parking is around €1.5 to €2.0 per hour. The weather was stormy, with thunder & lightning, so with brollies in hand we walked town. It really is lovely, but very crowded with tourists. As the rain came, we stopped for coffee, and based on the conversations going on, we could have been anywhere in the USA! Boy are some of them loud! I think they should be fitted with volume controls before they leave home! The town is shopping heaven, with so many stores selling, ceramics, leather goods, shoes & general tourist merchandise. Being Medieval towns, there is everything imaginable in weaponry to buy. Swords, knives of all sizes, cross bows, long bows, sling shots. You can even buy a suit of armour for yourself & your horse! I cracked up at this American guy asking the shopkeeper, if he would have any trouble taking his sword & crossbow through customs. "No Problem Señor. I pack special for you". Good luck with that!

The rain wasn't letting up, so we decided to have dinner at the restaurant where we were staying. The menu looked good, and reasonably priced. The food was excellent. The service was appalling! I swear, that the two guys doing the waiting, used episodes of Fawlty Towers as training videos! We booked a specific table, which when we arrived was being used. When we asked why, the guy said  "because I no look in book. You have this one, better table. But it is behind a pillar. Si, but nice pillar!" We gave up and sat at the next table. He brought menus, and I asked if we could order drinks. He replied Si, and wandered off! When I finally got his attention, he said "oh, you want drink now?" Our antipasto plate was brought to the table with such a flourish, that half the food left the plate & spilled across the table! It was a circus, but as I said at the beginning, the food was excellent. I had the local specialty, which was wild boar chasseur. It was delicious. Next morning, in the same dining room, the breakfast was the best we've had. All the included breakfasts are continental, but this had everything, and the plates of local meats, cheeses, & fruit were fantastic, as were the pastries. 

After breakfast, we headed into town,and spent the day walking the streets of San Gimignano. The church is lovely, and after you pay for entry, you get a free audio guide. The church has some incredible frescoes down each side of the church. The audio guide explained in detail the biblical story of every fresco in the church, and there are dozens of them. I don't think anyone has listened to the entire tape! It goes on & on & on & on. There were people asleep on the pews. Carolyn woke me when she had enough, and I fast forwarded mine so they wouldn't know! That evening, we came back into town for dinner. As I've said before, the towns are so different once the day trippers have left. The streets are quiet, the locals come out, and it takes on a whole new ambience. We love it. We found another great Pizzeria, and shared Pizza & Salad. We can't believe how many different kinds of pizza there are, all made their own traditional way, and all so good. Minimal topping, and maximum flavour, all with that fantastic, fresh tomato sauce. After pizza, we had the best gelato we have had so far. The shop on the main square, says it has the best gelato in the world, and it is fantastic. The flavours are so intense. One flavour, which combined lemon & orange together, with white chocolate, was incredible!

Our first day of touring took us into the Tuscan wine region, in search of the famous Italian wine, Brunello. It is only grown in a small area around the village of Montalcino, and is world renowned. The town of Montalcino is another great hilltop town, full of wine shops, Enoteca! You can taste the wines, but pay to taste. It is interesting, that the better the wine, the more you pay to taste. In one wine shop, they had an elaborate, electronic tasting system, and dozens of wines were wired up for tasting! Each wine displayed the price for a tasting sample, which varied from €1 up to €10, or you could have a small (75ml) or large (150ml) glass. We paid for a couple of tastes in the mid price range, and the wine was excellent fron the 2010 vintage. We explored the town, and lunched at a delightful little family cafe, where we sat next to the window with a panoramic view out over the Tuscan vineyards, and had the most wonderful home made pasta, mine had a meat sauce, and Carolyn's just had tomato & garlic. We have never eaten pasta like this.

From Montalcino, we headed on to Pienza, yet another Tuscan hilltop village with amazing views. Pienza is more a cultural town, with lots of galleries and exhibitions, and lots of craft shops. It is also famous for its Pecorino cheese, so there are lots of cheese shops. The smell when you step inside is amazing. Row after row of fresh cheese. There were less tourists here, and all of them were American! It was as if some American tour operator had said, "I've got six buses leaving for Pienza in the morning." From Pienza, it was on to Montepulciano, another famous wine town, and again, a large hilltop town. Before driving up to the town, you have to stop at the imposing Tempio Di San Biagio, a huge church that you can see from miles away. Here we met a charming couple from Adelaide, who we swapped stories with for some time, before heading into town. Montepulciano, is lovely. As we arrived late afternoon, we jagged a parking spot close to the town gate, and started our walk into town. This is one steep, hilly town, and it is quite large. We just started walking up the winding streets full of shops & cafes, and eventually made it to the top and the Piazza Grande. The views are stunning. There are lots of churches, and other impressive old buildings. I found a shop that had a nice range of T Shirts, and asked if they had my size in a couple of deigns I liked. The young guy running the shop insisted the shirts could fit even though we knew they were too small, and next thing he was dragging it over my head and my existing shirt! He finally agreed the size was too small, and cheerfully shrugged his shoulders and said " we try!" I loved the guy, when Carolyn said I ate too much so was big, he said to Carolyn, "no you feed him too much!" We really loved Montelpulciano, and on the way back down the hill stopped at one of the many bars for a drink. Most bars bring out food with the drinks, and if you have a few drinks you don't need dinner! This was no exception. We headed back to San Gimignano for dinner. As it was quite late, we easily parked near the main gate, and headed to a small restaurant we had seen up an alley just inside the gate. It was packed, the only outside table was crammed in between other diners, so we opted to dine inside, where it was as equally packed! We sat elbow to elbow with other diners, and assumed it had to be good, given the crowd. The English lady next to Carolyn started talking & didn't draw breath for the next hour until she left. I think she inhaled her dessert, so as not to stop talking! There was nothing she didn't know & no where she hadn't been. She was a right pain in the arse! We were exhausted by the time she left! The food was great. I had a fantastic Osso Bucco, and Carolyn's Tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms & roasted garlic, was also great. We waddled home & into bed.

Next morning we were off to Siena. What a great town. We parked outside & started the long walk up to the old town. By sheer good luck, we had parked near this enormous set of escalators, 8 in total, that took us up to the town, saving heaps of time, not to mention my knees! We headed straight for the famous square, Piazza del Campo, scene off the amazing horse race held each July & August. It is hard to imagine the horses racing around the fan shaped Piazza at break neck speed. It is even harder to imagine that we would run into that same English woman, waving and calling "over here!" She was still talking as we left. In fact, she still probably doesn't realise we've left. From the square, we headed up to the Duomo, another incredible church. The mosaics on the floor are unbelievable, and the frescos and marble sculptures are equally as impressive. Just when you think you've seen it all, you take a side trip into the library, where the frescos on the walls & ceiling are simply dazzling. The highlight of the combined ticket, which also takes in the museum, where there are so many incredible exhibits, is the Panorama. You walk up several flights of stairs, past more rooms full of relics & paintings, and then reach a small waiting room, where we just sat waiting our turn at the Panorama. When we are called, we ascend 146 spiral steps to the top of the church where the Panorama awaits in the form of the most incredible views over the town of Siena & the Tuscan countryside. It was worth the pain of the climb! 

After a wander around the streets of Siena, we jumped back into the car and took a lovely drive over to Greve in Chianti, centre of the Chianti wine growing region. It is a more modern style of town, with a great piazza. It is full of wine shops & has the most fantastic butcher shop. As we were peering in the window, a tour bus arrived and 50 tourists poured into the butcher shop! They make all their own hams & salami, as well as doing all the fresh meat. It is interesting here, that butchers don't display meat all cut up. They cut everything fresh. The meat is very good. We couldn't resist buying some small packs of salami, ham & crostini, plus a traditional basket wrapped bottle of Chianti, to take home for happy hour, and it was delicious. A drive up to the castle above town provided some striking views out over the Chianto region. That night, back in San Gimignano, we craved meat, and just outside of the walls of the town, found a traditional Tuscan grill restaurant. Here they cook over a huge open, wood fired pit. The specialty is these giant T-Bones. They are just too big for us to handle, so Carolyn ordered a steak with green peppercorns, while I had a sliced steak with rocket, Parmesan & cherry tomatoes. This was our best steak dinner yet! A nice bottle of the local red & our last night in San Gimignano was almost complete. Our last task, a walk into the Piazza for one last gelato for dessert!!

Next morning we were packed & ready for a short drive to Lucca, via Pisa. We had heard so many conflicting stories about Pisa. Of course there is that leaning tower & lovely cathedral & baptistry, but most said the town itself was dirty & pretty rough. We first found a car space in the city and walked the Corsa Italia shopping region, and the main piazza down to the train station. We found it good, and had an excellent coffee. Along the river though, there was rubbish everywhere, but there had been a huge event over the previous weekend, and they were still dismantling barriers, stands & speakers. We then drove over to the tower, so didn't walk the suburbs which some say are a bit dodgy. That leaning tower is an iconic Italian thing, and we were amazed at just how much it leans! We did the photos and stood & stared. We didn't do the climb, which had been booked out for a couple of days, but we did go into the huge cathedral which is another impressive showing of the church's wealth & power. Beggars on the steps, & all that wealth inside. It is such a contradiction! The grounds around the tower & cathedral were lovely, and packed with people, many picnicking on the lawns. It was all very nice.

We found our car, and set course for Lucca, one of Italy's best kept walled cities. We found our B&B, Villa Agnese, which was one of the old Noble houses, that line the streets just outside the wall. It was really nice with parking out the back. The girls who ran the place were fantastic. All the rooms were themed. We got the Pasticceria! How appropriate! Breakfast was served out in the back garden, which was a real treat. Luca is a large walled city, and the only one in Italy where the massive walls were never breached throughout history. The walls are so thick, there is a road and walking track on top. You can walk the entire perimeter of the town, which we did. All 4.5 kilometres! In the shade of huge oak trees that grow on top of the wall, it was quite pleasant, and the views out over the town are fantastic. In town, it is all narrow streets & laneways, with the usual assortment of shops & cafes, churches & palaces. So much more history to try & absorb. There is a great oval shaped Amphitheatre in town, where entry is gained through a few archways. From outside, you wouldn't know it was there, until you walk through one of those arches. It is massive, and the perimeter is filled with cafes & bars. We had dinner here one night, and the other night had a great pizza at a small place in one of the laneways. This one had marscapone cheese on it! We enjoyed our time walking the streets of Lucca. It is a nice town. As we walked along one of the narrow laneways, we could hear the strains of the song Hallelujah. As we turned the corner, we found a guy busking. He had the most incredible voice, and quite a crowd around him. We sat for a while and just listened. It was the best free concert! Next morning we drove out of town, on a wonderful drive that took us over the Appenine mountains. The scenery along a beautiful river was gorgeous, and the views as we climbed high over the mountains were incredible. We were headed for the region of Emelia Romagiano, and the little town of Polignano.

 

Italian Odyssey - 10.

The train trip from Sorrento to Arezzo was our least memorable. It was an Inter City Train, where the air conditioning wasn't working, and there was no dining car! This meant 4.5 hours without food or water! Well, we arrived and headed into the station cafe for panini & ten gallons of water! We contacted the host at the B&B we were staying at for the night, and ten minutes later we were there. She was a young, vibrant girl, and the apartment was just the same. Modern, & full of dazzling colours of green white & purple. It was such a contrast to the other places we had stayed. There were 4 apartments, all on the ground floor, and all themed on American novels! Our room was called Nero Wolfe! There was a 5th room which was the breakfast room, and office. We loved it, and it was just a ten minute walk into the centre of the old city. As we walked into town, we were regretting we had only booked one night! Arezzo was lovely. It is now a big town of around 100,000, but the old town centre is just wonderful, full of big & small piazzas and winding laneways. Great shops, and judging by the designer labels, Arezzo is a wealthy region. The main Piazza was a construction site, with grandstands being erected. When we enquired we found that a Jousting Tournament was to be held the following weekend. The buildings were covered in shields & crests of all the old families. We sat in the square & had our happy hour, and thoroughly enjoyed the peace & quiet. We realised how busy & crowded our time since Cinque Terre had been. That night we found a gorgeous bistro, tucked in a corner of a laneway under huge white umbrellas, and covered in flowers. It was irresistible! Called Luck Bistro, the food was fantastic. Carolyn's four cheese pasta, that looked like ravioli but wasn't, was so good, and my lamb with potatoes just melted in the mouth. The waiters were great, and it was a memorable night.

Next morning, we enjoyed a lovely breakfast at our B&B, before heading into town to collect our hire car. We got another Fiat 500, which suited us fine, as it was diesel, much cheaper fuel, and we were used to the car. The guy checked the car for damage, which really amused me, as this car had not been washed since new! It took us ten minutes to clean the windscreen! We fired up the GPS, and set course for Montone, a small hill town we had heard about. Before we would get there, we had some sight seeing to do! This was the Italy we had come to find. Small towns on winding country roads, off the beaten track. In all our planning, we had found Winnifred, an ex Aussie who now ran a B&B in Italy, and where we will be staying in a couple of weeks. She had given us a number of less travelled places to see, and we had accumulated a list of our own. Our first port of call was a little town called La Verna. Everyone knows St.Francis of Assisi, and visits Assissi, as will we. But near La Verna is the Santuario Di San Francesco, now a huge Franciscan Monastery in the national park, but back in the early 13th century, it was where St. Francis was supposedly living in a cave, when his great miracle occurred, and he received his stigmata, which for those of you like us, who haven't got a clue what that means, that after seeing the vision of Christ's crucifiction in an angel, he received the same actual wounds as Christ on his own body. Well, that's the way the story goes. Let your own beliefs make of it what you wish, but now it is a place of pilgrimage. We saw the cave, the amazing frescoes depicting the whole story, and visited the church. The huge complex, where pilgrims can actually stay, has incredible views out over the valleys. It is a peaceful place. 

From there we headed not to far, to another small town, called Caprese, the birthplace of Michaelangelo. Along the way, we stopped at a country tavern for lunch, where we thought we ordered an antipasto plate to share. We got one each! Mountains of meats & cheeses & tasty spreads on warm toast. It was good, and turned out to be modestly priced. At Caprese, we followed the signs to Michaelangelo's house, which was at the top of a very steep road, that seemed more and more like a pedestrian path the further we drove! We arrived at the gate, not a car in sight! I parked on the grass beside the gate, contemplating the return journey. We were the only ones there, except for the girl on the gate, who was wearing a puzzled look, and speaking fast Italian we couldn't understand. She took our money and we wandered around. The place is obviously not well known, but today houses some copies of Michaelangelo's treasures, plus some more modern sculpture exhibitions. It was good, and we got out without running over any pedestrians! From hear, we found our way to Montone, and the Hotel Fortebraccio, just outside the city walls. The hotel was great, with views to die for out over the Tuscan countryside. The pool area was fantastic, but high on the hill, was a bit too cool for a swim. We wandered up the hill & into town, where we found the main piazza. It was full of the locals, playing cards, smoking & drinking. As we walked into the square, all heads turned towards us and the noise level dropped, but soon got buzzing again. We found a table, and were warmly welcomed, as we ordered our drinks. I offered to pay, but that just got a nod of the head and a wave of the hand. When it was time to go, a different person just asked me what we had! Each drink brought with it a plate of nibbles. By the time we had three drinks, we didn't need dinner. And, drinks were so cheap compared to where we had been. Three drinks each, plus all those nibbles, cost us €15 ($22)!

Next morning we drove out across the wonderful countryside to Cortona. This beautifull hillside town, was where the book & film, Under The Tuscan Sun, was based. It is such a beautiful place. We wandered the streets & took in the sights of this beautiful town. It is much bigger than Montone, where we are staying, and has some impressive buildings, and lovely park areas. We found a nice Pasticciera for morning coffee. We love the custom where you just take a napkin and pick up your pastry, then they bring your coffee. Here there is no extra charge for sitting, so we took a table. Carolyn had chosen a meringue, which when she bit into it, just exploded! There was meringue dust over about one square kilometre! The German couple next to us just cracked up, and when we looked, they too were covered in dust! Not Carolyn's, they had the same meringue! You don't need to be able to speak a language to communicate! By the time we left, the Germans had been sanitised and washed down by Carolyn. In the afternoon, we took a lovely drive to Casteluccia, a tiny & remote hillside town in the Umbrian mountains. It was a fantastic drive into the Monti Sibillini National Park, along a narrow winding road that had a sheer drop on one side, with breathtaking views over Umbria. We stopped briefly at the walled city of Norcia, and would loved to have spent time exploring. Norcia is the meat & smallgoods capital of Italy, so much so, that many butcher shops call themselves Norciarianos! We climbed up over 1500 metres, and at the top of the mountain, the vista changed to a vast open plain, almost devoid of trees. There was still snow in the crevices of the mountains, and there, on the far side of this huge valley, was Castellucia, sitting high on a hill, above a yellow plain, covered in wild flowers. A sight to remember. We drove into the tiny town, that had only a few shops, all selling the local smallgoods, including the local specialty, of wild boar! We had another incredible day, and talked about it all the way home.

That night, we had a real treat in store. We were having dinner at a restaurant, that is quite famous in the Umbrian region, called La Locanda del Capitano. This was a fine dining experience that started with a glass of Prosecco, and carried on through three delicious courses. John started with Fois Gras with home made brioche, while Carolyn went for the duck ravioli. For mains, John had a delicious lamb, and Carolyn had caramelised bacon wrapped pork fillet.For dessert Carolyn couldn't resist the Tiramisu, while John's dessert was called mojito, all tangy lime. Chef Giancarlo Posito had worked his magic on us, and the wine he recommended, from a local small producer, was exquisite. This was a culinary night to remember, as we waddled home!

Next morning, as we were checking out, we met another couple of Aussies in the lift. Barry & Marilyn, are not your average Aussies, they live 6-9 months of the year, in Umbria. They fell in love with the area ten years ago, bought an ancient house in a tiny hillside town called Gualdo Cattaneo, which they have fully restored. We talked for ages, and they almost insisted we visit them for dinner. How could we refuse! So, next night, there we were, in their beautifully restored three level home, with panoramic views out over Umbria, enjoying their incredible hospitality. Barry cooked a fantastic dinner of melon with prosciutto, roasted lamb with potatoes and salad, and we finished with this fantastic apricot tart that is so good, and really popular in Italy. Some lovely wines and lovely conversation, it was as if we had known each other for years. This was an unexpected night to remember, and we are certain we will keep in touch, and meet again over the coming years. 

It was a late departure from Montone, and our first stop today was Gubbio, another hilltop town. We can't get enough of them! Gubbio is much bigger than others we have visited, and has a history pre dating Roman times. Actually, there is a a pretty well preserved Roman Colosseum here, as well as some amazing churches and old palaces. To our surprise, we found a little tourist train doing a tour of the city, so we paid up and saved some time and legwork getting around town. Gubbio's close proximity to Assisi, means there is a lot of St.Francis history in the town. We drove up to the huge old monastery that looks down over Gubbio, which was quite impressive. From Gubbio, we moved on to Spello, a delightful hilly town full of flowers. Walking the hilly streets is just a delight, with small gardens, pots and window boxes, bursting with colourful geraniums, hydrangeas & spring annuals, especially petunias. We took refuge in a church while a thunderstorm put a short halt to proceedings! We then emerged in time for our daily dose of gelati, and more exploring of this colourful town. We really did enjoy Spello.

Last stop for the day was one recommended by our friend Winnifred. Called Civita Di Bagnaregio, it isn't far from Orvieto, which is our stopping point for the next couple of days. This is a hilltop town like no other we have seen. Situated in an area that resembled Death Valley, this tiny village is perched high on a hill, and can only be reached by a 300 metre long footbridge. You gave to park in a small town nearby, then descend stairs & a steep path, before you even get to the bridge! But it was worth it. What views, and what amazing history, as we read about the various inhabitants over almost 1300 years! It had been a very full day, and we were quite exhausted as we pulled into Orvieto, for two nights at the Hotel Duomo. The drive up into Orvieto is incredible! The "highway" into town is barely wide enough for the car to fit between the buildings! We emerged from the laneways into the main square in search of our hotel, and were gob smacked by the sheer size & design of the famous Duomo. It is massive, and it's black & white striped exterior is wow factor 10, so much so, you hardly notice the incredible facade. We found our hotel nearby, checked in and headed into the streets to find a quick & late dinner of pizza & salad, then home to bed for a big day of church viewing tomorrow.

Breakfast at the hotel was excellent, made all the better by an American guy who gave us his two tickets for the Orvieto Underground tour, which was on our list. He had gotten his train departure times mixed up, so we won the tickets! First stop was the Duomo. We wondered at the incredible carved facade, then stepped inside. If you know the fantastic Ken Follett book, Pillars of the Earth, then you will understand how we felt we had been time travelled into the story, so small in this huge space. It is the most amazing church we have been in so far. No matter where you look, no matter where you stand, you just feel small. From the Duomo, we headed to our underground tour. This was also amazing, as Orvieto is riddled with caves under the houses. The public has only quite recently learnt about this, when some of the caves, became public property. Apparently the caves were work places for the residents, as well as providing storage facilities etc. We clambered along tunnels & up & down narrow staircases, with our passionate guide, Rosita. She was so animated & full of life. This was a fantastic tour courtesy of our American friend, now sitting on a train to Naples! We lunched at a cafe where you just select what you want, and they add it up at the end. You finish up with a huge variety of food to share, and it is so cheap! We love these places. 

After lunch, we were back in the car, and on our way to Assisi. I think everyone who comes to Italy comes to Assisi. The place was packed. It is a lovely town, but so touristy! Add to the mix, the workmen setting up for a rock concert, and the place was a circus. If poor old St.Francis could see the place today, he would be mortified. So much for his desired legacy of poverty & a humble look! The place is huge, and in fact is one basilica on top of another, with poor old St.Francis buried in the basement! Why won't they allow no flash photography here? They had guards pouncing on people who dared to raise a phone or camera. Carol looked resplendent in the blue Assisi logoed modesty skirt she had to wear, because her shorts were deemed inappropriate. The big breasted woman with low cut dress, mini skirt & head scarf was deemed appropriate! Figure that one out! St.Francis must have been a boobs man! By the time we left, we felt a bit like lemmings. Thankfully the town was lovely. I think maybe we are getting "over churched!" Last thing on the Assisi agenda was a walk up to Rocca Maggiore, the fort at the top of the hill. Boy, what a hill! It killed us getting there, then the coup de gras was finding we wouldn't have a hope of seeing the huge place before it closed! Impressive building though! So, back down the hill we went, and off to dinner at our new found friends' house, for that dinner we described earlier. What a lovely way to finish the day. It was midnight as we raised the night manager to let us in and park our car. Our Umbria time is now over, tomorrow it is more of Tuscany.

Italian Odyssey - 9.

Rome to Naples is less than two hours by luxury fast train. In Naples we transferred to the local train service to Sorrento. What a come down! The old carriages made our ancient "red rattlers" seem like the Orient Express! We were crammed in like sardines for the 32 stops to Sorrento. We had our only run in with pick pockets so far, but thankfully we were ready! The cramped conditions were ideal, and when three swarthy gypsies came through pushing up against us, we were immediately suspicious. I felt a hand feeling the outside of my shorts pockets, which I pushed away, and then another tried to put his hand in my pocket, so I quickly put my hand in as well, which surprised him, and they all left the carriage at the next stop, as the railway security guy came through the carriage. We made it to Sorrento and were soon at our Hotel Girasole, which was lovely, but a lot further from town than the blurb had suggested! The property was covered in citrus orchards, with the biggest lemons & grapefruit we have ever seen. Sorrento is famous for citrus. We had lovely fresh juices for breakfast, which was included, every morning. We decided on a lazy afternoon after our hectic Rome schedule, so headed for the pool. The pool area was down the road a bit, but lovely. We found a couple of deck chairs under the shade of a lemon tree, and settled in for a lazy afternoon. Hotel Girasole is a bit like Hotel Marigold, quite a few older English Folk doing the annual weeks holiday for the 30th consecutive year! They have brekkie in the hotel, get lobster red around the pool, take a nap & eat dinner at the hotel! 

The Amalfi Coast is famous. The towns of Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, and not to forget The Isle of Capri, are on everyone's travel list. We booked a small group tour, to drive the legendary Amalfi Cliff Drive. We didn't get off to a great start, as two guests, sadly an Aussie Mum & daughter, held us up for half an hour, then added to the problem by insisting to go back for their sunglasses! The early start to miss the traffic was gone! The drive is spectacular. High on the cliffs with torturous switchback corners, and the road is very narrow, especially for buses. We were on a mini bus, but there were lots of full size coaches. There was a lot of backing up! At one corner we came across a poor old guy who obviously was regretting his decision to hire a car. He had met a coach coming the opposite way on a blind corner. When he saw the bus swinging onto his side of the road, he decided to cut to the other side, and almost got crushed against the cliff! The bus driver was furious! The old guy couldn't back the car & got totally stressed, and finally just left the car! The bus driver jumped out of the bus and into the car & reversed it out of the way, with much arm waving & lots of loud Italian! 

Our time in Positano was cut short as a result of our late start, and our guide made this quite clear to everyone! Positano is beautiful. A playground for the rich. The shops ooze class & the prices reflect that. Seeing Posotano from the cliff top is breathtaking, and a sight we will never forget. We used our limited time to walk down through the town to the beach. We found many of the shopkeepers quite abrupt, even rude. There were signs like, "we are already famous, we don't need your photos." It was almost as if they resented the daytrippers. The town is famous for its linen clothes, but it was hard to find a price under 100 euro. This is a very classy town, and you could see it in the style of the restaurants, some with amazing vistas out over the sea. We didn't see a lot of Positano, but unlike Portofino, it just didn't grab us the same way.

We continued the hair raising drive, which our guide dubbed the "mama Mia" drive, because of all the times the driver said "mama Mia", to Amalfi. Again it is one of those breathtaking sights. It is much bigger than Positano, and we immediately liked the ambience. Our guide gave us the option of spending all the time walking around town, or there was the option of taking a small boat ride for 45 minutes, along the coast. Everyone took the boat ride! It was fantastic. Our weather has continued to be spectacular, and looking back at this incredible scene from the water was just wonderful. We got to see Sophia Loren's holiday house, perched on the cliff with amazing grounds & views forever, as well as homes of other celebrities like Roger Moore. It was a great 45 minutes sailing up & down the coast from Amalfi. Back in the town, we wandered up the beachfront, which was very crowded, then into the main Piazza which has a very beautiful church. Our guide had told us not to eat too much, as we were making a lunch stop after Amalfi, but she did tell us about a famous pastry shop. We found Pasticierra Pansa, which has been doing its thing since 1830, and after trying the lemon delicious, and the canoli full of cassata cream, we can understand why! Coffee was also excellent. A wander past the shops and it was time to hit the road again. We were headed up to the top of the mountains, first to the small village of Scala for lunch, & then on to Ravello. The restaurant was a wonderful terrace with views forever out over the hills & coast. What a spot for lunch, a simple but delicious, salad, pasta & lemon syrup cake, served with water & wine. It was then on to Ravello, a beautiful hill top town, perched on the cliff. It has been a favourite spot of writers & musicians over the ages, and now hosts regular music events. We walked the beautiful gardens of the villa that hosts these events, one of which was happening soon judging by the scaffolding going in! It is a quiet and lovely place which we enjoyed immensely. So quiet after hustle & bustle of Amalfi & Positano. The views out over the coast are just breathtaking. From Ravello it was back on the bus, for another hair raising trip along the cliff road. This time our excitement was meeting a coach head on at a blind corner. No way he was backing up! So back we went, with about ten cars behind all doing likewise!! No road rage, just orderly chaos!!

Sorrento itself is a lovely town to explore. With so much on, most of our exploring was done in the evening, when we would find a nice bar with a view for a drink, & then find our dinner venue for the night. There is no shortage of choice, literally hundreds of them, each with a spruiker out front trying to entice us in. We haven't had a bad meal since we got here. Sometimes it is simple pizza & pasta, other times it is the local specialty. On our Friday night we found a gorgeous little place, and got a table on the mezzanine floor looking down into the main restaurant. There was really good live music, and we had a bit of a splurge, starting with incredible zucchini flowers stuffed with a ricotta mix to die for, then Carolyn had a veal pizzaeola, while John had the pork cutlet with roast potatoes. The pizza bread was fantastic, the wine was excellent, the staff were such fun. It was a great night. The night finished with a good laugh, as I paid with my travel card which doesn't have a name on it. As the charming waiter brought the card back I could see he was searching for the name. As he handed back the card he said "thank you for coming Mr & Mrs 49365!" We all just cracked up! 

On Saturday, our plan was to take the boat back to Amalfi & Positano for the morning, for a better look along the coast, then come back & laze around the pool. Somewhere along the way we got some language wires crossed, and we finished up being stuck in Amalfi for the day! Still, worse places in the world to be stranded. We just wandered the streets, had coffee & cake back at Pasticierra Pansa, found a gorgeous little cafe on the esplanade above the beach, where we had l long lazy lunch, Carol did the church, which she said was great, and much bigger inside than it looked. Me, I am a little over churches, and there were a lot of steps up, so I found a quiet corner and watched the huge storm coming over the hill! Boy was it black! Carol came out of the church, there was a huge clap of thunder, not that the two events were linked, and we headed up the street. When the rain came, it pelted down, but as luck would have it, we were right outside a gelato shop, so we sought refuge & found gelato! Storm didn't last long, and soon the sun was shining again, and we were back on the ferry to Sorrento. A quick shower & back into town. God I wish we were closer to town! There just aren't any nice looking restaurants around our hotel. We had been told to try the Foriegner's Club, which has a huge terrace overlooking the Bay of Naples, so off we went. We found it without too many problems, and there on the gate was a sign, " Closed tonight for a wedding!" Bugger!! Plan B saw us disappear into the alleys of Sorrento, where it wasn't hard to find a nice place where we shared some lovely pizza & pasta. The final of the Soccer was on TV, and as Juventus, an Italian club was playing, there was a lot of interest. Mostly, the locals were cheering for Barcelona, as they all barrack for Napoli, & hate Juventus who are from Milan! Some serious rivalry there! 

On Saturday, we had one of our best days so far. We were off to the Isle of Capri, but not on your average tour. We had booked ourselves on a small boat tour, maximum of 12 people. It was a gorgeous day, and Marco our skipper was a lovely guy. The day was all about hugging the coast of both the mainland and the Isle of Capri, so we could see close up some amazing caves & rock formations, along the way. We arrived on Capri at Marina Piccolo, a small Marina at the back of the island. Here we went swimming in the clear waters of the Mediterranean, before catching the local bus up into Capri, township, where we came to the conclusion that the official language of Capri was "Loud American!" There were thousands of them! From here Carolyn & I, took the small local bus up to Anacapri, along an incredible cliff road. It is surprising how fast you climb, and when you reach the top, the views are just incredible. We walked the shops, and gazed at that incredible view, before boarding the crowded little bus all the way back to meet Marco at Marina Piccolo. All in all, we had spent five hours exploring the island. On the way back, we called in at lots of spots, including the famous Blue Grotto. It was closed due to tide & wave conditions, but there were still a few hardy souls diving to reach the grotto. Marco said it was too dangerous, so not for us. As we got closer to Sorrento, Marco opened up the esky and we enjoyed some cold beverages, before he cut the motor, and broke out the Limoncello for a round of toasting to celebrate an incredible day on the water.

Our last day in Sorrento, was Sunday, and we had a full day planned, as we had booked a full day, small group tour to view the ruins at Pompei, and Herculeneum. Everyone has heard of Pompei, but Herculeneum is less known. It too was buried by the same eruption, and here, the site is much smaller, but much more personal & in some respects better preserved. We did Herculeneum first, and saw inside individual homes, that were remarkably well preserved. It is unbelievable how well things have been restored. The decision has been made, not to expand the archeological dig, as it would all be under the new town, and be too costly to do, as many homes would have to be bought. When you are there, it is amazing to think what happened 2,000 years ago, and yet here we are walking those same streets. After a nice lunch at a huge restaurant near Pompei, we joined what seemed to be millions of other tourists, to view the Pompei ruins. The first impression is just how big they are. This was a large city, and it has been fully excavated. It doesn't have the detail of Herculeneum, but the scale is incredible. We walked the streets with our guide for just over two hours, learning some unbelievable stories. This was another fantastic tour. So full of amazing stories . We enjoyed it immensely. That night, we were back to earth in a big way, as we had a quick bite at a local pasta place, where I had the biggest beer known to mankind, and then it was time to do the laundry! Yes folks, the chores still mount up, especially on a long holiday. We have just about mastered the Italian Laundrette!

Next morning we were on the old red rattler back to Naples. These trains are an absolute circus. Gypsy buskers get on and off all the time. We started with a noisy trio doing Dean Martin impressions, then as they moved through the train, they were replaced by a little kid, obviously after the sympathy vote, so he could get enough money to improve his Accordian skills, and then there was my favourite, the family of three, trying to cover all bases! They had an amplifier playing Gypsy Kings, while the kid banged away on a bongo, and dad shook his tambourine. Mum wheeled the amplifier. The volume was incredible, people were covering their ears! The only things missing were a monkey & talent! We were so glad to get to Naples. We found our train, and headed for Arezzo in Tuscany, where we will spend the next three weeks criss crossing Tuscany & Umbria.

Italian Odyssey - 8.

Roma, where do we start!! We left Vernazza and with one train change were soon in Roma. The host at our apartment had offered the services of a driver to meet us at the station, which we accepted. We found our guy, with sign in hand, and he whisked us off to our apartment in Trastevere, a part of Rome across the Tiber River, and an area said to be mostly inhabited by local Romans. We would never have found the place on our own! Alleys everywhere! We stopped in a narrow street at a graffiti covered door, where we met our host's friend, who opened the door to reveal a steep stairway. Thank God it would be only once up, and once down! The apartment is lovely. Very modern & spacious. A far cry from Vernazza! With a late afternoon arrival, we headed down into the streets, alleys and many Piazzas that make up Trastevere. We needed a few supplies, and found our local supermarket. Prices were way cheaper than for similar items at home!  Having dropped off our supplies, we headed back to the streets. The place was bursting with noise & people. Buskers in the squares, musicians of all kinds playing, singing, blowing bubbles, painting, dancing, you name it they were there to see. We found a lovely little cafe, ordered a drink, some Pizza and Pasta, and settled in to eat watch & listen. That night, we were lulled to sleep by the sound of violins & accordions wafting up from the streets below. We were going to love Trastevere.

Next morning, we realised that our dream to live like locals would easily come true in Trastevere. We found the local market, full of the freshest fruit, vegetables, meat, cheese & everything else. The fruit, is so fresh & full of flavour. We have been living on fruit & yoghurt for breakfast. They have these little "flat" peaches, that are so sweet, and the melons are so full of flavour. The strawberries, well, there are not enough superlatives, and apricots are also amazingly flavourful. On our walk to the market, we came across a walking food tour, so tagged along, and when we heard the guide say "this shop has the best Porchetta in Rome, & it is fresh roasted every day," we just had to go in. There on the counter was this huge slab of rolled roasted pork! The shop was full of other deli items, so many varieties, and we could taste whatever we liked. We decided then & there that we would have at least one night in, with roasted Porchetta & fresh salads & bread. We did, & it was the moistest, most incredible roast pork we have ever eaten. Pomegranate is in season, so we added this to the salad, so sweet & full of flavour.

What initially impressed us about Rome was just how many old buildings there are, and how many ruins. There isn't a skyscraper in sight! That afternoon, we did our first tour. Now, I am not even going to try & give you a history lesson on Rome. That would take an eternity! Our first tour was a 4 hour walking tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St.Peters Basilica. Our guide, Francesca, was fantastic. She was so passionate, knowledgeable, and had a wicked sense of humour. Her description of the Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel as "the red guys", was only surpassed by her description of the Pope's balcony at St.Peter's, where as she put it, "the Pope came to say some prayers, bless the people, drink some wine, have a smoke! You know, all those Popey things!" Her description of Rome as a giant lasagne, also took on more meaning the longer we were here. Buildings have been built over the top of other buildings, and some of the more recent excavating has revealed just how much was buried. Building the Metro, turned into an archeological dig! You just cannot be prepared for the sheer size & scope of the Vatican buildings, & the treasures they hold. All those years of reading & seeing photos are no substitute. Priceless treasures, incredible frescoes, paintings, sculptures are all there to marvel at. Standing in the Raphael rooms, gazing at his huge brilliant paintings, is a moment in time you will never forget, and then to stand in the silence of the Sistine Chapel and stare upwards at the ceilings painted by Michaelangelo, is just breathtaking. How lucky are we to see such treasures of the world. All this, followed by a walk through St.Peter's Basilica, the world's largest church, where on the floor, they almost arrogantly show lines where the other great churches of the world would end! Michaelangelo's Madonna with Child sculpture is another mind numbing sight, as is the sheer opulence of the entire interior. An incredible start to Rome. The street stalls outside in the square, bring you back to earth quickly. They sell every Papal accessory imaginable. I was disappointed that Carolyn wouldn't let me buy the nodding Pope doll for the dashboard of the Landcruiser! Had to settle for a shot glass. Now there's a religious relic!

After another fun night in the streets of Trastevere, this time at a lovely restaurant recommended by our host, called La Scala, where we dined on Ravioli with burnt butter & sage, to die for, followed by plates of grilled meats & chicken equally to die for, we were up early to meet our guide for our second tour, a walking tour of the Colosseum & Roman Forum. We met our same guide, Francesca, with much cheek kissing, & the same exuberance as friends who haven't seen each other for years. Such a lovely girl. As opulent as the Vatican tour had been, here we were on a blood & guts story about a place where incredible pain was inflicted over a very long time. But first the building, more than 2,000 years old! Think about that. Concrete, 2,000 years old & still standing. Someone tell Meriton about this! Old Harry could learn a thing or two over here! When you think about what was accomplished with the tools they had, it is almost beyond comprehension. Francesca told us some mind boggling stories, and put some incredible thoughts in our minds. Remember, this building was used for 500+ years to entertain the masses. Much of the entertainment was man versus man, but wild animals were used extensively. Think of the logistics then, of trapping & transporting to Rome, thousands of wild lions, tigers, elephants etc. it is estimated that species like lions, almost became extinct, & if the Roman Empire hadn't fallen, they probably would have! From the Colosseum we walked under the Arch of Constantine & then into the ruins of the Roman Forum. So much history, the seat of power in Rome. All those temples to the Gods. Simply amazing. We loved the whole tour.

The rest of our time in Rome, we simply walked & explored. We would start the day with a plan, take a wrong turn & find some other treasure, then get back on track and eventually fulfil our day's plan! Along the way we would find time for coffee & pastry, so many delicious options, and of course we would find a new Gelato stop. The flavours vary so much, and the flavours can be so intense! Carolyn, the non ice cream person, is converted! First anchovies & now ice cream! I even had her trying Sicilian olives!!! We visited the Spanish Steps, which were so crowded they resembled a grandstand! Here, we had a funny experience as we came out of a Gelato shop. A crowd of young women, all dressed in yellow & with flowers in their hair came right at us! I was having a '60's flashback, when one of the gorgeous girls says" scusie, may I have a picture with you. I am getting married & have a list of photos I must make", so I became number 4, "Man with accessories, eating Gelato!" When I told her I was from Australia, there was lots of shouting & shrieking from the group! From there we found the Trevi Fountain, shrouded in plastic & surrounded by scaffolding. What a disappointment. No coin tossing allowed! We also went into dozens of churches, basilicas & other places of worship. It is incredible what priceless treasures these places hold. In one such church, just off Piazza Navone, there were three Caravaggio paintings in one side chapel! This happens all over Rome. The size of some of the churches, and their ceilings all covered in gold & exquisite frescoes, have to be seen to be believed. You could spend months just visiting Rome's churches. 

We really enjoyed our time walking the parks on the hills of Rome. Our favourites were the Gianicolo, with its wonderful views out over Rome & The Vatican, and the incredible statues honouring the heroes of the Republic. There are hundreds of busts of famous men & women of the Revolution, who shared Garibaldi's vision, of an Italy free from Papal rule. The huge bronze statues of Giuseppe Garibaldi himself mounted on his horse, as well as his wife Anita, also mounted on a horse, with a pistol in one hand & a child in the other arm, are just magnificent. The views put a whole new perspective on Rome. Our other favourite was the Apennine Hill. Here we could gaze down on Rome from the other side, near Circus Maximus. There were some lovely churches, & an old monastery, where we queued with other inquisitive people, to peer through a keyhole in the massive wooden gate, where the view on the other side, was like looking down a tunnel, through an archway of trees, to the dome of St.Peter's Basilica on the other side of Rome! From here we walked to the Piazza Di San Giovanni in Laterano. This was the Papal seat of Rome before some pope decided to build the Vatican & St.Peter's Basilica. The Catholic Church sure has spent some money on themselves over the years! The buildings at Laterano are incredible, & the church which is dedicated to the twelve apostles, is huge & quite breathtaking. The marble sculptures of all the Apostles were huge. Along the way, we wandered into Rome's Rose Garden, which was in bloom and a delight.

By chance, we were in Rome on their national holiday to recognise independence, June 2nd. Nothing like a parade! We found a spot towards the end of the parade, and watched an endless array of armed services, police, Red Cross, & other groups, interspersed with lots of bands. Some of the costumes were very elaborate, and must have been so hot! We don't get to see Alpine Troops, all dressed in white and carrying skis & machine guns! Carolyn found the fanciest uniform & the biggest hat & got her photo! The whole thing was quite a spectacle. As fast as it all started, it was soon all over, and the participants were whisked away in a huge fleet of buses. 

We loved all of Rome's Piazza's, but one of our favourites were Campo de'Fiori, which was a moving feast of markets, street vendors & restaurants. It didn't matter what time of the day we came, something was happening. In fact, you could be mistaken for thinking you had come to a different Piazza altogether! Our other favourite, was our local Piazza St.Maria in Trastevere, probably because we got to know it so well! There was always so much going on. So many cafes, we could have dined at a different place every night for months! We avoided the few with plates of plastic pizza & pasta outside. Carolyn felt sorry for the poor little birdies breaking their beaks trying to get a free feed! I could go on for hours about the sights, but alas time won't allow me. A week in Rome sounded like so much time, but it went so quickly. We loved living with the locals and we loved their way of life. There is no doubt that Rome has cast its spell over us. We will have so many memories & stories to tell. From here, there are more Italian adventures to be had. We are off to Sorrento & the Amalfi Coast.