Rome - Domes & Ruins

Rome - we're here!

 

It's fountains, steps, ruins, domes, chapels, Vaticans .... and Colosseums ... and Americans and little Japanese people with video cameras....

We had to get the train into Rome and it looked like something out the blitz!

Off to see the Pope

First stop in Rome - St Peter's Square in Vatican City - it is so much bigger than we thought! You can imagine the people waiting for the new Pope to be announced in the Square and down the streets behind - cool! There was a huge queue to get into the Vatican as it's free but we joined and it went down quicker than we thought - 30 mins - Mogs had read you need to cover your shoulders in there and other churches so had brought a T-shirt to cover strappy top.  BUT got to the bit where they check what you're wearing and you need knees covered too!! Oops Mogs in shorts - stripped off to bra in the big queue - T shirt on and strappy top became a sort of skirt - looked very odd but let M in!!! Vatican was stunning - lots of gold!

 

St Peters Square

 

 

 

Mogs in the vest top that became a skirt!

 

 

 

Inside the Vatican

The Pope's Balcony - can you see him?!

 

 

Beer outside the Vatican - Waiting for the Pope

 

We asked for large beers expecting pint size - oops! VERY large - are we in Germany?!  And Dave is looking a bit like a German with his golden brown sun-bleached hair!!

 

 

On the walk back to the train station we passed the following sights:

 

Artists square - Piazza Romana

 

 

Spanish Steps

 

 

A Fountain round every corner

 

 

View from the Pincian Hill above Rome

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rome is an awesome city full of pretty cobbled back streets in the old part of the city and stunning architecture everywhere.

 

 

 

Gladiator

 

Day 2 in Rome and we headed off to the Colosseum

 

 The Colosseum - off the Metro and there it is! The Ancient Roman Wembley Stadium!

Gladiator Games!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The wild animals and Gladiators were underground before going up for the Games - the floor would have been right above this

 

 

We came back to the site and Dave wanted to watch 'Gladiator' film that night!! Luckily we had it in our Vannie film library!

 

The Colosseum is surrounded by Roman ruins

 

 

 

 

When trying to find our way out of the Colosseum area Mogs got us totally lost and on the wrong road - there were dodgy sellers with water and paintings and stuff. Police turned up and they were legging it up the road, shoving gear in vans and binning all the water - funny. Dave asked for some water and they said 'we'll be back 'Buffalo Bill'! Must have been his hat!

 

We then went down a lane that M thought was the right way and ended up by a church - popped in to have a look - D went to the back of the church and disappeared down some steps - M followed!! EEK - at the bottom was a tomb with a skeleton in a case and the skeleton still had his shoes on!!! Was the saint of that church - very spooky and all candlelit - D headed away up the winding stairs and M was just waiting for him to shout 'boooooo' round the corner on the way up!!! Really good to see if a bit spooky and something we wouldn't have found on the usual tourist route - sometimes it's good to get lost!!

 

Big Palace with Horses - we weren't sure what it was but very impressive

 

 

 

Street Crossing in Rome

Crossing the street in Rome is a very dodgy business - you just step out - you go in gaggles as they won't run over 20 of you. It's the centre of Rome and the cars and buses and taxis are flying along and you have to just walk out to cross the road - we got the hang of it in the end!!  Got a video but it won't upload - will keep trying as Dave's commentary is funny!

 

 

Pantheon Chapel - we have had a few religious moments - the churches and cathedrals in Rome are awesome with stunning paintings - here's a ceiling painting in the Pantheon

 

 





Trevi Fountain

 

 

 

 

Visited the Trevi Fountain where legend has it that if you throw a coin over your shoulder into the fountain you are guaranteed to return to Rome one day- If you throw 2 coins then you make a wish as well! They reckon over 3000 euros are thrown in the fountain each day!!! We can believe this as the place was packed with people throwing in coins but we did the same as you do and it was a lovely fountain and cool to see the place even if it is very touristy.

 

 

By the end of the 2 days we have decided we are all ruined out - we could have probably done another day as Mogs wanted to climb to the top of the Vatican Dome and maybe do a bit of shopping!!  Another time...

 

We have loved seeing Rome but it was busy - need chilling time now so off to Tuscany - hills, vineyards, medieval towns and olive trees ........

 

 

Island Hopping - Corsica and Sardinia

Corsica – Island of Mountains and Hairpin Bend Roads!

We stayed at a lovely site near a long sandy beach in Calvi for a few days and then for a few days longer. Not sure if this was due to a couple of cloudy days and wanting to do the next part of the trip in sunshine to get fab photos as it was the most stunning road on the island – or maybe Mogs with her fear of heights was a bit scared of the roads and putting off leaving!  D: “Scared Mogs! “

Headed off on a slightly cloudy day so some of the pics aren’t quite as good as hoped but they look a bit ‘moody’ with the mountains covered in haze. The roads weren’t as bad as we thought – “piece of piss” says D – could drive a fire engine through here!

Stopped just before the most scary and stunning road in the mountains by a lovely little port – Porto.

 

Then off in the morning – never been on such a winding hairpin road – combination of “fuck me!” and “shit!” from Mogs on each turn but managed to take a pic!

Calanches de Piana

Every corner we turned was a ‘wow’ moment – down from the mountain roads and we were on an awesome beach where someone had left bats and ball on a ping pong table – random – so had a quick game!!

 

Then hunted for somewhere to ‘wild camp’ as we’ve spent a lot of euros on campsites so far. Saw a sign to a bar by a lake and headed down there – result – 3 other campervans parked up for the night by the lake so we joined them.

 Vannie by lake

 

Mogs was slightly worried about the Mafia and gunmen that she’d read about on the internet so didn’t get a very good night’s sleep there!!  Note to Mogs – stop reading so much shit on the internet!! 

Random moment in the morning – the guy that owned the bar was like Jesus – walked on water! Or walked through the lake to get his boat on the other side and then walked the boat back – we realised the lake was shallow! But it looked weird

Nice day to walk your boat

Slight hic-cup when about to leave – Vannie’s battery had gone flat –

M: you left ignition on D!!!   

D: you left it on M!!!

Whatever!  D managed to get it going with our spare battery and without having to ask the German campervan people to jumpstart us!!!  PHEW!

Off to Bonifacio where we would get a ferry to Sardinia.  Well impressed when we got there as we didn’t expect it to be a town with a fortress and such panoramic views – spent some time walking round the old town and the harbour and along the cliff path – more camera moments!

 

 

Bonifacio

Insect City

Bonifacio was lovely but the site we stayed on was BUG CITY!!  We have to stay on ASCI card sites (cheap camping card we have) so not much choice on an island like Corsica.  Rural campsite with ants, ants and more ants and MASSIVE flying beetle things that had a wingspan the size of Vannie’s doors!! Mozzie infested – shame as the site was sunny and fine otherwise. One night there and a mozzie bitten club foot for Mogs and we headed down to the port to go on a boat ride before getting on the ferry.  Boat ride was wicked! Pics below don’t do it justice but we got great views of the town that is perched on a hill and the castle walls and went inside a few caves/Grottos – the boat could only just inside one – our videos won't load to show you. The sea is blue/green/turquoise here – stunning.

Campsite Notice

 

 

If you bring your dog here make sure it has a tattoo and cowpox and do not be surprised in the toilet or you will have a royalty to pay!!  We didn't understand this at first but think they mean your dog should be micro chipped and vaccinated!
 

Splashed out on a boat trip -wow!!!

 

 

 

We actually went in there!!!

 

 

Sardinia

Ferry time again (we’re getting used to these ferries!) and hopped over to Sardinia – just an hour crossing.

 

We are in Italy – Ciao!

Sardinia is part of Italy so an hour’s crossing and we have crossed the border from France to Italy as Corsica is a French island – Italian phrase book out as we don’t speak a word!!  Ciao is “Hi” and “Bye” as well so we’re confused already….

 

We are only seeing a small part of Sardinia but we are staying on the Emerald Coast in the NE corner – en route to the ASCI site we climbed a hill to find a stunning view of the bays and islands on this coastline.

 

 

 

 

 

Arrived at site and booking in took so long it was like being back in Spain – but what a site – there are about 5 private beaches on the site which is on a peninsular – we are by a lovely small beach with stunning sunset views over the sea.  Time to chill for a few days and sunbathe – this island hopping is hard work!  We seem to be surrounded by Germans and Dutch – where are all the English??

 

9 am and hot already!

 



 

Perfect spot

 

 

 

 

 

Beach road - on a bike ride

 

 

 

With Mogs solar lights put out by the doors as soon as we park up anywhere we are ‘home’!!

 

 

Windbreak cool thanks Shirl!

 

We are loving Sardinia and ended up staying longer than we thought!

 

Our New German Friends

 

We met a lovely couple Ulli and Rita and had some great evenings drinking wine and beer and playing guitar.  Ulli could play guitar and sing really well.  We are going to catch up with them again in the Black Forest in 5 weeks time - D has a German song to learn to play by then which they gave him to practise!
 

 Beach chilling done - Time to move on to mainland Italy and the sights of Rome ...............