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Europe May 18

May 2018 - April 2024
An open-ended adventure by Karen Read more
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  • Karen CottonEurope May 18
    1
    Day 1

    Roman Holiday

    May 6, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    After 20 plus hours of travel we are finally here! Rome is pretty spectacular I must say. Full of history, beautiful buildings, historical sites and lovely people. Our flat (it's called BonBon :) ) is in a fantastic location just a two minute walk to the Pantheon and as luck would have it, a minute walk to shopping. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, the only one who has a new wardrobe is Graham.

    We had such a huge first day I don't even know where to start. Visited the Pantheon, spent hours in Vittoriano, ate gelato and walked for hours. The guidebooks all say just walk and get lost in Rome, so Graham decided to take that suggestion literally. We wandered over the other side of the river for a while and then he knew how to get to our next destination. So after walking, and walking, and walking he finally checked google maps to decide we are now 6.5kms from our destination. I'm getting my own google maps.

    I love that the site where Julius Caesar was assassinated is now more known as a cat sanctuary. Yay for cats. Every church is an art gallery, and where else would you wander in and stand in front of some Caravaggio paintings. Only in Rome baby!

    Wandered over the river for an Italian feast (oh dear the food here is fabulous. This could be dangerous.) and after Graham managed to drink 5 glasses of wine and 2 glasses of grappa we decided it would be a good idea to walk dinner off by going to Vatican City at night. Graham managed to fall off a kerb in front of a crowd of people but as he was holding his camera at the time his junior jujitsu training came into force and he did a full body roll, holding his camera in the air and with a young Italian girl chasing him trying to pick him up. Not content with one roll he then did another, with said girl still chasing him. I pretended I had never seen him before in my life. He is not allowed grappa tonight.

    Vatican City was beautiful and deserted in the evening. I will put up a separate post with pictures. Thanks Stephen for the excellent suggestion. And to top off a perfect day on our way home we stood on a bridge overlooking the river listening to an amazing violinist.

    Things I learnt on Day 1 in Rome:
    A pedestrian crossing is not a safe place to be.
    The police have the cutest uniforms and the policemen kiss each other in greeting; an excellent way to reinforce team cohesion and I think Graham should introduce this into his workplace on his return.
    You can park wherever you want - a pedestrian crossing, double parked, anywhere really. Just lock and leave.
    There are many, many cute young men in Rome (not that I have looked).
    Older Italian men dress beautifully. The shop attendant had a lot of fun dressing Graham to look like an Italian man but when she got to the floral scarf around his neck he called time out.    Read more

  • Karen CottonEurope May 18
    Day 1

    Il Vittoriano

    May 6, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Wandered aimlessly as usual and next minute we are at Il Vittoriano. The Italians must REALLY love their first king, as they built a monstrous monument to celebrate him that can be seen from all over Rome. In fact from the roof you can see Rome as far as the eye can see. Also houses a war museum and the first ever plane used in military combat. I've attached a photo. The pilot was throwing bombs over the side. Once again, like everything so far, we spent hours there and didn't spend a cent.Read more

  • Karen CottonEurope May 18
    Day 2

    The day Graham tried to kill me

    May 7, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Ooh where to start. How about the touristy bits. Started the day at the Campo de Fiori markets. Not very large but they had some amazing produce on sale. Tiny weeny little strawberries, pasta in every colour of the rainbow and of course limoncello and oil.
    Went to the Trevi Fountain with 5000 of our closest friends to watch the man scrub off pigeon shit. Then we followed our 5000 friends up to the Spanish Steps. We decided to leave our new found friends and wandered up the hill to Villa Borghese Gardens.
    Some idiot decided the two person bike would be a fun way to get around the 80 hectares. The problem was a) only one side had a working steering wheel b) only one side had a brake and c) the side with the steering wheel and brake was not my side.
    So off we headed, full of enthusiasm and ready for an adventure. Ride along and next thing we come to a roundabout on a main road and Graham would like to cross this main road. Karen would not. But Karen does not have control of the brake or the steering wheel so is a hostage on a bike. He had one go at getting across but cars were wizzing up the hill so fast that Graham had a better idea. Let's get a run up. So next thing we are crossing a main road with me frantically turning my steering wheel to no affect. In fact I spent the whole hour frantically turning my steering wheel to no affect, because after this Graham had got a bit of courage and decided not only would we cross a main road, lets go up and down a few hills in the traffic, with cars coming at us from all directions and my steering wheel getting a workout. There were a number of times I had to shout at him to stop as we were about to be hit by an oncoming car. And you can only imagine how popular we were on our stupid two person bike hogging the lane.
    And that, people, is the story of how my husband tried to kill me.
    We are loving our flat - it is so quiet but then you open the door to see a 50 person tour pass by. The photo of all the people in the alleyway is the 10am tour going past.
    The lesson of today:
    Graham is a shit navigator and once again walked me for an hour in the wrong direction.
    We can't get over how much you can see and do in Rome for free. Every day is tight ass Tuesday.    Read more

  • Karen CottonEurope May 18
    Day 3

    Vatican and the second coming of Moses

    May 8, 2018 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    This morning we headed off to the Vatican. We thought if we do the very first morning tour it won't be so busy. Wrong. We both hated the Vatican Museum. Actually we didn't hate the Vatican Museum, we hated the pushing and shoving and feeling like we were in the Hunger Games. Luckily we survived and then headed to the Sistine Chapel, which was wonderful to see and then to St Peter's Basilica. I can't even describe how amazing it was, so I won't try. Headed down beneath the Basilica to see where past popes were buried, which was pretty interesting.
    We were going to climb the 500 plus stairs to the dome at the top of the Basilica but we were all peopled out by then so hightailed it off to wander the streets and get lost again. We have found some really interesting sites that aren't on the tourist map just by wandering around - today's find was the Supreme Court (photo attached), which Graham loved, guarded by a cute guard who winked at me, which I loved.
    And then the rain set in. Found a café for a wine to sit out the rain. The rain didn't stop, so Graham drank two bottles. Made a new best friend with an Ecuadorian waiter who spoke 2 words of English and next thing they are swapping family photos of their children. I think they may now be penpals.
    So the best thing that happened today was while we were having dinner at the same café we'd been in since 2pm (cause it was still raining!). A pair of young men came from the back of the restaurant with their Labrador puppy (dogs are allowed everywhere) and as they walked past a table the dog jumped up on the table and grabbed a lady's dinner off her plate and dropped it on the floor and ate it. The owner was mortified, and was trying to pull the dog away but it was not going until it had finished. Remember, Graham has by now drunk two bottles of wine and we all know how loud he laughs when he drinks (or even sober). He must have laughed for 10 minutes before I could shut him up.
    Walked home and there was police tape across the road and police everywhere, which had been there since earlier today, so we crossed the road with everyone else, only to realise we were WITHIN the taped off area and had just walked through a crime scene.
    It is still raining heavily and I wouldn't be surprised to see a pair of giraffes going past our window.
    Today's lesson:
    If you are at a pedestrian crossing and see a police car coming don't assume they will stop for you. They won't.    Read more

  • Karen CottonEurope May 18
    Day 4

    Ultimo Giorno a Roma

    May 9, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Our last day in Rome so we crammed in a tour of Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palantine Hill in the morning. Walked off last night's pasta. Roman history is fascinating (although I think the kids on our tour would disagree after 3 hours of it).
    Got lost again. Bought some leather bags. I know - you will all be shocked to hear that!
    Finally learnt how to use the crosswalks. Find a local and ghost them. If they run - you run.
    Went to a small underground archaelogical dig, where they have uncovered a house from the 1st century. Best kept secret in Rome - we had the place to ourselves.
    Finished with an evening catacomb tour. Unfortunately you can't take photos. The Capuchin Crypt is where the skeletal remains of 3,700 friars are stored. Not just stored - but used to make art work on the wall, a light fitting, some pretty decorations on the ceiling. If you were lucky you were left mumified and on display in one piece, rather than becoming part of a chandeliar. Catacomb Priscilla is where the local Christians were buried in the 2nd - 4th centuries and has the oldest known painting of Mary and Jesus. Tiny weeny, not much bigger than a postage stamp but interesting nonetheless.
    Still can't get over turning a corner and seeing ancient ruins.
    And so we say a sad goodbye to Rome. Our feet will never be the same.
    Sorrento here we come!    Read more

  • Karen CottonEurope May 18
    Day 5

    Captain Obvious

    May 10, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    An hour and a half in a train station feels like five.
    If you pack a big suitcase you are going to have to lift it up train steps.
    When the train attendant helps you with your case expect a dirty look if it's incredibly heavy.
    Sorrento is beautiful.
    If you book accommodation at the top of the hill you will be climbing an awful lot of stairs.
    Only the brave would drive in Italy. Or an idiot.
    The idiot has six days to learn the road rules.    Read more

  • Karen CottonEurope May 18
    Day 6

    Sorrento & Capri

    May 11, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We are staying in a lovely BnB in Sorrento slightly above (more hills) the town but ever so peaceful. It is lovely to wake up in the morning to the sound of the chickens clucking away at the back door, as opposed to waking up at my house to my girls screeching the house down for worms or to get let out. And to top it off they have five cats.
    Had a lovely seafood dinner at the marina last night. It is a very popular restaurant so they have chairs lined up in twos so you start standing at the back of the bus and eventually you move forward until you are in the front chairs and win the table lottery. It was a bit like a game of musical chairs and everyone was having a great laugh. The food was worth it.
    Headed over to Capri today. Caught the chairlift to Mt Solaro (will do a separate post) and then headed to Ana Capri for a wander around the smaller town. Caught the funicular down to the marina. We were packed in like sardines so couldn't see a thing. Capri was very busy in the towns and really touristy but out of the main towns was lovely.    Read more

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