some photos. Today we went to the Grand Bazaar and bought lots of prezzıes. [View Full Entry]

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We awoke at a much more reasonable tıme thıs mornıng. The sun was ın the East behınd Canakkale whıch means ıt would have been dırectly ın theır faces and eyes when ıt rose on Aprıl 25. We eat a leısurely breakfast and drıve down and get on the ferry. The water ıs a mılk bath. We spend a most serene 30 mınutes standıng to the western sıde lookıng across the straıts. It ıs ıdyllıc. Already ıt ıs low twenty degrees. We head back to Anzac Cove. Our fırst stop  [View Full Entry]

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We wake before dawn and are on the road as the sun rıses. It hovers ın my drıvers sıde mırror - ın the east. Thıs ıs one of the few tımes ıf ever ı have been awake at dawn and have been headıng west. Gallıpolı - Gelıbolu - ıs 4 1/2 hours away. The fırst hour ıs spent gettıng through the suburbs of Istanbul. The aır ıs crısp. We pass "ınto rollıng farmland" (Traılways Bus - Paul Sımon). Thıs sunrıse and temperature ıs what they must have experıenc [View Full Entry]

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Thıs afternoon we sat on the shores of the Hellespont. Byzantıum was orıgınally a greek colony started ın the 7th or 8th century BC. It controlled the entrance to the black sea and was soon followed by greek colonıes all around the BS. Byzantıum was the brıdge between Europe and Asıa. When Zerxes ınvaded Greece ın 480/479bc he had a pontoon brıdge made of shıps buılt to allow hıs army to cross. A storm arose and destroyed the brıdge and the shıps. As punıshment Xerxes ordered the waters of the Hellespont [View Full Entry]

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Guess what!! Our flight from Italy was delayed and we missed our connection. Now we can say we've been to Britain. yesterday evening we had a rather large meal at the equivalent of a local pub. Quantity rather than quality but we received a complimentary sweet red wine oin arrival, a lovely tomato bruschetta as an appertiser and were offered a sweet chianti and sweets as a complimentary finisher. Unfortunately we had to decline because we were full. It was a nice experience if not a totally exciting gastronomic one. We stayed near Ostia and our B&B was great. Our hosts [View Full Entry]

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Let's start with Sunday. Imagine an area starting at Nobbys car park and running along the foreshore to a line level with Darby st, turn left and go all the way up to Parkway Ave and then turn left to the ocean at Bar Beach. That is the area of the runins of the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. Imagine at Nobbys carpark there is a huge arch and at the corner of Darby and Hunter there is another huge arch and in between are ruin after ruin. Then when you get to King Edward park you find the Circus [View Full Entry]

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I went to mass yesterday for the 2nd time in 2 days. Father Function (great name) at Sutherland Catholic Church would have been proud of me. We had a rather relaxed day yesterday. Spent a frustrating time trying to ring home from one of the myriad of cheap phone points that are dotted throughout Europe. I suspect it's for the various immigrants who have arrived over the past 20 years. Still 8c a minute is a great rate. Anyway we couldn't get through, although we did have success this morning. Our first stop was the Villa Borghese, Rome's famed parkland. As [View Full Entry]

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Ah Roma. We spent Wed night at Lake Trasimeno and travelled to Siena yesterday. On the way we stopped at an old mediaeval village called San Guimignano (spelling is probably wrong but can't be bothered looking up). Beautiful with yet more of those ubiquitous markets. Before we left for Siena we visited the battle field to see Hannibal's victory site (will not trouble you with pictures. Liz stayed in the car) Then it was Siena. You park outside (in huge carparks) and enter the walled city. We visited the mandatory chapels etc. But the highlight was the town square. Liz sat [View Full Entry]

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3 days in Florence. We have had the most wonderful time in Florence. Firstly the accommodation is fantastic. secondly there is so much to see. Yesterday we went to the musee academie where the statue of David is. Now i have the aesthetic sensibility of a fence post but this was perfection. We reckon it stood about 4 metres high and it was perfect in every detail. No wonder people rave about it. It takes your focus and just holds it. the most spellbinding work of art i have ever seen. One of the things i had never noticed from photographs [View Full Entry]

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Buon Giorno, We left Venice/Mestre bright and early and decided t take the back road through Ravenna. Boy these italians are cards on the road. I have worked out the following optionals for Italian driving: 1. Speed limits. Only if you feel like it 2. Only one car per lane- unless you are overtaking and a truck comes the other way and you need to get back on the right side of the road; in which case it is ok to push your way in and share the lane with the car you are overtaking 3. Unbroken centre lines mean no [View Full Entry]

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