Activities Colosseum Anniversary Dinner Highlight(s) * Washing day. Ah, the joy of clean clothes!! * Special dinner - went all out - bubbles, bruschetta, fish, beef, tiramisu, apple tart... * Michele's Gelati count - 18 * Joscelina's Italian Coffee count - 16 Odd Spot(s) * Michele very nearly knocked over a priceless ancient marble statue - Clark Griswald stlye - at the Capitilone Museum. We held our breath as we watched it teeter and wobble and sway and then thankfully settle back in place. A German tourist laughed on nervously as she witnessed the whole scene with her hand over her mouth. * Joscelina pretending to be a local by assisting German tourists with directions to their hotel. Weather Hot, hot, hot. High temperature of 36 degrees. ... read more

Activities Vatican Tour Highlight(s) * Vatican Museum * Sistine Chapel * St Peter's Basilica * Pasta lunch - have found a good little local trattoria where the staff are friendly and the food is well priced and authentic. * Being back on-line! Regaining Internet Access after the Indian-Italian Porter came and re-booted our connection. * Michele's Gelati count - 16 * Joscelina's Italian Coffee count - 8. Does a double espresso count as 1 or 2 coffees? Odd Spot(s) * Insistence of concierge yesterday that we be delivered a breakfast box prior to early departure for Vatican Tour. Breakfast box, which was actually a bag, contained oversized pate biscuits, jam, crackers, cheese, coconut yoghurt, a juice box and a bottle of water. Was actually a nice change from cereal, eggs and toast. * Wacky bus ... read more

Activities Adios Valencia - Buongiorno Roma Transfer to Roma Roman sights teaser stroll Highlight(s) * Wow factor on first sightings of Colosseum, Forum, Trevi Fountain * Michele's Gelati count - 14 * Joscelina's Italian Coffee count - 2 Odd Spot(s) * Felipe Massa the taxi driver: the guy at the hotel said it would take 25-30 mins to get to Valencia airport. We hailed a cabbie from across the road who came screaming up onto the sidewalk (at that stage we should have known what we were up for). The driver took off like the start of a race and pulled some pretty amazing passing manouvers as he sped us to the airport in under 15 mins. When we paid him we said, "Gracias Philipe Massa!" - he thought it was the biggest compliment ever. ... read more

Activities European F1 Grand Primo - Race Day Highlight(s) * Massa won!!! * Jenson finished!!! * Spanish commentator leading crowd in singing Spanish fight song prior to race start. * Ease of getting to and from the race track. * Miguel's Gelati count - 12. Odd Spot * First 5 laps of race were spent in and out of seat as entire crowd would rise to cheer each time cars went past. * Spanish crowd were unforgiving towards Nakajima after his role in ousting local hero Fernando Alonso from the race. * Raikkonen attempting to leave pits with mechanic still connected to car. * Fireworks in the middle of the afternoon to celebrate the completion of the race and presentation ceremony - we could hear them but we couldn't really see them. Weather Hot and ... read more

Activities La Ciudad de las Ciencias - The City of Science European Grand Primo - first day's practice Plaza de Toros & Museo Taurino Highlight(s) * Quality and location of our grandstand seats for the race. It's always hard to picture what they'll be like when you buy them online. For those watching the race, we're on turns 1 & 2 - the first turn after exiting the pits. Anticipating some close calls at the corner as we have already seen Kimi overshoot the turn and Trulli fishtail the corner missing the wall by centimetres. * The Finnish boys seated next to us. Every time Kimi Raikkonen or Heikki Kovalainen pass in front of us on the track, they cheer and wave their Finnish flag for all to see. Looking forward to seeing if this ... read more