Across the top of Italy

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We were now headed in the direction of Rimini but as we try to restrict ourselves to no more than 3 hours driving per day, we need to break this journey up. We headed for a campsite that had good reviews on Lake Iseo. It was down a narrow track and over a level crossing. When we arrived we found it full. We had to reverse down another track, but without mishap.
Instead we eventually found Riva di San Pietro further around the lake and what a nice campsite it was. The cheapest restaurant we had seen, friendly owners and pleasant grassy plots alongside the lake, free wifi (although it was a bit hit and miss and finally it missed altogether, they say it will be OK in the autumn!). We made friends with a Dutch couple and had a nice evening with them sat by the lake with beer and wine. As this was such a nice site and the weather was good, we decided to stay two more days. So with a free day we went to see the nearby town of Brescia.

Frankly Brescia does not have a lot to commend it but it is a pretty enough university town. It unusually has two cathedrals in the same piazza. The second one totally non-descript but the first built in the 12th century with an apse dating back to the 8th century is truly magnificent. Michelle was not allowed in as she had bare shoulders but Terry came out and suggested she wore his T shirt whilst he waited outside bare chested. At first she refused saying that he would be an embarrassment as he was "white and blobby". Terry was devastated! However his enthusiasm for the apse persuaded her. She came out 10 minutes later just in time, as Terry had started to get admiring glances from some young females and more worryingly from a man! Yet another coffee and a bruschetta in the piazza and we returned home.

We next stopped at Modena at a terrible 'stop over' campsite. Right next to a motorway junction and expensive. We were the only people to stay more than one night as there were things to see. We rode into the old city and inevitably looked at the duomo. It was made better though as there was a wedding on. We love Italian weddings, they really know how to dress up and are so stylish. We walked around a bit and drank coffee and more coffee.

Maybe we are misjudging these Italian cities and our expectations are too high. We have spent many days or even weeks, in Rome, Florence and Venice and so Milano, Brescia and Modena suffer, but they are still wonderful cities with some magnificent buildings.

Next day we went to nearby Maranello to see the Ferrari factory. We had asked the not so friendly campsite manager whether we would we find the factory OK and he told us that Maranello was Ferrari. Well there was the giant factory plus a nearly similar size museum and a megastore similar to Manchester United's. Photos taken and we set off for the Lamborghini factory about 30 kilometres away. Not so impressive but they do not have the history, but more photos.

Now for Rimini, we have read the stories about it being miles of sunbeds so we chose a campsite 20 kilometres up the coast where we could have an empty beach but drive in to see Rimini. How wrong we were. After settling the caravan in we rode down to the beach and along a jetty. To our left and as far as we could see were sunbeds and parasols. The beach was about 50 metres deep so there were a LOT of sunbeds. Nowhere to even put a towel down. We looked to our right beyond some rocks only to see the same. We still do not know what the beach is like because we cannot see it. We have free wifi so here we will stay for two weeks.

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Photos

Lake Iseo
On the way home

Fancy a big apple?
No not New York.

Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Excellent!
This photo makes us want to go back to Italy.

[Michelle and Terry]

We are waiting for you!
Excellent pizza for €6. They never do them as good anywhere in the world.