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Camping in Florence
View from our home. The nearby Kontiki campers were awoken this morning by the usual Piper meandering through the tents with his bagpipes full of wind. The difference this morning was that it was 5:30am, mind you, still not enough to disturb Annie’s peaceful sleep. We did get away early though as today was just a driving day...autostrada all the way to Sorrento, except for the last 30km when Maria (our GPS lady) tried a shortcut through all the tiny street s of a few villages just before Sorrento. Our campground at Sorrento was high on the hills overlooking the fabulous Bay of Naples although it was nestled amongst the orange and lemon plantations which was nice but obscured the view somewhat.
Today we set off on a boat trip to the Isle of Capri, it is Monday the 12th May , the weather started out quite ordinary but brightened up in the afternoon, Capri was fascinating, definitely a haven for the rich and famous, just the place for Annie and I. We walked to a villa that Tibius had built for his woman back in the Roman days, next we were walking the narrow streets lined with shops with names such as Versace, Dulce,
Franco, Annies new friend
On the boat to Capri, with Franco never far away??? Prada, and Chanel.... The boat took us around the island to the various grottos including the famous Blue Grotto.
We had planned to drive down to Amalfi and did so until we were in sight of Positano . Unfortunately this was not allowed, as we were informed by the Polizia (who waved us to halt) kindly telling us that were “Welcome in Italy, but we were not able to drive our van into the Amalfi town.”He suggested a detour which would have us entering Amalfi from the south and added another 2 or 3 hours driving. The drive till then had been quite spectacular but we decided to give in and headed for Rome. Ah, Roma! Anyone who has attempted to do Rome in a Day will understand when I say “ It is an exhausting task”, but exhilarating. Setting off very early, with the help of other tourists, we found our way by Metro ( the train system) to Vatican City. I (Annie), the Catholic of our duo was overwhelmed by the enormity and grandeur of it all. Although we had joined an organised queue (being advised that we would bypass the long queue), it was an hour before
we entered the gates, but along the way we had a choir from Hamburg practising their angelic hymns behind us. The Vatican, Saint Peters Basilica and the Sistine Chapel were more than I could have imagined or remember studying in Art History so many years ago. Every corner we turned we saw another beautiful fresco, tapestry, or masterpiece. It was all very humbling. Continuing on during the day we thought we would take a rest and see the sights of Roma on one of the many open tourist buses.. not such a bad idea for weary feet. Dusk saw us sitting in a small tavern opposite the Colosseum, enjoying the usual pizza and beer. Strolling back through this romantic city, of course we wished at the Trevi fountain, and walked the Spanish steps before calling it a day. One that will always be remembered.
Travelling towards Florence, we drove the valleys of Sienna and Tuscany, arriving at Florenze to see the sun set over the city. Our camp ground was on a hillside, with views of Florence and beyond. A short walk into the town the next day we were once again weaving our way through narrow laneways and open
Only Window shopping
I felt as though I just fitted in so well piatzas that were lined by intriguing shops, museums, galleries and restaurants. Of course David was on the agenda. Standing in line (about an hr), was entertaining in itself. I am not sure what to say about Michelangelo’s David. I know I should be respectful and cultural about it all, but does anyone else think that his feet and hands are too big for his body? My favourite memory of this day would be Roberto being chastised by the Italian Security guard in front of at least a hundred people!!! He was caught (although he wasn’t hiding, and it was a genuine mistake, because others were also doing it), video taping David.... he was absolutely yelled at...in fact, I’m surprised we weren’t escorted out immediately.. As if we hadn’t had enough exercise that day (after about 4hrs of walking the city) we decided to do the “Dome” of the Basilica.. it was built way back when , and had 487steps!!! And they were so tiny and steep and included a massive spiral staircase.. The view was worth it, although there was no way i was going near the edge. I know there were so many other things of interest in that
Isle of Capri
Another perfect spot for a drink or three. day, but i am aware that i am writing too much, so on we go! Lets quickly fill in the next couple of days, with a drive to Pisa to see the leaning tower and then on to the Cinque Terra on the Italian Riviera. Our stay by the seaside at Lavanto was too short. It was a tiny village on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The people and the vibe of the area was so peaceful and friendly. Our next couple of days were filled with train rides and connections to the other small villages of the Cinque Terra coast. There are 5 villages in all, connected by a weaving network of small tracks along the mountain side overlooking the beautiful ocean. You walk to each one, some taking longer than others, or, like we did as we were short for time, catch a train between a couple... along the way there are the most amazing vistas, welcoming villages and restaurants, and many happy people..
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