in continent

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My dearest blog readers (bleaders?),
I am very pleased to announce that this lengthy trip is successfully up and away! So far it's been amazing. I write from Roma, and have spent the day wandering around St Peter's, people watching at the Trevi Fountain, and trying to hit te rigt keys on this tiny computer I have borrowed from the hotel where I'm staying - so apologies of r ht etryops...
I had a resounding send off from London (thanks esp to Arnfinn) but unfortunately I can't get Bruckner in e out of my head. Yesterday
(Monday) morning I managed to catch the Eurostar train from St Pancras station after a swift final pint (cheers, Alex P) and was only delayed for half an hour while they cleared a broken down train from the Chunnel. Paris was in the middle of a gorgeous late summer's day, and I almost regretted spending only a couple of hours there. However, I had my next train to catch, which was the formidable Palatino from Paris Bercy to Roma. This one was only twenty minutes late when we left (an hour by the time we got to Rome - and that's the last time I complain about a late running train, lest you get the idea I'm not havinga great time, because I am!). I shared a sleeper compartment with an ancient Italian, whose English was far worse than my barely existent Italian, so it was a quiet trip. It was of course very soothing to sleep on the train, and we pulled into Florence just after dawn. Firenze e un bella citta. The rest of the trip was full of perfectly gorgeous Italian countryside. My new best non-speaking friend even insisted on buying me a cafe when we arrived, so Rome was off to a great start (I've been to Italy before, but not Rome).
As I'm sure many of my dear bleaders know, Rome is confident, fun and a bit random. It has made me miss my vespa, but also made me very carefull about crossing the road. It's all beautiful and slighttly chaotic. St Pietro's Basilica is breathtaking if you like that sort of thing, which I do!
Next stop Dubrovnik, after tomorrow night's cruise across the Adriatic from Bari.
Ciao belli!

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Comments

[maggie]

know what you mean ...
...about Bruckner! Please continue updating us about late trains - makes us feel slightly less sick about southern region. How's the stubble??

[Mum]

wonderful
Thanks for the chance to "join" you at the start of your journey. Loved to hear/read it allxx