Beating the heat in Rome

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An earlier start today had us in Rome soon after 10.00am before the real heat developed. We had a little list to get us started and found it easy to get to our first stop, the Spanish Steps. The steps were not too busy so we took the opportunity to climb and sit and take photos, as millions have done before us.
After a walk through shady streets we arrived at our next stop, St Peter’s Basilica. Our approach to the Vatican was punctuated by the many touts wanting to sell tours but on we went. By now the crowds were building and the march of the tour parties was hard to avoid in and around St Peter’s Square. Our intention had been to go into St Peter’s Basilica but the queue was winding right around the colonnaded square before people got anywhere near the entrance, so we decided to abandon that aim and instead rely on our memories of being here 10 years ago.
Lunch today was a luxurious sit-down-under-an-umbrella meal at a cafe in a little street near Piazza Navona. We enjoyed good food and celebrated having Catherine with us in Rome. A stroll around Piazza Navona to appreciate its magnificent fountains and architecture was followed by a visit to the Pantheon. We were awed by the magnificence of this circular building with its one source of light – from the circular opening in the roof.
Time to retreat from the sun and make our way back to our camping village accommodation by bus, train, train and bus. After a quick dip in the camp pool we had recovered enough for the end of day cold beer, courtesy of the fridge in our little camp house/hut under the pine trees, accompanied by the tooting of car horns and roaring of motor bikes on the nearby road as Romans made their weary way home at the end of a scorching day.

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