Being (quite!) busy in Rome

Well we certainly stopped being lazy!

Yesterday we went and saw (in no particular order) Piazza De Popolo, the Coloseum, the Forum, the Mammertime Prison, the Victor Emanuelle II monument, Caesar's tomb, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. And some gelato to finish. Phew.

Today we went to see the Vatican: St Peter's Basilica, the Museo De Vaticano and the Sistine Chapel. All were amazing. "Hello, it's the 3rd world on line one Padre, they want their stuff back".

Tomorrow we'll probably rest a bit and catch up on some washing, then maybe just an arvo trip into town. We might see the city lights in the evening.

"Ciao"

Sam and Paula.

Being lazy in Rome

because the sun is out and we drank too much in the bar last night whilst playing out the Skipbo Championship of The World. Paula is way too far out ahead to ever catch now I think.

I think the seven hours of driving to get here yesterday may have worn us out too. Yesterday was a national holiday. It seemed like one in five vehicles on the road was a camper, which is not what you'd see at home. Too many stuffy property developers back home carving up the coastal camping spots perhaps. Enough of the social commentary.

This morning we rode the train into Rome and had the usual open topped bus ride around to familiarise ourselves. We have a walking tour book on loan from Paula's sister which is great, because you really don't get that much info on the bus tours anyway. And you get a chance to walk around in the sun and look like a bona fide 'touristi'. But you come away well informed.

Got back this arvo and moved the van to a nice sunny spot in the campground, next to the river Tiber and took it easy. Keep going thru our english books too quickly though, the selection in most books shops is pretty limited quite understandably.

Anyhow, will post some photos in the next few days.

S&P.

--------------------------------------
Bored at work? Check out www.orisinal.com

Dreadful fishing spot out front of the camper. Man cannot live on Prosciutto and Vino alone...

The view from our current beachfront campsite. Awesome! You can just see the back of the camper..

Art Diano Marina Vespa shot. Sorry.

We took a guided tour of Genoa one day last week. For 12 euros ($15 AUD) we got shown around by bus and foot for most of the day. Lots to learn about Europe. The family churches of the old dons were amazing. This is view over the old town. In the afternoon we toured the art galleries. It was quite amusing to go looking for a particular DaVinci listed in the guides (cant remeber which). After an hour of walking and 5 stories (differing), no one was quite sure where they'd put it. oops.

School groups are the same the world over it seems. Imagine going to Europe on a class trip.

Another great B&W photo of Paulas.

Paula took some awesome photos of Genoa's central square in black and white. Genoa has some great scenery, as it was the centre of banking and merchant trade for a few hundred years.

The seals we so much fun. Big showoffs. Remonds me of myself. In more ways than one.

Genoa has the best aquarium in Europe. Bit of a tight fit for the larger animals though, which is not nice. But you could spend a whole day here, so we did.

We are in Liguria

We are in a place called Diano Marina, near Imperia. It's one of those postcard mediterranean days by the sea with the sun shining and blue water. It was so good out this morning that we decided to do nothing all day.

Tomorrow we are going to go and hunt for a restaurant out of a book we read called Extra Virgin, and see if we can hire a car or scooter to go looking around the hills of Liguria.

Having a top time and will find a point where we can upload some photos soon.

Sam and P.

Paula and I took a day bus trip in from Stresa (on the lake) to Milano, as the traffic is famous for being nuts.

A really unusual spot to visit on a tour, but well worth it was Milano's "Monumental Cemetary". There was so much beautiful sculpture here, it was a very moving place.

Just a few moments after I took this photo from a cafe I stepped out into the empty street. And got knocked flying from my feet(literally) by a kamikaze business man on a bike. By the time I got up he was back and apologising so profusely, and admitting liability.Probably a naive thing to do legally, but a nice thing to do nonetheless. A few days of walking slow and bit of bark off my legs, but I'm ok now.

For good luck in Milano, you stand on the mosaico of the bull from Torino, particularly the unkindest bit to stand on. Then you turn around a few times...

MIlano was beautiful, full of beautiful people, and some really crazy fashions, such as half length ties with the shirt buttons undone. But one nice thing is that if they have scaffolding up for works, then they inkjet some banners over the top, so the item behind the scaffold stills shows.

Stresa has been beautiful. Tomorrow (friday) we go to Milano to see some of the beautiful people.

Someone's house on Lago Maggiore (maybe George Clooney's?)

Here's one for Mike back at the office. Think he's been doing some moonlighting in Milano. Hello to the old team back in Wodonga!

We are back in Italy

We slipped back over the border from Switzerland after having a great day up in the mountains yesterday, where there was still snow. Which is odd as there is still tropical plants growing around the lake at the base :) The highlight of our day was finally reaching the summit, to surprise a bloke sunning himself in the raw on a rock, amongst the snow!

But the Lindt chocolate is helping me cope...

I am an extra happy little camper after walking into a pescia (fishing shop) yesterday and buying some lures. I had the good fortune to pack my telescopic rods. SO look out fish, the rivers here come down off the snowfields and are the sort of clear ones you see in movies, so look out trout!

We are sitting in the van having lunch by the beach waiting for our caravan park to finish siesta at 2.30pm and reopen for the arvo. The van has been great so far and we were lucky just to stumble into a wireless internet spot when we parked use our Boingo account.

Are now going to spend the rest of the month heading south down Italy, stopping at lots of top spots.

Thanks for all your emails.
S&P.

To get up here (1600m altitude) and see the view, as well as surprising a nude man sunbaking just behind the rocks, you have to do the following below.

and see this..

You take a chairlift 400m vertical or so

after taking a big cage thingy up another 1000m or so

After first taking a funivia up the hill from the centre of this cute town.

Yesterday's campground in Locarno, switz.

Yesterday we drove up into the hills of Switzerland, too Brusio. Which is where Paula's grandmother's family was from. Smashing views. Except I kept saying "Bruce-e-oh" to the passport guy. Which was funny until I almost got shot. We're off to Lugano next, then back down to the southern bits of Italy for the rest of the month.

View from our camper on Lake Como

Champagne camping in Lake Como

Mountain biking around the shores of lake Como in Italy near our Caravan park.

This is an old roman amphitheatre in Verona. We are going to come back in a few months for Opera season..

Verona is seriously beautiful, despite being the schmoozy subject of Romeo and Juliet.

You can buy one of these 'rustico' for about a month's wages back at "The Office", any takers for a share? It has vines btw. I hear there is some spare cash floating :)

Behind our caravan park in Florence. Did I mention the wine was seriously cheap, about a dollar a litre?

The entrance to the caravan park in Florence. Florence is beautiful. Tuscan hills in the background. Wine is dangerously cheap here...

Venice was interesting. Caravan park was right on the lagoon and pretty groovy. Lots of aussies from Contiki there, which was nice..

Italian Alps. Fantastic views.

Leaning Tower of Piza

On our way to Florence and called in to visit the famous Leaning Tower of Piza. Gotta say, apart from the Leaning Tower and the leaning Cathedral, that is about all Piza has to offer. Although there were quite a few gypsies trying to rip us off and pick our pockets.............looking forward to getting to Florence.

Ciao,
Pauls

Typical tourists. We had to do it.

The story so far

We've been in Monaco for Paula's birthday and met up with her family. Thanks for all the well wishes via email, phone and SMS. She was so chuffed!

Have posted lots of pictures and back dated them - so you'll have to crawl back to about London or so to see them!

We might head for Italy next but will be giving Rome a wide steer due to the Pope's condition.
Ciao,
Sambo.

If the boat isnt enough

Then the copter will do it... A monaco yacht.

Villafranche Su Mer

Has a typical mediterranean beach and fancy drnks that are just as good. Gelato and lemonade by the ocean. Does this drink match my handbag???

The beach out the front of our caravan park

Biot beach

"Hotel swimming pool"

Guess who

Birthday girl

Monaco hotel

For Paula's birthday I surpised her with a hotel stay in Monaco. Real showers that adjust and a hair dryer get big brownie points!!!

The beach at Eze Su Mer

We found this entirely by accident, by getting of the train two stops before Monaco. Kind of an impromptu birthday present for Paula. Just little villas and a few people combing the beach like something out of a book.

Life is tough in Eze

P's beach 3

Paula's beach

Train to Monaco