Day 7 Classe, Venice (June 27)

We left Florence and drove along the autostrada across the Apennine Mountains, countless tunnels and bridges as we made our way from one side of Italy to the other.  Fabulous views across deep the deep valleys and steep mountains that seemed to go on forever.  Rural Italy is very pretty.  Once you hit the flat land of the coast it appears every available inch of ground is taken up with some sort of crop or fruit trees.

We stopped at Classe and walked through one of the oldest churches in the world, the Basilica di Santa Apollinare.  Not as fancy or ornate as the huge Florentine style basilicas on the outside however still enough inside to make you wonder at the detail and work that went into creating these buildings.

 Inside the Basilica di Santa Apollinare.

After about 7 hours of driving we arrived in Venice and went for a water taxi ride along the Grand Canal.  Venice must have been impressive in its day and it still is however time is taking its toll.  You cant have homes, palaces and all the other buildings hundreds of years old without them showing there age.  Many are maintained but many are not. 

Then a gondola ride through the Venetian ‘streets’, there were seven gondolas in our little flotilla and only 2 musicians so they ran a ballot to see who rode in the musicians gondola.  The Rickard family were selected so we were treated to a serenade all the way.  We therefore feature in many photos of many tourists from all over the world……

Day 6, Morning in Firenza, Trip to Pisa, Dinner at Vinyard in Tuscany

Started with a shopping tour of Florence, it was Sunday so many shops not open.  The town square (or piazza) was surrounded by a temporary stadium for the annual Florentine football match, unfortunately it finished the day before we arrived.  Florentine football is apparently a mix between soccer, rugby, kick boxing and wrestling, goals are kicked through a narrow “window” above a fence but below head height – if you get a goal they sound a cannon and the team scores a point.  Over head height they take away half a point.  Players are clad in a very heavy costume from traditional times and almost anything goes – the only rule is “there are no rules”.  Santa Croce won the match.

The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore in Firenza

Then a trip to Pisa on the coast, to visit the famed leaning tower.  That and the nearby church and baptistery are still clad in the white ‘marble’ of the time and an impressive sight in the sun against the green grass and blue sky.  Our local guide was Roberto, as camp as a row of tents but hilarious commentary. 

Roberto our guide at Pisa with the Basilica and the tower in the back ground

Waiting for the bus at Pisa Wally discovered more derelect planes behind a fence, a F104 Starfighter, Macchi MB326 and an F86 Sabre (see day 5 report as we were leaving Rome).

Then Braedy discovered a Ferrari - you could drive it 10km for 80 Euros!

Tuscany is the surrounding area and it was our fortune to go to a small town called Montecarlo where we had dinner at a wonderful farm where they made wine and olive oil – hot night, outdoor Tuscan setting, plenty of vino and great food.  One of the highlights of the trip so far. 

The bus trip home was entertaining and lively.  The bus driver may have been breath tested and found to be sober however the bus was clearly way over the legal limit.  Lots of music, Caroline and Braedy dancing along with an Aussie dance teacher from Tamworth.  Great trip home. 

Day 5 Goodbye Roma, Siena and Hello Firenza

Another early rise and onto the bus by 8am heading towards Sienna and Florence.  On the outskirts of Rome we passed a junk yard full of old cars, trucks etc.  Right there were old Fiat G91 jet fighter trainers, an old helicopter or two and a magnificent F104 Starfighter, all somewhat weather worn but not bashed or crumpled.  I presume without engines but wow, I wonder how much the F104 was?!  A great backyard ‘sculpture’

Country Italy is very hilly and very green, covered with trees, every now and then a village or town appears atop a hill or a mountain all built in the old traditional style of Tuscany, clearly something we have never seen in Aus. 

View from the bus

Whilst on the tour it is hard to explain just what it is like walking into a place early 2000 years old, the Romans were fantastic engineers considering the tools they must have worked with.  The physical size and boundaries of ancient Rome are just outstanding remebering they would have done all the mining for marble and stone, transporting, cutting and carving and placement of the stone with only the most rudimentary of tools and equipment - not to mention the design and architecture.

Historic Rome is fabulous but immensely busy, the normal part of Rome where people live is not so attractive so its not a place I would want to live. Graffiti everywhere and virtually no houses, all apartment buildings which is the way they live.  


The visit to Siena was brief but we were able to walk the streets a bit, view the Piazza del Campo where the famous horse race is run and soak up some of the atmosphere.  The Florentine architectual style is evident in the basilicas all around this part of Italy, it is very (very) ornate and visually surprising to the eyes of us from Australia.  The Duomo di Siena is a fine and stricking example of the Florentine style.

 The Piazza del Campo at Siena 

 The ornate Duomo di Siena basilica

 Duomo di Siena belltower

Not very interested in Siena

A street in Siena

Moved from there and now in Firenza (Florence) which is not as packed but there are still 10 tour buses lined up outside two hotels! Walked to see the Michelangelo stature of David, at some 5 metres tall in almost pure white marble its just amazing in detail and accuracy, it took 28 months of work and he finished it when only 26 years old, truly remarkable as it was all done without a life model or anything, just memory.

Firenza

Ponte Vecchio

Dinner was at a rather noisy, cramped ristorante in Florence, glad to get out of there in the end. 

Day 4 Roma, Vatican City, Colosseum, Trevi (June 24)

Early breakfast and off to the Vatican City.  Tour advantage is that we by-pass the incredibly massive lines of people waiting to get in.  Direct into the vast Vatican Museum halls to see art works, tapestry, and sculptures from hundreds to thousands of years old.  Then the magnificent Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s art on the ceiling and the wall.  Lastly St Peters Basilica, the worlds largest church and the central home of the Catholic faith.  Words cannot describe just how magnificent the inside is, in every way imaginable – size, artwork, age, quality, spectacle, grandiose, extravagance.

We viewed the remains of the Roman Forum, palace on the Palatine Hill and the Circo Maximus where the chariot races were held. 

 Remains of Circuit Maximus where the chariot races were, including the tower and in the background the ancient palace at the Palatine Hill

Then off to the Colosseum for a guided tour inside. Incredible workmanship and the vandalism over the thousands of years standout.  It is not easy to imagine what went on in here…..

 The Arch of Constatine outside the Colosseum

Partially reconstructed seats in Colosseum to show glimpse of what it was like 

Modern "Gladiators" on smoko

Made dinner ourselves at a great little pizza restaurant – all pizza margarita but the mozzarella was fresh and the dough superb.

Dinner at Ristorante

Walked with the tour group through to the Trevi Fountain and threw the obligatory 3 coins over your shoulder – one for luck, one to return to Rome at one stage in the future and the last for your love life (to get a boyfriend/girlfriend if you are unattached, to have a long and happy marriage or if the marriage isn’t going to well, a quick and easy divorce – there are many versions to this and depends who you speak to).

Trevi Fountain photos

From Trevi onto the Pantheon with the tour, thereafter to the Piazza Navone and vast open air ‘square’ filled with artists, mimes, food stalls open air restaurants, performers and a couple of majestic fountains.  One mime artist was just amazing as a fast walking business person and remained motionless (literally) for hours and hours on end.

Excellent mime artist and helpers at Piazza Navone