Details later

Hello all I will complete the review of the Amalfi Coast and Capri once I get home, or shortly thereafter. I'm just about travelled out and looking forward to the journey home. Your tired-of-wandering genealogist

Hurray for Pompeii

We set out this morning from Hotel Adoro on the outskirts of Rome and enjoyed some morning traffic. I was glad we were not going into the city. It's a zoo in the centre of Rome. It's not yet high tourist season and the throngs of people meant you couldn't really get near some of the things you wanted to see. Of course it was a long weekend and maybe the locals were entertaining guests by showing them around.

Our first stop, with another new driver, was in the small village of Francolise (I hope I got that right) where we visited the guest area of a privately owned farm. We began with a guided tasting of olive oil. Who knew that just a drop could hold so much flavour - to say nothing of that startling burn in the throat. That same oil, from olives harvested last Fall, was used in all of the accompanying dishes.

Starters!!!

I only ate half of this - pasta with zucchini and peccorino cheese

Local specialty - lemon cake. Yummy,

This was our dining room

This was the setting

Needless to say, we were no longer hungry after that lunch. I thought I'd never need to eat again. And that held true until dinner time.

After that lunch we needed some exercise, but there was a 90 minute bus ride before we got to stretch our legs and watch our balance on our tour of Pompeii. My right hip has become bothersome after all of our walking. Today's tour was a couple of hours and my total up to this minute is 9,035 steps. A slow day. I was more than a little grateful to have brought along one walking pole. One was enough. We had few stairs/steps as most of the way was on gentle slopes that wound through an incredible place. The original Pompeiians were clever sorts, with running water, fast food options, brothels with beds made of stone. We were assured that the beds were covered with comfy straw and pillows and such for the occupants. 

I can't relate the history with any accuracy so I won't even try. Here are a few photos.

Once we'd paraded through the deep past, we again boarded our large coach to travel some very narrow, hilly, twisting roads that seemed more like trails. I don't know the altitude of our current hotel but we are far up in the hills near Sorrento. I have to give full credit for nerves of steel and full control of a very large vehicle to the talented drivers who've been chauffeuring us around. I must say that our few days with Giacomo provided the best eye candy. He was a charming young man who spoke very good English and looked like one might imagine a handsome Italian male model. 

We had an OK dinner here at the Grand Hotel Hermitage. I have a lovely room with a balcony and an amazing view of the coast around Sorrento. I think I can even see Mt Vesuvius which, happily, does not seem on the verge of a new eruption. 

Tomorrow we explore the Amalfi Coast so it won't be a taxing day when it comes to walking. We do have some free time to explore the area. I believe our Limoncello tasting happens in the morning. Hmm - more day drinking. But it comes with the opportunity to buy some home made Limoncello at a good price. Bring it on.

Good Night

No - not a jinx. We got in!!

Our intrepid tour guide, Francesca, never gives up. She found that the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Museum, are open for free on the last Sunday of the month. And this happens to be the last Sunday in April. Yay. Five of our group, including me, opted to take our chance of getting in by lining up. We departed the hotel at 7:45 and arrived near the end of the lineup as it was then, about 20 minutes later. There were thousands of people ahead of us, but no sooner had we joined the hopeful throng, that more and more folks were lined up behind us. I can't begin to estimate the total number of hopeful visitors who endured the lines.

Initially we thought that the corner of the street just ahead of us, about 60 yards, was the final turn before the main entrance. In fact, we had three more corners to turn before the gate was in sight. Not to be deterred we waited - and were rewarded for our patience.

In the courtyard of the museum

During the week, admission means taking a paid tour of the Vatican Museum before being admitted to the Sistine Chapel. None of us were interested in the museum, so we got to skip that tour today. But all of us were astounded at the size of the museum. It seemed to extend as far as the eye could see every time we turned another corner.

It is said that if you stand in front of each statue and each painting or, map above, you would not leave the museum for seven years. That's a lot of looking. Believe me there's a lot to look at. 

Once in the Sistine Chapel, no photos are allowed. Every nook and cranny harbours a painting. It's a wonder to behold and we all decided it had been worth the effort and waiting. I logged 6000+ steps in this endeavour.

When we got outside again, Francesca called our driver again and we were delivered to the door of the restaurant where we were eventually joined by the rest of our group. They'd had a three-hour walking tour of the Colosseum, and other historical locations. We had bruschetta (of course) and a pasta whose name I don't recall but it was a huge serving and the sauce made with peccorino cheese was tasty indeed. The meal was topped off with the lightest imaginable chocolate mousse. I think they used clouds in the recipe.

Subsequently, three of us didn't think we could manage another two hour walking tour, and took a cab back to the hotel where I've enjoyed a nap and general lounging. My feet are grateful. Here are a couple of views the driver included en route.

An arch for which I have no name

No visit to Rome is complete without seeing the Colosseum

Yet another view of Castel Sant'Angelo 

Am I jinxed?

Ignore the title for now. 

Today we had an early start with a new driver and new bus. We headed into the centre of Rome, more specifically St Peter's square. There we joined the lineup to enter St Peter's Basilica and were only in line for a little over an hour before we got in. We were moving, slowly, but moving and finally got to the metal detector which we all passed. The basilica is huge and beautiful. There was a mass or other ceremony happening behind the main altar but I never found out what it was.

This was my second visit. The first was in 1971 where we had to return a second day to gain admission. Crowds? Nope. Our dresses were too short. We returned the next morning wearing long pants and in we walked. No lineups. There were lots of people inside but there was no waiting anywhere. I don't really remember what it looked like and in those days you rationed the photos you took, so I have nothing to compare. Today, I took tons of photos. And I lit a candle for a cousin. It was not an actual candle and the transaction required a credit card and a charge of €3. Then I flipped a switch to turn on a candle. I have no real way to know which candle I ignited, but I'm sure that the intention was good enough. 

Here are a few of the pictures I took inside and outside. To see a larger view, click on a photo.

St Peter's Square in Rome under a clear blue sky

In the upper centre of the picture you can see the chimney,
atop the beige gable, where white smoke indicates the election of a new pope.
Obviously there was no smoke today as Pope Leo is well established now.

A view of the main altar, that is likely on hundreds of thousands
 of smart phones and other cameras.

A Swiss Guard on duty

Our group reunited outside after visiting the interior of the basilica. This guy was just outside the exit and I couldn't resist taking his photo.

Following our visit, we followed our guide's flag for about 15 minutes to an area that was more or less behind the square and enjoyed a wonderful lunch. We had chosen either pizza or caprese salad the previous evening to speed up service at the restaurant. I had select the salad thinking this would be a light lunch for a change. And here are our three courses. 

Bruschetta for starters - that's my plate and not for sharing

Caprese Salad with roasted peppers, eggplant, zucchinin on mixed greens

This was followed by a small cup of chocolate and vanilla gelato. What an amazing meal.

From here we walked to meet the bus driver and were driven to a drop off point for our visit to the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. Somehow, someone in "the office" had booked the tickets for the wrong day. No amount of pleading or attempts to rearrange the visit were successful. This was my second visit to Rome and the second time that errors meant I never got to see the Sistine Chapel. 

As compensation we boarded the bus again and went for a short stroll in Trestevere - along with thousands of others. It's a maze of restaurants and narrow streets and shops.

We rested briefly in the shade of a fountain that I didn't take a photo of.

Then we re-boarded our bus for an early return to the hotel. After about an hour's rest we assembled outside on the patio for drinks, compliments of the tour company, for missing the Sistine Chapel. Yes, there was disappointment, but there's nothing that can be done. Tomorrow is Sunday and it's closed. Monday we depart for Pompeii. No use crying over this missed visit.

We had a nice small dinner at the hotel and are enjoying an early night. Tomorrow we'll be walked off our feet. Today I only took about 11K steps. My feet are swollen and begging for relief, but tomorrow won't be that day.

How much wine can you drink, and still find your seat on the bus?

Today was amazing. After a bit of an early start, the bus loaded with our bags as we said good-bye to Forte de Marmi and headed towards Rome, we had no idea just how amazing the day would become.

After a couple of hours on the bus we arrived at San Gimignano - a beautiful old towered city called the Manhattan of Italy. Manhattan should be humbled. This is a gorgeous hillside town with wonderful shops and cafés, churches we didn't explore, fabulous architecture and so many astonishing views that my iPhone camera almost couldn't keep up. Wow is the only word that comes to mind.

And I haven't even told you about the GELATO! Our morning surprise was a coupon for gelato at a shop that won a competition in 2024 for the world's best gelato. Obviously they are maintaining their standards. I had a combination of chocolate and raspberry with rosemary. Yummy to the max. I opted for a cup rather than a cone, so that I wouldn't lose a drop of this delight.

The rest of the time was spent wandering from view to view and eventually enjoying a capuccino at a small café before the group had to move on.

Next stop was lunch and wine-tasting. Those simple words do not begin to describe an incredible feast with a wine to match each course: antipasto with white wine, the best lasagna I've ever tasted and it melted in the mouth with a lovely red wine, and beef cooked in red wine and pepper, served with delicous potatoes and fresh baby peas, served with yet another superb red wine. By that time I was pretty much maxed out on alcohol but didn't stumble once on the way out. I almost forgot abuot the biscotti served with a dessert wine for dunking the biscotti. Climbing onto the bus held more of a challenge than it had when we first departed the hotel.

This incredible feast was followed by a long bus drive, the time mostly passed by napping. When one did look out the window it was like being in a living image of stereotypical Tuscany. Except, it was the real thing.

Eventually we got to the Hotel Adoro in Rome and were served a light supper of Panzanella, spelt salad with feta and vegetables, and the cloud-light cheesecake with raspberry coulis. If I never had another decent meal I'd still be happy. There was a bit of a mixup upon arrival at the hotel so our light dinner was accompanied by some complimentary Prosecco. Tough job but we did our best.

Now settled in fabulous rooms, we have called it a day. I'm too tired to add photos so please check back later when I've added some to this post.

Tomorrow it's off to the Vatican with all its splendours. 

We leaned into the day

Another bright sunny day, not too hot and not too windy. Perfect - as we're starting to expect. We set out in our trusty coach, driven by our handsome driver Giacomo and arrived in Pisa before the main crowds descended. This time we didn't have to walk into "town" as we did in Florence, but took our own little train on wheels to the edge of the market area. It was a short stroll along the city wall until we saw the Piazza of Miracles. Therein we found the baptistry, the cathedral and that famous tower.

I have no idea how this perspective came to be. The angle of the tower is wrong and 
the baptistry on the left, while having a slight tilt, is not trying to be like the tower.

We me our guide Ricardo and were not only kept informed of all the history we needed, but also kept laughing all the time. He hates Florence and uses every opportunity to say so, in so many ways. Whether or not that's how he really feels about the nearby city, he does love Pisa.

Ricardo keeping us amused and educated simultaneously

As usual the cathedral and its various components took a long time to build, using the almost local carrera marble, and other stones. It's quite a wonder all to itself.

In case you needed proof that I really was there

Only a few of our group actually climbed the 294 steps to the top. It's a circular staircase, sloped of course, worn steps and no banister. I was not among the few as my hip was very direct in its objections. So, I stay on the flat, wandered down the local street with three other tour members, and had a fabulous lunch at La Bottega (I think). That limoncello was definitely NOT a mocktail. We blamed the later staggering on the cobblestones.

But the best was yet to come. After gathering at our designated meeting point, we completed a short walk to the stop where we were met by our favourite blue wheeled train, and driven to our waiting coach. It was about a 40-minute drive to paradise. This place was the way I imagine Tuscany to be. The property was hilly, had a fabulous yellow home with green shutters, and was surrounded by walkways lined with roses and other flowers, vineyards, olive grove and personal market garden.

As if that wasn't enough, we sat down to a feast of olive oil, focaccia, focaccia with tomato sauce, all kinds of savoury treats that I don't recall the names of, a sort of fruit punch, water and more or less all the wine we could drink. Hey - my limoncello hadn't even worn off yet! The feast was topped off with a dessert wine into which we dipped our biscotti which were called something else, maybe cannotti? or not!

I could not resist buy some of their olive oil, and someone in the group got and shared the recipe for their fabulous dish, referred to as soup, but more like an amazing dip that was AMAZING on bread dipped in olive oil. 

We were then driven, reluctantly, back to our hotel where dinner was served a couple of hours later. This is our last of four nights at the Hotel Atlantico, and while it's very clean and the food was good, I won't miss the tiny room and the shower in which the water temperature varied from very hot to very chilly about every 15 seconds. The floor of the shower had ridges which didn't keep it from being slippery, and the shower itself was not spacious. 

Tomorrow we head to Rome and a new set of adventures. We've been promised some fun stops along the way.