Day 10 - Ravenna and Home

Our final day in Italy was quite a leisurely affair. After breakfast we checked out of our hotel and headed for Ravenna, which was on the way to Venice and our flight home. We chose the SS16 as the most direct and shortest route, which took us through a number of small towns and villages along the way. It gave us time to reflect on our holiday. Venice was undoubtedly the highlight, despite the very high prices and the perceived rudeness of some of the people we encountered. But we did get used to this. It's one of the things you have to just accept if you are visiting Italy. I personally started to think of it as part of the cultural experience and so felt much better about it. Our trips to the islands around Venice were a particular pleasure and we got to see Venice from around its edges as we circled the lagoon. Our searches for 'free' toilets became a daily challenge: San Marino came top for sheer number of toilets (some free) but Montepulciano's free loo just off the main piazza was very welcome, despite having no paper of any kind in there. Strange how our travel blogs always have a toilet theme somewhere!

Here's the loo in Ravenna, in the little cafe in the main square:

We tried to imagine how an elderly lady would manage using this. But many of the elderly here cycle about the place with ease so maybe they are made of sterner stuff than us Brits!

Siena was certainly a great place to be; so much so that we didn't want to leave. Sitting in the sun in the main square and seeing the unexpected parade was a really nice moment.

The trip around the Chianti region was fun: lovely landscape and a peek inside the life of a winery.

As the road to Ravenna continued on we passed a number of young women - prostitutes - plying their trade at the side of the road. We had seen this before and also in Spain. One can only imagine the life of one of these young (and some not so young) people and the daily protocol of life on the street (and in cars and trucks). I don't think it was a coincidence that the road was full of long distance trucks; a constant stream of trade. My immediate thought was that these young girls are someone's daughter and what would their parents think - no doubt a pretty naive thought on my part.

Ravenna was a pleasant place and we stopped for a drink in the square as soon as we arrived.

The sun was hot and we felt really relaxed and contented as our holiday neared its end; we had done all we set out to do and we sat people watching for some time.

People watching in Italy is a rewarding pastime. The street sellers (usually of north african origin) cheekily try to persuade you that you need the cigarette lighter or the pack of tissues they are carrying around the streets. If it's raining they will surely have an umbrella to sell. They were all, without exception, well dressed and polite. If you stop at traffic lights, expect one of these people to knock on your window or offer to clean your windscreen for a price. This is another thing you just have to ignore or get used to in Italy. Meeting Flaminia (our host in Florence) was another highlight. She was a lovely woman and brightened the start of each day we were there. I've thought many times about the old beggar lady with the Blackberry and think I may have been a little flippant in my remarks. But that's the way I felt at the time and so recorded it honestly. That's what this blog is for. On reflection I have to say that any elderly lady who sits at the side of the road begging, with or without a Blackberry, must be in need of something. And so I can only wish her well. While we are on the subject of women in need I have to say that the boat-bus attendant in Venice (who stuck her bottom out at Rachel) was certainly in need of a good talking to and I hope she gets it soon!

And so we left Ravenna for Venice and the closer we got to Venice the worse the weather got. There was a terrific thunder and lightening storm and we hoped the airport would remain open. The usual relief washed over us as we dropped the car off - we had driven around Italy unscathed despite the crazy driving habits of Italians.

Back in England we noticed immediately just how well kept our roads and motorways are, compared to those in Italy. We stopped at a motorway service station to buy a drink and the lady behind the counter smiled, called me 'love' and wished me a fond farewell. And the countryside is so much greener and cleaner. It's amazing just how much we can take for granted.

It's been a great road trip but it's good to be home. Until the next road trip (who knows where?) -  Ciao (as they say in Italy)!

Day 9 - Rimini

Yesterday tired us out more than we had thought, so today we decided to stay local and walk into Rimini. Our hotel is situated on the sea front, away from the main centre so we walked 20 minutes north along the front before turning left up the Medaglie D'oro and through three parks to the oldest Roman arch still standing: the Arch of Augustus:

The journey to this point had been along a pedestrianised path, filled with joggers, walkers and cyclists. We passed a dog park - like a kid's playground, but for dogs! We witnessed an altercation between a woman on a bike and a female dog walker. This is a familiar site in Italy. Raised voices, big hand gestures and noses almost touching, the argument went on for about 30 intense seconds before calm once more resumed. No-one took much notice.

Once through the arch we were into the main shopping centre and soon stood in the Piazza Tre Martiri. We hadn't expected such a nice square. As usual, people sat drinking coffee, cyclists weaved in and out of walkers and the sun beat down. Here's a picture of the sqaure and the beautiful clock:

 

 

From the square we headed the hundred yards or so to the Tempio Malatestiano; a rather unassuming and ordinary (by Italy's standards) church:

There was another grotesque depiction of the dead Christ in marble, encased in a golden cage and lit garishly at the front of the church. Candles burned in front of it. This time there was no slot machine for money!

This is a very Roman town and was strategically important to a number of emperors. There were three major roads from here - Via Flaminia to Rome, Via Emilia to Piacenza and Via Popilia-Annia passing through Ravenna, which we will visit tomorrow. There is also an extremely old Roman bridge, crossing the river:

In the Piazza Ferrari a municipal gardens was to be contructed but important remains of a 3rd century surgeon's house were uncovered, so work had to stop. Here are a couple of photos of what was found:

We walked back to our hotel along the sea front and immediately fell asleep for three hours - the many days of walking were catching up with us. Our final evening was spent at a couple of sea front bars/restaurants, where we ate pizza and pasta (and swore not to eat it again for at least a month) and drank cocktails. We had been a little harsh about Rimini when we arrived but we were now warming to it.

Tomorrow we fly home, but not before visiting Ravenna on the way. Our final blog will be from home.

Day 8 - San Marino

What a great day we've had today! When we arrived in Rimini last night our hearts sank at the sight of what looked, on the face of it, like Blackpool in Italy! The waterfront was wall to wall concrete hotels. What would have been a beautiful sandy beach had been divided up and sold off in portions: little plots of land to lie on. Hardly any sand was not either built on or covered in parasols! So this morning we wondered what the day had in store.

But we found a book in hotel reception, which had a good article on San Marino. We knew nothing about this place before we came but the day we have spent there could not have been better. It turns out that San Marino is the oldest republic in the world; independent and self governing. It's split up into 9 administrative districts called 'castles'.The capital (San Marino) is on the very top of Mount Titano (750m above sea level). From a distance you can see three distinct peaks, each one a tower. The towers are called Guaita, Cesta and Montale. The journey from Rimini to San Marino took about 30mins. The roads (as most of the roads we've encountered in Italy) were in a very poor state of repair. But as we passed under the bridge that marks the Italy-San Marino boundary there was a distinct and immediate change. The roads were in much better condition and the buildings were of a higher quality. High class shops lined the streets and even the zebra crossings were a different colour. There is very little unemployment and no budget deficit. There are references all over San Marino to 'Liberty', refering to its liberty from Emperor and Pope, which makes San Marino a great place to live I would expect.

We drove to the very top of Mount Titano, although we could have taken the cable car. The views from the top were stunning - stomach churning at times. The streets were narrow and full of very expensive shops selling mostly leather goods and jewellery. The town was filled with the ringing of bells, the air with the sound of swifts swooping and diving around the cliffs and into the streets. It was truely a wonderful place to be.

We visited each of the three towers, each one looking majestic upon the sheer cliffs of the city. One was used as a prison as recently at 1975.

Later we ate in a lovely restaurant on the edge of the cliff overlooking the great expanse of land between us and the Adriatic Sea. On leaving the restaurant we noticed how quiet it had become. The streets were deserted, the shops closed. San Marino had become a ghost town. We headed back to the car and started our journey home, after one last look at the distant mountains in the late evening sun.

Our evening finished with cocktails by the beach in a lively little bar.

It had been a perfect day.

 

Tomorrow - our last full day in Italy.

Day 7 - Montepulciano

We felt really sad leaving Florence, especially the B&B we had enjoyed there. Flaminia - our host - had restored our faith in italians' nature. She was a lovely, warm woman, who made us feel at home. She baked all her own cakes and breads and served them at breakfast; hot from the oven. Here's a picture of her this morning before we left.

As we prepared to go she gave us a bottle of wine as a gift. We'll certainly remember her.

We had a long drive ahead of us to Rimini on the east coast and we had decided to go via Montepulciano, which was a lot further south than we had thought. But when we arrived it was worth it. Set high up on a hill this little town was quiet and peaceful. We could hear music being played from the school of music and it echoed through the streets. The square had an ancient feel to it - unspoilt - that is until Rachel fell asleep on the steps of the church! She had the look of roadkill about her but I didn't have the heart to wake her. Instead, I did the decent thing and took a load of embarrassing photos of her! I would have posted them here but she said if I did she would hurt me! Fair enough, best to back down while you can.

And Montepulciano was the only place we came across free toilets. As it turned out 'free' meant no toilet tissue and no hand towels. Asking the lady, who was looking after the toilets, if there were any more she replied "No!". A familiar response.

Here's a photo of the square:

We had a snack in the 'Jazz Wine Bar'. The beer pumps were made out of saxaphones! The husband and wife owners were real characters. She did all the cooking and he did all the front of house work. The food, when it came was simple and authentic but it took an age to come as it was prepared from scratch. We communicated with them using hand signals as they spoke no English and we no Italian. She brought us extra food, freshly prepared and at no extra cost! What a nice experience.

Our next journey was to Rimini and it took nearly four hours, mostly due to the sat-nav. But we did get to see some wonderful countryside in the process. So I must cut this blog short because, after six hours driving I'm ready for sleep. Before that, I just want to mention Italian drivers. It's a nightmare driving in Italy at the best of times and today we came to a roundabout, which was completely gridlocked and all because not a single driver would give way to anyone else. They just jostled for position and sounded their horns. I'm sure Italian men see giving way as an attack on their manhood - a personal failure. What's the point of a roundabout if no-one obeys the rules?

Anyway, here's one of those shots of Rachel - she'll never know and I can run faster that she can.

Tomorrow - exploring the east coast.

Day 6 - Siena and Chianti

We awoke to brilliant sunshine and a significantly warmer day. Bologna had been a disappointment and Florence had been a bit of a wash out. But we had high hopes for Siena. The journey took only about an hour and we were lucky enough to find a free car park just outside the city centre. We headed straight for the Piazza del Campo through some beautiful streets. Siena is quite hilly, which makes the streets more interesting. We liked Siena immediately.

We entered the Piazza del Campo down a long, narrow flight of steps and the explosion of space and sound was exhilarating as we descended the last step. Across the fan-shaped expanse , the Torre del Mangia - the second tallest bell tower in Italy - dominated the scene.

Around the perimeter of the piazza were numerous restaurants with many people sitting and gazing at the sights. Others stood around the centre and there was an excited chattering echoing from all directions. We chose one of the restaurants and ordered a Spritz and a Pina Colada.

Refreshed, we headed for the Duomo. It was only four Euros each to enter and it was the first time we felt we would have paid more: the interior, like the exterior, certainly had the wow factor. Its Gothic style and black and white marble made it different from anything we had seen before. The attention to detail was quite breathtaking. There was, however, a very repetative, monotone "No flash" coming from the many officials keeping watch. There were countless arguments between couples trying to work out how to disable their camera flash!

We have far too many great photos to be able to share them here.

After a long walk around the city we returned to the Piazza del Campo and by now it was full of people enjoying the hot sunshine. We sat and lay on the floor just soaking in the atmosphere and soon heard the sound of drumming. A parade had begun and a long precession of drummers (a marching beat) and flag bearers emerged into the piazza and walked the perimeter before exiting at the opposite side. It was a colourful spectacle and an unexpected bonus before we left. We didn't want to leave but Siena will live long in our memory.

It was around 5pm when we left and headed back towards Florence but by a circuitous route, through the Chianti region. We drove though miles and miles of beautiful vineyards and stopped at Badia a Coltibuono - an abbey for centuries and a winery for over 10 years. It was a beautiful, peaceful place set on a hill, surrounded by acres of vineyards and olive groves. We entered a courtyard and wandered, unhindered, throughout the abbey interior, its cellars open, its gardens free to roam. When we asked about wine tasting it turned out that we had come at precisely the right time - the one time in the year that the abbey is open to all, freely, with free tour and wine tasting! So we had a personal tour and ended up beneath the abbey in the cellars, where the wine is matured. We could not believe our eyes when they showed us the personal collection of the family that owns the estate and saw wine dated to the second world war! There were walls covered with bottles from the mid 1930s to the 1990s: covered in dust. It was truly amazing. The wine must have been worth millions.

Rachel couldn't wait for the wine tasting,so she started in the cellar:

Finally we were given a wine tasting. They took us through their collection from the Chianti Classico to the Reserva. I, for one, thought I had died and gone to heaven! On the way out we bought a couple of bottles; one to drink while we are here and one very special wine to share with our good friends back at home (you know who you are).

We headed home after a perfect day and managed to get lost when our sat-nav went all HAL 9000 on us! So the journey took longer than expected and we were getting hungry. Rachel made a wish to find a McDonalds and low there appeared the golden arches. Don't judge us! There's only so much pasta and pizza one can eat! Even in the culinary capital of the world you can't deny your natural urges for a Big Mac after a long hard day. This is the second time we'll say 'God bless America!'

Tomorrow, we head for the sea.

Day 5 - Florence in the Rain

It started raining heavily during breakfast and continued raining, on and off, all day. So by the time we reached the Uffizi Gallery we were pretty wet! We had purchased our tickets in advance over the internet and so expected to walk straight in. The gallery, however, had other ideas. We joined what looked like 'the queue' only to be told that the queue for ticket holders was over the other side of the gallery. So we joined queue number 2. Just as we reached the front of the queue we were told that we were too early and would have to leave the queue until about 10:15am. That was half an hour away. So we sat and waited.

Queue number 3 lasted 15 mins and we were sent with our tickets to start queue number 4. And so we entered the gallery at last. Here is the gallery courtyard:

In a previous blog we had said how wonderful the art in the Doge's Palace was. Well, the Uffizi was a whole new level of amazing with room after room of great art work and marble statues and busts. We had purchased an audio guide to listen to on the way around the gallery. It had a telephone style handset linked to a set of headphones by a wire. I used the handset and Rachel used the earphones. So we were tethered together the whole way round, occasionally lassoing anyone who got in the way! The best thing about the Uffizi visit was being only inches away from original art by people like Michelangelo, Botticelli, Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael and Rembrandt. But we really loved the works by Botticelli, for their hidden meaning and Caravaggio, for their vivid colours. Unfortunately, we were unable to take photos inside the gallery.

Outside, the rain was now worse and we searched for a place to sit and relax - our feet were aching after the Uffizi. On the way we encountered the start of a 100km race (runners and cyclists). Cheers went up from the runners as thunder claps rumbled overhead and the starting gun sounded. Hundreds of runners burst forth along the street cheered on by the crowds that had gathered to watch.

By now we were cold and wet and a little fed up! Rachel found a pair of socks in her pocket and put them on her hands to keep them warm. I can't help thinking that, had she sat at the side of the road with her socked hands outstretched, she would have made ten Euros within the hour! But now fortune shone upon us as we stumbled across a Hard Rock Cafe. God bless America! We were now warm and chatting to a very friendy bartender. We had spent three hours in the Uffizi. Now we were to spend another three hours in the Hard Rock Cafe!

The walk home was grim! But the food, beer and rock music sustained us on our final ascent of Kilimanjaro.

Day 4 - Bologna, Florence, the beggar and the Blackberry

We left the hotel at ten and lugged our cases through narrow Venice streets, over a couple of canals and rushed to board our boat to the bus station, but missed it by about 5 seconds. No-one waits for you here. It's do or die! It began raining and by the time we reached our car hire company the rain was lashing down. It was a bit of a slog getting the car organised but we eventually got on the road towards Bologne.

We had decided to stop off in Bologna on the way to Florence to see what it was like. We wished we hadn't! We stayed for about an hour and a half and to say that it was an hour and a half of our lives wasted would be an understatement. We felt like finding someone to complain to and ask for our lives back but we just wanted to get out. One mildly interesting thing about the city is that it has an otherwise unremarkable leaning tower. But so does Burano and Pisa and they are things of beauty and not a wonky stack of dirty bricks!

Anyway, enough of Bologna. Florence was our next stop. We arrived about 5.30pm and settled into our B&B; in a beautiful 3 story terrace somewhere on the edge of the city. We unpacked in double quick time and headed into town. It was quite a walk, all downhill, (more of that later) but we found ourselves near the Ponte Vecchio.

We headed for the Piazza Della Signoria. It was pretty empty and there was a great feeling of space. Standing in the middle you get a wonderful view of the Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery, the Loggia Dei Lanzi and a number of great sculptures. It's easy to believe this square has been at the centre of politics in Florence since the 14th century.

Dinner, however, was a low point. It was one of those restaurants where you feel rushed and that the whole thing is going on at a million miles an hour without you in mind whatsoever. It felt like we had been dragged in, robbed and dumped out on the street: and all within the hour. We headed home.

A strange thing happened on the way home; one of those things that makes you stop and think and wonder about the human race. As we walked along we approached an old woman sitting, begging at the roadside, holding her hands out, together, in front of her. Her head was bowed, looking at whatever she held in her hands.This is not unusual in Italy. She wore a black shawl and her head was covered with a scarf, but you could see her grey hair beneath. She was clearly elderly. She had not seen us coming, but as soon as she did she quickly put away what turned out to be a Blackberry and resumed her begging pose, replacing the Blackberry with a vessel for collecting cash!

Now, call me old fashioned, but I thought that what usually qualifies someone as a beggar is:

A. They are desperately poor

B. They are homeless

C. They are desperately poor AND homeless

I don't want to appear uncharitable, so I'm prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe her contract's nearly up and she's hoping to upgrade to the new iPhone 5 with unlimited internet and texts and 2000 minutes talk-time. I'm even prepared to bet she's after one of those diamond encrusted Pope Francis 2013 protector covers. But I'm betting on:

D. They may be a scam artist trying to cynically take advantage of unsuspecting tourists who, out of the goodness of their hearts may feel compelled to offer some help.

It's enough to make you weep, if you let it. Anyway, for more news and info on this topic go to www.littleoldladyscam.com.

An finally, a geography lesson. Did you realise that they've moved Mount Kilimanjaro to just outside of Florence - and put our B&B right at the very top? No, nor did I until tonight. It took a good uphill 25 minutes to reach base camp. Then there was the final eye watering 100 foot climb to the summit. But we eventually made it and, with our knees and finger nails bleeding, we collapsed into bed.

Tomorrow - Florence (done better).