DAY 23 - Rome II

Thursday, 12 May 2005

St Peter's Basilica/Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano
This is definitely worth a visit. Due to Wednesday Mass, it's not open Wednesday mornings. Thus, we had to get up early Thursday morning to get in and view it. It's definitely quite a sight to see. Michel- angelo's famous "La Pieta" statue resides in the basilica. However, a clear acrylic plate now seals it off from the public since it was partially defaced in the early 1970s. Mary's grief as she holds the dead body of Jesus thoroughly emanates from this iconic statue.

Gallery/Galleria Borghese
This was a hike up the hill and a pain to find but once we got there it had a lot of interesting art. Al was more interested than I was but for art lovers it's a must and is located in a beautiful park-like setting.

Pompeii
No success in locating the ruins today. After driving thru the local towns of Pompeii and Torre Annunziata, Al is about to give up on driving altogether. We'll try again tomorrow.

Amalfi Coast
Incredible coastline perched on a 1000' cliff above the blue Med...

Positano
This is a cute little town on the Amalfi coast. Locke & I stop at a hotel up on the hill to get snacks & drinks and enjoy the beautiful view of the town and the coastline below. Once done, we decide not to drive all the way down into town (5 mile circuit) and intentionally turn around to head back up the hill. However, as we slowly drive up the hill, locals yell "Senso Unico!, Senso Unico!" (One Way, One Way!) and point down the hill and for us to turn around. In turn, Locke and I point up the hill and yell back "Turistas! Turistas!" (Tourists, Tourists!)...they laugh along with us on the joke. Plus, the bus at the top waited for us to crest the hill and held back traffic -- so, all was good. Hey, isn't there a famous saying "Do in Rome what the Romans do"? Mind you, this is only 1-1/2 hours after I had my meltdown (see Naples chapter), so hey, I figured that I might as well drive crazy like the Italians do and I sure did!

Sorrento
This is the town where you can catch the boat to Capri. We were lucky to find a garage where we could house the car for the night as those spots seem to fill up quickly. The fare for the boatride is really quite cheap, about 11-12 € roundtrip. We are really looking forward to Capri as we've heard nothing but good things from folks. Too bad we're only there for the night and have to leave fairly early the next morning.

Isle of Capri
Locke & Capri Harbor at sunset...life is good!

-- Al & Locke

DAY 22 - Rome I

Wednesday, 11 May 2005

Our hotel has parking (yeah!!) and is so much easier to get to than our Florence hotel.

Vatican/Vaticano
- St Peter's Square & Wednesday Mass
We were going to wait for the papal mass but it would have meant sitting in the sun for 2.5 hours (1.5 hours of waiting + 1 hour mass) which we weren't prepared for because of all the other scheduled events for the day. So we end up changing our plans and going to the Vatican Museum instead.
Keep in mind that Pope John Paul II passed away in April and the Vatican just selected Pope Benedict XVI while we were in Europe...this was his third Wednesday mass and there was still a feeling of excitement in the air.

St Peter's Square/Piazza San Pietro
The focal point of the Catholic world...
Vatican Museum/Museo
Definitely worth going through. A lot of interesting art and history combined. I'm not a big art buff but I was very impressed by the amount of time spent on the murals and artwork in the Vatican – especially paintings by both Rafael and Michelangelo.

- Sistine Chapel
This is worth the wait. It's best to sit down around the edge of the chapel and then observe the ceiling where Michelangelo's most famous artwork resides at. You can easily spend 15 minutes just staring and soaking it in.

Ancient Rome/Roma
- Coliseum/Colosseo
- Roman Forum/Foro Romano
- Capitoline Hill/Campodiglio
- Pantheon
Unfortunately, pollution and vandalism have eaten into a lot of the historical monuments here. It was interesting walking around inside the ruins...just avoid the trinket sellers and people who want you to go on their tour. I was expecting a lot more so I was a little disappointed but it was still very interesting. On a side note...we recommend that you tour Rome early in the day since the car pollution builds up to a point that there is a gray smog over the city in the afternoon. It affects both your health and pictures... :(

Roman Forum/Foro Romano
The ancient city of Rome in its full glory...

Modern Rome/Roma
- First Jesuit Church/Gesu
Beautiful inside. Definitely worth a look. They were working on the outside of the church when we visited it.

- Trevi Fountain
This IS truly beautiful. We could see why people just wanted to hang around the fountain and chat, watch the waters or people-watch.

- Spanish Steps/Spagna Steps
Another favorite place for locals and tourists to just hangout. Unfortunately, you again have to avoid the trinket sellers who are one step ahead of the Italian Police/Polizia who are trying to move them out of the tourist centers.

I wash the third load of laundry while Locke gets us two take-out pizzas that we scarf down. Though manual labor is never fun, the welcome relief of clean clothes awaits us... :)

-- Al & Locke

DAY 21 - Florence II

Tuesday, 10 May 2005

Florence/Firenze
The cultural aspects of this city are great but it's a real pain getting around. Whatever you do don't take a car into Florence! Also, spend a little extra money and get at least a 3-star hotel. Otherwise you'll end up regretting it as we have.

- Galleria Accademia
Michangelo's "Statue of David" is pretty incredible to see up close. We got to the gallery as soon as it opened. David is the main attraction and he is quite impressive. The detail of the statue (veins, tendons, musculature) is amazing. Al & I spent more than several minutes studying it. FYI...this photo is the copy that stands outside of Palazzo Vecchio...no photos were allowed for the original.

- Uffizi Gallery
The gallery has some great works by Botticelli (Birth of Venus, etc.). Reserve your tix online beforehand so you can save time by not standing in line.

Siena
This walled city is interesting. Lots of local artists displaying wares and a big open plaza. It is a hike up the hill to get there but they do have several parking structures that are available. We ate at a local restaurant for lunch which was interesting. We were the only ones in the restaurant except the owner, his wife and their baby. Food took forever to come and was only so-so.


Assissi
This is a really beautiful city. Gorgeous countryside around the city and the Umbria Region are denoted by buildings that are very well maintained. We visited the namesake chapels for San Francisco/San Francesco and Santa Clara/Santa Chiara before leaving. This is a place definitely worth revisiting.

-- Locke & Al

DAY 20 - Florence I

Monday, 9 May 2005

Vernazza
We spent the morning in Vernazza before heading out the winding road to civilization. There is a small bakery just downstairs from our room that is run by twin brothers who are a hoot. We had coffee and pastries before hitting the road.

Pisa
We entered into the Tuscany Region thru Pisa, and it was easy to find...just follow the tourist buses! The tower is actually smaller than I pictured it. We braved the hike up the spiral staircase to the top. Because it's tilted, you feel kind of funny and very off-balanced as you hike to the top. In the general vicinity of the tower is a huge number of vendors trying to sell any number of things: sunglasses, Tower of Pisa replicas, etc.  They seem to all be immigrants from Africa or Asia.

Leaning Tower of Pisa/La Torre di Pisa
The most off-balanced climb in the world...

Florence/Firenze
DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE IN THIS CITY! You'll drive yourself crazy! We literally had to park 1-1/2 miles away from our hotel and hike in because of all the traffic/road restrictions. What a nightmare!

Florence Cathedral/Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore
The 4 chambers (Baptistry, Cathedral, Dome & Tower) form Florence's heart...
- Palazzo Vecchio
Lots of interesting sculptures around the building.
- Ponte Vecchio
Al really liked this bridge with buildings on it and I just didn't get it. The buildings look in need of repair. I think the whole thing needs a big overhaul but Al said I was "ignorant about architecture" and we kind of left it at that.

Clarification on the quote...I was explaining to Locke the significance of this bridge, in that it was the first bridge in the world to be built with shops on it during the Renaissance, and that it withstood the WWII damage. Plus, it was simply gorgeous during sunset.  I guess Locke just doesn't get architecture like I do... :(

Leaning Tower of Pisa/La Torre of Pisa – 304 steps
Bruneschelli's Dome on the Florence Cathedral – 471 steps

-- Locke & Al

DAY 19 - French & Italian Riviera

Sunday, 8 May 2005

The Riviera
The Riviera is really comprised of 3 sections: the French Riviera is synonymous with Cote d'Azur (Blue Coast) and extends from St Tropez to the French-Italian border...it has all the glitz & glamour of high society ala Cannes & Monte Carlo; the Italian Riviera – Riviera Liguria – is so large that it is split into two major sections: Riviera di Ponente (West) from the French-Italian border to Genoa/Genova, which is comprised of small cities such as San Remo; and the "Riviera di Levanto" (Rising Sun) from Genoa/Genova to La Spezia, which contains the many scenic & remote sea villages like Portofino & the Cinqueterre that are nestled between the cliffs and the shining blue Mediterranean just beneath.

French & Italian Riviera Map
We visited most of the Riviera from Cannes, France just west of Nice (Point A) to Vernazza, Italy in the Cinqueterre (Point B).
Copyright – Justinsomnia, 2008

Nice
We left Nice early Sunday morning.  Al & I both decided that Nice was not so nice...

Cannes
...on the otherhand Cannes really is beautiful. No small surprise that this is where the film festival will be held next week. There's a vibe that this is where the stars & jetset go to relax. The city is laid out nicely with lots of oceanfront views from apartments, condos and hotels. Al & I really enjoyed strolling around this beachfront community and it has some of the best beaches on the French Riviera.

Cannes & the French Riviera/Cote d'Azur
The epitome of suave and sophistication on the French Riviera...

Monaco
We had to stop here to see what the hoopla was all about. Al liked Monaco a lot more than I did. We did manage to step into Monte Carlo's Casino and look around, but we were relegated to the public area so we really didn't get to see much. You can really see the wealth in this tiny country by the cars the locals drive (Rolls Royce, etc.) and the types of stores on the streets (Louis Vuitton, Prada, etc.). The harbor was just incredible!

San Remo & the Italian Riviera/Riviera di Ponente
This town is between Nice and Genoa/Genova along the Italian Riviera. Al & I had lunch here. Not very scenic and it looked like it was past its prime. Kind of a disappointment.

Portofino & the Italian Riviera/Riviera di Levanto
Way out at the end of a peninsula via a harrowing drive sits Portofino. Very cute and touristy but enjoyable. But the drive, egad! Hairpin turns, meeting cars almost head-on coming the other way and barely squeezing by, and all of the hundreds of motorcycles-scooters whizzing by. This drive alone exhausted Al.

Portofino Harbor
A beautiful seaport in the heart of the majestic Italian Riviera...

Vernazza & the Cinqueterre
This was a VERY long and winding drive which takes you way up into the mountains along the coast before ending down in the small community of Vernazza. We actually had to hike in the last half mile but it was definitely worth it. This place is really isolated. You can take a local train here or drive and then hike in like we did. Deb – a friend of Al's -- gave us a good tip to bring backpacks at the Cinqueterre...luggage doesn't work well on the steep incline to the seaport. The village itself is a self contained community with several restaurants, hotels-pensions, etc. and is really quite charming. Not many tourists during this time of year, so everyone was relaxed and very friendly. People with their laundry hung out on lines outside their windows along with brightly colored homes. I told Al this reminded me of a movie set as the town is very narrrow and looked just like something from a period piece set in a small Italian seaside village.

Vernazza Harbor
A laid back fishing village on the Cinqueterre Peninsula...

-- Al & Locke

DAY 18 - Milan

Saturday, 7 May 2005

Italy/Italia
We cross the Alps and descend into northern Italy's Lake District. The temps warm considerably and it feels like we progressed a month into spring...flowers blooming everywhere and the sun shining on a regular basis!

Stresa & Lake Maggiore/Lago Maggiore
Peaceful serenity on the shores of Lago Maggiore...

Villa Taranto
Villa Taranto is a really nice, BIG flower garden. It had a lot of different plants in bloom especially the azaleas and rhododendrons in a plethora of colors. This has already hit the tour bus circuit so we did have competition for the facility, but still really enjoyed ourselves.
Verbania – Levano Ferry

We took a ride across the lake to Levano. It was a beautiful day and Al & I were able to sit outside on the ferry's top deck and enjoy the Italian Alpine panorama.


Santa Caterina del Basso Monastery
This is a small monastery near Levano that is literally on the coast of Lago Maggiore. It is set in quite a spectacular setting with the lake and Alps in the background. Al was saying that if he were a nun and had to pick a monastery, this would have been his first choice!

Milan/Milano
What a disappointment. The one cathedral we wanted to see was wrapped in scaffolding. The city itself is also somewhat of a disappointment. Not very interesting nor attractive. Milan is supposed to be a fashion capital but all we've seen in bad hair and capri pants and that's on the MEN. On a contrasting note, Milan proved to have some interesting attractions – we stopped by some of the famous sites in downtown: La Scala Opera Theater, Leonardo Da Vinci's statue and the Galleria. Afterwards, we enjoyed a nice lunch in one of the cafes along the pedestrian zone.

A7, the Italian Raceway
Germany may have the Autobahn but Italian drivers use their Autostradas as racetracks. They were driving faster than the Germans and forming single lanes to cut in the curves. Al did love going round those curves though in his own racing mode!

Car Mileage: 3000 miles @ 20 east of San Remo, Italy

Old town/Vieux Nice
Nice is a tale of two cities. Part of the city right by the water has a booming restuarant area and charming old town you can make through. The other part of the city is pretty grimy. Not very well kept and very seedy looking. I wouldn't recommend staying here. You're better off spending a little extra money to stay in Cannes.

Things we missed
We had to drop items from our itinerary, so we could savor the events we were enjoying. Probably the one attraction that we regret not seeing is Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper" in Milan. We actually had a reservation, but opted to stay in Lago Maggiore to enjoy the serenic beauty the lake had to offer. Plus, Turin/Torino – the site of the upcoming 2006 Winter Olympics – was dropped as well. Oh, if we just had one more day to squeeze things in... :)

-- Al & Locke

DAY 17 - Geneva

Friday, 6 May 2005

Switzerland/Suisse/Schweiz/Svizzera
Switzerland is an interesting country. There are four official languages:  French, German, Italian, and Romansch and signs are not bilingual, but drastically change from one language to the other as you cross linguistic regions. In fact, this is one of those rare days where we started out with breakfast in the French sector of Switzerland (Geneva), had lunch in the German sector (Zermatt), and finished up right by the Italian sector (Lago Maggiore, which is split between Switzerland & Italy) – all in one day! My brain was challenged to figure out which language to order the food in... :)

Lake Geneva/Lac Leman
We explore a little bit of old town Geneva and along the lakeside. Again, like Zurich, the Swiss cities are clean, but a bit sterile. With not many attractions to explore we then make a beeline for the Swiss countryside.

Chateau Chillon
This is right along Lake Geneva. It's actually one of the better laid out castle tours that I've seen. It's easy to follow the numbers to each of the areas. There is also a local train that runs right by the castle.

Montreaux
This is the town that is right next to the castle. It was actually the nicest town we visited in Switzerland. We had an expensive lunch there – Al had a cheese fondue! – and talked about our drive up to the Swiss Alps.

Zermatt & the Matterhorn
We wound through the mountains of Switzerland to get to Tasch which is the town where the roads end. We then hop on a train to Zermatt, which is at the base of the Matterhorn. What's amazing about the mountain villages of Switzerland is that they are literally built on the side of a mountain, not in a valley or clearing. It truly is amazing. We were less impressed with Zermatt which has kind of become a Swiss Aspen with huge amounts of development going on and commercialization everywhere. The clouds were coming in and out all afternoon and unfortunately, Al couldn't get the Matterhorn shot he wanted. Just a note the Matterhorn you see at Disneyland really does look like a replica of the real thing – at least from the photos that we saw!

Simplon Pass & the Swiss Alps
Traversing through the high Swiss Alps towards Italy...Simplon is one of the more beautiful passes that brings you from Switzerland to Italy. It was very windy when we started the drive and it got really cold at the top (37 degrees). But the winds also moved the clouds about that made for some great mountain pictures. Al also had fun zipping his new car through the Alps on our way to Italy.

Stresa
We hit Stresa on Lago Maggiore in northern Italy. This is a great town. The weather was beautiful as we drove along the lakeshore to the village. There were huge, old but very well maintained hotels on the route with great lake views. They look like they were built in the 40s and 50s. We stayed in a much smaller hotel, but it was adequate and we enjoyed wandering the small cobble stone streets of the downtown area and enjoying an Italian gelato.

-- Al & Locke