Roma - Morning Walk

 So this morning before it got too hot in Rome I decided that I needed to tick off a few of the big ticket locations again.

Starting point is * at the bottom left of the map being our Room in Roma. My first picture just around the corner and is not the Colosseum but it looked like it!

Then there was the back side of the Victor Emmanuel 2 monument 

ohh and a bit of his front side!

And then I got a a little bit lost so here is the other side.

 Sorry not front picture 

Past loads of old stuff just laying on the ground.

Some great crazy paving from a really really long time ago.

Now here is the real Colosseum and what a great sight to see so early in morning “without too many people”

A hike up the hill to see the Trevi Fountain and make a quick wish …

Some cross fit training up and down the Spanish Steps

A morning walk without the Pantheon well that

wound not be a morning walk in Roma!

Over the Tiber river on the Sant’angelo bridge with its line up of amazing statues.

to see the … Castel of Sant’angelo

Gone off the tourist map to walk up see Basilica di San Pietro, you can’t come to Rome and not come here thats for sure.

Back out to finish my walk along the Tiber river

So after 14,452 steps I think I deserve pasta again for lunch today!

Roma - Streets & Lunch

 The raw grit of Roma with just so much history,

EVERYWHERE.

The cobble stone streets is a bit of a challenge to walk on and even in a car you get a bit of a rough ride.

This is the alleyway in-front of where we are staying with its graffiti art.

Had our first roman pasta lunch today just over the Ponte Garibaldi with Saint Peter’s off in the distance.

Cute little Osteria

Two very typical Roman pasta’s of Carbonara in the front and Sandy had the Cacio e Pepe.

 Simple done so well.

Roma - Our room

The view from our room is into a central courtyard, not so pretty but a great place to join in with the locals and have some time to attend to the domestic duties.

Our deck is not so big but at least we have one, as in Roma that is not always guaranteed.

The cute little dried breads in a packet is our breakfast provisions and is somewhat minimal, but it is already in our room for us to have what ever time we want!

So with a bit of imagination and soft filters on the camera it is looking very appetising.

And with some hazels nuts from the farm added to the Nutella it is breakfast fit for a Roman King and his beautiful Queen.

Roma

 Car delivered back to Bologna without a scratch! 

That is a huge miracle after the past 3 weeks, thats for sure.

Now a 2 hour train trip from Bologna to Rome 

Where we arrive to our last Italian bed for the next 4 nights.

We are staying at JB Luxury Relais one block on the city side away from the Tiber River.

We have picked this location as just over the river is Trastevere, the jewish quarter and this is where we are doing a cooking class in a couple of days. 

Italian Roundabouts

 There are so many roundabouts in Italy, it seams no sooner you exit one you are getting ready of the next one.The Italian drivers are crazy on the roundabouts and let’s just say that indicators are not something you see … well you see them you just don’t see them use them that is! The accelerator is king on the roundabouts, plant your foot and hope for the best … so once you do what the Italians do it all seams to run perfectly well! The roundabouts are also a great place to exhibit a variety of weird and wacky things.

Campanacci - Last day with a car

 Our last day with the car before we head south on a train from Bologna to Roma.

I didn't take any paint off … but today was the day that 

very well could have!

The drive did take us to more places that a car 100mm wider 

would not have dared to gone 

🫣 🫣 🫣 🫣 🫣 🫣 🫣 🫣

 It was a very tight squeeze … on several occasions!

As you can see we are not driving on any highways 

(not sure what is in the contract of the hire car about that!)

 nor was it 4 wheel driving but for me and my passenger sometimes we just had to close your eyes and hoped that the Italian drivers had the skills to miss us!

The picture below doesn't really convey the actual drop off it was from this narrow gravel road that bought us up to yet another Castello for me to explore.

 All the time with Sandy saying on the way up to “please” keep moving over to my left!

But my lovely, I can’t move to left as I’m already within mm’s of the hill side rock walls.

It was not till I was driving down the same said hill from the Castello that I could truely appreciate what Sandy was saying as I was now the one with the view over the edge to our death if  I made one false move.

Italians drivers must drink so much once they get home after a day out driving 😂 

The 1500 century Castello of Torrr di Oriolo above the small farming area of Oriolo was on the hit list of places to visit today.

With the car parked I made my way to the entrance of the Castello only to be stoped by the owner informing me that the road that I came up was not in-fact a road and was amazed that we got here. Opps!🫢

The internal stairs that went up several flights finally to the top of the tower, the smell was dusty yet dank and all the while I was walking where generations of leaders and soldiers have… it was once again a super cool experience  

The views from the Castello are draw dropping … it is now only 5 km back to the farm for some late afternoon refreshments or to be honest I’m hopping that Grandma has a bottle of whisky tucked under that ancient feather bed 😂 

The art work clearly is not from the 1500 century but it was such an interesting place for an art exhibition.

Now back down the hill and another of Sands cracking pictures in the safety of the paddock at the bottom of the hill.