ITALIAN TIMES

When in Rome

Em and I had the luxury of getting a four-day weekend so we decided to catch the train down to Rome. We were doing it on the cheap so decided to stay in a caravan park just outside of the city. It was a great decision. It had a bus stop out the front which took us the Vatican and had a great atmosphere and people to meet and hang out with. There is so much to see in Rome and we tried to cram it all in. So we covered: The Spanish Steps, Vatican, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Colosseum, countless churches, marketplaces, squares - you name it, we did it. We also met a great bunch of mates in the caravan park, so it was sightseeing by day, party by night. To the point the security guards kept having to come and tell us off. Yes, we regressed to our teenage years and enjoyed every moment of it!

The Swiss Guards at the Vatican with their fashion statement

The Spanish Steps at night - how romantic

The gang in the caravan park

Bol with his nifty speaker device inside the Colosseum

Em throws a coin and makes a wish into what she "thinks" is the Trevi fountain

And then we find the real Trevi fountain by mistake two days later

The Easter Procession
We may not have had chocolate eggs or a treasure hunt this Easter, but how many people can say they joined in a medieval torchlight parade in a small Italian village? Us ...

Anghiari
Anghiari has got to be one of the most beautiful towns in our region. It is perched up high on a hill about 20 minutes from our house and offers views over the whole Tiber Valley. Such a great place to spend a Sunday afternoon meandering around the cobbled streets, watching the artists paint in the cellars of old buildings, and having a beer overlooking the valley.

(Above) Looking up at Anghiari and (Below) The view from Anghiari across the Tiber Valley

New Friends

Well, after our first month when it seemed we were living in a village with hardly any young people, our employers children came to stay and showed us around. It turns out there are a stack of people our age in San Giustino and so now we actually have a great social life as well. One night the village mums cooked a massive feast for about 80 of us in a hall and then a band played while we all danced. So much fun. And one of the guys we have become really good mates with often has us over for dinner to sample his dad's meats. They make the most amazing prosciutto and salami. And they make their own wine - so it is always a great evening when we catch up with Cappy!

At the feast with our mates

The band which kept us on our feet

Dani, Em and Vicki at one of the local wine bars

Cappy, Bol and Pat pull their best faces

A night on the town


To the Beach

Finally the weather is warm enough and we can really enjoy the Italian beaches! A group of about 15 of us headed off from San Giustino one Sunday morning at 7.30am and drove south for a couple of hours to a great set of bays. It was so great to get in the water again.

And that's it for now!