Roni was up first and out of the tent to the BEAUTIFUL sight of the lake - Largo di Bracciano – in the morning sun. Awesome. Then she toddled off to the camp cafe to charge some batteries up for our day in Roma.
We are definitely in Italy – having a coffee at the camp cafe this morning and people were wandering about in their speedos before 8am. Cheerily drinking their coffee and chatting with the staff (reminded us of the ice cream ad in NZ – togs, togs, undies!).
Breakfast (b.y.o) in the camp cafe while we consumed coffee then a chat with the staff – an Italian girl who recently spent a month or so in N.Z and is writing a book about it!! We weren’t sure whether to take the car in to Roma or not so her advice was very helpful.
Caught the bus from outside camp to Anguillara station – actually PAST the station so we had to pull the buzzer hastily and walk back to our destination. Then worked out how to catch the train to San Pietro station, success!
We followed some nuns to Piazza San Pietro then picture...picture...picture!! Explored the square a little before joining the hordes into the basilica where we did a circuit, descended into the crypt below the church and visited with popes (and even a lady!) from the past before going back up and into the basilica to finish our circuit. When Roni went in to her wallet to get cash for offering/donation we discovered everything was so hot we had to use tissues to touch them. The spare batteries in Roni’s purse had heated up so much that they burnt the paper in her wallet. SO weird, we are unsure if it was an effect of the x-ray security machine or simply some Vatican thing.
On our way out we saw the changing of the Vatican guard – Bray caught it on video. By now we were fading a little from all the sightseeing (had been in there for hours) + heat so stopped for gelato and a frozen lemon & lime drink.
Our walking tour of the city now began...Castel San Angelo, Ponte San Angelo with its many padlocks and angels, across the Tevere, past Musei Nazionale Roma and the supreme court then through Piazza Navona with fantastic fountains. Down narrow walkways and streets and past a famous person’s wedding (MUCH carbineri with big guns and drivers with shiny cars in attendance) to the Pantheon where we gazed around and took more pics. Exited due to mass then headed past Area Sacra Argentina in the direction of Foro Romano, Palatine Hill and the Colosseo. Realised en route that we would run out of time and miss the last bus back to our campsite so decided to come back in the morning before heading North. Past Teartro Argentina and Campo de’Fiori before crossing Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II on our way to the train station.
Caught the train successfully – and even managed to help an Italian catch her train! Shelled out an extra Euro each for a bus back to camp as we were too early for our bus pass bus and didn’t want to wait the extra hour. Back at camp we enjoyed sunset over the lake before heading to the camp cafe. We charged the laptop, used wi-fi and enjoyed some wine, chips and a pizza....actually the pizza was so yummy we enjoyed TWO! Stayed at the bar for a live music performance before hitting the hay in preparation for the long drive ahead.
