Italy
March 7, 2019
Fun and family
After a very long but comfortable 2 flights, we were heading home to Inishnee after nearly 4 months away. We loaded our 4 passenger rental car with our 5 person equivalent of luggage and headed for Porto Touristico di Roma marina. She was in fine shape. All systems working. It took several days to adjust and unpack our bags; 4 checked and 2 carry ons plus a wee bit more that the airline kindly ignored.
Kathy's Yirego washing machine was the only item missing but the airline sent it by courier the next day.
Kathy's Yirego washing machine was the only item missing but the airline sent it by courier the next day.
After decompressing a few days, it was time to go touring ... we choose the Tuscany region. Hill country. Stops included Tivoli and Orvieto.
Orvieto is a walled city sitting atop a hill. We parked in the lower city and used the pubic escalators to reach the upper city. 6 escalators in all. Possibly because it is still the low season we found most of the shops to be closed of closing for siesta... 1-4pm... we found a cafe in the main square for a bite to eat then left feeling a bit underwhelmed but the hill site was alive with spring flora making the ride quite pleasant.
Our next adventure took us to Tivoli.
Our goal to visit Parco Villa Gregorian. A park situated on both sides of the ancient valley furrowed by the Aniene River. The gorge, nick named the ‘Valle dell’Inferno’ (valley of hell), is stricking in breathtaking beauty and steeped in ancient myths. Cascading waterfalls spill from the river over edge and continue down to the Mermaids Groto where the water roars down and though an underground cave.
A local encouraged us to also tour Villa d’Este, a fountain landscaped gardens and former convent. Hundreds of water fountains, secret niches and towering trees promised calm and relaxing strolls through the many mazes of shrubs and flower beds. The former convent now a partially multi story museum with hundreds of murals painted on every surface, the floors equally decorated with tiles of local polished stone.
A high speed train (250 kmph) took us to Florence for 4 days / 3 nights. Thanks to the Medici family it is home of some of the most prolific art in Italy. The historic old city is smallish, we were able to tour all the hotspots at our leisure with only a fraction of the summer crowds.
The Duomo towers over the city, its copula tour not for those with a fear of heights.
We spent a small fortune touring museums and palaces: the Uffuzi art Museum,
Capello di Medici (chapel),
Leonardo da Vicci museum; scale models on inventions he drew in his plethora of notebooks.
We strolled the famed Ponte Vecchio bridge over the river Arno and found an original watercolor painting to bring home.
We next returned to the airport to collect Stephen and Amanda! They managed to squeeze 10 days out of there very busy lives back in Florida for a European vacation… The first few days we walked the streets of Rome till we were all exhausted. Thanks Stephen and Amanda sharing some of your photos for the blog!
We took the train from Ostia and exited at Colosseo (the colosseum). We wandered around eating and taking in the sites:
Spanish Steps
Pantheon
Trevi Fountain…
Our return to Ostia was complicated due to the closure of 3 metro stations in the heart of Rome which we only became aware of when trying to enter each of the respective stations. By the nights end, Amanda’s Fitbit registered 13 miles!
After a deep sleep we were ready for more… over the next several days we toured the Colosseum, and the Forum.
Lots and lots of churches including San Giovani, the ‘home’ cathedral for the Bishop of Rome: the Pope.
We returned to see the Pope in person for his weekly Wednesday audience with the public. He rides (stands) in the Pope-mobile with security flanking him around the plaza. The crowd scrambles for the best viewing position, the Pope blesses babies and sometimes receives gifts from groups or individuals in the crowd. A short sermon from the Pope is read from to the attendees, translated in several languages by various bishops.
A day of rest then back on the tour circuit…
Closer to home we toured Ostia Antica (Old Ostia). The former harbour city of Rome, it was abandoned in the 9th century ad due to silting from the Tiber River. 
The ‘new’ Ostia is located at on the sea approximately 2 miles from its former namesake. Ostia Antica was eventually completely filled in an remained buried for hundreds of years.
Conservation is current and ongoing. The ancient buildings are in remarkable shape; frescos and mosaics, artifacts and statues are on display throughout the grounds and the small museum. It is similar to Pompei in structure without the cataclysmic end.
A road trip took us to Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii…
Vesuvius erupted around 79ad and consumed the ancient Roman settlements of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis and Stabiae. Its inhabitants; human and animals, were overcome by smoke and hot ash. It incinerated everyone and everything in its path. The bodies were turned to charcoal by the pyroclastic flow of 8-10 feet deep. The bodies left voids in the hardened pumice and ash which researchers some 1,500 years later would discover… the voids were filled with plaster to create a cast from of the person of animal.
Today, Vesuvius is a tourist attraction, hundreds of visitors a day make the 20-30 minute climb to the rim to peer inside the still smoldering caldera.
Continuing on, we drove part of the Amalfi Coast… a spectacular seaside road, with dramatic views, skinny roads and jackknife turns. Tunnels and bridges, open vistas, rock strewn embankments.
We overnighted at the Bacco Hotel. A true gem in the village of Furore which clings to the side of the mountain. Our rooms had sea views, hot showers and comfortable beds. A restaurant on site, thankfully because many businesses were just starting to shake the winter dust off the shutters, anticipating a fruitful summer. 
Morning meant a turn toward home… we took a mountain pass and found a small distillery for Limoncello! 
The proprietor was happy to show us around while explain the process (in Italian)… we were encouraged to sample numerous flavors, several of which were to our liking. A transfer of funds and we were in possession of bottle or two of limoncello and some sipping ‘thimbles’ made of traditional local pottery.
On their last day of touring, we returned to Tivoli in the Tuscan hills with Stephen and Amanda.
Unfortunately, Stephen and Amanda’s other lives required them to return… and the crew of Inishnee were sadly on their own.
Montepulciano was as much a tourist destination as it was a genuine small town with locals going about their business, even in the soaking rain. We ducked into one of the first shops and luckily they sold wine! and… gave samples of their homemade bruschetta toppings and olive oils served on local bread. Not quite lunch but a tasty snack.
The wine was fantastic, we bought several… and the building was a bonus. It was once part of the underground tunnel system with multi levels and passageways that lead to other buildings. Now, these subterranean labyrinths housed the shops wine and a museum of historical artifacts: barrels of aging wine, olive presses, torture devices and a mishmash of paraphernalia. 
Our hotel was charming and warm. Our host friendly. We checked in and walked to the nearest open cafe for a late lunch then returned for nap… Our host apparently forgot he lent out our room and popped in on us! Imagine all our surprise… he quickly shut the door and we just chuckled. Part of the experience!
It continued raining but our bellies insisted on sustenance so out we went again. Luckily the nearest restaurant was only a few hundred steps from the hotel. Typical Italian eatery, 15-20 seats, nestled in a space for 10… The menu, hand written in several languages, sold out portions crossed off. With the deluge outside we decided to sample from each of the menu ‘plates’… appetizers, first plate (pastas / salad), second plate (meats), desserts. House wine 6 euro’s a liter, very drinkable… several hours later, we put on our still wet jackets and sloshed our way home. Our return journey took us to Siena for lunch, then Inishnee. 
It was now time to get real… so the car was returned and we started looking at our next berth for Inishnee. Our 6 month contract was up in a few days. Hours of searching informed us we were in for very hefty marina fees as we continued north and west. We would be entering the Italian Riviera then the French Riviera… nightly berths starting over 100 euros…so, we extended our Rome marina contract a couple of weeks while we struggled with what to do and where to go… and, the weather here has been chillier than expected. Mid 40’s at night. Without shore power for heat we would be looking at some rather uncomfortable nights.
This gave us time for a few messy boat projects. Jim replaced all 4 motor mounts. Kind of like shoes for the engine that absorb shock and keep it in position. While in Tunisia we had the engine rebuilt. During this process one of the mounts broke and was replaced with a scavenged one. They really need to be the same so…. It took two days of heaving, prying, sweat and of course a bit of blood; but, the job’s completed and successful!
We also decided it was time to address the 30 year old wood work aka varnish. Several days of sanding and applying multiple layers of varnish, she is looking quite rejuvenated.
But, we had to make a decision about relocating. So we did. And we aren’t. It is much cheaper and more convenient to keep Inishnee in Rome and tour by land and air from here. So, we are going to tour Italy by car another couple of weeks…
Fly off to Croatia and Scotland (flights in Europe are very reasonable). That will take us into June! 8 months in one spot… the longest since leaving Michigan 4 years ago on this journey.
AND ! ... we'd like to welcome miss Callie to our family
Congratulations Ben, Amy and Keegan
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