Floridia Rome

... from the train station which made things pretty easy.
I got all checked in and got my stuff organized then headed for a
quick snack before dinner. There was a great pizza place right next
door to the hostel that I thought I would try out. I had a tomato and
swish cheese pizza with big chunks of tomatos. After I walked around a
bit to orient myself with the city. Unfortunately I hadn't grabbed a ...

... was real. The best set painters in the world couldn’t capture the essence of the stone and wood, the lighting and sounds, and most importantly that thing that is so quintessentially Rome, the still air, wafting with the smell of Italian cooking, mixed with the sea and people, so many people.

By now we were hungry, as it was past 10 o’clock, the magical hour when Europeans come out to eat, and this is especially so in Rome where restaurants ...

... ask. Well on this most unusual of holidays we have rarely been in one place long enough to locate the supermarket let alone tap into a fresh supply of biscuity treats. Until now! And here in Rome we have discovered a new biscuit, like the Rondo in every way but most importantly BIGGER!!!! At least twice the size! Their name? Duo Keks. I know .... ridiculous name but a bloody good biscuit. I have ...

... and the arc that was built to celebrate the destruction of Jerusalem, and actually shows the ark of the covenant being taken (they think it might be buried somewhere in Rome if they're lucky). It's just so much history in such a small place. Then we walked down to the coliseum, and here's a tip I learnt: if you're going to the coliseum, walk up the hill and get your tickets for the other archaeological site. The ticket gets you to both, but the line the that one ...

... just the piazza and exterior of Michelangelo's buildings), and the basilica Santa Maria d'Aracoeli (I think this is what it's called!). This church is apparently where Romans flock to at Christmas. The thing I found most interesting about it was the evidence that it had been rebuilt throughout the centuries. The current building was constructed in 1280 but there are recycled components of its predecessors and other ancient ...

... is from antiquity, and the most impressive painting are the frescos. And the tapestries too, but awesome in totally different way. Hallway after hallway and room after room the frescos stretch from the floor to the ceiling and cover nearly every visible bit of wall space. Each room is another masterpiece, most notably by Raphael. Every wall and ceiling tells a story and each is so detailed it would take days to go through and ...

... and they cheered and waved banners as He greeted them in their respective languages.

We wrapped our last full day in Rome with a visit to the Borghese Gardens where we rented a 4 person pedal carriage and pretended to be on the Amazing Race passing other unsuspecting carriage pedal pushers throughout the paths in the Park. Unfortunately Donatellos' magnificent sculptures in the Villa Borghese will have to wait another time.

To say the least, Rome is an extraordinary place and offers the visitor so much, especially if you're into Ancient Rome and the Catholic Church. It is remarkable that whereever you go, historic relics abound. I've very much enjoyed my time here. I like the Italians. I like their language and accent, their sense of fashion, their food and their exhuberant forms of non verbal and verbal communication. It's a shame that I don't have the time to spend ...

Well, as i woke up with my back acheing from the ****** mattress, i peered out the window into the Roman sky and saw the sun shining in a cloudless sky. The pain immediatly went away and i was smiling with the thought of getting out there again. Once out of our dodgy hostel we walked a different way towards the Piazza Della Republica. This was actually pretty cool. Was a huge semi circle building that looked scenic surrounding this huge intersection. Before we got there ...

... industry to be based, and there are mountains of woodchips in yards beside the river, and the aroma is stunning. The Garfagnana mountains are still to the right, and now the Serchio River to the left, as you drive north-west. Unfortunately, the road also passes through an almost continuous chain of small villages and strip towns for the 10 km to Barga, and a further 10 km to Castelnuovo di Garfagnana. Traffic is always heavy and slow. With occasional stretches of countryside ...