The cities and villages, the people, the accent, the food. Spending another three weeks in Italy has made me realise how much I have a real soft spot for this country and all it has to offer.
After an exciting business class flight due to an unexpected upgrade, we arrived in Rome at 2am on Saturday morning. As soon as we stepped off the plane we were hit by the hot European heat, a big contrast to the winter temperatures we had been experiencing for the past three months.
Summer in Roma was an incredible experience, and it had a very different feel to the last few times I had been in Italy when it was the middle of winter. Apart from the obvious increase in the number of tourists, the city also seems to be more alive. The setting of the sun doesn't occur until around 10pm, and and as a result the crowds remain in the city until late in the evening.
We had a busy three days exploring Roma including the obvious attractions like Il Colosseo, La Fontana di Trevi, La Basilica di San Pietro and others. We also spent many hours of the day wondering around getting lost in the little cobblestone streets that wind their way endlessly through the city.
On the third night in the city we arranged to catch up with Mel and Pat, which was exciting as it was the first familiar face we had seen. Together we spent hours sharing stories in the park before heading to [Travastere] in search of the infamous "chocolate shots" bar.
The rest of the evening we spent enojying a margherita pizza, a delicious hazelnut flavoured chocolate shop and a long walk back to our hostel on the other side of the city.
From Roma we travelled the short few hours North to the little village of Orvieto. Having visited Orvieto on my first trip to Italy, I remembered it as being a very beautiful village situated on the top of a mountain with an incredible view of the surrounding countryside. It was exactly as I had remembered, but even more beautiful at the height of summer as there was an incredible view of the acres of green fields below.
We spent our time in Orvieto staying with an Italian family who were a friend of Nina's in their gorgeous little home. It was a relaxing few days as we took the opportunity to relax and experience the true Italian way of life, and for me to enjoy speaking Italian.
From Orvieto we went to Firenze where we checked into a camping ground for three nights. We had arranged to meet up again with Mel and Pat for their final night in the city, and together we watched the sunset from our idyllic position on the top of the hill and then finished the evening in a restaurant where we all indulged in a big bowl of Italian pasta.
Like Roma, the following few days we wondered around Firenze, visited the famous leather markets and spent many hours people watching. While I enjoyed revisiting Firenze, it was a very hot few days and we were both relieved knowing in a few days we would have the opportunity to dive into the Mediterranean after a long three and a half months without the ocean.
Our trip along the West coast of Italy and the South of France aboard Paso Doble was spectacular to say the least. We visited a number of gorgeous little villages where we were able to observe the unique European summer culture without the masses of tourists.
The Mediterranean is unlike anywhere else I have ever seen during the summer period. The atmosphere both on the sea and on land is one of excitement as the holiday-makers enjoy the sunlight which lasts until late in the evening. The ocean is crowded with million dollar yachts and enormous speed boats, all of which accommodate wealthy families and their friends. Every evening the boats dock in some of the most prestigious marinas in the world (like Porto Venere and Monaco), giving their owners a chance to show off their prized possessions and for the people on land to likewise admire them.
Over the two weeks we covered a fair distance, from Porto Ferraio to Porto Venere, (along the Cinque Terre), Sestri Levante, Genova, San Remo, Monaco ending our trip in Antibes. Each place had it's own attractions, but it was Porto Venere that I immediately fell in love with.
A small village that stretches along the edge of a cliff, this town has many attractive features. The cobblestone streets that wind their way up the hill are filled with fascinatingly tall houses that are each treated to the view of the bay below. On the highest point of the cliff face is a gorgeous little church decorated with black and white marble. It is not surprising that the church is in such a dominant position as this is the case in most Italian cities. Also, it had an amazing jumping spot off the side of the cliff where one could swim alongside the soaring cliffs which form this part of the coastline. It is no wonder that Porto Venere was the long term retreat of the late Lord Byron, and it is certainly understandable how he was able to draw inspiration from the place.
The weeks on the boat also provided for Nina and I some time to relax and enjoy the summer sun after having a cold few winter months. As Maria was also on the boat with us, we were treated to some gourmet meals which came as a big treat! I commend her on her efforts as she was able to prepare some very deluxe meals in the small kitchen on board. We were also grateful for the delicious fresh produce we would often find in local markets as we went for our morning walks to explore each of the little towns before the rest of the people had begun their day.
One of the other amazing places we visited on the Italian coast was Portofino. I recognized the name as the place where my parents had spent their honeymoon all of those years ago. After anchoring in the bay we took the dinghy ashore to have a closer look at the little town. The main piazza was filled with restaurants selling Italian delicacies and the surrounding laneways were filled with designer boutiques to satisfy the demands of Portofino's wealthy visitors. After a slow passeggiata around the town it was obvious why mum and dad would have chosen such a place to spend their holiday.
On the way back to the boat we admired the extensive gardens that spread the width of the cliffs, each filled with olive trees as well as some unusual species of plants.
Our stopover in Genova after a week on the boat gave us a chance to stock up on supplies as well as pick up our two new passengers for the following week. Daniella and Tanja, two Swiss women, boarded the boat armed with some much needed nespresso refils, and we began sailing toward San Remo.
To celebrate the departure of Maria, Alexandre, Nina and I we went out to dinner on arriving in Antibes. We found a nice outdoor eating area where we enjoyed our first French meal as well as some entertainment by a local group of young musicians.
The next morning Nina and I boarded the train to Nice, as Maria and Alexandre headed to Barcelona and Hans was left with Christian to continue sailing. It was a sad time as I watched the Triado family split and go their separate ways, their next full reunion not until July of next year.
Unfortunately our stay in Nice was cut short due to a number of issues, and we has only one day to see the city.
It was another scorching summer day and so we headed to the seaside, one of the iconic beaches on the famous Cote d'Azur. The European beach scene is much different to the one in Australia... Rocks replace sand, waves are nowhere to be seen and the number of people is multiplied by hundreds (in a much smaller space).
We barely noticed as the hours passed and we realised we had been on the beach for many hours. Being much closer to one's fellow beach-goers also means that they can offer a great source of entertainment, especially the French and Italian crowds. Totally devoted to their image and tan, many barely touch the water and spend most of their time posing for photos on the shore.
This put an end to another stage of our journey, and we were excited to begin our backpacking across Europe.
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