Day six saw us leaving Nice, saying au revoir to France and buongiorno to Italy!
Earlyish breakfast, load the bus and then all aboard and onward to Pisa.
Pisa really was a bit of a disappointment - all there is to the town is well the leaning tower. A few tour group members knew to expect from friends who'd already been. It was typically tourist - African crafts (roll eyes!), to tacky plastic Pisa tower replicas, to boxer shorts with the tower in all sorts of 'compromising' positions and angles.
We all did the cheesy tourist photos - pushing over the tower, pushing up the tower, hugging it, kissing it, licking it, and if you were a guy - well, use your imagination as to what they did :p
Had lunch in Pisa and then we'd set off to our camp site near Florence. First Italian meal and it was yuuuummmy! Penne, tomato sauce and mince as a starter, lamb chops with some sauce i couldn't figure out and veggies as a main and gelati (chocolate and lemon flavoured) for dessert.
After dinner, sat and listened in the outdoor courtyard to a guy playing guitar and singing English and Italian tunes and then it was the local disco...at first we were the only ones there, and it was off to a really slow start - but turned out be fun. A typical cheezy, holiday like disco - a whole mix of things were played - starting with recent songs and inevitably getting to grease lightening, the Y.M.C.A and the like.
Another tour group was staying at our campsite as well- all the tours stay at pretty much all the same places - and were they raucous (and Aussie!). The Aussies with us were not impressed. Danced around for a couple hours and then headed to bed. Found out the next morning some of our group went swimming after hours - and got caught (oh and really drunk - some were not hungover, but rather, still drunk the next morning).
Brekkie and then Florence! I quite enjoyed this city - too many tourists but hey. Saw the Ponte Vecchio - the oldest bridge in Florence. It was the only one that survived WWII - today there are jewellery stores all along it - pretty jewellery,classy jewellery, weird jewellery, would-someone-actually-wear-that jewellery, but all expensive jewellery! Saw a small section with leather markets, the town square - with a whole lot of sculptures and a replica of Michelangelo's David - the actual is now housed in the Museu d'Academie - tried to go in, but with a queue stretching around the block and only having a couple of hours in Florence I decided there are other things to do in that short space of time. So definitely back to Florence!
Wandered the streets and ended up in more markets - of course leather goods were purchased, few leather bracelets AND the awesomest black, fitted, biker type leather jacket. It looks like it was made for me, taking into consideration that I fitted on a couple and that often the small was too big! finding (and then buying!) one that fit was fantastic. Add, the lady gave it to me for halfprice - she said it was student price, and we were a bit worried we were being had, but mine had a price tag on...definitely got it half price!
I can now say I own a genuine Italian leather jacket made in Firenze! w00t :D
Needless to say most of the girls on the bus either returned with leather handbags or a leather jacket - after not spending all that much money in France - the euros flew out our pockets once we reached Italy!
From Florence - we hit Rome. Arrive at our campsite - after being stuck in some traffic - nowhere near as bad as Paris though, we arrive. And then wait for our tour guide to go the reception.
And we wait and wait and wait and wait.
By now we're all hot and bothered, and since there's a pool at the camp site all we wanna do is get out the bus, off load and jump in the pool. It was around 6pm that we arrived at camp, maybe a little after. Eventually, we get into the grounds, offload the bus, room allocation, quick change into cozzies and then try find the pool in the massive camp site. Our cabins were about 10min walk from reception. Our tour guide had told us pool closed at 8pm, by now it was around 7.15 - still more than enough time to swim. Asked this group of people for directions who told us the pool closed at 7, we decided to try find it anyway. Find it and yep, indeed - closing times had changed from 8pm to 7pm - not sure when that happened. Disappointment.
Back to cabins to change out of cozzies and head to dinner. Another delish 3 course meal - though not as good as the one we had in Tuscany. As we were walking to the restaurant lightening streaked the sky - frightening, but beautiful. During the third course, the storm hit - bringing everyone who'd been outside indoors. The umbrellas were blown over, and a few bulbs burst - that's how violent the storm was - I was quite happy to be in the restaurant - and not in our cabins where there are plenty of trees around. Twenty minutes later, storm is over and we head back to camp.
Day eight and it's the walking tour of Rome. Breakfast, purchase travel day passes and off we go into Rome. Some of the group opted not to do the tour and headed straight for the Vatican City - as it's closed on a Sunday. The rest of us did the tour.
Whether or not it was really worth it - I really couldn't tell you. We had a local take us around the major sights of the city - it was supposed to be a 3hour walking tour - was 30min longer, and it could've been way way shorter. She just talked way way way too much. We spent nearly an hour at the Colosseum alone! Where she lost us all about 30min in. Spunky, strange lady - and I guess she tried to make it more relevant - by comparing ancient Rome to modern scenarios but we really didn't need all of that.
I spaced in and out for most of the talk - spent most of it taking photos and looking around at everything else. A few more people decided the walking tour was not for them and left before we'd even departed from the Colosseum.
Since I wasn't listening I really can't remember it all but we saw the Colosseum, the Forum, had the 7 hills pointed out to us, tomb of the unknown Soldier, Rome's main street whatever it's called, the Pantheon, some church, the Trevi fountain and finally the Spanish steps...
By the time we got to the Spanish steps we were all a lot bored and silently, and not so silently, begging for this lady to finish already.
Soon as she was done, did the obligatory hand clap of thanks...a few of the girls and I raced to the closest metro stop, and headed to the Vatican. We got there and there was hardly a queue (for the Vatican museum) - this was around lunch time. Walked in, payed our fee - making sure we had on appropriate attire - no shorts or skirts (at least none that are above the knee) and no spaghetti strap tops allowed.
The museum is massive - and we only saw a fraction of it - basically making our way towards the Cistine Chapel....it took us long enough to get there! Spent about two hours in the museum. All the artwork was truly amazing - and a sensory overload - the walls, the floors, the ceiling - all had something on.
Finally reach the chapel - which didn't really feel like a chapel with all the throngs of people in it. There's signs everywhere saying no photographs or videos, but of course you get people taking them anyway. One dude with this huge camera and massive lens was blatantly taking photographs (eish, I did have some serious camera envy....entire trip through actually, the cameras I saw - wow!) I turned my good ol' point and shoot to face the roof, zoomed in and pressed the shutter, all without looking at it! and making sure the guards never saw me.
Found a place to sit and just sat and looked at the ceiling. It's really incredible - I then did the silly thing actually focussing and aiming at the creation - and then showed it C who was sitting next to me - both were excited - and oops - 3 guards came at me!
I then put the camera away. Later that evening we found out from girls who paid for the full guided tour (and had to wait about 1.5hr to get in that morning...) that the reason behind not taking photos has got absolutely nothing to do with damaging the artwork - no.
The Vatican had sold the restoration rights to the Cistine to some company, they in turn had sold it to Nikon and Nikon now holds the copyright (and restoration rights) to the Cistine.
Dispicable!
From the Cistine eventually exited the museum, and although the Basillica was a block away - albeit a very huge one - we really didn't have the energy to return after the longest day of walking. Got the metro back to camp and went for a swim!
And was it a lovely swim! Until I was stared out the pool by the lifeguard that is....the others were cold and I decided to stay and just laze about with 30min before the pool closed.
I tell you, it could only be the whole Italian men thing...ohmygosh, all he did was stare - he even watched me when I got out the pool and wrapped around my sarong! Oh, add that I was the only in the pool area at the time - it made me feel a little lot uncomfortable.
Dinner that evening was purchased in the restaurant - I had a yummy Romano Pizza - thin base, tomato sauce and chilli (no cheese) - twas good! Some folks decided to braai that evening... I ended up staying up until 3am just chatting and laughing at the antics of drunk folk. Failed attempt at a 2am swim - way too many lights, too much noise, guard actually walking around, and apparently cameras on the pool foiled it.
Up early the next morning for free day in Rome. Spent the entire day there - wandered around some markets, through a somewhat dodgy part of Rome and then literally just walked it all. Returned to the Pantheon, Trevi and Spanish steps with the girls who'd gone to the Vatican the day before and didn't see it. Spent a fair bit of time in jewellery stores.
Towards evening we started keeping an eye out for a place to have dinner. We found ourselves in the Piazza Nuovo.... I love love LOVED this square! The vibe was fantastic - all the cafes and restaurants setting up for dinner, the musicians setting up for a concert, testing by playing the guitar, artists drawing and displaying their work. I would've been happy just plonking myself in the middle of the square and soaking it all up! I had goosebumps just being there.
After this, walked some quaint back alleys and found ourselves headed back in the direction of the Trevi, found a place down one narrow street close by - including service charge. Sat down to a lovely 3 course meal - bruschetta, spagetti, tomato sauce and fresh basil followed by veal, veggies and potato wedges. Had gelati for dessert at the Trevi - was beautiful seeing it at night, walked passed the Spanish steps again, and then headed back to camp.
We had an early start that morning as the next stop was Venice. Of course we didn't leave at 7am as we should have. No real surprise there. It was a pretty uneventful ride - until it got to about lunch time...the bus was acting up. Reached a truck stop, told us 45min for lunch and we should be back on the road to Venice. Uh, or NOT!
SEVEN hours later we finally left the truck stop.
It's amazing what boredom can do. I'd taken two books with me, and a glamour - all of which by this time i'd finished. We were all just sitting there bored to tears wondering when will this mechanic come and sort out the bus already. I jokingly suggested how about drinking. Adding, that for me to suggest drinking on a Monday afternoon I must truly be desperate - for one - I'm not a drinker. I'm such a light weight. And two - it's not the kinda thing you'd expect me to suggest...but lo and behold, like five minutes later - one of the 'drinking crew' suggested the same thing. Don't know if he'd heard what I said.
Anyway, go to the shop - where they sell booze of all sorts - half price special on red wine (in boxes of three).
I never thought I'd ever answer the question: So what did you do at 15.45 on a Monday afternoon? with - drink on the bus!
Yep, the bus we were all so sick of we headed back to, sat in rear and proceeded to drink (lightweight me only had 3 glasses). By the time the mechanic eventually came, and fixed the bus about 7-10 people had been drinking - and 14 bottles of red wine had been consumed by the time we reached the camp site just outside Venice at just after 9pm that evening.
Had dinner in the camp's restaurant before it shut at 11 and then bed before Venice the next morning.
In hindsight (don't you just love the knowledge gleaned from hindsight) breaking down meant that we had a little more time in Venice - since according to the Schedule we were supposed to arrive at around 3pm the afternoon and the last public tranport left Venice around 11pm.
Venice - what a pretty peaceful town. It's immediatley peaceful since there's no cars honking, no busses, no trucks etc etc etc. All things are done on boats - we saw a boat taxi, cops, garbage barge and even the delivery of drinks to restaurants - all by boat.
Of course most of us took a gondala ride. It was pretty cool. Bit of a balancing act, and feeling like this narrow little thing will tip over wasn't great but it didn't so it was all good. After the gondala ride once again just walked the streets. Piazza St Marco was flooded - not sure if it was high tide or something, but they had raised platforms for people to walk on and the cops all had thigh high waders on.
Oh man, one was so tasty. The Italians - men and women - are beautiful people. This one calender (i really should've bought!) with the hottest guy on the front kept catching my eye whenever I walked passed it in some tourist stall - must add the models were all dressed up in Priest garb....uh, lead us not into temptation...
Wandered around Venice, lunch on the go - pizza slice and then made our way back to where we had to catch the shuttle back to camp. We were told the half two - turned out be half three - since the half two only ran at high season. Don't really know why it was no longer high season since it was still very much summer, with plenty of tourists around but hey. So we plonked ourselves on the pavement for the next hour...we'd been threatened that the bus would leave without us since it was a ten hour journey to Switzerland. Oops. The bus couldn't leave with our bags, tour guide and bus driver now could it.
Eventually get back to camp - wait for the bus driver to manouver the bus out - taking about another 30min - why he didn't do this before we got there heaven alone knows but he got it done.
And we all got on board at about half four and four hours later said ciao to Italy
Pisa
The Streets of Florence
Ponte Vecchio, Florence
The other side of the Colosseum, Rome
Trevi Fountain at night, Rome
Gondolas in Venice
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