102

Day 102.Sat 10th July.
Bolsena.

It’s only possible to do anything physical in the cool (25oC) of the morning so were off at 7am.
A lovely easy trip and arrive at our lakeside site by 10.30am. There are several lakes in the area, formed in the craters of extinct volcanoes and Largo de Bolsena is the largest. It’s a tiny site with deep shade and a view over the lake. Run by two diminutive sisters who are friendly but volatile, Classic Italian temperament.
Its just as hot as Rome but the large expanse of water creates wonderful refreshing breezes and the lake is free from the pesky Mozzies that plagued us in Rome.
At last we can sit out in the evenings and enjoy the cooling airs.
Set up camp under the trees and jump in the lake for a swim.
Bolsena is home to the famous EST EST EST vino and at 2.80euro a bottle a delectable snip.
This part of northern Lazzio is located right on the border with Perugia so were basing ourselves here to explore the region.
Bolsena
Let me in the water.

101

Day 101. Fri 9th July
Villa Livia.

Time to move on and were preparing to break camp today.
Discover why all the caravans and campers disappeared when they did.
The cost of staying on the site jumped from 15 euro a day, to 35 euro a day. Quite a hike and likely to be the going rate everywhere for the next two months.
We learn to our surprise and delight, our current lactation (Prima Porta) is the site of Villa Livia.
It was only discovered in the 50s and home to an amazing underground room with the most beautiful wall frescoes of a garden. The emperor’s wife had her country house here.
We take molly for a look and like all the archaeological sites discover the paintings have been removed to a museum. It’s a great park though not much to see of the Villa.Our destination tomorrow is a volcanic lake 140K north of Rome that promises to be tranquil and cool. Just like us.

Wall fresco
and another

Day 100

Day 100. Thursday 8th July.
Villa Adriana.

Emperor Hadrian built his country villa 20k from Rome on the outskirts of Tivoli. For Villa read small town. He lived there for the last 3 years of his life with all the attendant servants and slaves.
Systematically plundered for hundreds of years its now and enormous hot dusty load of old ruins and at 15 euros a pop is a bit steep. A great traveller and art lover he designed much of it himself and when he overheard a respected architect of the day taking the piss he had him banishes and killed. Serves him right.

Hadrians private island apartments. (entry by drawbridge)
The Canopus.

Get yer coat youve pulled!.

Day99

Day 99. Wed 7th July.
Vatican Museum

After 2000 years of plunder and extortion the Vatican galleries are a must see art horde.
We arrive just before the gallery opens at 9am and already the 4 deep queues are round the block. This being the Vatican, we are whisked to the ticket office in no time at all and against my better judgement hand over our 30euro contribution to Vatican coffers.
It’s a daunting prospect, many of the rooms are the length of a football pitch but we make a B line for the Sistine chapel, the Pinacoteca (painting galleries) and the rooms decorated by Raphael.

The ceiling of the Sistine chapel by Michelangelo is epic and heartbreakingly glorious. All but ruined by some shortarse tick of a guard loudly shushing the room of stunned fellow art lovers.(what is the collective noun for a gallery full of people)?
For goodness sake, no one is there because it’s a chapel. Were here to be awestruck by the most viewed painting in the world and we have paid 15 euros for the privilege so please allow us a few gasps of astonishment and pleasure.
Directed back along the football pitch to get to the Raphael Stanze. Enveloped by the astonishingly beautiful paintings on the walls and ceilings, you feel you are inside the painting. Directed along the football pitch (and gift shop) again, now I know how a rat in a laboratory maze feels. To the Pinacoteca, full of the glorious and the gruesome, magical masterpieces that are a joy and privilege to behold.
As this was to be our last visit to Rome, lunch in our favourite restaurant, Ostella alla Concordia and get uproariously drunk, it’s too hot to remain sober. Thank goodness we were drunk, the heavens had opened, trains were cancelled and the ones running were awash with rainwater, in the carriages. Nothing for it but enjoy the drenching walk back to the Wang. The awning had collapsed with the sheer volume of water and we merrily took it all in our stride.

Clay head by Bernini (1 m High)
WOW Raphael

The Gardens from the gallery.

Day98

Day 98. Tuesday6th July.
DVDs

Too hot to do anything so headed for a nice air-conditioned shopping centre. Big food shop and stocked up on DVDs to help pass the sweltering evenings with as little movement as possible.
Have you ever seen me look so happy.

Day97

Day 97. Mon 5th July
A walk in the park.

A day devoted to relaxation. We drive Molly to the park at Villa Borghese. On our visit to the gallery we noticed it was the place Romans walked their mutts. I use the term walked in its loosest interpretation. They relax and chat under the shade of trees while their mutts lie and scratch, roll on their backs and sniff the occasional bum. Molly exploded this sylvan revere with a couple of high energy chase me chase em’s. Though soon enough she succumbed to the heat, another 40o day, and lay scratching with the best of them.

Day 96

Day 96. Sun 4th July
Vatican.

I wanted to save the Vatican visit for a Sunday and my dearly departed mams birthday seemed an auspicious day.
When I first came to Rome 30 years ago early Sunday mass was spectacular, with a cast of thousands and very moving.
St Peters Square at 7am is deserted. Luckily we have a good wander while the queues start to build in the square. Sadly only a handful of people at mass (less than 100). Though the scale of the place is impressive and the interior, dauntingly magnificent, the atmmosphere is cold and impersonal,to me it seems little more than a cherry on a turd.
I was a good catholic schoolboy of the 60s and an altar boy when the church was in a period of great progression.
I feel the last two Popes have set the church back 100 years. Ultra right wing, reactionary, conservative and highly politicised. Their stance on birth control and homosexuality is the cause of global misery for millions. Without the glorious creations of homosexual artist over the centuries the Church would be a much poorer thing indeed. oops, sorry about that, off my soapbox.
Walked in the shimmering heat to the Castell St Angelo, like sightseeing in a traditional wood fired Pizza oven. Across the bridge of the same name to Piazza Navona. Full of cod art and great fountains.
Lunch in the highly commended Gusto, (great food shame about the service, I can forgive poor service but not when I have to pay a 15% service charge for the privilege)
The interior from the dome.
Andy and other cherubs

St Marks Square from the cuppola(quite a climb)

Ponte St Angelo