Roma - Italy

Sam's & Libby's Highlights & Impressions
• Visiting the Colosseum
• 3D movie of ancient Roma
• Dressing up as Gladiators and Romans
• Watching NZ draw with Italy in the World Cup Soccer
• Catching up with the Barcelona Kiwis' and watching the soccer together
• Sleeping in the tent

Bonjourno from Rome, Italy!

NUOVA ZELANDA 1 - 1 ITALIA ... Unbelievable ... we've survived and feel like we've conquered Rome!!

We left Camping Panoramic in Fiesole our camping ground near Florence to find the pay road headed to Rome. No more than a kilometre down the road we struck trouble.... the road 'tomtom' had sent us down quite obviously wasn't for campervans or anything wider than a mini. After a little bit of frustration from a few passing Italians - their eyes were glazed and wide opened at the sight of the van heading toward them - and one who verbally expressed his annoyance at us and compared us with 'Parisian taxi drivers' it was quite apparent we were in the wrong place! We negotiated a U-turn on a one way road and unscathed, found the motorway and 3 hours later found ourselves safe at Tiber Camping on the Tiber river - a popular and accessible campground on the northern outskirts of Rome.

Thursday morning we were in the middle of Rome - our first sight the impressive Colosseum. We explored the Colosseum and wandered the ruins of the Palatine and Forum Rome and sweltered in the searing heat! Ice creams all round, and a dunking under the water aqua ducts that are found in most Piazzas. A swim back at the campground and a reunion with the Barcelona kiwis.

Friday saw us off to 'church' - the enormous Vatican, St Peitro's Basilica teaming with marble, bronze and gold, much of it apparently plundered from ancient Rome. It was quite impressive and the kids might have said a 'Hail Mary' for Oma & Opa had they known what one was. The Sistine Chapel had us queuing for an hour plus - the kids have started setting stop watches whenever we start to queue - once inside it was a tooth pulling experience as we had to pass through bustling tour groups - after a couple of kilometres of corridor walking, endless signs (millions and millions) pointing to the Sistine Chapel we finally arrived. To appreciate the painting is difficult when the Chapel is jammed packed, and this experience didn't register for us as a highlight - however, been there, done that, got the T shirt .

The afternoon we explored ancient Rome - the Pantheon (more scaffolding) the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain, wandering the narrow paved streets, avoiding the motorbikes, and discovering more ice cream shops.

Villa Borghese was our last museum - an extensive collection of paintings, many by Michealago, marble and mosaics - with limited admissions this was a more pleasant experience.

Our last day in Rome saw us visit the 3 D Virtual world of Ancient Rome - the short movie left us wanting more - a good sign. The kids then dressed up as Gladiators and Romans - all good fun. We headed back to the camp ground in readiness for the soccer - a thrilling match with a 9 strong Kiwi contingent draped in NZ flags and tattooed silver ferns. There was frustration from the Italians viewing the game and much table thumping - not helped but our vocal Mexican waves. What a great result, and to have been ahead for half an hour - unbelievable!! As our friends Willem & Tiny put it ... "it was like David taking down Goliath" ... as we continued to celebrate on into dinner, we did on a couple of occasions kindly request the barman not to spit into our beer ... what they did with our pizza's who knows but we have survived to tell the tale.

We are again on the move ... heading south ... destination Pompeii, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.

Thanks again for all your return messages which are always appreciated by us all ...

Till our next blog ... it's again ariva derci (over & out) from this Family on OE!