Rome and Lucca 2012

A much delayed start to the blog! 

It's Italian Labour Day, 1 May, a public holiday and raining in Lucca. So we have coffee and panforte at hand, and some smooth jazz (bought from a street musician in the Borghese gardens) playing in the background while I finally post some photos and catch up on what we've been up to.


Five days of almost perpetual sunshine in Rome, much like home, mid 20s and sunny. Our apartment was perfect - just off the Spanish Steps, all chandeliers and great flowing drapes and eccentric plumbing, and overlooking a street scene of cafes and bars and crazy Italian drivers. Pete T joined us from the UK and, as the 7th person, got to sleep in a cupboard - but a very nice cupboard with plenty of air :)

Street view from the apartment

Did a guided tour of the Colosseum and Roman forum, which was fascinating; climbed to the top of the dome at St Peters; Spanish Steps ablaze with azaleas; a visit to the gallery and bike riding in the Borghese gardens (which required resting and a cold beer under the trees afterwards). 

Spanish Steps - before the sun came out

On the Spanish Steps ... 

Colosseum

Col at the Castel Sant'angelo

Pooh Bear in the Borghese Gardens 

Leanne also in the Borghese Gardens

Our efforts in Italian are impressive: our hovercrafts are full of eels (thanks to Greg and Monty Python...)

Managed to fit all the people and luggage in a Renault people mover for the trip to Tuscany (though Cathy and Greg's Samsonite was a close call...) 

Intrepid travellers 1

Intrepid travellers 2

Travelled via Siena for lunch and an (unintended) walking tour of the city, and a quick stop at Pisa to see the leaning tower - much more impressive in reality than in the photos. It's a truly beautiful structure, and quite incredible at over 4m out of plumb.


We're now in Tuscany in Lucca, which is a beautiful medieval town, with narrow winding streets - like Siena, we've been lost ever since we got here. 


Our apartment is stunning - huge, Italian influenced but underpinned with Scandinavian decorating restraint (owner is Norwegian and all the instructions are in that language!)


Went to a Puccini concert last night at S Guiseppe, a small but beautiful chapel - they have a short concert every night of the year to celebrate his origins here in Lucca. 


More bike riding on the city walls that surround the old town, lots of steps, towers, churches, espresso and limone gelati... and off to the Cinque Terre tomorrow.

View of Lucca from the bell tower, Torre Guinigi

Bike riding on the wall of the old town, Lucca