Day trip from Rome to Ostia Antica and the beach at Ostia

We have opted to organise ourselves out of the city of Rome. We want to take a bnreak from the heat and the constant tourist zones.

I don't know if we will be safe from the salesmen at Ostia Antica an old Roman port now in ruins. The beach will be a welcome cooling off period.

How to get there:
- from Termini station
- take metro line B to Piramide
- take the trenino to Ostia and Ostia Antica

Rome entertainement found with Carlo

Finally when it looked the most dire our situation: fed up of constant nagging by tourist street vendors, and of overpriced under-valued tourist restaurants we met up with a friend: Carlo.

Carlo showed us around the city in a more Roman way. We went to Piazza Novella finally: man we should have gone here from the beginning. This is one place where there is Roman nightlife happening: restaurants, birreria, caffe, stores (closed at night), people (of Roman origin)! We stopped for a good pizza and beer at Il Baffeto 2.

Later we moved onto Emporio Alla Pace. A caffe with a lounge feel. We had a cocktail and moved on to walk around the streets and alleys that make up this nice part of town.

The ristorante and cocktail with the walk was the perfect waty to catch up with a friend and to also see a nice part of the city. Highly recomment that if you are looking for a good place to eat in Rome that you go to Piazza Novena.

Pisa day trip from Florence

We woke up early with the full intention of going either to Pisa or Sienna... We were still undecided. In the end while walking to the train station we opted for a day trip to Pisa. We grabbed the 845 to Pisa and were there about an hour latter. Using the public transportation. Bus system we headed into town to the Piazza dei Miracoli. What a magnificiemt qnd heautiful place Piazza dei Miracoli is, however what Heat! It was 38 degrees celcius and there was no way to hide from the sun. We dis all of our tourist photos and wanderings and then headed back to Florence in the AC of the train.

Le Bangarelli

The street vendors found all abound the Medici Capella are an amazing source of junk and good purchases. I actually came out of there with an Italian leather jacket and Carolina with a nice summer dress.

Day 2: Galleria del l'Academia

We slept in and woke around 8. We went for breakfast and then we were ready to attack the day. Making our way first to the Galleria del'Academia which hosts the David, one of Michelangelo's most famous works. Apart from David various pieces of art from all over Florence dating from the 14th to 18th centuries were on exhibit including a modern exhibit of Robert Mapplethorp contrasting hist Renaissance inspirations.

Apperitivo in Firenze

Last night after a pissolino we woke and left for a night walk and byte to eat. We found a local trattoria ristorante called Kirsch on Via Di San Gallo near Piazza San Marco. We sat and had apperitivo for 8 euros a drink (I had a mojito and Carolina a bloody mary) and an all you can eat buffet... It was very good.

We latter left by foot and walked from the Kirsch to the Medici Palazzo to Santa Maria Magiore back to the Duomo.

Arrival in Florence

We just arrived in Florence this morning on all night bus. The trip was uneventful and we were actually able to catch a bit of sleep on the bus. No idea what parts of Italy we traversed to finally wake up at 6 in the morning with a Tuscan landscape shown to us. Cypress and Olive trees everywhere interspersed with grape vineyards, Sunflower, and corn fields... Very pretty.

The walk through Florence started from the Duomo, through the historic central part all the way over to the Ponte Vecchio and then back towards Il Mercato Nuovo.

We see works by Michalangelo, and a bunch of other Renaissance artists. Too many works of art that is dizzying.

First impression of the difference between Southern and Northern Italy: 2 different countries. Calabria's charm is the fact that people won't start speaking to you in English, and that when there you are living like the locals. Florence's charm is that you don't feel like you are in the middle of some forgotten land, everything is well marked and european feeling.

We are off for apperitivo somewhere and then for a bit to eat.

Ciao