Returna to Roma

8.6.09 Monday: Minturno, Cassino and Roma

Well, I think its time that Bob and I owned up to a terrible addiction we have developed. Our habit needs to be fed on a weekly basis and unfortunately it is quite expensive and difficult to obtain in Europe. By Monday or Tuesday of each week we are starting to get the jitters and are obsessed in finding our next fix - and will go to great lengths to find it. The Sunday Times! – there it is, I've said it! The British newspaper, the Sunday Times – it keeps both Bob and I entertained in reading material and cryptic crossword for a full week. Amongst all the usual suspects, it has a huge liftout called “Culture” which has great articles in it covering a variety of matters. Bob and I read the whole paper, word for word, cover to cover. We have learned that a European edition is printed in Marseilles, France but is not available until Monday and only in a few outlets in large cities – and it costs €5 (ie $10 a paper!! - which we are happy to pay!).

With this in mind, we try to find the paper in our little village, Vico Equense, without success. One vendor suggests the Autogrill (ie service station) on the motorway – ok, we are heading off anyway so we will check them out. We tried no less than 5 Autogrills but again no success. OK, it looks like we are going to have to go to Roma to find it – it's only 100 kms away and anyway while we are there we can pop into the Vatican Museum for a look at the Sistine Chapel (did you hear it has recently been relocated from Florence!).

So off we go back to Roma – we know the way because we have been there before. On the way we stop into a couple of little villages, Minturno and Cassino in search of the maps of the WWII battle fields in those areas for Stan, Mum's neighbour. Minturno is a lovely little village on the sea with mountains at the rear. We can see why it would have been a good vantage point for WWII commandoes – but unfortunately not a map to be seen. We travel further north towards Roma and stop of again at Cassino. We called into Cassino a week or so ago but it was a National holiday and nothing was open. We have a little more luck in Cassino this time and obtain a map and some information from the Tourist Bureau and some other maps from a book store – so hopefully Stan will be happy with what we have found for him.

We are almost in Roma when the overhead road signs indicate a serious accident ahead and to divert if possible. We cant decide whether to divert or not (the diversion seems more congested than towards the accident!) - so Bob decides to follow the truckies – they will have 2-way radios so they will know the go. We follow the truckies and end up at a stand still for about half an hour or so. All of the truckies and other motorists get out of their cars and congregate together discussing the matter. Now that Bob is an experienced trucky, he decides to join the guys to find out what is going on. With chest puffed, off he goes. He is gone a while and I can see him ahead nodding and agreeing with the guys. When he finally comes back, chest still puffed, he says “there is an accident ahead, about 4 kms!” Well, that was worth the effort! When we finally move on, we pass the accident and it is an oil tanker that has rolled over. There are police and fluroescent vested men everywhere with all sorts of equipment trying to upright the vehicle, including a crane!

Well we finally arrive in Roma fairly latish. We decide to stay in a different campsite than last time, one recommended by the other Aussie couple from Gladstone. Gee, what a luxurious campsite it is – the sanitary facilities for the women have a little fountain and piped music – very flash! - and it has internet available from our van plus public transport at our doorstep!

9.6.09 - Tuesday

The next morning we head off into Roma in search of The Sunday Times and the Sistine Chapel. Because we have been to Roma before, we know the public transport system inside out and the layout of Roma – so its all systems go. First of all, we try a number of newsagents around the main train station. The first 3 say “noa Englisha papers aherea” - ah, but we know better. We look for another newsagent and spot one about 50 metres away. As we walk towards the newsagent Bob says “I can see it, I can see it” - low and behold Bob has spotted a Sunday Times from 50 metres away – we are so pleased we paid all that money to get have Bob's eyes lasered!

With our first mission accomplished (and our habit fed for another week), we head straight for the Vatican Museum. We walk straight passed the most expensive cafe in Europe (the one that cost us €42 for 2 sandwiches and 2 juices) with our heads held high! Inside the Museum we are very impressed with the size of the Museum (it is huge) and the interesting sculptures and pieces of artwork. We have an audio guide which makes the visit much more relevant and inclusive. I tell Bob not to get too excited about seeing the Sistine Chapel because, from what I remember, it is just a painted ceiling, but it is more the content of the ceiling, as I understand it, that is important. But alas, I cant suppress Bob, excitement – he keeps asking, “when do we get to the Sistine Chapel” and when he finally sees it, he says “is this it, is this really it?”. I'm afraid it is, I say. But we listen to the audio guide and understand the theological relevance behind painting and appreciate a little more greatness of the feat. With our second mission accomplished its back to the campsite.