After I returned from the visit to my parents it was time to get ready for our Italy holiday. First Uli had a conference in Frascati near Rome and I could explore Rome, then Uli and I planned a holiday in Florence and Cinque Terre, We took the car down to Rome. On our drive there we first stayed in the Aosta valley, a route by now familiar to us. To spend the night I had chosen a small hotel at Pont-St.-Martin. It is a pleasant town to explore with narrow streets and the Roman bridge which gave the town its name and was next to our hotel.

The next day I was looking forward to seeing the coast. Surprisingly little, however, was seen due to the many tunnels near Genova and beyond. Since we made good progress I made the suggestion to stop at a peninsula near the island of Giglio. It turned out that we could enjoy seeing nice sparkling turquoise water from a cafe where we lingered overlooking the harbor where ferries were docked and leaving.

We walked along the shore with lots of tourist stands trying to sell glittering jewelry and other kitschy things. At the end of the promenade we had some delicious ice cream and went back on the upper town through narrow streets. We continued on the highway and then left to go along the shore again. The atmosphere changed totally-suddenly it was cloudy, windy and the ocean was gray. Traffic around Rome was heavy but we did find everything well. We were tired so we ate at the hotel. On Monday I took the train in to Rome. I started by looking at the Forum Romanum where I had been for the last time when I was 16 with my grandmother. I was just as impressed with it as when I had been a teenager. The Via Sacra had great views to all sides and I loved the pink marble leftover columns of the Basilica Aemilia.

The weather was great with some dramatic clouds for the background. It was a very inviting atmosphere to take lots of pictures. Once I explored most of the buildings on the ground I mounted some steps and had a great panoramic view.

The statues in the Vestal Virgins courtyard were especially striking from the top. After a tourist-trap lunch (but I was hungry!) I explored the Colosseum. It was quite impressive and I enjoyed walking around on the different levels.

Uli picked me up from the railroad station and we had a great dinner. We found a small restaurant (5 tables) called “Una Bella Storia” (A beautiful story). The menu was made like an album to open up and the bill came in a bag made of handmade paper. The food and service were very good. On Tuesday I decided to follow a “Bernini” walk my guidebook suggested and it was very adventurous to find some of the sights and streets. I started at Santa Maria della Victoria, which houses Bernini’s controversial Ecstasy of St Theresa.

It really was a very dramatic church setting and I enjoyed the contrast to the “Roman day” yesterday. It was still a bit gray outside but the next stop at the fountain del Tritone and the small fountain dell Api (bees) got more interesting when some rays of sun managed to hit them. I then passed the Barberini Palace and decided to go inside. It has a nice collection of art but the stunning thing for me were the ceilings—gorgeous stucco and allegorical paintings. At the Vicolo Scanderbeg I found a cute little restaurant on the tiny plaza away from the bustle of the famous landmarks. It was a pleasant rest and a good home cooked meal. The Trevi fountain nearby was a zoo—one could not even get near it so I just took a photo from afar! I was taken to the column of Marcus Aurelius next, amazing, these thousands of soldiers that are depicted on it.

The Palazzo di Montecitorio was in the neighborhood, an elegant palace with a curved facade. Another highlight of the walk was the Pantheon—the architecture gives such an astonishing atmosphere of harmony. Near the Pantheon is a funny obelisk supported by an elephant—the children there loved it. The last stop was the Piazza Navona. The weather allowed for more sun to peak through so I got some highlights on the statues, especially the horses.

Getting back to Frascati was in crowded buses and trains. I avoided the metro since in the morning I let two cars go by and could not even shove myself in! I had a fun dinner with some of Uli’s colleagues and him in Frascati. The next day I decided to do the hop-on hop-off bus after all that walking the last two days and Emma, a wife of Uli’s colleagues joined me. It was very crowded and things happened fast. There was a whole tile missing in the sidewalk and I tripped and fell and as it turns out later broke a bone in my foot. I still could walk so we did the tour and I went to emergency in Frascati since my ankle swelled up. Emma was a great moral and practical support, and she quickly got me crutches before the shop closed as the hospital had none to give me at discharge. I was so upset and mad our holidays ended here. On the other hand luckily I got competent care right away and for free (emergency care is free in Italy). We stayed until Uli’s conference was over and then went back. We spend the night in Ivrea and on Sunday still had a nice drive back through the Aosta Valley. It was foggy and the castles looked magical . We decided to take a different way home and went over the Gd. St. Bernard Pass—cold, foggy, windy.

So I walk on crutches, which I find very hard, instead of exploring Florence and Cinque Terre.
