Ponte Vecchio bridge, Florence
We began our holiday in Florence, and then jumped a train or three to Manziana, a small town about thirty miles from Rome, where we’d booked to stay for six nights.
It became a little hairy at this point, as we’d just picked up an email from the landlady, who was under the impression we were no longer coming…….our fault, we’re far too casual about arrangements, it appeared we hadn’t responded to her email re booking a taxi from the station.
We arrived at the tiny station in Manziana no longer sure if we had a place to stay, it’s a small town and finding a hotel seemed highly unlikely. It was dark and getting rather late and we didn’t have the address, yup… far too casual. I did, however, have a telephone number, so called the lady and was relieved to find that we still had accommodation, but…..it was now too late to book a taxi, so we had to haul our suitcases up three flights of steps and begin walking, armed with an address and an excellent set of directions.
I, of course, took the address and directions…me, struth…I couldn’t hit a cow’s ass with a banjo without my specs….who knows what I wrote down!
A beautiful disused chapel in Manziana
…..of course we got lost. Eventually, hubs got sick of the pair of us toiling up and down the back lanes, with suitcases, so he took a stance at the top of each hill with our luggage, and let me do all the darn legwork.
St Peter’s Basilica
It had been a long day, and hubs was becoming irritable, I was way beyond irritable!
I walked down the final hill, exactly the same as all the rest. All the houses were gated, and all had guard dogs, which were charging the gates either side as I passed, my dogs do the same, so they didn’t bother me, but it was very dark and a little unnerving.
An-y-way, I got to the bottom of the final hill, hip a-throbbing, when, of all the critters, a Jack Russell slipped under a gate and barred my path, and then dared to growl and show teeth! I wasn’t in the mood, I walked towards him, growling savagely and showing my teeth, which sent him scuttling off into the darkness. At this point I would have taken on a ridgeback!
Colosseum
It got worse but I’ll spare you all the embarrassing details, suffice to say that many Italians, who came out to see why their dogs were barking, tried to help us out, one even tried to force us into a car in an attempt to drive us back to the station. I have little Italian despite having an Italian Grandmother….sighs….note to self, learn every language on earth!
Trevi Fountain
We did find the place in the end, it took four hours, it should have taken fifteen minutes! What a lovely place it was. So much better than a claustrophobic hotel room in Rome.
I have no clue what the legless horses in this back alley are all about!
Forum
The Forum reminded me of Pompeii. It took us all day to explore. It will always be memorable, mainly because hubs managed to get sun cream in his eyes and spent the entire day rubbing them with the back of his hands…I felt like I had a toddler in tow! He wouldn’t let me clean them and staggered around almost blinded for most of the day, and of course every time he rubbed them he rubbed more cream in…..shakes head!
Swiss Guard
I was astonished at how still these guys stand in the heat, I did try distracting them by smiling and waving, but no, nothing.
Arno River, Pisa
It occurred to me that if the Leaning Tower of Pisa was straightened, no one would ever go there….
I do miss animals when I’m away, so I often find myself stroking horses and dogs, and cats if they’ll let me. I met these gorgeous German Shepherds at a train station and got to spend an hour on the train with them. They clearly didn’t understand English so I asked their German owners how to say good boys in German….finner puppies, or, guter junge, they certainly responded to that. I’ve now introduced those phrases to my three, it’s about time they learnt another language, too.
And FInally…….
The feathers from heaven? Well it wasn’t exactly feathers, just the one. I was outside St Peter’s Basilica when the tiniest little feather floated down, almost in slow motion and landed on my hand. Not from an Angel, or from heaven, but obviously from a pige. That’ll do me.
I read your post with great interest and not a little anxiety, were you ever going to find a place to stay? Your posts are always a pleasure and delight to read. Florence and Rome wonderful and thank you for the great pictures.
I very much hope our intrepid travellers have recovered from adventures both planned and unplanned.
Good luck with the hip Dina.
Vera xxx.
Thanks so much Vera, I did enjoy the trip despite being lost, I suppose it happens to us all. Now Autumn is here I feel an urge to hunker down beside the log burner and just read until spring.xxx
Great story of your travels, brings back memories of lugging bags around and going the wrong way. The killer in Italy is carrying your own bags up all four/five flights of stairs. But then there is always the gorgeous Italian food as compensation!
I love the little feather dropping on you, all your good work with those pigeons/birds and wee animals has been noticed!
Oh….four or five flights of steps sound painful! How true re the food though, there is so much choice! Ahhh….what a sweet take on the feather, how lovely! Thanks Gerrie.xxx
What a lovely story Brenda, how lovely that we both adopted phrases…it is odd being without animals when they are so integrated into our daily lives, I always have an awful feeling that I’ve neglected to feed something!!!xxx
Aside from the hellish four hours, it looks like a glorious trip. I relate to visiting with every passing dog while traveling, I miss mine so.
When camping with Zoe as a pup, we met a German woman (who missed her own pooch). She couldn’t get enough of Zoe and kept murmuring “kleine hunde,” while she gave Zoe loving. Ever after, we used that as a term of endearment for Zoe (even when she was no longer kleine). The only German she ever learned!
Welll, i must say was glad i could catch your blog again. And Had a great chuckle. I feel a kinship on your mishap of finding your room. happens to me more than I care to admit. Glad you had a great time. Hugs
How nice to hear from you Sheryl, I hope all is well with you and yours. Do you still have a blog? It would be nice to catch up!xxx
What a funny story! Sorry I shouldn’t laugh but I did. Lol. Anyway I think you have a memorable vacation because Italy is very beautiful. I do miss my furry friends too when I’m away from home. So I always greet cats or dogs and would pet them when they let me 🙂
You laugh Debbzie, I did afterwards….it’s funny how we have to have our animal fix when away isn’t it….and to think you now have yet another puppy!!! You’ll have to post some pics forme!xxx
Sounds like you had a good time eventually – it all looks beautiful. Welcome back.
Thanks Elaine, it was certainly a busy, but interesting break. It’s about time I visited Rome, next time I’d like to spend a few nights checking out the nightlife.xxx
Your vacations always come with such interesting stories! I don’t think I’ve ever had a feather fall from heaven onto me so it could be all my naughty ways are catching up with me. I can just imagine you growling at those dogs. 🙂
Lol….I’ve never had a feather from heaven fall on me either! I have had a seagull drop from the sky, stone dead, into my arms though! I was about ten at the time and it upset me terribly!
Naughty ways indeed….you’re a little sweetheart!!! Thanks Casa.xxx
I couldn’t help it. The song started playing in my mind, immediately: “Every time it rains, it rains — feathers from heaven”. What a great trip you had — although it did have its moments. You handled those dogs better than I would have. I’ve mostly gotten over my childhood’s unreasoning fear of dogs, but when they start to snarl, I’m suddenly more than a little nervous.
I agree that the Swiss Guards are quite spiffy, but my favorite photo is of the little chapel in Manziana. Of course St. Peter’s is splendid, and all that, but still… The forum photo reminds me of a shoebox diorama I made in 7th grade. I wonder if they even teach kids about Rome, now?
Now you have that song playing on a loop in my head! I grew up with dogs, my parents always had three or four so I was always pretty primal around them. I apparently growled before I spoke, as did my daughter….she always had a pack around her too. When I’m tired I do revert….sadly..and take to growling and showing teeth!
It’s always interesting to see small humble churches and spectacular ones isn’t it, I know which one I prefer too. I always find something unatural re people being forced to stand still for hours, why????Thanks Linda.xxx
P.s….while we were there, it rained..rained, and thundered, we had the mother of all storms! Lovely to watch from a garden though!xxx
I’m smiling as usual at your tales this time of your adventures in Italy! I’m feeling very very Rome-sick, as you can imagine, frustrated we can’t get there at the moment because of my treatment programme and lack of cheap charter flights by the time I’ve got the all clear in November. Your photos are great and now that I see that the water is back in the Trevi I know Rome will be waiting for me and Mr. P. Have a restful weekend!
I do feel for you Linda, how you much miss your Italian break, but time will fly by and soon all will be sorted and you can head back there again. The fountain is looking beautiful, I wonder how long it will stay that white? Here’s to you getting to your beautiful Rome soon. I did enjoy my visit there. Next time I’ll go for a few days and sample the nightlife.xxx
Eek sounds like a difficult start to your holiday, hopefully you can laugh about it now?!
These places are never easy to find and especially in the dark. Some lovely photos of your trip, glad you had a good time. The Trevi fountain was covered in scaffolding when I went last so definitely need to go back!!
You always laugh afterwards don’t you, and funnily enough remember the dodgy moments when travelling….
The Trevi fountain is immaculate now, glistening white!xxx
You can’t seem to get anywhere without a grand adventure! Well, I’m so glad you made it to a comfortable spot and were able to get out and see some amazing sights. Fantastic photos! My favorite is that spectacular shot of the Arno. I must say you’ve shown a lot of restraint, posting a mere handful of photos 😉
Fancy your three learning German! My mom used to speak Vietnamese to the dog (back when I had a cocker spaniel) and then translate for him, “In English, we say…”
Yes….what is it with me and drama???? It was lovely watching the sun set over the Arno, it’s such a pretty place, there were fire eating artists performing there at the time, all very dramatic in the dark. We went around a market selling sauces/cheese and bread and I sampled a hot chilli….oh sweet lord, I have NEVER known pain quite like it, even my ears were burning. I thought I was dying for at least twenty minutes….
I didn’t post too many pics as everyone is so familiar with the attractions in Rome…..
Oh….what a cultural spaniel you had, lucky guy! My three already respond to German, I must introduce other languages soon! I think I could learn Italian, I definitely have the hand waving off to a fine art, that comes naturally! Thanks Anne.xxx
We had a similar trying time looking for a gite we had booked. It didn’t help that the address was misspelled in the instructions. We found the gite owners cousin in the next village who directed us back to a street we had already tried. We’d actually asked at the house next door to the gite owners and been told that thet had never heard of him. At least we were not on foot.
Oh goodness me, what a saga! How on earth did you find the place in the end? It’s so frustrating isn’t it? We had good directions, I turned left into back alleys rather than a road. Imust have explored every back alley in the neighbourhood. xxx
A wonderful selection of photos from your holiday. How frustrating wandering around for 4 hours. I used to arrive at places late looking for accommodation in my backpacking days. New places look so unfriendly in the dark! But I’m so pleased it was a lovely hotel – once you did find it. It looks as though you saw some great sights on your holiday. And I love the feather floating down like a little gift – your pigeon friends know you everywhere!
How true Wendy, the unknown is always so much more difficult in the darkness…I can imagine the trials and tribulations re backpacking! So many hostels are down back alleys or out of the way.
I was pleased with the little pige feather, it had me wondering if my piges/doves were still around.xxx
Oh, I feel for you regarding your miserable four hours lost in an Italian town. It reminds me of how Danny and I arrived in St. Petersburg after a very uncomfortable and sleepless overnight train trip – and Danny couldn’t find the hotel he had booked. We spent an hour or two trudging up and down Nevsky Proskpect in the snow, dragging our bags behind us …
It’s the bags isn’t it??? I really tried to travel light this time but we still ended up with too much luggage. Carting suitcases around is no fun, being tired and lost aint either. I sympathise re the overnight train, they are so uncomfortable! Being lost and cold sounds truly dismal! Thanks Jason.xxx
A most enjoyable post and lovely pictures. That certainly wasn’t the best of starts to your holiday was it!
I’m glad you told us what the feather was all about, I certainly would have wondered otherwise. xx
Thanks Flighty, hubs and I always seem to get lost on the first night, the last leg of a journey always seems to be tricksy for some reason.xxx
Awesome update thank you for sharing have a blessed day it was nice reading your post from your Holiday
Thanks Linda, all the best to you.xxx
Good morning dear Dina…..before I comment…I love the header picture of the feather….absolutely beautiful….something quite ethereal about it.
Well, it seems that after an initial difficult landing, so to speak – you had a very good time…I love Italy and all things Italian, i.e. the food, the people etc.
Would you recommend your accommodation again? I always like to stay in small out of the way places.
I am quite sure that when you returned home your doggy angels barked like crazy….they must have been so very happy to see you. Thanks for another lovely post…and do enjoy your day….janet. xxx
Thanks Janet, the finner puppies certainly were happy to see us.
The accommodation was perfect for us, an English lady rents the ground floor of her home. There is a double bedroom, a lounge with English TV, wifi, and a small kitchen with two rings for cooking, there is also a small garden where you can eat and relax. It’s very basic, and extremely reasonable. It’s in a residential area and is a 15 minute walk from the station, the trains to Rome run every hour. There are lots of towns nearby and a lovely lake. I would recommend it, accommodation in Rome is ridiculous and most of the rooms are tiny, it’s nice to get out of the city in the evenings. xxx
Ho Hum…..you do get into some energetic adventures. Poor hubs with his eye cream.
I was quite taken with the dilapidated chapel, it makes quite a change from the masses (no pun intended) of other ecclesiastical structures to be found. As an Italian friend said to me in Roma “E spaventosa -ci sono chiese e chiese dappertutto”, or, something very similar.
Trevi Fountains looks as if they’ve had a make-over since I visited and probably several times over since Maistroanni and Audrey Hepburn pop-popped around them on a Vespa or two.
Independent travelling, where it is possible when visiting another country is pleasant.
The fine doggies are young ones, I wonder what terms of endearment will be adopted in a year or so. Junge might hang on for a bit.
Sounds like you had a smashing holiday. Your home-based charges and those that have adopted you will be glad of your return, just as we are. xxx
I would have liked to have seen the inside of that tiny ancient chapel, there was something so simple and beautiful about it. Goodness, yes, there were churches simply everywhere. There seemed to be one on every other street!
Trevi fountain has just been refurbished, it’s glistening white again, we threw a penny in for luck….
Those dogs were only young, they were so good with the little girls who were all over them like a rash…..apparently large dogs have to be muzzled in Rome, how ironic that such gentle creatures had to wear muzzles. Thanks Menhir, it is always lovely to be home.xxx
Oh, my goodness, Dina, what an adventure…brought me back to “tired travel tales” of my own…the exhaustion, being lost, just wanting to locate a bed, anywhere. But what a great story! I have never tried whacking a cow’s ass with a musical instrument of any kind, but I doubt I could do it, either. 🙂
I was so sorry for your dear one’s misery from the suntan cream. That couldn’t have been too much fun.
Love all the photos; you really got around! Gorgeous view of the Trevi. I also like the horses in the alley and the children surrounding the good pups on the train. I love the sole photo of you, too!
You know i have a thing for feathers, too…so it was a delight to hear you received one outside St. Pete’s!
Sounds like a lovely journey; hope it felt great to get home again, too. Thank you for such a lovely post.
Yes, being lost when tired certainly is the pitts! I think everyone has been there at some point.
Lol, you and me both re whacking a cow’s ass, you do wonder where expressions like that come from, I wonder why it rolls off my tongue!!!
It certainly was a busy holiday, it was nice to get out of the big cities in the evenings.
I was surprised seeing that little feather floating down, I have kept it. Thanks Kitty.xxx
What a wonderful sounding holiday – and it will be all the more memorable for the tricksy bits! Your photos reminded me of our holidays in Italy; how I would love to return someday. I love your expression about the cow and the banjo! xx
Once we all arrive home the tricksy bits are the moments we remember for sure….well said!
That really is an awful expression for an animal lover, aint it???? Funny how expressions you’re used to roll off the tongue! Must lose that one! xxx
Well that looks absolutely marvellous. And travel wouldn’t be travel without a few stories to tell!
I think everyone who travels has stories to tell, I enjoy yours, especially re ….tiny planes…and The Northern Lights! Anywhere new is an experience, so there will always be stories…..xxx
Wow! You certainly got around. Did Val tip you off about her favourite restaurant on the shore of Lake Bracciano?? I can understand why you got lost, especially when it was dark! Glad you made it in the end … I was thinking of you today as I wandered along the shore, and what I wish to know is … are the piges still outside your bedroom window, mournfully wondering where you’d got to??
Val did tell us about that restaurant…. so we visited Bracciano, on a Sunday, the views were just gorgeous, so we decided to walk down to the lake via the steps. Halfway down I called it a day as I doubted my hip would make it back up again, we could have taken the road but that looked steep-ish too. I enjoyed the view though and got lovely pics of the lake. We ended up sitting outside the castle, enjoying a few beers.
Did you walk down there? RESPECT if you managed those steps!!! I tip my hat to you!!!
Getting lost was our fault entirely, we missed that email while in Florence, no internet access, soooo, totally got why Val thought we weren’t coming…tell you what though, what an interesting take on Manziana, I think I know every back road there is! Kinda nice once you think back on it, the people there were so helpful, they were utterly determined to help us no matter what. One lady pursued me for ages, she read the address and knew she could help, oh sighs…so embarrassing for me, need to learn every language on earth seriously!
OF COURSE all the piges are still here…I’ll tell you more in my next post! How lovely that you think of me. Thanks Gill.xxx
Oh you lucky girl what a fabulous trip. Apart from the 4 hour tramp of course. I love Florence but have never been to Rome. Your photos are wonderful, they make me want to get on a plane right now. Oh and I love the shot of the Arno at Pisa.
Is it nice to be home? Have the pigeons taken over your bedroom in your absence?
Oh…you would love Rome, if you do go, don’t visit the Sistine Chapel and Vatican museums, they are an utter nightmare, you’re herded like cattle, crushed into tiny spaces where you don’t get to see anything, or read anything and you’ll queue for hours unless you go via a tour, which only skips the queue outside, which we refused to do….so much better to watch a documentary or study a book.
St Pete’s is free,and so easy to access, as it’s a church, why not the Sistine Chapel too? Is that not a church??? I wonder what the Pope makes of it all…the hard selling and hawking that goes on outside, by Vatican employees, it really is shameful, I hear he’s moved out of the Papal suite into something much simpler.
The wealth of the Vatican is breathtaking, after seeing the Forum I got the impression that everyone just nicks things off each other, what belonged to Rome and Egypt , as in ancient Rome and Egypt, now seems to belong to the Vatican, one day, a few thousand years from now, people will will walking around the ruins of Vatican City trying to figure it all out. The Emperor’s quarters had me trying to figure it all out….such wealth back then…now ruins.
Erm…..sorry for the rant! xxx
Well, you can’t say your holiday was uneventful though I wouldn’t have expected anything less. Not sure I’d have handled the Jack Russell situation in quite the same way but at least it did the trick. Hope you had a good time after you found your lodgings.
Thanks Jo. I couldn’t get over the little Jack barring my path, I’d had enough by then and he seemed up for a fight! I get very primal when tired and showing teeth and growling seems to come naturally…..maybe I’m a werewolf! We had a lovely time, there’s always so much to do and see isn’t there?xxx
Sorry, perhaps I shouldn’t have, but I actually ended up laughing as I read your post!!!
Could it only happen to you, I find myself asking … no I’m sure it happens to other couples as well.
Your posts are always full of life, love and enjoyment.
I’m so pleased all ended well.
Pisa and Florence I have visited – both wonderful places, but never got down as far as Rome.
Your photo’s are great and I especially like the one of the Swiss Guard, they look so colourful standing there.
Feather(s) from heaven – I’ll go with that.
Welcome back
All the best Jan
I find it all funny too, you do have to laugh don’t you? I agree, I’m sure these things happen to everyone…
I do hope you get to Rome, it’s certainly fascinating, I reckon you need several visits to see it all.
Thanks for your lovely comment Jan.xxx