Bernkastel Kues and Dr Christian Marks. The best vet in the world...probably.

 We took Jonesy to Christian Marks, vet in Bernkastel Kues, Germany. He needed worming and his passport completed before returning to the uk. This can cost anything up to 55 euros. Christian completed this and then we started chatting. He told me of a 93 yr old English guy who is one of his customers . The old guy drives a motorhome and got stopped for speeding by the German police . When they asked him for his licence he gave them his second world war licence for driving tanks. They accepted this. He then told me of a 80yr old woman he is friends with in Brighton who received a medal from the Queen Mum. He told me that she wears it everyday and is proud of it. He talked a lot about his love of Britain and the Queen Mum so I told him about my dad who was badly wounded defending the naval base near the Forth Bridge on HMS Edinburgh and that he was the first wounded in the second world war on uk territory. When he was in hospital the German Stuker pilot who attacked him was in the next bed. He had the last rites and heroin and the queen mum came to see him and gave him a pair of pyjamas. I also told him that later when he was on HMS Prince of Wales he hunted the Bismark and was sunk in the South China Sea . He listened intently and at the end of my stories he told me that Germany had caused us enough damage and then refused to accept any payment. A really nice guy who was not only generous with his charges but more importantly generous with his time. As we were leaving he escorted us out into the waiting room, that was now getting busy, and showed us all of the things he'd been given by customers. Somebody had given him 3 handmade Welsh shepherds crooks. We left the surgery unsure of what had just happened. 

The Moselle is still busy with some sites full despite the dull cold weather. We got on the acsi site at Krov, 16e a night. Did want to stay on a Stellplatz but facilities on site good with an excellent bar/restaurant where we both had pork schnitzel and chips and two pints each for 28e. Food tasty. 500 c beer cost 2.80. This morning we filled in the uk gov. Passenger Locator form for return to uk tomorrow.

Bernkastel-Kues 

Bernkastel kues 

From this to this.

 Wednesday after night at Camping Illertissen just south of Ulm, Germany, we woke to temperatures of 2c and fog.

The day before we left Lazise early morning, the temperature that day reached 21c.

Camping Illertissen is and excellent stopover, just 2 miles from the motorway. Some good shops about including a Lidl. We walked Jonesy along the river and then into the town. Got 2 bottles of Valpolicella Ripaso for 5euros. Had a decent meal and a couple of pints at the Hotel at the Campsite gates. Early dart tomorrow for Bernkastel Kues on the Moselle.

Lazise at sunset.

 

About turn and arrivederci Italy.

 We had 6 wonderful nights in the Paestum area. It wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea but we loved it here and would have stayed longer if it wasn't for the constant threat of Italy being put on the quarantine list. We basked in the sun on the beach most days and I swam every day in the warm sea. The beach is about 30 miles long and as its the end of season parts weren't being cleaned but where we were it was clean. Again the area had the end of season feel about it, but that was part of its appeal.

Its definitely cheaper in this part of Italy and it was hard to spend your money at the site restaurant. One night our bill came to 25e but they only took 20 off us. Another night it was 38 and they only took 30 off us. Never got to the bottom of it. But anyway we left Sunday 11th.

We drove to a site south of Florence but pitches were soaking and toilets cold and damp so we drove a further 75 miles to the mountains north of Florence where evening temps went down to 2c. Camping Regimente had a heated toilet block and a cosy restaurant where we had a tasty meal with Jonesy curled up alongside us. 

Monday headed to the municipal site right in lazise, a beautiful fortress town on Garda. Temps hit 20c, not warm enough for a swim but lovely afternoon stroll and drink in the sunshine. Before arriving we hit the Lidl to stock up with Italian wines. Tomorrow Germany. 

 Lazise

Lazise 

Lazise 

Paestum 500 BC

It was a dull and overcast day today, but still warm so we took a walk. 20 minutes from the site we found an archeological site well worth visiting.  We couldn't pay the 12e to get in as we had Jonesy with us but we got pretty close and saw quite a bit from the road. Apparently Paestum was an ancient Greek City dating back to 500BC These monuments have survived earthquakes and are in good nick for their age. We later thought we had found a shortcut back to the site. After walking for two hours in downpour we got back to the monuments again. 3 hours after leaving we returned to the motorhome , your not the only 'old things' in good nick piles of stone.

 

Sorrento U Turn

 After leaving Rome we headed to the ACSI site at Sorrento. When we left the motorway we zigzagged our way along the Sorrento peninsula admiring the cliffs and bays of Sorrento. When we eventually hit the edges of the city we were concerned with the thousands of motorcycles and scooters dashing about.  Could that number of pizzas really be ordered at that time of day? This was no time to joke. Young kids, motorcycles, busy narrow roads and an expensive Motorhome with the drivers wheel on the wrong side definitely don't go well together. They were all travelling at speed and taking risks. After a few miles we got to the other side of town only to find the site closed. A precarious u turn, well actually a 7 point turn in a busy narrow street pointed us back in the direction of the land of the crazy motorbikes. The process was repeated with similar caution and prayer. Thank you Holly Father your blessing yesterday may have been the divine intervention required.           

A quick scurry through the ACSI book and we decided upon a trip to Paestum, about 50 miles further south. But would it be open? Late season, the pandemic and a remote area meant that like the Sorrento site early closure was a possibility. When we got there we were surprised to find the site nearly full, and what a strange place, a place hard to judge, but we did and we loved it. Its quiet, there are run down and derelict sections but there is a good blue flag beach, a few shops and bars that sell pizzas for 4e and beer's larger than a pint for less than 2e. Dogs are even allowed on the beach. Here's a few pictures. Probably more to come. 

Looking south.

6th October. Happy 5th birthday Jonesy. you dirty beach bum.

Looking north with the Amalfi Coast in the distance.

It definitely wasn't built in a day but we covered most of it in that time.

 

There are many proverbs that relate to Rome …”All roads lead to Rome”…”Rome wasn’t built in a day”, but for us the most relevant on this trip was the one “When in Rome do as the Romans do”. But how could we ? We couldn’t tear around on a Vespa motor scooter ? We couldn’t parade through the streets looking drop dead gorgeous or dressed to the hilt in high fashion. But what we could do and what we decided to do was to return briefly and reluctantly to our childhood Catholicism So off we went 9am Sunday morning, train to The Vatican to see the Pope. What a majestic place and for obvious reasons it wasn’t crowded and we walked straight into St Peters Cathedral.  Then after walking Jonesy around St Peters square  The Pope appeared at a distant window at 12 noon to give us all a blessing and a few words. 

After that brief exhibition of false devotion we went off to see the rest of the city …and also the pub. Well a restaurant actually for a brilliant lunch. Good to see that the economic fallout of the pandemic means you can have a three course meal with a beer in the centre of Rome for 12 euros. After visiting the Vatican, Castel Sant’Angelo and the river Tiber, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, The church of St Ignazio, Piazza del Venezia, Roman Forum and finally the Colliseum we finished our day trip around 4:30. Its so nice to visit a capital city on a sunday, there are few workers about and the ambience seems more relaxed with the many talented street entertainers playing to the tourists. What a fantastic city.

For Rome we used Camping Flaminio 20e a night plus tourist tax 4e a night. Bus stop outside. Train station over the road takes you to Flaminio where you then use the underground stations. 7e for the day covered both of us plus Jonesy.

Where's the crowds. 

Inside St Peters, the larges cathedral in the world.

St Peters square, the crowds gather for the Pope's message.

He's up there somewhere.

From the river Tiber.

Castel Sant 'Angelo.

No idea. Passed it walking along the Tiber

.

Spanish Steps.

Trevi Fountain

Pantheon.

This was a fabulous church with fresco paintings on the ceiling. There was a magnifying mirror on the floor that allowed you to zoom into the detail. Came across it by chance ...Chiesa di Sant ' Ignzio.

Piazza de Venezia

Roman Forum. The government centre of ancient Rome

Roman Forum. The centre of everyday life in ancient Rome where trials, processions and gladiatorial matches were held.

Roman Forum.

The road through Roman Forum that takes you to The Colosseum. It was good to sit here for a few minutes and listen to the street entertainers. Some exceptional musicians. Best was a guy with a violin playing classical music. 

Final one ...The Colosseum. With all that beer i'm starting to look like Van Morrison!

Rocchette

 We stayed two nights in Rocchette. It was a bit quiet with jusr a couple of nearby bars. Weather for both days warm but dull. Managed a swim in the huge pools but with the covid rates in Italy rising and the UK governments illogical quarantine policy we decided to push on and see the last few MUST SEE PLACES. Arrived in Rome Saturday 3rd October. 

Probably the best beach we've found in Italy so far.