Finally got around to it! Photo TR of 1st Med cruise 2010

[Becx N Gav]

Have really enjoyed looking at the photos ... much better IMO than a full blown trippie.

Didn't realise Pompeii was so big .. amazing place.

Long may you continue .. but hurry hurry as I'm impatient!!

Sorry, I will try and do a bit tonight and maybe over the weekend - I might have time tomorrow night but may not!

Thanks for posting, glad you like all the pics! I would have to go back to Pompeii and do a tour with a guide book to see some other areas. To think of it as a thriving city is quite mind blowing!

 

[Becx N Gav]

The Colleseum - it used to all be covered marble!

Walking towards the entrance

Looking towards the inside as we wait to get in

The orange thing is a scarf on a stick that our tour guide used to guide us!

Looking inside

I think this horse and rider are missing a few parts!

This gives you an idea of the scale

I think it goes down 3 stories below the ground level! They have excavated two now.

You can see where the stairs used to be

The view from 2 stories up

The obligatory pictures - we were there!

 

[Becx N Gav]

The view of the street looking down

Some guys dressed as Romans

A map - you can only go around half of it, see where the red arrow is

They don't look it but these steps up to the second level were really deep - our guide said they used to have slabs on top, probably marble

 

[bats]

Super impressive!

I can feel another Disney Med cruise coming on so I can see all this for my self. Time to rob that bank.

Thanks for the great photos.

 

[Becx N Gav]

We got back on the bus and drove to a place near the Trevi Fountain

Then we got a gelato - yummy!

We walked through Rome seeing various things, we went through a small shopping mall

We didn't get to stop for a coffee and cake!

We walked towards the parliamentary buildings

 

[Becx N Gav]

Right around the corner was the Pantheon, you can just about see it through the gap!

Here is half of it, the other half had scaffold all over it

Inside

This fountain had a fence around it with plastic windows hence the reflection

 

[Becx N Gav]

This was a famous hotel

We then walked even more (we did tons of walking this day) to the restaurant for lunch which was included in the tour

It looked like they were filming something

This is the restaurant, we all sat inside

The table was already set

Delicious lasagne

Tiramisu, it's a close up because I'd already taken a bite!

 

[Becx N Gav]

I took this when we were waiting for the bus to come

Outside St Peter's Basillica

This is just after security, we had to be careful not to take pictures of the security area

A Swiss Guard

Looking back towards the square

On the floor here were marks to show the length of other Cathedrals around world, St Paul's Cathedral in London was the largest - none are bigger than St Peter's Basillica

 

[Becx N Gav]

There were tunnels underneath the floor and you could see down through these grates

I loved the way the light came through

You can actually go up here, there is a walkway

Our guide explained these were mosaics not paintings so you can use flash on them

This is the marker for St Paul's Cathedral

Back outside again

The balcony in the middle is the one the Pope comes out onto

We were given some time to shop and then headed back to the bus, then the train station.

On the train they gave us all water and a snack - this name made us laugh!

 

[cruisinpenguin]

WOW WOW WOW your pictures are so incredible!! Makes me want to go back to Roma. Thanks for sharing!!

 

[travelbug24]

66 more days and it will be my turn. Do you consider yourself an artist? I am reading between the lines (your door, flatties and picture commentations) your pictures show much artistry in them.

 

[bats]

More great photos.

Strange how we don't often visit the places on our doorstep. Italy must be only a 2 or 3 hour flight, but I've never been.

 

[Becx N Gav]

66 more days and it will be my turn. Do you consider yourself an artist? I am reading between the lines (your door, flatties and picture commentations) your pictures show much artistry in them.

I do like to make things, not sure if I'd call it art though I appreciate your complements

Hope you have a fab time

More great photos.

Strange how we don't often visit the places on our doorstep. Italy must be only a 2 or 3 hour flight, but I've never been.

Thanks, know we've never been to Italy - we'll definately go back though it was beautiful.

 

[Becx N Gav]

Dinner, I think this is bruchetta

Tomato and mozerella salad

I'm not sure what this was

Soup

Ceasar salad

I think this was a curry dish

Chicken

Beef

Chicken strips and fries

Fish

Rocky road sundae

I think this was a crumble?

The next day we started with breakfast at Lumieres (this turned out to be our favourite spot for breakfast)

Waffles, french toast and bacon

It also came with a yummy cream

The port this day was La Spezia Italy - it's fairly close to Pisa and Florence is a bit futher. We stayed close by and went to Lerici and did the Lerici's Castle and Dinosaurs

We could see the ship from Lerici, this was taken on the way there - you can see the castle

A couple of our tours in Italy were by Trumpy Tours - this name made us laugh They gave our hand wipes which was nice.

We were dropped off near the coast and walked down to the harbour

It was pedestrianised and there was a pretty garden there

You could see the castle a little closer

 

[Becx N Gav]

Our guide was telling us about the area, I was interested to learn Mary Shelly and Lord Byron had stayed nearby

We walked along by the harbour

These flowers were so colourful

They had some nice boats for sale

We walked through the narrow streets, there were lots of different shops

 

[Becx N Gav]

This church was at the top of the hill - it used to be a leprosy hospital

A marble bollard

The doors were very ornate

We were given some time to look at the shops before we met back at the harbour. We then set off up the hill towards the castle

This made me laugh

It was quite steep in places but not a very long walk

A random drain cover

Some flowers growing out the wall

There were some lovely views when we got around the corner

The top of the castle

Looks like someones sock fell on the floor and someone put it on the front door!

A shadow pic

 

[Becx N Gav]

From up here you could see the ship in the distance but it was very hazy

You can just about make out the ship between the wall on the left and the land on the right

I thought the wall of the castle was pretty cool, it was a steep slope probably a little too steep to climb - there were loads of flowers growing out of it

A trash can!

Another shot of the ship

The ship is still there!

We climbed up a path and went inside the castle

There was a small gift shop with some dinosaur bits

It was a shame this was all in Italian but the photos were quite interesting

Apart from the walls and floors there wasn't much about the castle, they did have a chapel that was pretty much empty

The well worn steps that lead in - mind your step!

On the ceiling in one half of the room

This just covered a deep looking hole

 

[Becx N Gav]

We then went up to the roof

I don't think a net will stop dinosaurs

They were flying the cross of St. George which is also the English flag

Looking down from the roof to the path we took into the castle

The tower of the castle

The walls were really thick in places

There were quite a few pigeons up there

An escape hatch?

They had some snacks, the cookies and cake tasted home made, we were able to help ourselves to snacks and drinks

The flatties liked it up there

DH on his iPhone!

There were various plants and herbs up here

I think I was trying to get a shot of a bee on the lavender

We spent quite a lot of time up there but it gave me a chance to get loads of picture - and eat plenty of snacks!

 

[Becx N Gav]

Then it was time for the tour. The guide from the castle couldn't speak English so our Italian/French speaking tour guide translated (she spoke English very well despite her not speaking it often, she mainly did French tours!)

He explained all about dinosaurs - how they moved, predator/prey basic stuff but great for the kids

Another plant growing out the building

They had some fossilised foot prints found nearby

I think Gav was hiding from some of the animals

Another hole!

Another shot with flash but I still couldn't see all the way down!

 

[bats]

More great photos, thanks. I'm not a great fan of anything dinosaur but the castle looked great .. can't believe how thick those walls were!

If you don't mind, I'm going to steal your idea of the Flatties for my cruise in 2 weeks. My partner was not able to get the time off work, so although I'll have fun with my mum, sister and niece, it won't be the same without him. I'll make him into a Flattie and he can come along then!