Day 8 - Bologna, Italy to Innsbruck, Austria

 

Today was our last riding day in Italy and also this will be the last post in this "Back to Italy" blog.

We rode from Bologna, Italy to Innsbruck, Austria crossing the southern part of the Alps, but this time on highway. It was still majestic. Cloud cover was low and we had some great picture opportunities.

But before leaving Bologna we went to do a visit to the Ducati museum. Although small the museum is very nicely done and gives an excellent overview of Ducati and their proud history. As a sign of the times, as we wee entering the first vehicle we saw was an Audi A1 giving a clear message that Audi (now the owners of Ducati) will take this investment seriously. Looking forward to increased competition with BMW which I am sure will benefit all of us consumers.

 

We spent one hour there and then also went to visit the apparel shop although we did not find anything that took our fancy so we left and took a quick tour of Bologna.

As most of the hold city is closed to motor vehicles we had to see it from a bit afar but it is clear that Bologna is a rich city (by Italian standards) and is being well taken care of. Driving here is also much easier than down south as these Italians are more law abiding that their cousins closer to the warm sun.

Arrival in the Alps was very beautiful and I felt sorry we did not have more time to go up a coupled cols (Passos) but as we wanted to get to Innsbruck still early we pressed on.

For lunch we stopped at Auto Grill on highway. We have found these very good and their food is of high quality and reasonable prices. They are also very convenient and help save time.

Entry in Austria was uneventful. I just love the new border process in Europe. There was a significant change of driving mentality as we crossed over as everyone in Austria adheres to speed limits.

We arrived in Innsbruck at dusk and could still see the high mountains around the city. We are looking forward to see the city on daylight tomorrow.

For dinner we had some snacks. We will wake up early and be quite hungry at breakfast tomorrow ;-).

Tomorrow we start a new adventure (and thus a new blog). We will call it the UK Adventure where the first days will be to travel and get there.

Grazie Mille, e Arriverdecci Italia ...

 

Blog in construction

 

VIDEOS

Ducati Museum Tour (there are 5 videos of about 2 mins each)

 

Click HERE for all the pictures of Ducati Museum

 

Click HERE for all the picture for Day 8

 

Posted by Armando

Day 7 - Rome to Bologna

Today we left the city of AMOR (ROMA) and headed north to Bologna for our last stop before leaving Italy.

Looking at Facebook, I came across this saying which I thought it was appropriate to describe one of the reasons we love to travel and decided to do this adventure.

As we were paying to leave, we were informed there was quite a big demonstration coming down the street where we had left the bike and we should get the bike out of there as soon as possible. We then started a time trial to get the bike packed up. It was quite nerve wrecking looking left and seeing the police cars and hear the crowd roar behind them approaching as we prepared the bike. We were able to get the bike onto a side street in the nick of time and then we stayed to watch the very peaceful demonstration mainly with young participants. We took some videos as well (see below) to give the idea of how a peaceful demonstration is conducted. The reason of demonstration was students protesting against government cuts in education. Rome was one of the 90 cities where students protested.

 

Before we left Rome we went to the largest BMW Motorrad dealership in the world. We were highly disappointed as no one even came to speak to us to ask what we were looking for, so 0 for service. The other interesting aspect is that there is a gate with security guard who has to open the gate. We were highly surprised at this and wondered if it was somehow related to security. Regardless, it did not feel right to have to cross a gate to shop. The other amazing thing is that road to leave the dealership is very uneven which is a nightmare to cross as you have to stop the bike to check for traffic and as you put your foot down, pray hard that the floor is there rather than a hole. Amazing ...

The main focus was on the new scooter which I think is fabulous (although quite expensive as well).

The rest of the trip was uneventful as we crossed the different areas on Italy, Lazio, Umbria, Tuscany etc.

We rode the whole day with rain gear as now and then we got some showers. We encountered many different color skies during the trip. It was a glorious sight.

 

We arrived in Bologna just as the sun was setting and decided to relax in hotel and have dinner there. The highlight was the zuppa inglesa (English soup) which is not English nor soup but rather a very tasty desert that some say originated in Emilia area (where Bologna is) whereas others say Tuscany area. As we were in Bologna, to be original I had a pasta with bolognese sauce ;-).

Tomorrow we will have to wake up early as we have a museum tour at 11am at Ducati. Looking forward to this special treat on the last day in Italian soil.

 

VIDEOS

Student Demonstrations in Rome

 

 

Click HERE for all the pictures for Day 7

 

Posted by Armando

Day 6 - Rome

Today we visited the Roman Forum and the Colosseum.

We started the day with breakfast in the room.

 

We then spent some hours catching up with emails, blogs and reading before going out to "Rome" around.

First stop was to have lunch in a restaurant that had a lot of character as we were eating under a roof of leaves.

 

The Roman Forum is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum.

It was for centuries the center of Roman public life: the site of triumphal processions and elections, venue for public speeches, criminal trials, and gladiatorial matches, and nucleus of commercial affairs. Here statues and monuments commemorated the city's great men. The teeming heart of ancient Rome, it has been called the most celebrated meeting place in the world, and in all history. Located in the small valley between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, the Forum today is a sprawling ruin of architectural fragments and intermittent archeological excavations attracting numerous sightseers.

 

The Colosseum is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire, built of concrete and stone. It is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering.

Capable of seating 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.

Although in the 21st century it stays partially ruined because of damage caused by devastating earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome. It is one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions and today was no different as many people were present. But even with many people it is a magnificent structure and as we enjoyed it a lot as we learned more about it by following Rick Steeve's great walking tour.

In the evening we walked the older streets of Rome and saw more piazas.

VIDEOS

The Forum

 

The Colosseum

 

Click HERE for all the pictures for Day 6

 

Posted by Armando

Day 5 - Castellammare Di Stabia to Rome

 

As the saying goes ... all roads lead to Rome. So today we got on one of those roads and arrived in Rome.

After breakfast and a great cup of coffe, we took some time to visit the pool and enjoy the sun.

We have enjoyed our stay in the Naples area a lot. The hotel La Grande Medusa was one of the main reason. Paula loved the flowers that were changed and looked fresh every morning.

 

Our first stop for lunch would be Napoli. We had heard so much of the first pizzeria that made the best pizza in the world we had to visit Trianon Da Ciro. We managed to get a parking place just in front of the pizzeria. I just love how Italians treat the motorbikers. The whole meal cost 14.50E and the pizza was very good. The best in the world ? Who knows ? But it was worth facing the trafic on Napoli which was yet another adventure specially as there was a big demonstration going on so a lot of police presence and sirens all over.

 

The trip to Rome from Naples was done on the A1 and we are in a very nice suite 5 minutes away from the Forum and Colloseum. What a great location.

For dinner we walked the streets of Rome and had a very romantic dinner in a street between the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain. We walked to the Tevi Fountain and I was surprised by the sheer size of the fountain. It stands 26 metres (85.3 feet) high and 20 metres (65.6 feet) wide, and it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city. A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. We did throw a coin each (does this mean two visits more ?) and thus helped subdue a supermarket for the Rome needy as an estimated 3,000 euros are thrown into the fountain each day.

The Pantheon building is circular with a portico of large granite Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a pediment. Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. It is one of the best-preserved of all Roman buildings. It has been in continuous use throughout its history, and since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Roman Catholic church dedicated to "St. Mary and the Martyrs".

It is amazing how many historical buildings Rome has in a small area. We visited a number of piazas and sat on the Spanish steps.

The motorbike will stay downstairs on the street and let's hope we do have a motorbike on Friday when we leave Rome.

 

Blog in construction

 

Click HERE for all the pictures for Day 5

 

Posted by Armando

Day 4 - Capri Island

Today we spent the day in Capri.

We woke up at 9:30am as we have been doing in La Grande Medusa and went to breakfast.

After breakfast we always sit in the gardens for a while reading and enjoying nature.

We then got ready and rode motorbike to Sorrento where we left the bike in the motorbike parking at the port and caught the hydrofoil (quite fast boat) to the island of Capri.

 

We docked at the Marina Grande and then took the cable car to Capri high in the mountain from where we took some nice pictures looking down onto the marina.

 

We then walked the Via Krupp which is a historic switchback paved footpath on the island, connecting the Charterhouse of San Giacomo and the Gardens of Augustus area with Marina Piccola. Commissioned by German industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp, the path covers an elevation difference of about 100 m.

Built between 1900 and 1902, ostensibly Via Krupp was a connection for Krupp between his luxury hotel, Grand Hotel Quisisana, and Marina Piccola, where his marine biology research vessel lay at anchor.

 

We stopped at the Gardens of Augustus which are a retreat into a natural paradise, complete with unforgettable panoramas. The garden's tranquility and natural beauty is nothing if not therapy.

 

From the vantage point of the Gardens, apart from the splendid views of the sea, are fantastic photographic vistas. To one side the undulating roofs and picturesque bell tower of the St. James' Certosa (Charterhouse), a Carthusian Monastery, lie in the foreground below the Gardens.

 

Ahead, the Faraglioni rocks rise from the blue of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

 

We then made our way zigzagging down the mountain to Marina Piccola where we had lunch in a restaurant right of top of a rock overlooking the sea. Extraordinary views.

 

After lunch I went for a swim which was very cooling. Water was not cold at all even though we are in October already.

 

We then took a bus and marveled at the dexterity of Italian bus driver as he took us up the mountain back to Capri where we took the cable car down to the Marina Grande.

 

As we arrived about one hour before boat departed we had time to walk the Marina Grande, take pictures and have a Limoncello Gelato ... Very nice.

 

As we got into the boat we looked up and the sky was getting too grey for our liking and although we hurried to hotel after getting off the boat we still got rained upon quite heavily.

We stayed in hotel for dinner. For me the food highlight was the cheese platter although the vanilla and chocolate gelato was also very nice.

Tomorrow we leave the Napoli area which we have thoroughly enjoyed and make our way North to Rome.

 

VIDEOS

Via Krupp

 

Lunch at Marina Picola

 

Click HERE for all the pictures for Day 4

 

Posted by Armando