The Med -- ooo la la

Yes, I have been MIA for a bit.  I left you hanging out in Pisa with the leaning tower.  I have been busy with letters and emails home, laundry, and   . . . okay, I have been procrastinating.

So, to recap --- we left Roanne and drove to Florence (Firenze), Italy and then to Rome.  We left Rome and went to Pisa on our way back to France in time to celebrate Bastille Day (well, at least to see the fireworks).  So this is where we pick up . . . the French Riviera and Nice, Toulon, and Marseilles.

Nice smooth rocks, not sand, for a beach and in the water.  Water was cool and very salty.  It drops off very fast and has very strong currents.  The Mediterranean Sea is not to be taken lightly although at Nice it is lovely.

Well, duh -- what else are you supposed to do when you come up to a ticket plaza on the highway?

 So we enjoyed Nice (France).  After we arrived and settled into the hotel we walked along the shore and enjoyed the evening.  Some of the festivities were still continuing, building up to the fireworks at 10:00pm.  They put on a really nice show.  We walked back along the shore to the hotel afterward while some of the portable stages were still hosting different musical groups.  There were a variety of street performers and clowns as well (more pictures to come).  We spent the night in Nice and left the next morning for Toulon and Marseilles.

Kinda looks like the desert southwest, doesn't it?  This is scenery on the way to Toulon.

 I bet y'all are wondering why were we going to Toulon.  Well, that is an easy question to answer.  To tour the harbor and see their Navy base.  A base for naval operations has been there since 1599.

Entrance gate to base -- there is a sign posted that translate to No Photography Allowed

Prior to harbor tour M. Souris checks that the emergency equipment on board is in ship-shape order.

Lots of boats in the marina -- the naval vessels are out in the harbor

M. Souris decides to take a turn at the wheel (luckily this is just in the Maritime Museum)

From Toulon we continued to Marseilles.  We heard about a tour to the Chateau d'If.  If the the name sounds familiar, chances are that you have either read The Count of Monte Cristo or saw one of the many film versions.  It was an early version of Alcatraz.  We took a boat from Marseilles to the island and toured the old building.

Notice on approach -- very few windows and desolate grounds

Handsome fella at edge of ramparts with city of Marseilles in background.  Freedom so close!

M. Souris on the wall -- thinking of going for a swim?

The water is very clear and blue -- you can see the rocks from on top of the wall

Iron bars still in place although the Chateau hasn't been used as a prison for a long time

From cell window -- can see the city beyond the water -- so close, yet so far away

Leaving Marseilles behind and heading back to Roanne.  Wouldn't you know it, more mountain travel ahead.  And if you remember the 13km tunnel that we were glad to avoid meeting a 2nd time, you should see . . .

the Millau Bridge.  One of the world's highest suspension bridges (there are a few higher) and an incredible monument to engineering.  It spans a very deep river gorge.  It took them a long time to work out the design and 3 years (2001-2004) to construct it.  We saw it on a clear day.  You can find images of it where the valley below is filled with clouds and it would seem that you were driving on top of them.

We continued from here through Montpelier back to Roanne.  On our way through Montpelier the gendarmes were guarding portions of the road (and others were blockaded) as the Tour de France racers were heading into the city as that stage of the race was coming to the end.  We were in a hurry to get back to Roanne before nightfall so we didn't hang around to see the race that day.

Next blog . . .the Tour de France in Grenoble.  We went to see the time trial.  Pictures to be posted soon. :)

 

this is why geologists are important

It is pretty.  It does lean, even after the second round of foundation work.  We enjoyed seeing it and taking pictures.  Then we had a philosophical discussion -- if it had never leaned, would it be a famous landmark today or just another over-sized cathedral with matching bell tower?  (Your answer and argument to the question are welcome)

First view of Pisa's famous tower from the parking lot

From this side it doesn't look like it is leaning very much.  Did you notice how some of the columns are longer than the others as they tried to compensate for the shift during construction?

M. Souris is taking a funny picture.  He is trying to push it back up straight.

The cathedral behind the tower -- the whole reason the tower was built was to be its bell tower

As you can see, the tower is not the only thing on this site that leans.  This is not a trick photo.  Also notice that slant below the first roof on the cathedral -- that whole wing is tilted as well.

From this side it looks like it leans more than from the other.  Weird.

So we made it to Pisa and took a look at the tower.  We took a lot of pictures.  Then we had some lunch.  They had AMAZING food in Pisa.  I had pasta with zucchini and it was so good that I felt like I had actually had REAL Italian food.  If I hadn't been so full from the first serving I may have asked for a second -- it was that good.   Thank you, Pisa, for having fresh, flavorful, delicious food.  Grazie -- molto grazie!

We also took some of the silly pictures that tourists try to take.  Most of them try to make it look like they are catching the tower or pushing it back up. 

The real reason the tower leans --  Michael is trying to push it over.

43°C in Rome -- we headed for the Med

It was so hot our first day in Rome that we were dragging by the end of the day.  It was even hotter the second day, and by early afternoon we were done.  Well done ;)

We decided to put the heat behind us and head for a cooler place.  We went back to our cabin at Camping Village Fabulous to relax in the AC for a while and changed into some fresh shirts for a jaunt out to the Mediterranean.  The shore was about a half-hour drive from where we were staying at the Village.

A row of changing rooms at the Sea in alternating blue and yellow

A refreshing splash of water after a long, hot day

Almost a full moon shining over the Sea

the port of Rome

It doesn't get dark early.  We stayed in the AC at the cabin for a while, then explored a shopping mall (Euroma2) for a bit (as an excuse to stay in more AC) before heading out to the coast.  The breeze was quite cool.  It was a refreshing change from being in the heated city all day.  We really enjoyed the change and the beautiful evening.

Mangia! -- but not in Rome

We did not eat at this restaurant, but we took advantage of their photo opportunity.  Very cute way to get the attention of passers-by. 

Overall, the gelato (ice cream) in Italy was really good.  They come up with some interesting flavors/colors.  A friend here really enjoys the pistachio -- it comes in a whole range of green (some more appealing than others) depending on who makes it.

But let me tell you this about the food in Rome.  I have had better Italian food at a fund-raiser spaghetti supper than I had while we were in Rome.  I expected to be amazed by freshness and flavors but was always disappointed.  One lunch the pasta for my dish had stuck together while cooking, leaving areas that were tough and hard.  I know that it stuck together while cooking because the noodles were still glued together when they were served to me.  At another meal I ordered a green salad to go with my pasta.  I was served a bowl of torn iceberg lettuce leaves.  That was it.  No vinagrette, no oil and spices -- nothing.  And I wasn't offered any either.  Not even a dusting of parmesan.  Ever sit down and eat a bowl of plain iceberg lettuce leaves?  Blah -- blah, blah, blah -- blah!  With a side of blah bread.

The French make really great bread.  The Italians don't.  It tasted like flour.  Sure, you could drown it in olive oil, but that doesn't make it taste any better, it just coats the inside of your mouth with oil.  Now if I had had a flavored oil that may have made a difference.  Or some seasoning like oregano, garlic, rosemary, thyme, basil -- anything, I would have settled for salt and pepper!  Garlic bread must be an American invention because they sure don't serve it in Italy.

If you love pizza in the U.S. -- even thin crust pizza, but especially the hand-tossed variety (not even going deep dish here although that is good stuff too) don't ever order a pizza here.  I have seen flour tortillas that were thicker than some of the pizza crusts I have had.  Of course you can eat an entire 8" pizza by yourself when it is tortilla shell thin, but you really lose the enjoyment of the chew that pizzas back home have.

We did have some good meals in Italy -- with some really fresh, bold flavors and nice atmosphere.  It's just that none of them were in Rome. 

A funny thing happened on the way to the Colosseum

The Colosseum was not open in the morning due to the meeting that the Union officials were holding on behalf of the workers.  So we walked around the outside of the Colosseum and then went to Palatine Hill.  We were just fortunate enough to be in Rome on the two hottest days they have had this entire summer.  43°C -- 109°F -- yeah, I would say that is hot. 

Outside the Colosseum

Outside the Colosseum

Keep in mind that all of Rome is stone, asphalt, brick, hills, traffic, and tall buildings with little or no air circulation except in open places (piazzas and such).  We were in the middle of a heat island.  It was a real pleasure to find that there are water fountains hidden in various places among the ruins.

Just looking around planning the next move since Colosseum is closed.

Saw this on the way to the Palantine Hill entrance.  Gotta take a pic for our Greg!

Entrance to Palantine Hill -- waiting in line to get tickets

White building is a museum that has displays from some of the archeological finds.  There were lots of "sherds" of pottery.  We are getting fairly good at recognizing flawed translations.  Some were amusing.

Is the carving Latin for "Construction Stopped"? 

The "Stadium"

Some pretty flowers and greenery amongst the ruins

We would leave Palantine Hill eventually -- it took forever to find the exit once we came into the lower ruins as all the usual ways out were barricaded.  By this time I was very hot, tired, and ready for lunch.  Being stuck for want of an exit was not helping.

From inside the Colosseum (after lunch and a short rest in the shade)

Still keeping "lions" at the Colosseum?!?  M. Souris is not pleased.  Luckily there are no spectacles planned for today.

So there you have it -- Palantine Hill and the Colosseum of Rome.  By the time we were finished with the Colosseum it was time to find another cold drink.  Next up, the Pantheon.