San Marino and Bologna

Picked up our laundry this morning and got going towards San Marino.  Crossed from Italy into San Marino without the border guards getting too upset.  The best part of San Marino is at the top of a hill, either drive the 20 kilometres of narrow roads criss-crossing up the mountain or get the cable car?  Picked the cable car – Pam a little nervous but because we didn’t have lots of crowd we were in it and up before she knew it.  Amazing views from the top – we really were the king of the castle!!!  There were about 20 firearms shops along the streets, want to buy an AK47, an automatic pistol, hand grenade…..come to San Marino, you will get everything you need to invade a small country.

Walked around San Marino – the tourist office is cleverly hidden and it took us till lunch time to find it, got out Passports stamped with the royal stamp and had some pasta for lunch with a free wine – they gave us a carafe of red wine – a tragedy – I am driving and had to leave most of it behind, I sobbed rivers of tears!!!!

King of the castle.

My kingdom...........

Watching the town slip away

Oh so high.

Guns-R-Us

A very casual national guard

Living on the edge.

Should I really travel on that thing??

So small and such a long drop.

Managed to coax Pam back on the cable car down (there were 4 million stairs so the option was easy) and went on our way to Bologna.  Arrived at the motel and had a very enthusiastic welcome, given tourist maps and instructions on parking and eating in the city centre.  Subsequently did as we were told and parked in the city centre.

Such an old city, houses the oldest university in Europe – established in 1055.  There are also 42 kilometres of porticos’ all lined with shops – leather, clothing, shoes, handbags….you get the idea.  I think we did about 41 kilometres of it before I needed a coffee.  Delicious coffee, got up and walked around for about 20 minutes before we realized I’d left the backpack at the coffee shop with our passports, computer and international drivers licenses.  Just a little panic and a lot of sweat – went back – all recovered – love those honest Italians.

Went into the main square, the cathedral front was covered in scaffold and was being renovated – bad news you would think?  No….we were able to climb the scaffold (for a cost of course – to assist with the reno) and take in the views across the city, a vista not possible under normal circumstances.  Had a look inside – according to the material it is the 6^th largest cathedral in the world and it really is HUGE.  So much floor space and so many side chapels.  Very stark but in the middle of an extended renovation.

Up high

Bologna skyline.

Hermes - couldn't decide what to buy - left with nothing...sorry Em.

21 kilometres done - 20 to go!!!!

Pam up high.

The main square and fountain.

Looked for a pre-dinner drink and sat next to a couple of Poms and a couple of New South Welshmen…..I happened to be wearing my State of Origin shirt so they were unusually quite.  Had a couple of drinks with the usual eats.  Got up, said goodbye to all the new friends.  The barman caught us up about 100metres down the street – we had forgotten to pay….and I though the NSW people would have done it??!!  Very embarrassed return and we snuck back to the motel to count all out lucky stars!!!!

Looking forward to our trip to Venice tomorrow.

Just had a shower in our motel…the shower is actually over the bidet so a little ‘shower dancing’ is required.  The entire bathroom is about 4 foot by 4 foot.  Then……finished the shower, get the towel out, it measures 4 foot by 6 foot, so the towel is bigger than the bathroom…holiday problems…geez…….