London in winter

I realise it's been a long time between posts. Months in fact. And it's not that nothing has happened since I came back from my trip to Italy in October. London has offered up all manner of surprises and things to do, and that probably has to be my excuse ... I've been too busy to write! One highlight was my first traditional English Christmas lunch (turkey with all the trimmings) on Christmas Day at a friend's parents' house. And just as well it was a hot lunch, and this winter has been one of the coldest on record. Christmas wasn't white, but there have been quite a few weeks since when it has been! Lots of snow - at least by London standards - and sub-zero temperatures that meant it stuck around. The highlight for me was a group walk I joined in the South Downs near Brighton. I have never been hiking in such deep snow, at some points it went above knee-level! It was glorious! The walk was to a place called Devil's Dyke (see photo below). And we ended the day (appropriately) with mulled cider, chilli con carne and hot mince pies.

A smattering of white did make London look pretty too (even the rubbish looks nice below), although the novelty wore off after a few weeks. It was just so cold and the footpaths were covered in ice. Very slippery!

Here's a photo from Mile End Park (which I walk through if I catch the Tube):

On the cultural side, it's also been a busy few weeks. Before Christmas I saw the musicals Priscilla: Queen of the Dessert and Mama Mia! (having seen the Australian versions in Sydney, both London productions were very enjoyable), and since Christmas I have seen Cat On A Hot Tin Roof with James Earl Jones (got a well deserved standing ovation) and a black comedy which has just opened in the West End, The Little Dog Laughed. I laughed a lot! One really is spoilt for choice in London! I often wish my bank balance could accommodate more of it! Oh, and I musn't forget that I saw Her Majesty! Yes, in November I saw The Queen on her way to open Parliament. Notably, only myself and the other Australian at my work bothered to go outside to see Her Highness pass by in a horse-drawn carriage. I suppose coming from one of the colonies (as my colleagues sometimes call Australia), it was something special.

I've now been in London about 16 months and I am still excited by discovering new places that are almost on my doorstep! For example, I went on a great hike through Epping Forest - a fascinating and huge woodland just 30 minutes away by Tube!

Today I took my bike on a 40-minute train ride to Tilbury in Essex. I then rode to nearby Tilbury Fort, located on the Thames and which protected London's seaward approach from the 16th century through to World War II. It even has moats as part of its defences and a fascinating history. On 9 August 1588, Queen Elizabeth went to Tilbury and rallied her army to face the threat of the Armada, but of course they never made it anywhere near the Thames.

Here was her inpsiring speech:

My loving people, we have been persuaded by some that we are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes for fear of treachery; but, I do assure you, I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear, I have always so behaved myself, that under God I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and goodwill of my subjects; and, therefore, I am come amongst you as you see at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of battle, to live or die amongst you all — to lay down for my God, and for my kingdoms, and for my people, my honour and my blood even in the dust. I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king — and of a King of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm; to which, rather than any dishonour should grow by me, I myself will take up arms — I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already, for your forwardness, you have deserved rewards and crowns, and, we do assure you, on the word of a prince, they shall be duly paid you."

The Gods smiled on South East England today, bringing sun and 7C for my little jaunt. It felt quite warm compared to what it has been! Here's a picture taken from Tilbury Fort:

Even if you had a whole lifetime, and despite its small size (especially compared to Australia), I think you'd struggle to visit all of England's important historical sites. Certainly keeps me captivated!

Arrivederci Italia!

With a hint of sadness I said my goodbyes to Vernazza (by climbing up to the cemetery for a final view of the pretty harbour) before boarding the train north to Milan. I timed my departure well. The temperature has been consistently in the mid 20s and mainly sunny throughout my two weeks in Italy, but on this day it started raining. The train afforded some fantastic views of the Ligurian coastline, with waves pounding the shore and rain belting down. The scenery as we approached Genoa was wonderful. Then the train headed inland through lots of tunnels and mountains towards Milan.

My arrival in Milan late in the afternoon meant I only had time to visit the city's famed Duomo. Despite having seen countless cathedrals, the Gothic style, sumptuously detailed facade and embellished interior ensured it stood out from others in Italy.

From Milan

There is a fascinating sculpture of St Bartholomew carrying his own skin! You can also walk onto the cathedral's roof for great views of Milan and a close-up view of otherwise unseen sculptures, and pinnacles and spires set upon flying buttresses.

I ended the day by strolling through the shopping district (window shopping only, unfortunately) and then found a pizza place that made the biggest pizzas I've ever seen! It did not fit on the plate! Although I have eaten more than my fair share of pizzas, they are the cheapest dining option in Italy.

The following day I began my marathon journey back to London by train ... well, three long-distance and two underground trains actually! The first took me past gorgeous Lake Maggiore (not far from Lake Como) through the Simplon Tunnel (one of the longest railway tunnels in the world at almost 20km) into the Swiss Alps. After swapping for a Swiss train crew and engines, the train weaved its way through valleys to Lake Geneva, the largest natural freshwater lake in western Europe. Another beautiful site. I got off in Lausanne, and stepped for the first time onto Swiss soil (if only for a brief sojourn outside the train station).

Next was the French TGV, and another change of scenery as the train headed through farmland and vineyards in Burgundy (stopping in Dijon) and finally onto Paris. I navigated my way by the underground RER train from Gare de Lyon to Gare du Nord for the Eurostar to London.

I left Milan about 8:30am and by the time I arrived home in London it was almost 10:30pm. A long day, covering four countries and an estimated 1140km, but worth it for the views! A fairly relaxing way to see quite a bit of western Europe, and with a small carbon footprint compared to flying. I wish I was a man of leisure and had unlimited funds to travel forever, but alas, it's back to work tomorrow. So, this blog can once more become "Musings on London life", as promised. : )

Into the big, deep blue

Today I went swimming in the Mediterranean. After sleeping and waking to the soothing sound of the sea, I decided to go swim in it (having completed the Cinque Terre trail in one day and with nothing else on the itinerary). But I decided I wanted to go a quiet beach, and that is something most Cinque Terre beaches are not. Vernazza has a tiny little beach in the harbour, but the harbour is surrounded by a piazza with restaurants, and hence lots of tourists. Monterosso, one town north, has long sandy beaches, but is the most popular swimming destination in the area, and as I saw yesterday is swarming with visitors for the most of the day. Therefore I decided to go to a beach I spotted on the Cinque Terre walk between Corniglia and Vernazza that I’d read about.

I figured not many people would be bothered to make a trek to go to a beach. I was right. There was just me and three others! So it was lovely and secluded, although rocky (lots of little pebbles), a bit like English beaches I suppose. It was also arduous to reach, having to clamber down the side of very steep hill and across shale on precarious, scary cliff edges, which looked subject to landslips. However, (as the fact I’m writing this) I made it down safely although sweaty. And I went swimming! Admittedly it took me about half an hour to fully immerse myself. It was a little cold and a little intimidating with no one else in the deeper water and just me and the Mediterranean, surrounded by lots of large rocks. I spent a good couple of hours there, mostly reading my book rather than in the water. Interestingly, the area is also known as a nudist beach, but this is optional, one I did not take up. A couple of others did! The journey back up the slope was even harder in the afternoon sun and I was drenched with sweat by the time I made it to Corniglia to catch the train back to Vernazza. I ended the day with a stroll around Vernazza, some bread and local pesto and the last drop of Cinque Terre wine!

From Cinque Terre

The Cinque Terre coastal walk

The Cinque Terre coastal walk is stunning. The path takes you up and down along the rugged coastline and to each of the five villages along the way, each with their own character. I had planned to do the walk over two days, but after making it from the southern most village of Riomaggiore to Vernazza, where I am staying, I decided to tackle the last (and hardest) stretch north to Monterosso on the same day. It took me about five hours, including photo stops and a coffee break, to cover the 9km. Pretty happy with that effort!

While the walk is lovely, don’t expect to be alone. I came across a couple of hundreds fellow walkers, mainly Americans and Germans (does Rick Steve have a German equivalent?!). The southern stretch of the walk is the easiest, with a wide, paved track, but this gradually becomes harder as you head north, the path becomes narrower and steeper, with hundreds of steps. There was a time when the path was the only way to travel between the villages. Nowadays the train covers the same distance in less than 20 minutes! But then the train doesn’t have to scarper up the cliffs, it goes straight through tunnels.

From Cinque Terre

The scariest section was between Vernazza and Monterosso, with lots of very narrow sections dropping steeply down one side. Unfortunately I encountered a very large student group in this area, having to wait for about 50 students to pass before being able to continue. The advantage of setting off early is that it was relatively quiet along the track and at the first couple of villages, but by the time I reached Vernazza, the place was packed with tourists. Many arrive by boat or train from nearby Portofino. The stretch of track between Vernazza and Monterosso was also the busiest (possibly because it was the afternoon), and tempered the experience to a degree. When I arrived in Monterosso, the largest of the towns, I couldn’t believe the number of school groups I found. Hundreds of students, almost all German (not sure why the Cinque Terre is such a destination for German students?). They left en masse on a ferry not long after I arrived.

From Cinque Terre

Now I am back at my room, sitting on the balcony listening to the waves crashing below and contemplating dinner. Oh, and I am sipping some of the local white wine. This is what they mean when they say Italians enjoy La Dolce Vita! Just what I needed after my jam-packed schedules in Venice, Florence and Rome.

Arriving in the Cinque Terre

The vagaries of the Italian transport system meant I arrived in the Cinque Terre (five villages) later than expected. The only way to reach most of these villages is by train, boat or on foot. All was quickly forgiven when I saw the view from my accommodation. After a steep climb up narrow, winding passages and dozens of steps through the village of Vernazza, I reached the little house where I was staying, perched on the side of a hill. Out the window, a glorious view of the Mediterranean. Beautiful! There’s something magical about water that fills me with a sense of serenity. I can hear the waves crashing on the rocks below my bedroom window now.

From Cinque Terre

The people of Vernazza have a lot to thank (or hate) Rick Steve for. His guidebooks have put the Cinque Terre on many traveller’s map, particularly with the US market. Consequently the place is full of (predominantly) American tourists, many bearing Rick Steve’s guides as evidence. And even though Vernazza has come to cater to the hundreds of tourists who visit each day, it has not lost its special charm. The cobbled pathways, quaint harbour, jagged cliffs and precariously perched houses create a wonderful ambiance. And the pesto (a local specialty) is delicious!

Rome: What lies beneath

I made a determined effort to fit in one more sight on my final afternoon: a church. Not another one, you may say. But this was unlike any other. It was a church, above a church, above a church. You start with the current Basilica of San Clemente, on ground level, and then descend and as you do go back in time to the basilica of the 4th Century. And if this wasn’t amazing enough, you go down again to find a pagan temple and other rooms from the 1st Century complete with their own running spring (which still flows). Out of nowhere, this late entry stormed to the front of the pack. What an awesome way to appreciate ancient Rome, and very much off most tourist itineraries. I will be recommending this experience to anyone visiting the Italian capital.

Reconsidering Rome

It's now my fourth and final day in Italy's capital, and Rome has grown on me. I still think it's a harder city to warm to than Venice or Florence, but if you find the right places it certainly has an appeal. Obviously it's bigger and busier than other Italian cities, and also has more beggars and a daunting number of tourists. It can be disenchanting when you walk miles only to hear English, see others carrying guidebooks and find more restaurants with menus in multiple languages. Where do the locals live? I think you have to go some way outside the city centre, although today I did manage to find two welcome escapes. The first was the Borghese Gardens in the city's north, a large public park with plenty of space, trees and water fountains to get away from the crowds and relax.

From Rome

While strolling back to my hotel around lunch time, I came across an area with lots of little cafes popular with Italians. I think it was a business type area, and much more pleasant/upmarket than the area I'm staying in (which is filled with lots of cheap hotels). The food (quiche with vegetables) way yummy and much cheaper than other places I've been. It was the first place I've found in Rome that did not cater to tourists.

Gratefully, I was forced to relax today. I say forced because almost all the museums in Rome are closed on Mondays. I still squeezed in quite a few sights this morning, including The Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navone (a large square featuring a famous water fountain by Bernini the Fountain of the Four Rivers), and one of the city's only Gothic churches (most are Baroque), Santa Maria sopra Minerva.

From Rome

The previous two days have been jam-packed and worn me out. Saturday I went on a five-hour guided tour of the Vatican Museums and St Peter's Basilica. It might sound like a long tour, but such is the size of the museums, that you really only scratch the surface. Nonetheless, they are very impressive and, once more, taking a guided tour was worthwhile as the guide gives a lot of the context and background that gives meaning to the paintings, frescoes, tapestries, mosaics, sculptures and buildings. It also worked well having been on the Uffizi tour, as the Vatican tour built on my understanding of the various art periods, particularly the Renaissance. The guide provided a lot of intriguing details on artistic techniques, such as how frescoes are created, which gave me a new found appreciation for them. This all led up to the Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo's frescoed ceiling and his Last Judgement.

St Peter's Basilica is very impressive, with the largest interior of any Christian chruch in the world. Michelangelo's pieta is quite breathtaking, and I was glad to see this not long after appreciating Il David in Florence. However, I did find Bernini's bronze furnishings a bit much. I would go so far as to call them gaudy. Hope that's not sacriligeous! I can now say I definitely prefer Renaissance art and architecture over Baroque.

From Rome

Yesterday (Sunday) I took guided tours to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. The Colosseum is such an Italian icon and on a huge scale. What an engineering feat! Our tour guide Ian, an archeologist from Liverpool, brought the venue to life with gladiatorial stories and a captivating philosophy on the human fascination with death, suggesting that we have not changed as much as we might think since the time of the Romans.

From Rome

Next was a visit to the nearby Roman Forum, the central area around which the ancient Roman civilization developed. It's hard to comprehend how old this place is, with structures here in the 7th Century BC. Ian also did a wonderful (scouser!) rendition of Shakespeare's Julius Caeser, when Brutus and Antony were addressing the crowds in the very Forum where we stood. There can be few better ways to appreciate the story!

After lunch was the final part of the tour, Palatine Hill, sited above the Forum. I think this was the highlight of the day, and probably of my visit to Rome. This is where the original Romans lived, and you can walk through the remains of dozens of buildings. I think this is where Ian's training as an archeologist came to the fore, as he explained many of the innovative Roman building techniques and revealed how advanced their technology was. This included earthquak resistant building foundations and flushing toilets! He also helped you imagine how impressive many of the structures once were and with a splash of water revealed how a seemingly dull tile was extraordinarily beautiful beneath the dust.

I finished the day with a trip to Trastevere (translates as across the Tiber), a working-class district full of cafes, bars and restaurants. Unfortunately it has become very popular, and so was near impossible to find a "non touristic" restaurant. I had some hand-made spinach and ricotta ravioli and braved it by trying Trippa alla Romana (tripe, Rome style). I can't say I was a fan. I ate about half of it, and the sauce was nice, but the texture of the tripe was a bit off-putting. I also visited a beautiful church, Santa Maria in Trastevere, where I caught the end of a service. Although I am not religious, the atmosphere created by the choir was wonderful.

One of my favourite things about Rome is coming across ancient structures. You're walking up a non-descript street and suddenly there's the remnants of some ancient Roman building in front of you, with no plaque or explanation, because there are so many of them!