When in Rome…. Saturday, 18th June

One forgets. We have been on islands and remote places, with space and clean air and clear water for some time now. Made our way to Rome, via 2 other Tuscan islands - Giglio and Giannutri (weird little isle) - and a stop just 25nm north of Rome called Santa Marinella. Now in a little ramshackle Darsena yacht club in the Fiumicino Canal, a stone's throw from Rome's Fiumicino airport. And being in Rome, it suddenly hits you - the sheer noise; of people, cars, planes, music - the smells; of car fumes and cigarettes and good food and coffee and rubbish - and the crush of humanity with all its grit and grime overlaid with "cool" fashion and sophistication.

What can one say about Rome? To those who have been here, it needs no comment. To those who haven't, anything we say cannot do it justice. We have had four nights here and have spent every waking hour exploring sites. There are hundreds of museums and galleries, palazzos and piazzas, basilicas and statues. And everywhere, you can turn an ordinary street corner and find a vast column on its side or a series of pillars still standing alone. What hits one most is the scale of it all - whilst in one sense the ancient city can be coped with and one can walk or take buses and get a good feeling for the whole. But explore individual bits and it expands out of all proportion, with layer upon layer unpeeling to reveal more. And with areas and artefacts originating 4,000 yrs ago to the creation of sites from the 5th, 4th and later centuries BC to the huge building splurges of Nero (bit of a case and allegedly had or wanted to have a relationship with his mother Agrippina, but later murdered her) from the great fire of AD64. And all the while marvelling that such and such was last renovated in the 2nd C AD. And then the later artwork of the 16th C. And the colour!

So in a nutshell, we "did" the Forum (vast vast city in itself with its political meeting places, its sporting stadium, its palaces, and temples and workaday areas) and the Coliseum - the structure is impressive, the performances were free for the populace, but some of the practices were horrific. Thought to do that in the morning and go to the Vatican in the afternoon. It took us the whole of the first day and still felt we rushed things. Then next day, Vatican City with its huge museum of archaeological discoveries gathered together as well as artwork from the school of Rafaello, Rafaello himself, Michelangelo, etc etc. And the Sistine chapel where the colours of the paintings are so vivid still. And then St Peter's square and St Peter's itself. It is vast and ornate with too much to take in. But Michelangelo's Pieta was something else - apparently controversial at the time as she is depicted as being so young and he is so thin and scrawny. And then today the Pantheon, beautiful scale and warm red porphyry marble with lots of load bearing arches to support the heavy dome that is as wide as it is high (47m) with the oculus in the centre, All designed by Hadrian (of wall fame) in his guise as amateur architect. And lighter bits like the Trevi fountain (threw our coins in), the Spanish steps, the Borghese Villa gardens, the Via Corso, cafes and the rest.

Run out of time, energy and brain power to absorb it all! It's been hot. Back to the boat which has been looked after by Vincenze, all gold bracelets, tan and unfailing helpfulness and courtesy. Time to head on south. A leisurely return visit in winter would be good! National museums a must, to see some Caravaggio et al, Leonardo da Vinci exhibition and more relaxed strolling around, for the atmosphere.

Arrivederci for now.

ps: Sunday, 19th June - place called Anzio, 30nm south of Rome.

We left today. There was a huge swell, several meters high. The wind went from a Sirocco to a Ponente to a Mistral in the space of 10 hours. We arrived surfing into Anzio. We wanted to anchor off the harbour wall by the beach - all was very shallow - there has been silting. The swell had turned into waves with breaking crests - for only the 2nd time in our experience, Richard had to turn the boat on full power to face into a couple of approaching waves that broke on the crests, made the boat rear up, water breaking over it - unnerving to say the least. The Guardia Costiera were obviously patrolling - we were accosted by them and they insisted on escorting us into the fishing and small boat harbour and sorting us out a berth there. They didn't want us anchoring, it was too shallow, and the conditions unstable and our draught too deep. We didn't need their help but they insisted! They ended up doing the same to about 4 other boats, one of which had obviously had some problems. Tucked up now.

pps: happy father's day, Richard, Marcus and particularly all those new fathers…..