Most things Italian

[Burridge01]

Breakfast done

Before anyone pipes up,thems me reading bins.
Washing done and on the line

Had a shave and now bored,it's a 40 minute walk to the British cemetery so that could be an option with a beer tasting return journey.Trying to work out the best day for me visit to Rome(temperature wise)Looks hot whatever day I chose.
Been a week already,certainly doesn't seem it,oh well,4 more to go

 

[theoneandonly]

Begs the question WHY BOMB IT.

cos the Germans held it . if you stood in the car park and look south , it dominates the landscape .
bombing it , actually made it harder to take.

 

[Wapping]

Begs the question WHY BOMB IT.

It was strategically important to the Germans to hold it, as its height dominated the landscape around it, as you can see in your pictures. It was equally vital that the allies take it or obliterate it from the face of the Earth. The Germans held on, just as they did through a series of lines of defence (often centred on rivers or other natural obstacles) right up to Italy’s northern border. In short, hard fighting all the way up, largely overlooked.

 

[Burridge01]

cos the Germans held it . if you stood in the car park and look south , it dominates the landscape .
bombing it , actually made it harder to take.

But they weren't in the monetary, they never occupied it,the allies new this but still bombed it.I have read and seen lots on the bombing.
They says themselves. Apologise for the poor photo but you can just about read it.

So WHY BOMB it,it was more than a strategic point they wanted to make.

 

[Burridge01]

It was strategically important to the Germans to hold it, as its height dominated the landscape around it, as you can see in your pictures. It was equally vital that the allies take it or obliterate it from the face of the Earth. The Germans held on, just as they did through a series of lines of defence (often centred on rivers or other natural obstacles) right up to Italy’s northern border. In short, hard fighting all the way up, largely overlooked.

The Germans only occupied the monestry after the bombing.Read the above photo.It's a myth that the Germans occupied it before the bombing.

 

[Wapping]

Whether, in hindsight the bombing was sound, can be set against the debate over the wide area bombing of cities or, to be more apt, the German rocketing of Antwerp, by way of simple example. Or, to use a more extreme example, the destruction of Warsaw.

German propagandist outrage (and that of the Vatican) can be further tempered by the German burning of villages from Poland to Moscow and back, along with the Pope’s silence - amounting to virtual tacit support - on the matter of the killing of millions of Jews.

Anyway, don’t let the events of more than 80 years ago spoil your holiday.

 

[Burridge01]

Walked up to the cemetery, was sweating buckets.As per usual, very well kept.Checked the record book,no graves with my surname.A fair few unnamed headstones-RIP fella's

Stopped for lunch in a tiny place full of locals,they bought this bloody hot sauce oily stuff out,wasn't sure what to do with it so dipped me bread in.

And spread in on me sketti,which again was very nice.No messing about,got a hole pot of grated cheese(dare say it was parmesan)

Back to te B+B for yet another shower,cool down and change of cloths

When I spend a day out on the bike,just nosing.I'm going to try and find the German cemetery, think its up near Aprilia.I want to compare it to another German cemetery i stumbled upon near Calais.

 

[Burridge01]

What a day yesterday was on me pins,reckon I walked at least 10 miles in the heat,did I mention it's bloody warm out here
First off,I needed to find the station and buy me ticket for Wednesdays trip into Rome,station found,ticket bought.Then a meander down to the sea and a walk along the coast line.Appears there is a large army barracks here,didn't seem to be much happening

Had a big flag

The reason for walking this way was to nose at this geezers Villa

Apparently he'd left it a few years earlier.
Walking along the road above the beach,the 1st thing you see is this block,nothing to tell you what it is/was,but sat back from the main Villa

Walk a little further and you get the first glimpse of what is to come
Columns and beams from 2000 years ago,just sat in a field.
Onward to the main building,it's size and grandeur can't really be appreciated at this point.

Walk passed the lighthouse and down onto the beach to see the real enormity of this place,what it once was,it's size,the place must have been huge.

This is thirsty work,time for a pitstop,bitta pasta and some suger-only so much water you can drink -and I've had gallons over the last week.

 

[Burridge01]

Onward to Anzio and I find meself back in the port watching a trawler unload.This will be in someone's belly in a few hours time

Time for a and people watching, theres a lot to look at and a lot not to get caught looking at

Reckon I've caught the sun

Me new sunglasses, will try and remember not to leave em on me topbox,although the one's I've lost are actually for driving.

This little part brick is for me granddaughter, managed to lean through the fencing and grab it.It is perfectly flat,they knew what they were doing all them years ago.

Time to make tracks back to the B+B,been a long day.Try Uber-nothing,try Uber again-nothing,ask the barman to call me a taxi,trys 3 local companies-nothing,bollox.Try Uber again,but the more expensive option,nothing.
Only one thing for it,and off I set,bladder full of piss and sunstroke

That may say flat but I can assure you,every step was uphill.
I laugh now,wasn't so funny last night.
Still,get to see a bit more of the surroundings

BURGER KING

Another 15 minutes and I was back to the shower and bed,what a thoroughly enjoyable day,even the walk back.

Today is out on the bike heading to Aprilia.

 

[Steve398]

Looks a long hot day, and a lot more than I would do in the heat!
If you’ve not been there already in your travels then (perhaps not on this trip) have a trip to Naples Museum, where the prime stuff they recovered from Pompeii is in display, incredible objects and workmanship. But Naples is reckoned to be the most unlawful place in Italy and not one to go wandering around on your own after dark as a tourist.
Pompeii itself is wondrous (if you like that sort of thing) and we spent over 5 hours walking around without retracing our steps. Herculanium is said to be better, but tbh was a bit of a disappointment and much smaller, although the skeletons of those fleeing the city are still laying out there on display (zoom in).


Sounds like a great trip, but keep drinking the water and take care

 

[Burridge01]

Cheers Steve,Naples is to far south on this trip(I do plan in a couple of years to travel down to Sicily in me camper,that will be on the todo list as I pass)Today is a bit of a rest day,give me feet a break but I'm nipping out on the bike for a ride round in a while. Wednesday is Rome day,so any tips for that(walking distance from the train station) would be appreciated(thats any tips from anyone thats done Rome)

 

[Steve398]

We did the Vatican and the Colosseum, out of the two the latter was more interesting for me.

 

[Burridge01]

Quite one today,in preparation for the long day tomorrow.
Went to Aprilia but didn't see anything worth stopping for so onward to the German war cemetery at Pomezia.Think i entered by the wrong entrance as i had to go through the Italian grave collection, all very strange.

Behind each flower pot/photo is a body, rows of them all sealed in.Some have two,siblings,husband and wife.

Into the German cemetery, not as well kept as the commonwealth graves but these are maintained by volunteers, all fairly neat but no flwers,just grass and graves.

I took these two photos of the same headstone, the men are buried 6 to the plot/stone.Virtually all are the same.

A total of 27,478 men are at reast here.Those that are identified have their rank on the headstone,no unit for obvious reasons.







On my way out I got a little lost,the Italian cemetery is big.Empty slots waiting to be filled.


As an aside,couple of months back i stumbled upon another German cemetery at Neuville-St-Vaast near Calais





Totally different headstones, well these are crosses here and still buried 4/6 to a plot.



The German Jewish graves from WW1 are marked separately(I did read why but can't remember the reason)they fought as Germans for Germany,I read somewhere that during WW2,with all that was going on with the Jews,these grave were not touched and left to rest in peace.

You can see the graves togeather, as they fought and died.


Back at the B+B,few beers and early night

 

[Wapping]

The German Jewish graves from WW1 are marked separately(I did read why but can't remember the reason)they fought as Germans for Germany

If you mean ‘marked’ as with the Star of David, then Allied Jewish war graves are marked the same.

If you mean, separated out, this (as with the Moslem and Chinese graves) maybe reflects the attitudes of the day. War grave sites are ostensibly ‘Christian’ in nature, so the graves are separated. The same might still apply in some circumstances today.

A very good example of tasteful separation can be found at Verdun, where the Moslem graves are differently orientated, with a nod towards Mecca.

Other good examples of tasteful separation can also be found at the WW1 Chinese cemeteries, where the poor souls of the Chinese Labour Corps lie buried.

 

[Burridge01]

Nice early start,was quite refreshing for the 40 minute walk to the station

And onto the train to Rome

 

[Wapping]

This is an interesting trip report, thank you for taking the time to share it with us. It’s an interesting mixture of ‘ancient’ (as in the Roman villa) and in the ‘modern’, as in the rebuilt monastery of Monte Cassino. I like it that you took some pleasure out of a flat piece of Roman stone, enough to bring it home to give to someone much younger. In a way, it joins the young person to the past.

A question if I may, please. You seem interested in the structure and order of things. How did you chose what to go to see on the trip?



PS Super that you are taking the train to Rome. Lots of people avoid cities and only ever travel on their motorcycle. Doing something ‘different’ is great.

 

[er-minio]

If he was (rigthly so) complaining about the temperature in Anzio and Cassino… he’a gonna have a blast in Rome

Good luck!

 

[Burridge01]

Was a long hot day yesterday, the heat was,at times overwhelming,for everyone.
View from fro the train with a taste of things to come.

Step out of the station,to be met by armed guards. This was the theme everywhere I went,armed security was everywhere.

Few further steps and the architecture begins.No tourists were stopping,all rushing past to the big commercial spots,when in my eyes,you are missing the heart of a city.So much more to see if you take the time.

Saying that,I was ushered out of the foyer of this building was quite evident i wasn't welcome



Then in no particular order some touristy snaps of the city.
At this point,I got lost,several times.Went round in a circle but still managed to see things I'd missed the first time round.



Found a big set of stairs,,,,

That is went up,,,,

And then a bit further still.

Beautiful entrance to a building







This place had some nice decoration.



Time for a spot of lunch
These are rice and cheese things that seem to be fairly popular(had them a couple of days ago from a bakers)

This was cooked just right-al dente

Starter/main/3 cokes/1 bottle of water=€45-Didn't think that was bad when you hear people moaning of the price of stuff in Rome,not cheap but by no means a rip off.

 

[Burridge01]

Onward as they say,,,

A very nice hat shop,if you like hats











These places were deserted in terms of tourists,people just walking past,not even a slight intrest,great shame they are missing the stories.
Absolutely free with no crowds,it's a winner.

By the time I found the main attraction I was wankered, me feet were somewhere else.

The queue for a ticket was enormous(I could have got in free,but even that didn't tempt me)and was in direct sun,at 40C+ I just couldn't do it.

That was me visit to Rome over,I'd been on me feet over 6 hours,enough was enough.Thankfully a tube station is next to the Coluseum and only 2 stops on a packed train back to the station

 

[Gavla04GS]

cracking pics and report ole son, thanks for sharing.

Been up them steps and thrown coins in the fountain/fly tipping