Day Trips
June 5-6, 2008 – Rome, Italy
Ostica Antica: Way Back City
It was an easy—and cheap!—train trip out to the ruins of Ostia Antica. That was our destination for a half-day excursion.
Tim: Okay, so I liked to see crumbling walls and cobblestone pathways. There were underground tunnels, and I actually crawled into a burial chamber hidden under vines. Cool!
Lois: Only the sights and sounds of planes from the nearby Rome Airport reminded us we were in current times.
Tim: There are fabulous mosaics in the museums in Rome, but I really enjoyed sweeping away some dirt to better see mosaic floors of real Roman homes. Just think of the people that walked right here on these same floors 2,000 years ago. Wow.
Under a Tuscan Pun
Tim: I had listened to audio tapes of American author Frances Mayes reading her books about her second life in Cortona, Italy. We just had to go north to see this and other hill towns.
For our last full day before returning home we decided to take a bus tour to Cortona and Montepulciano.
Lois: Hills, that's right. Steep lanes, beautiful old buildings, churches, shops, and what spectacular views!
Tim: Yes, and Montepulciano is the home of great wine, particularly tasty reds. How noble!
Lois: I just had to give Adamo, the winemaker, a kiss for welcoming us so graciously.
It was a wonderful day and a great ending to a spectacular tour. We headed back to Rome for some last-minute shopping before our flight home.
