Friday

I debated this morning whether to go to Burano and Torcello and visit the lace makers and the museum, or to hit the road and visit some Roman ruins and set up camp. Hitting the road won, so I drove a couple of hours to Aquileia. I'll be camping two nights here. 

The happy tent and the cute car. I'm liking it more all the time. I never thought I'd like a vehicle as much as I like the Jeep, but Lorenzo is climbing the charts. 

It has been quite rainy here today and my campsite is a bit muddy, but I tried to choose the drier of the sites.  Not a lot of people here and I'm the only tent so far. It also a bit cooler here, but that might be because I'm lounging outside instead of inside. No worries. 

So here's what I've seen today...

This is part of a Roman riverside dock. The river is actually not running here anymore, obviously, and by the small hill on the opposite side you can tell that the ground level has changed in the last thousand years. 

The brick columns were recent supports added so that the top part could be displayed. 

More of the dock area. 

And more...

Here from a different angle. 

The church tower in Aquileia. 

And the church, another beauty. 

And more Roman ruins from 1 BC to 1AD. This was the forum

Restored columns, the restored sections are quite obviously brick. 

And then just to show that we are all really the same, here is a giant slug on the trail in Aquileia next to the ruins.

Another example... A couple with a small child just pulled up in their campervan and the mom has been singing and talking to the little one constantly in German. I laughed when she started singing the muppet song "Menamena."  I kinda wanted to sing along. :)

Italian-style breakfast is the best! Croissant with chocolate filling. Thank you, I think I'll have another. So much for maintaining gluten-free. Oh we'll, I'm only here for a few days. Back on the wagon when I get home. 

I discovered a solo travel habit that I need to change. Instead of stopping once in a while to eat/use the facilities, I wait and wait until I'm ready to pee my pants before I stop. We'll, today I did the same thing. Duh!  Then I saw the IKEA sign! I knew they would have food and clean bathrooms. So I stopped... Free parking, free bathrooms, and food! What more could you want?

Saturday I'm off to Grotto Gigante and the lighthouse in Trieste.

Ps I'm currently drinking apple juice from the Czech Republic that I bought at the supermarket.