Trip Day 14 - Pesaro, Urbino

Sunday September 25

We are back in the harbor of Pesaro and after breakfast we get on a bus again which brings us to Urbino. This is a walled city with very narrow streets and the bus unloaded us on a large parking place outside. Urbino of course is also an UNESCO World Heritage Site (like all the other places we visited). 

We met the local guide there who lead us all around through those narrow streets, of course telling us all about the history. As always there was so much to see (and photograph). 

The narrow streets were quiet and had definitely the Sunday feeling. Sometimes we walked through a "nice cloud of Sunday family meal smell". Our guide (in the next photo on the left) was just talking about an elderly lady who every Sunday cooks for her family and lives here when the door opens and the lady calls out to her. 

Often we saw religious stations on the houses.

In this photo you can also see James with his "whisper". In the beginning of the trip each of us got one of these to put around our necks. They came with earplugs but James and I used our own. They were wonderful because you could hear the guides even from a distance, didn't have to worry about staying close to him/her, could look around and take photos. It makes the trip so much nicer.

Yes, steep. Up or down?

In our free time we meant to visit this church but ran out of time. We were told that the Oratorio San Giovanni had some wonderful frescoes. Too bad, sigh.

The Urbino Cathedral was just having a service at the moment we were there but a little later we could enter.

Ha-ha, I can't remember what was so special about this house...

... except the madonna with child at the very top was lovely. 

After walking across the square we came to the Casa Natale Di Raffaello. This 15th-century house is where renaissance artist Raphael was born in 1483 and spent his first 16 years. James and I decided not to visit the museum but instead walk up the steep street.

We didn't know we would find this here. The sign on it says 

"Chiesa Della Santissima Annunziata

Raphael's Tomb".

This view though was why we went up the hill. So gorgeous. 

Then the bus took us to lunch. Our host was waiting. I think people from as far as the USA come and spend a week or so in his house.

Again we had a very generous offering of different food. 

At the end the cook was introduced. And Vanessa read two of our host's poems she had translated. 

VIDEO:   (2:29 minutes)

The bus took us back to the ship and the harbor. This time I didn't feel like going to the beach (across the street) again. The weather was not quite as nice. And it is always nice to socialize in the lounge and even play our card game. Our new friends seem to enjoy it too.

Oh, and then there was the farewell dinner. We are really sorry that it is coming to an end. This ship "Artemis" and the crew are really special.

And yes, there is a VIDEO:   (55 seconds) You should not miss the baked Alaska show.

We are sailing in the night and will reach Venice tomorrow. 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

These are "our harbors":      

Please, excuse the not so professional work. It was difficult.

Our trip has not ended because we have 2 more days in Venice, but I want to say how great it was to travel on the "Armetis". The captain and the crew could not have made our experience any better, especially since we had a "positive covid case" on board in the beginning and two "scares" later. 

Our trip also deviated from the original itinerary because of the weather and new experience opportunities. Overseas Adventure Travel prides itself to take advantage of new opportunities. Our trip is called:

Undiscovered Adriatic: Venice, Puglia & Malta (except that ours was reversed). OAT told us that this is our 10th trip with them. 

Trip Day 12 - Pesaro, San Marino

After Day 11 the blogging came to a screeching hold. First the WiFi was really bad. Then the days were so packed full that I could not manage to get caught up again. Now we are back home again. After James' first birthday party in Germany and the second at home it suddenly is very quiet again. Of course we have to get into a routine again, pay bills, etc.

As you can see on the right side of the blog there is now again a way for you to sign up and get each new blog by email. Make sure you confirm when you get an email after you signed up (if that is what you would like to do). I am happy that I managed to do that. 

*  *  *  *  *  *

Friday September 23

A bit rocky night to the harbor Pesaro. 

After breakfast a bus drives us to the Republic of San Marino. I gave up trying to take photos from the moving bus but it is always nice to watch the (quite often changing) landscape go by. 

When we arrived the bus unloaded us at the bottom of the gondola station from which we were taken to  the highest point of this country. The summit of Monte Titano is 749 m (2457 feet) above sea level. 

I love looking down from heights and the weather was very nice too. Look at that blue sky.

The summit is more like a plateau and walking around there is really nice, somehow a fort and somehow a little village.

Of course we had a local guide. This in the very beginning of our visit was a place where a tournament of bow shooting is going to take place.

This is a photo for Helen and William: a shop with nothing but rubber duckies in all kind of outfits. They would leave us when hidden after a visit.

This is were we have to meet again (for lunch) when we can explore by ourselves. 

A large plaque of the founder Saint Marinus is on the wall. 

At the postoffice there we can go and get a stamp in our passports ... for 5 Euros each. Yeah, why not?

A lovely plaza with an awesome view.

I spy a shop which sells bows, arrows and whatever you might need for the tournament. 

When the historical tour was over and we were encouraged to explore by ourselves we decide to walk to the first of the 3 towers.

It looks like a fort/castle and we decide to pay the small entry fee (senior discount). It was well worth it. It was the best part of this whole visit.

We went up the tower all the way to the top. We had to climb up a ladder which was a bit so-so. Thank goodness James and I are still young, ha-ha.

The view in all directions was spectacular. We saw others from our group up on the wall but they didn't hear us shout to pose for a photo.

Coming down from the tower was a bit more challenging. There was now a long line of Germans waiting. But, of course, we had a nice conversation. 

After Tower 1 we decided to walk to Tower 2. This is called the Witches' Way, really nice and awesome.

Tower 2 was under construction and could not be entered. 

I went up to an edge and took a nice photo of Tower 3. We decided that we don't need to hike to it though. Can the view really be even better from there?

There was a bit of time left until we were supposed to meet and we found a nice place to rest and have refreshments. 

The entrance to the restaurant where we had lunch. 

These was a dish of pasta with black truffles. 

The above baked things were a bit like biscotti but you can dip them into the red wine. 

From the bus: Why am I even bothering to try to take photos?

Back on the ship which is in the harbor Pesaro. From the ship it is only a short walk across the street (through harbor security) to the beach. I decide that I need to see it.

I find a new friend (from the other group) just about to go for a swim. I take a photo for her as proof that she did.

The walk along the beach was really nice. Lots of very colorful pebbles and pretty shells and these...

Sponge? Coral?

The captain had decided to offer dinner outside on the upper deck. It was really lovely ... until it got too cold when the sun was gone

Entertainment after dinner was a couple which came on board just for that.

Another wonderful day. I had no ideas about San Marino, this tiny country of only 24 sq miles. Sometimes it is very good not to have any expectations because this was a great surprise, ha-ha, like all the other days of this trip. 

It's time to have a sleep now though. Night, night.