Rome 2003 comes to an end
Show on MapRome Puerto Turistico
The day our daughter Janey left, the sun came out and since then we have had beautiful sunny days, but still on the cold side. We spend our days packing up the boat ready for lifting next week, going into Rome for the day or just riding our bikes enjoying the shops and coffee bars on the wharf.Puerto Turistico di Roma is 20 kms from Rome, only three years old, at the end of the Tiber River. Here they have built a 1200 berth marina with up market nautical fashion shops, restaurants and coffee bars.On Saturday and Sunday, this is the place to shop and parade in all the latest fashion from Grandma to the babies in the latest stroller. What intrigues us is that the cloths are very nautical and most of them have never been on a boat! It has also become a popular place for cruising yachts to winter over.
This year there are over 50 live-aboard wintering over yachts and they have set up quite a community amongst themselves. Every morning on VHF radio on channel 72 a volunteer on one of the boats brings all the info for the day. Starting with the weather, medical assistance, anything for sale and finally activities for the day. This can go on for one hour, but it is informative and brings people together.
Activities are anything from yoga, art, bridge, Italian lessons, talks on different cruising areas, progressive dinners from boat to boat and cocktail parties etc and these are held in a conference room on the wharf. This is a unique situation in the Med and one has to remember that these people are here for five months and no one knows anyone when they arrive, so great friendships develop. Nationalities are 40% English/European, 30% American, and the rest Canadians, NZers, and Aussies.
Going by train (a very cheap form of transport), we have had several days in Rome and love just wondering around enjoying all the history and not too many tourists. Rome is a vibrant living city where pedestrian crossings mean nothing, vespas and smart cars are in there 100’s and the aroma of coffee is strong. They sure know how to make coffee here.
We have been very pleased with our yacht, a Beneteau 473 (a big 47 feet), finding her the ideal size. She is spacious en
ough down below for extended living, but not too large for two people to handle.
She sails very well in all conditions, something Ian was concerned with, and has an excellent sail wardrobe with extras in a staysail and spinnaker. The big 75HP engine also makes life very comfortable. The only disadvantage is that we are in the upper rating band when it comes to berthage, where they rate us by length and beam.