A much-needed rest day today, although the 34 degree heat made it quite an arduous stroll around the sights of Rome! We all met up across the Tiber for some late morning coffee before entering the parks around the south of Vatican City. Tizz had purchased enough food from a local bakery to feed a legion and, once we’d found an area of grass free from desiccated dog poo, we had an impromptu picnic. Lots of strange statues in the park – look hard at the attached photo and see what you think!! We headed up towards St Peter’s Square, where my great Aunt Mary, who rang to check on our progress, tells me she was blessed by the Pope on Whit Sunday in 1960!! Our progress appeared to be barred by a multi-storey car park, but, after taking the lift to the 5th Floor (which curiously was a full-blown restaurant and bar) and trying various exits, we found a way out down a couple of escalators that were probably built in Keighley (Kone and O&K). St Peters Square us impressive but hot, so we escaped down the Rome metro which is wonderfully air-conditioned. To Pat & George’s delight we emerged straight out by a McDonalds and thus we extended the range of cultural activities in Rome by having a Big Mac and McFlurry! We had another excellent meal at our local taverna, where we toasted Dave and Charlie who have been excellent company and who depart in the morning for sunny England! A downbeat note to end the day when we found that some Roman bar stewards have tried to break into the van, wrecking the locks on two of the doors. The upside is that they didn’t get in, but sadly my view of Rome will be forever tainted by their actions. To Terracina tomorrow on the Via Appia, probably now via a VW dealer if we can find one.