Wednesday 27th September 2023 – Erbenwald, Neubulach, Germany

 

Today was a day that just confirmed that our normal policy of avoiding motorways when we can, is the correct one for us. The journey should have taken about 5 hours but multiple delays on the motorways added over an hour. We were therefore very pleased, at the end of the journey, to leave the motorway and travel through very attractive scenery to Camping Erbenwald. A very pretty area and a pleasant campsite.

Photos: Camping Erbenwald in another mining area – a bit of a theme of the holiday; Our pitch.

Tuesday 26th September 2023 – Chiemsee, Germany

We always try to minimise the amount of time that we spend on motorways as then are normally very busy and there is no opportunity to stop to admire views or investigate interesting villages. This journey is different as we need to get back quickly and motorway travel is a necessary evil.
We travelled up to the Austrian border without using the motorway and really enjoyed the views of the mountains. It was the same going through Austria, although we did use motorways. The weather was still very good and the views were clearer than they had been when we came through the mountains before. Even though we were driving for 5 hours, it was a very enjoyable journey.
We chose a campsite just over the border in Germany after we had come off the high mountain roads. Chiemsee Strandcamp is on the shores of the Chiemsee lake and although the pitches are small, the position is great. We watched a wonderful sunset over the lake before settling down to a meal in the van – having just come from Italy we couldn’t face having a pizza in campsite pizzeria! We would both like to spend more time here at some time in the future. It looks like a great place for some bike rides.

Photos: Burg Hohenwerfen castle taken by Jane as we drove past on the motorway; The beach at Camping Chiemsee Strandcamp – the dots in the lake are people swimming; Sunset over the mirror-like Chiemsee lake.

Monday 25th September 2023 – Camping Aquileia, Aquileia, Italy

 

We had still not visited a few of the outlying sites of the city, so we decided to have another night in Aquileia. We set off walking around the outskirts of the town passing extensive, covered excavations at the House of the Wounded Beasts that must have had wonderful views of the distant mountains. The remains of the aqueduct were difficult to discern, the only thing that we could see was a slightly raised bank alongside the modern road. On then to the forum – a very large area that spread both side of the same modern road. The re=-erected columns and the carved heads that decorated the frieze above them, give an idea of the status and wealth of the area. Next was the Decumano di Aratria Galla- the main east-west road that ran just south of the forum. A large section of well-preserved Roman road with fallen columns and buildings are visible and beyond was a very large area of excavations with more work in progress. As we walked round towards the Roman cemetery, there were yet more extensive excavations. Not open to the public, the area of covers the circus, theatre, public baths and amphitheatre – a very important part of the Roman city. I am sure that these excavations will continue for a long time but should produce some very interesting results. We will made a note to visit again in the next decade!
Next was the Sepolcreto, one of the many city cemeteries. This is quite a small area but gives a very good idea of the cemeteries that would have lined all of the roads outside the bounds of the city.
On the way back to the van, we stopped at the modern cemetery behind the basilica. Here are buried the Italian dead from the First World War – a sobering sight.
Early in our trip we heard of the tragic death of Jane’s much loved second cousin and we decided that we needed to be at the funeral to support the family. Today we heard that the funeral will be next Monday and we therefore need to start our journey tomorrow.

Photos: The Roman Forum with examples of the Zeus Ammon and Medusa carvings; The Decumano di Aratria Galla Roman road; Detail on one of the monumental graves in the Sepolcreto cemetery; This is the Fondo Cal, another villa site with renovation / excavation work in progress; The view from of the campsite – the river and port area is on the tree line with the Roman city behind.