San Marino

Well, I was well enough to get up, get on the bike and ride 170 miles to San Marino. Then collapse in my hotel room for an hour before going to see the world's fifth smallest country.

It was worth it. I suppose I wasn't expecting much, after all as it's such a small country what could it offer but essentially San Marino is a medieval hilltop settlement situated at759 m. It has commanding views.

Looking east towards Rimini and the Adriatic

At the top is the Citta do San Marino, the walled city now full of tourists, restaurants and shops. Bizarrely ( at least I think it's rather bizarre) lots of the shops seemed to be selling guns and knives and medieval swords. Rather odd.

But essentially,  it's a beautiful place, which also happens to be a country.

I found these 19th century drawings in the castle prison. 

So that was San Marino.

The world's oldest Republic (301 AD) 

The world's oldest surviving sovereign state

5th smallest country

I'm still not feeling well enough to be overly enthusiastic about anything at the moment. Sorry. 

I've got 375 miles to do tomorrow to get to Germany and then 350 miles the day after to Belgium. Then on Monday I get the ferry to the UK and will go and see my friend Justin in Brighton. ( If you've read 'Gone Riding', Justin is the guy I mention at the beginning who bought me a copy of Ted Simon's Jupiter's Travels - starting me off on this whole motorcycle travel palaver)

In the next few days I'll post some final thoughts and facts and figures. But thanks for reading my blo.

Ciao