Genova

Or Genoa if you're a Pom.
We spent three days in Milano, and did a bike trip out to the monument-ridden town of Pavia whilst there. We were amazed at how the maniacal Italian drivers failed to hit us on the busy city streets there, and in Milano itself. Our guide book says that it is because they are very practiced at missing cyclists and other objects because they have to do this in Italy every day of their lives, and this could be so. If you just hold your line and don't make any sudden unexpected movements, all is well.
Anyway, we caught the train to Genova with little difficulty, and met our corresponding parents-in-law of the Vic-Jess variety, Paul and Catherine there. This was a huge fluke, as they were only free for that particular day in Genova, and so were we.
So, we had a nice morning there together, and benefited from their recent knowledge of the town, before moving on to our next camp site, only 16k down the coast from Genova at a place called Bogliasco.
The first picture is of the Catorz (charter house) di Pavia, the second and the fifth (which won't go where it's asked), of the port of Genova, and the third and fourth are right here, the ocean at Bogliasco.

Milan

We met some new biking friends on our last day in Venice, Gabriel and Amalie from Canada, and Werner and Gertrude from Germany. On the last night we were discussing future plans over a glass of Gabriel's magnificent grappa, when a huge clap of thunder erupted,and we scurried off to our respective tents. It rained all night, and we had to get up and shift the tent out of a puddle. I don't know how, perhaps the grappa, but I managed a reasonable night's sleep in a wet sleeping bag.
Before the rain started, Gabriel had said that they had ridden from Genova to Sestri without trouble, then from there taken their bikes on the boat, little expense, to La Spezia, seeing Cinque Terra on the way, so we thought we'd do the same.
So, with the usual amount of train difficulty, we went from Mestre to Milan, where we were to catch another train to Genoa, but on the way, I realized that we would probably never be in Milan again, there was a camping area here, so why not stay? Well, we didn't make the camping area that tough day and had to resort to our most expensive hotel (€130) yet, but here we are in this big bustling city, with some pictures to show...
The first and second are the outside and inside of the Castille di Sforzesco, the others the outside and inside of the Duomo.

Venice

We spent two days and three nights in "Camping Venezia", a relief in one way, that we could get a camp again, though it was quite expensive at €30 per night. Still, I guess a hotel would have been very costly in this area. Venice itself was pretty much as expected, from the pictures we've all seen all our lives. The amount of tourists was about what we thought too, the bus to and from packed in much the same way as our trains when the Eagles or Dockers are playing. We walked our feet off in our touristic endeavours, and spent enormous euros on things like gondolas and the cafe Florian.
You won't see us on the gondola picture, but we were on one just like it!
The second picture is of the Grand Canal, the next of St Marcos square.

Munich across the alps to Venice DONE!

We had a nice day down the Sile river bike path, and quiet country roads through Mestre to the camping area near Venice. Many of you have been here, but I'll still put up the odd picture after we've been. Up to now, we've just done a load of washing and had a beer at the bar run by the most morose of bartenders. We won't trouble him again.
I probably should have taken more stills of the Sile, it is very beautiful. But here is the only one!

Treviso

We really had a day off here, in Treviso, arrived about midday from our nice little hotel at Volpago de Montello, ready to be impressed because two people we met yesterday said it was wonderful. However, after we'd spent about an hour and a half cycling around in fairly heavy traffic looking for accommodation I was ready to get the hell out, but just as we turned to go we noticed the Carlton Hotel, which sounded a little bit friendly, so we checked in there for a gloomy €99.
We spent the afternoon walking around town, and it was OK, but really, you were battling to find anything truly worth photographing. Here's a couple anyway, the first is the Duomo (Cathedral), the second is one of the canals, and the third is the fish markets.

To Bassano and beyond

We left our haven of the night before, and continued on down the Brenta, which became narrower. I was hoping we could cut across to some lakes which had camping, but it didn't happen somehow, maybe we missed a turn somewhere, we seemed locked in to the steep walled Brenta. Camping spots are hard to come by, we've been in hotels for days now, budget havoc.
Finally we came out of the mountains at Bassano, another striking old town of Northern Italy.
Next day, we cut across country, no more bike paths, just using the brilliant iPhone ap, Pocket Earth, which gave us a bike route to follow along the quieter streets and roads. We didn't make our destination, Treviso, because of rain, and there is more forecast for tomorrow. There is really only a day's travel left to reach Venice, but because of weather it will be two, I think.
The first two pictures are of the bike route a little before Bassano, the third is of the view from the hillside town of Asolo, on our way to Treviso.

The Brenta bike path

We carried on to Trento, and on the way met a couple on a tandem, who guided us into the town, the quickest entry to a city that we've ever experienced. We booked in at a two star hotel, the Venezia, which was very good, apart from the bathroom being a little worse for wear. Later we had dinner with our new friends, Ernst and Christiana, who come this way often, from Allgau in Bavaria. We had a great night at their favourite Italian restaurant in this pleasant historic town.
Next day, although we hate trains, we followed our guidebook's advice and caught the train to Pergine, about 12k, apparently otherwise you have to put up with heavy traffic and high hills.
Because we were successful on this occasion, it was a pleasant experience.
From there, we located Lago di Caldonazzo, where we had lunch, then the River Brenta bike path, (piste ciclable) and followed it down (truly downhill), to Borgo Valsugana. We got caught in heavy rain there, couldn't find accommodation anywhere, and finally backtracked to Roncegno, where we found a hotel that was happy to take in two drenched Aussies.
Picture 1 and 2 show the Brenta bike path, picture 3 is us at Trento