Day trip to Monte Cassino.

My wife & I are on holiday in Rome this week.
Today we went by train to see the Abbey at Monte Cassino.
I've not been there since my trip with Paul Reed back in 2008.
We got up early took the Metro to Roma Termini & caught the 09.07 train direct to Cassino.
Cost for the two of us€16.80.
It took approx 1 & half hours to get to Cassino.
The weather was quite overcast & grey.
I didn't think we'd see much .
When we got off the train the Monastery was hidden by cloud.
After a bit of faffing around in the town trying to find the bus , tourist info office & a shop we took a taxi up to the Abbey for €25.
The driver gave us his card & said when we want to come down to call him.
We had a look around the Abbey, I starting thinking about my previous trip & the Veterans that Paul Reed had gone there with.
I also thought of our own Veteran members of this forum who served in that area too.
I had hoped to walk up to Snakeshead but we were both knackered from our days walking around Rome so we just enjoyed being sat in the sun.
We thought about getting the taxi back down but we decided to walk. There is a trail that cuts out quite a few hairpins.
That took just over an hour to come back down
I'm lucky to have my wife who doesn't mind that sort of thing as I know some blokes whose wives would moan.
We got the 15.50 train non-stop back to Rome for €16.80 again.
We are both knackered & need a quiet day tomorrow.
Here are some photos, my phone's camera is a bit crap. Kim's pics are better.
Some of them maybe out of order.

 

Fantastic pics Owen, ta for posting. Really pleased you've managed to revisit Cassino .

Lesley

 

Great photos Owen. They certainly bring back memories of my trip in 2006. My friend and I also travelled down on the train from Rome. After wandering around the town we had one of the best meals of my life in a little restaurant in the town then walked to the CWGC where we spent the afternoon, as I have said before one of the most emotional experiences of my life.
I remember on the way back the stationmaster at Cassino station walked us round to the correct platform to make sure we got the right train. I was amazed at how cheap the Italian railways were, and from your post it seems they are still great value.