So here I am, back at home, finally getting around to writing about our trip! 1000 sorry's for not posting more frequently this past month but life has gotten the best of me. Our trip was a true whirlwind. Spending very few days in each place, we were a little rushed. After finishing our time in Greece, we took a quick flight to Napoli, Italy. We were lucky enough to land and get off the plane just in time to catch our bus to Sorento. The ride was just over an hour down a winding road along the coast. From the few glances I took out of the window when I wasn't feeling car sick, I could tell it was beautiful. Once in Sorento we lugged our bags several blocks through the busy streets, and found ourselves at the hotel. However, before taking a moment to relax, we quickly rushed to the train station to make the most out of our day. We traveled directly to Pompeii. Exploring this empty city, but imagining the life that once filled it was an extremely unique experience. I've never before spent time in a place when an entire civilization was wiped away and never built back up. Although we only had a short time to walk through the crumbling buildings on the cobble stone roads, it was very impactful. Imagining the families that had created those homes, seeing their vases and other household items, and even seeing the heartbreaking castes that formed after the eruption, opened our eyes to the loss had occurred, and reminded us to be that much more thankful for what we have. As we took to the city that evening to find dinner and explore, we saw the many traditional characteristics that make up the Italian dream. Our hotel was set down a small street with crowds of people filling the sidewalks. On one side of the hotel was a famous gelato shop where they proudly posted pictures of the many celebrities who had visited.. even a Kardashian they said. On the other side was an amazing shoe store where I eventually stopped in, purchased a pair, and was reminded a second pair was impossible due to the lack of luggage space. Just down the street from our hotel was a large square filled with many different restaurants, all featuring an outdoor patio, music, and the smell of fresh pasta and pizza. This first evening in Italy was relaxing and comforting as we stuffed ourselves with the better, more authentic versions of our favorite Italian dishes that we'd been eating for years. The next morning we woke up early and left for a day out on the water. We boarded a boat to Positano and were left completely in awe when we arrived. Positano was stunning, and the greatest view was from the water. The combination of colors seen in the buildings, along with the beaches covered in bright umbrellas, and finally the surrounding landscape of both cliffside and ocean created the most incredible scene. Clark and I have both said that this was one of our favorite places of the trip. We spent the day walking along tiny, winding roads that curved up between small restaurants, shops, and markets. After wandering for some time without purpose beyond taking in the beauty, we found our way back to the boat. Exhausted, but unwilling to miss a thing, we took to the streets of Sorento once again to further explore the many allies filled with people. Our third day in Italy would be spent on the island of Capri. Once again we headed down to the water to catch our ferry. We boarded the boat, but due to the large number of people, we had to sit on the lower level where it was completely enclosed. As our boat began moving, I could tell it was not going to be a pleasant ride. I immediately began feeling sick. Thankfully I made it to Capri, however just as we got off the boat, I knew what was about to happen. To spare you the gross details, I was forced to throw up in front of an enormous crowd of people in a tiny trashcan hanging on the wall. When I looked up, both my father and Clark had taken off and left me to be humiliated alone.. as they say, it was to prevent drawing attention, as if I wasn't already doing that. The plus side to the whole situation is that after my public humiliation, I immediately felt much better. We heard that there was a funicular near the port that would take us to the top of the mountain. I encouraged everyone to follow me, and led my family towards an area that I thought would take us straight there.. well, I ended up being a little wrong. Long story short, we walked at an incline the entire way to the top, all while baking in the sun. It led to some soreness, a little bit of frustration, and a lot of sweat. By the time we reached the top we were all pretty much over Capri, and it wasn't long before we took the funicular back to the bottom, and returned to our hotel in Sorento. With an early morning ahead of us, we went to bed early, and prepared to have a better day than the one we'd just had. The next day we woke up early and headed to get our rental car, and from there we drove to Rome. Our hotel, well apartment, was one that we had found through Airbnb. It was in a great location, just blocks from the Spanish Steps, and surrounded by tons of restaurants and stores. We found ourselves constantly indulging in pizza, pasta, caprese, and of course, gelato. In between our eating and fighting off the street vendors constantly trying to sell us toys, trinkets, and lasers, we did find time to also see the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain, which was completely closed and drained for construction.
That ended up being a common theme every where we went. After a couple of nights in Rome, now about 4-5 in Italy, we were all in the mood for some food that wasn't quite.. well.. Italian. We realized we were at our breaking point when we were experiencing the typical calls by restaurant hosts to come eat with them, and Clark turned to one and said "Please! Anything but Italian!" Needless to say, we used trusty Google to find and American steak house. Since we're on the subject of food in Rome, I should say that it was all amazing. We loved the food we were eating, and the enormously large beers they were serving. I was beginning to make gelato a daily habit, and often going back for seconds later in the day. However, while filling my gelato need, we experienced a slight problem. Turns out one of our frequently visited gelato locations did not do the best job of separating it's flavors. My favorite flavor is mint, which happens to be the same color of pistachio, something I found out that I am very allergic to. On two different occasions, took us until the second to realize what was going on, I had an allergic reaction to the gelato, sending me into a bit of a panic as I felt my throat close. All ended fine, and things were looking up until the illnesses took over. Clark came on the trip with a stuffy nose. Over the next several days however that turned into a full blown cold which was eventually passed on to me, and then my father. Despite these mishaps, we continued on and headed into Vatican City. We wandered around understanding the greatness of the rooms we were in and the people who had been there before us. From every angle on the outside, to every detail of the ceiling on the inside, the entire place was grand and magnificent. Afterwards we ate lunch along the street just outside, admired the Ferrari casually parked along the street, and eventually headed back to the hotel. Just before we reached the hotel, we looked back and noticed my father doing the unthinkable. He had given in. We watched as he passed over 10 euros to a man, and in return brought home a laser. Although we were concerned at the time, this laser did come in handy later on in Venice. Stay Tuned!
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