This morning we had an hour of free time in Piazza Tasso. We purchased some gifts and a piece of inlaid wood before we caught the ferry over to the Isle of Capri. What a beautiful place! Different color boats line the shore with a bunch of multi-colored houses. We then took the funicular up to Capri Town. A bit crowded but a nice place for the 7 of us not taking the excursion to go to. We enjoyed anti-pasta and caprese salad for lunch and then walked around Capri Town a bit. Then we headed down to the shore and had drinks by the water.
We left late afternoon and headed back to Sorrento for dinner at Pizza a Metro. They claim to have invented pizza! The pizzas came out and were at least four feet long! We had a variety; one with tomatoes, another with tomatoes and sausage, and another with broccoli, mushrooms and green tomatoes. Amber, Jeff and I shared 2 bottles of wine and ate WAAAY too much pizza! [During dinner a thunder and lightening storm came out of nowhere and we ran laughing and giggling back to the bus as we all got drenched.]
After dinner [and back at the hotel] we had "Crema di Lemone" aka Cream Limoncello - tasty! My faves in Sorrento (besides the awesome view from our hotel) were the olive oil and limoncello. Tomorrow - Pompeii!
M<3
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Day Four - September 21, 2008 - Sorrento & Positano, Italy
Three and a half [hour] beautiful (and winding) drive down to spectacular Sorrento. This is the most beautiful place I have ever set foot in my life. Breathtaking views, quaint cafes, tiny stores filled with the most brilliant gems...I could live here!
We spent two hours in Piazza Tasso eating (the best!) Salame Pizza, shopping, and had our first samples of Limoncello. Also saw some ruins from the 5th century BC below the city.
We then checked into our fabulous hotel where I'm pretty sure we were lucky and got THE best room - 4th floor with a full view of Pompeii, Mt. Vesuvius, and the Bay of Naples. I could sit on our balcony for an entire day and never get tired of it. It's so amazing it makes me want to cry.
We were then fortunate enough to take a sunset and evening excursion down into Positano. The hilltop views of the Bay were unbelievable. Positano itself is hard to get to, but a city with lots of charm and beauty. Had dinner with some people from our group. Positano is known for its seafood, so of course, we tried it! Jeff had clam fettuccini and we also had seafood risotto - so yummy! Also bruschetta and I tried a local fave - spaghetti made with olive oil "chilis" and cheese. "Aigio" or something like that. The olive oil here is the best I've ever had. It's so flavorful I don't know how I'll ever eat American [olive oil] again!
Tomorrow we're off to the Isle of Capri.
Arrivederci!
M
We spent two hours in Piazza Tasso eating (the best!) Salame Pizza, shopping, and had our first samples of Limoncello. Also saw some ruins from the 5th century BC below the city.
We then checked into our fabulous hotel where I'm pretty sure we were lucky and got THE best room - 4th floor with a full view of Pompeii, Mt. Vesuvius, and the Bay of Naples. I could sit on our balcony for an entire day and never get tired of it. It's so amazing it makes me want to cry.
We were then fortunate enough to take a sunset and evening excursion down into Positano. The hilltop views of the Bay were unbelievable. Positano itself is hard to get to, but a city with lots of charm and beauty. Had dinner with some people from our group. Positano is known for its seafood, so of course, we tried it! Jeff had clam fettuccini and we also had seafood risotto - so yummy! Also bruschetta and I tried a local fave - spaghetti made with olive oil "chilis" and cheese. "Aigio" or something like that. The olive oil here is the best I've ever had. It's so flavorful I don't know how I'll ever eat American [olive oil] again!
Tomorrow we're off to the Isle of Capri.
Arrivederci!
M
Day Three - September 20, 2008 - Rome, Italy
Very packed day! On the tour bus at 7am and headed over to the Vatican. Started in the Vatican Museum with halls of painted ceilings, telling many stories of Italy and religion. Then onto the Sistine Chapel, which was the craziest thing I've ever seen. Floor to ceiling paintings by Michelangelo telling stories of Jesus, Moses and judgment day. It's way too much to take in!
St. Peter's Basilica was last and it was huge! Saw a Michelangelo statue "Pieta" as well as the crypt of many popes (including the late John Paul II). The basilica was spectacular with many huge domes, magnificent statues and even a measurement of how smaller churches in the world compare. Our local guide, Daniella, was very informative and a pleasure!
Onto yet another pizza lunch in the Colosseum neighborhood before another quick tour of the Colosseum. Jeff and I then took the metro [scary!] to the Piazza di Spagna to have a look at the Spanish steps and grab some chocolate gelato. One theme that stands out today (and for our next stop) is CROWDED! I've never seen so many people in my whole life!
Onto the Trevi Fountain, just as amazing as I thought, though it's hard to enjoy anything with so many people around. Threw a United States quarter into the fountain for luck.
Dinner in Piazza Navona at a ristorante called "4 Fiumi" for their famous "tartufo" dessert. Basically rich chocolate ice cream with dark chocolate chunks on top. Very tasty! Veal again though much better tonight. [Bought a painting in the Piazza and then headed back to the hotel with Carl and Carly.]
Very exhausted as I've been up since 2am. Onto Sorrento tomorrow! [Rome is insane and I'm excited to head for the coast!]
M <3
St. Peter's Basilica was last and it was huge! Saw a Michelangelo statue "Pieta" as well as the crypt of many popes (including the late John Paul II). The basilica was spectacular with many huge domes, magnificent statues and even a measurement of how smaller churches in the world compare. Our local guide, Daniella, was very informative and a pleasure!
Onto yet another pizza lunch in the Colosseum neighborhood before another quick tour of the Colosseum. Jeff and I then took the metro [scary!] to the Piazza di Spagna to have a look at the Spanish steps and grab some chocolate gelato. One theme that stands out today (and for our next stop) is CROWDED! I've never seen so many people in my whole life!
Onto the Trevi Fountain, just as amazing as I thought, though it's hard to enjoy anything with so many people around. Threw a United States quarter into the fountain for luck.
Dinner in Piazza Navona at a ristorante called "4 Fiumi" for their famous "tartufo" dessert. Basically rich chocolate ice cream with dark chocolate chunks on top. Very tasty! Veal again though much better tonight. [Bought a painting in the Piazza and then headed back to the hotel with Carl and Carly.]
Very exhausted as I've been up since 2am. Onto Sorrento tomorrow! [Rome is insane and I'm excited to head for the coast!]
M <3
Day Two - September 19, 2008 - Rome, Italy
A very wet and rainy day here in Roma. We were able to escape rain when we went to the Colosseum this morning. Amazing! There's really only so much one can process about a city and building so old. Oddly enough it seemed a little smaller than I thought, but just as spectacular as I had imagined. We have a stop there tomorrow, so hopefully I can get some shots with blue sky!
After the Colosseum we did the archeological walk, starting with the palaces atop Palatine Hill and down into the Forum. It started pouring rain then [at the Forum] and although the sites were awesome, it was quite hard to enjoy in the rain and be soaking wet.
Lunch was [a] "Panina Capri." Bread with proscuitto, mozzarella, tomato and lettuce. We then got a little lost, but finally found the Pantheon. It's very well preserved inside - I believe the best preserved interior in [Ancient] Rome. Crypts and an open dome are what makes it amazing.
[We sat in the Pantheon square and enjoyed a hot café latte while the rain poured down. Then waited in a really long taxi line in the rain with my newly purchased rainbow-colored umbrella.]
Still pouring rain we headed back to the hotel to meet our tour group. 27 people from all over the world. We'll see how it goes!
We headed back into ancient Rome and had dinner just inside the Aurellian Walls. Had dinner at "Segafredo Zanetti." Pasta, veal, potatoes, and the best tiramisu I've ever had! Then a night time highlight tour of the city.
Early day tomorrow. We depart at 7am for the Vatican. Long but exciting day tomorrow!
M <3
After the Colosseum we did the archeological walk, starting with the palaces atop Palatine Hill and down into the Forum. It started pouring rain then [at the Forum] and although the sites were awesome, it was quite hard to enjoy in the rain and be soaking wet.
Lunch was [a] "Panina Capri." Bread with proscuitto, mozzarella, tomato and lettuce. We then got a little lost, but finally found the Pantheon. It's very well preserved inside - I believe the best preserved interior in [Ancient] Rome. Crypts and an open dome are what makes it amazing.
[We sat in the Pantheon square and enjoyed a hot café latte while the rain poured down. Then waited in a really long taxi line in the rain with my newly purchased rainbow-colored umbrella.]
Still pouring rain we headed back to the hotel to meet our tour group. 27 people from all over the world. We'll see how it goes!
We headed back into ancient Rome and had dinner just inside the Aurellian Walls. Had dinner at "Segafredo Zanetti." Pasta, veal, potatoes, and the best tiramisu I've ever had! Then a night time highlight tour of the city.
Early day tomorrow. We depart at 7am for the Vatican. Long but exciting day tomorrow!
M <3
Day One - September 18, 2008 - Rome, Italy
Long over night flight from DC to Rome. Slept a little, but not much. It was 4.5 hours from L.A. to DC and 8 hours from DC to Rome. Took us at least an hour and fifteen minutes to get our luggage - slowest baggage claim EVER. Then the bumpiest most nauseating hour-long shuttle ride of my life. We arrived at our hotel around 11:45am. Our first meal was here at Rouge et Noir Hotel. Pizza margherita (olive oil, tomato sauce & cheese) with salad and fruit.
Our room was finally ready by the time we finished lunch at 1pm. The room - is a room - seems clean enough - accept for the yucky shower curtain - but otherwise big by European standards.
After a nap until 3pm, we showered and made phone calls home. By 5pm we headed back into the city [via the free hotel shuttle that drops you at Termini Station. From there we took a cab into the Campo de Fiori].
We strolled around the Campo de Fiori and then settled into some outdoor seats at a local cafe so we could enjoy dinner in a Roman atmosphere.
"Samby's" was the name of the ristorante and my meal was fabulous. Started with a 1/2 liter of red wine and an order of caprese. My entree was "Rigatoni all'Amatricana" which the waitress recommended. It was rigatoni with tomato, bacon, and pecorino cheese. Great recommendation! Jeff's pasta was "Rigatoni all'Carbonera" which was made with bacon, egg and cheese.
We strolled around a bit before grabbing a cab and heading back for some much needed sleep.
Tomorrow is a big day - Ancient Rome - here we come! Hope the weather holds out.
Ciao Bella!
~M
Our room was finally ready by the time we finished lunch at 1pm. The room - is a room - seems clean enough - accept for the yucky shower curtain - but otherwise big by European standards.
After a nap until 3pm, we showered and made phone calls home. By 5pm we headed back into the city [via the free hotel shuttle that drops you at Termini Station. From there we took a cab into the Campo de Fiori].
We strolled around the Campo de Fiori and then settled into some outdoor seats at a local cafe so we could enjoy dinner in a Roman atmosphere.
"Samby's" was the name of the ristorante and my meal was fabulous. Started with a 1/2 liter of red wine and an order of caprese. My entree was "Rigatoni all'Amatricana" which the waitress recommended. It was rigatoni with tomato, bacon, and pecorino cheese. Great recommendation! Jeff's pasta was "Rigatoni all'Carbonera" which was made with bacon, egg and cheese.
We strolled around a bit before grabbing a cab and heading back for some much needed sleep.
Tomorrow is a big day - Ancient Rome - here we come! Hope the weather holds out.
Ciao Bella!
~M
Italy
I've been so sick with the stomach flu that I haven't even felt like blogging about my trip! I journaled every day and I want to post them on here. I'm going to try and work on that today.
In a nutshell we had the time of our lives. What an amazing experience! 13 cities in 12 days and a complete look at so many different regions and cultures in Italy. We made new friends and enjoyed lots of wine and food and the best part is that we made memories that will last us a lifetime. Italy is a gem and although crowded, is a place to see in your lifetime. I don't regret a dime we spent and I wouldn't have changed a thing!
Will be back to blog later! :-) Ciao!
~M
In a nutshell we had the time of our lives. What an amazing experience! 13 cities in 12 days and a complete look at so many different regions and cultures in Italy. We made new friends and enjoyed lots of wine and food and the best part is that we made memories that will last us a lifetime. Italy is a gem and although crowded, is a place to see in your lifetime. I don't regret a dime we spent and I wouldn't have changed a thing!
Will be back to blog later! :-) Ciao!
~M
Friday, September 12, 2008
"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page." - St. Augustine
It's the Friday before we leave for our big trip. I've ordered the memory cards for my camera, I've got my new lenses, my new less-than-2-lbs tripod in a case, all of my travel-sized crap, guidebooks, things to do on the plane, hell even a hot pink fleece blow up pillow for the ride over. I'm all set! The thing that irks me when I return from a trip is how I didn't get "this shot" or "that shot," so I'm beyond determined to focus more on shooting better shots when we travel this time. Although I will feel a little rushed, I've got to focus on composition so I'm not kicking myself when I return home.
I decided to post this entry with still my favorite shot I've ever taken while traveling. Considering I took this with my tiny Nikon coolpix and no tripod, I think it turned out pretty damned good! Perhaps I favor it because of the subject matter, but I still feel like it's not only one of my best, but my favorite. If I can come back from the trip with at least 5 shots I adore, I'll be content. You can shoot 2000 pictures and still come back with nothing you like. So is the life of a photographer.
Tuesday is our 2 year wedding anniversary! HOLY COW! Two years ago I was so focused on the wedding that I almost forgot we were going to England and France and now, two years later, there's no wedding to focus on, so my mind is obsessing over getting the hell out of Dodge. I guess everyone has the things they look forward to in life and for me it's travel. I hope that when our kids are old enough we can put them on the Eurorail and go around Europe or take them scuba diving in Australia. I want them to see the world and know that the possibilities are endless. I want them to learn about other cultures, other languages, other religions, and other countries. These are all things that I wish I could have experienced at a younger age and I will try and work my hardest to give this to my kids.
With those positive thoughts for a great future, I'm off to work and dream about sipping wine in Italy...
I decided to post this entry with still my favorite shot I've ever taken while traveling. Considering I took this with my tiny Nikon coolpix and no tripod, I think it turned out pretty damned good! Perhaps I favor it because of the subject matter, but I still feel like it's not only one of my best, but my favorite. If I can come back from the trip with at least 5 shots I adore, I'll be content. You can shoot 2000 pictures and still come back with nothing you like. So is the life of a photographer.
Tuesday is our 2 year wedding anniversary! HOLY COW! Two years ago I was so focused on the wedding that I almost forgot we were going to England and France and now, two years later, there's no wedding to focus on, so my mind is obsessing over getting the hell out of Dodge. I guess everyone has the things they look forward to in life and for me it's travel. I hope that when our kids are old enough we can put them on the Eurorail and go around Europe or take them scuba diving in Australia. I want them to see the world and know that the possibilities are endless. I want them to learn about other cultures, other languages, other religions, and other countries. These are all things that I wish I could have experienced at a younger age and I will try and work my hardest to give this to my kids.
With those positive thoughts for a great future, I'm off to work and dream about sipping wine in Italy...
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
One week until Italy!
There is not much going on here as I'm already horribly in vacation mode. I'm so out of it I can't even focus at work! All I think about is our trip...I think I'm beyond excited now! 1 week from now we'll be in the air.
Next Tuesday is our two-year wedding anniversary - holy cow! I can't believe how time flies and things change. Since we leave for the trip the day after our anniversary, we're just going to grab a meal at Outback on Saturday night to celebrate. Maybe catch the new Brad Pitt and George Clooney movie. No time for anything else as I have lots of cleaning and packing to do before the weekend is over. How nice will it be to work only a day and a half next week? Awesome!
Well, off to my hair appointment now. Ciao!
Next Tuesday is our two-year wedding anniversary - holy cow! I can't believe how time flies and things change. Since we leave for the trip the day after our anniversary, we're just going to grab a meal at Outback on Saturday night to celebrate. Maybe catch the new Brad Pitt and George Clooney movie. No time for anything else as I have lots of cleaning and packing to do before the weekend is over. How nice will it be to work only a day and a half next week? Awesome!
Well, off to my hair appointment now. Ciao!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Since we haven't taken a picture together in a while...
This was taken in Montana the week before last after the grave site service for Jeff's grandpa. We haven't taken a good picture together in a while, so I wanted to post.
Vacation
After a three day weekend, all I can think about is how many days until we leave for Italy! So I picked one of my pictures with a train, making me think about traveling, and making me feel at ease as I deal with another 9 days of work. I finally gathered websites for all of the hotels we're staying at:
First three nights in Rome - http://www.hotelrougeetnoir.it/
Sorrento - http://www.moonvalley.it/home.php?idLingua=2
Florence - http://www.goldentulipmirageflorence.com/
Milan - http://www.atahotels.it/struttura.asp?id=quark&ln=eng
Venice - http://www.hotellugano.it/
Last night in Rome - http://www.romehotelpinewood.com/
Nothing fancy, but clean and a place to sleep. That's all that matters to me!
I have a lot to do the next two weekends. This weekend I have to make sure everything we need for the trip is purchased so we can pack the following weekend. That weekend before we leave I have to somewhat clean the house because my mother-in-law is staying there and house-sitting/cat sitting while we're away. I will not let her come and stay in a dirty house. Who has the time to clean 1800 square feet with work, the gym, and planning for our trip? Not to mention a lot of TV shows started this week. We have to keep caught up before we leave so our fake TiVo doesn't get full. I can't believe SVU starts while I'm on vacation. At least I'll have something to look forward to when I return.
First three nights in Rome - http://www.hotelrougeetnoir.it/
Sorrento - http://www.moonvalley.it/home.php?idLingua=2
Florence - http://www.goldentulipmirageflorence.com/
Milan - http://www.atahotels.it/struttura.asp?id=quark&ln=eng
Venice - http://www.hotellugano.it/
Last night in Rome - http://www.romehotelpinewood.com/
Nothing fancy, but clean and a place to sleep. That's all that matters to me!
I have a lot to do the next two weekends. This weekend I have to make sure everything we need for the trip is purchased so we can pack the following weekend. That weekend before we leave I have to somewhat clean the house because my mother-in-law is staying there and house-sitting/cat sitting while we're away. I will not let her come and stay in a dirty house. Who has the time to clean 1800 square feet with work, the gym, and planning for our trip? Not to mention a lot of TV shows started this week. We have to keep caught up before we leave so our fake TiVo doesn't get full. I can't believe SVU starts while I'm on vacation. At least I'll have something to look forward to when I return.
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