Home Sweet Home

I love to travel - new foods, new languages, new cultures, but I also love coming home. After a good night's sleep, the first thing I did was to go grocery shopping. As I drove down our wide street with ample parking and then browsed the grocery aisles overflowing with products that I recognized, all I could feel was gratitude for the life of ease and abundance that we live.

Italy was great, how could one think otherwise? But at the same time, it was crowded, parking was a nightmare (so glad we took the train or hired drivers), and everything was so expensive. Even so, we loved every minute of it. As I look back at my last post (scroll down a bit or hit this link), I am amazed that my pictures show a place even more beautiful than the internet photos I shared.

First Stop - Venice

My favorite part of Venice was being on the water.

My husband waiting to board the water taxi that took us to the islands of Murano (known for glassworks) and Burano (Google some images - you won't believe how pretty that island is).

The Bridge of Sighs

Gondolas at rest.

In Venice, we got lost in narrow alleys, rode the Vaporetto (water buses), watched a glass maker in action, toured the Doge's Palace, hung out in St. Mark's Square, and began our gastronomical journey. Oh. And wine. And Prosecco. Every day. 

Next Stop - Florence

A hike for a city view.

No complaints about the food or wine.

My husband's idea!

In Florence, we saw art. All of it. More art than I ever hope to see again. I loved Michelangelo's David though, it was truly magnificent and worth going to see. We also visited the Uffizi (too much art), the Vecchio Palace (home of the Medici), the Duomo, and all of the other stuff that you're supposed to see. We enjoyed amazing food, gelato, and Chianti - my new favorite wine!

And Then - Pompeii 

My husband walking down the streets of Pompeii.

Look carefully. Yes, it is what you think it is. These pointed the way to the nearest brothel.

My husband standing on the rim of the crater of Vesuvius.

Our hiking group for the day - husband and I are on the left.

Of everything we did over the two weeks that we were in Italy, hiking around the rim of Vesuvius was the most spectacular. My photos can't even begin to do that view justice. We were the only people that hiked it the entire day. We even dropped down inside the crater to feel the steam vents - hot enough to cook food. It was simply awe-inspiring.

The ruins of Pompeii were also quite interesting. We ended up going twice. The first afternoon, we went by ourselves to get a feel for the ruins without hearing a guide's explanations. The next afternoon, we returned with a guide, which helped pull the whole story together. If you visit Italy, I would recommend adding Pompeii to your itinerary. 

And on to the Amalfi Coast

I think this was taken in the town of Ravello along the Amalfi Coast.

Our apartment's balcony.

Positano - the town we stayed in.

We took a boat cruise to Capri - an island just off the Amalfi Coast.

I did a pretty big hike up and beyond Positano - you can see it nestled in the cliffs below.

The Amalfi Coast was truly stunning. The blue of the Mediterranean Sea was mesmerizing - you could stare at it for hours, and we did. We swam, hiked, ate, and even cooked some of our own meals. We took a boat/cruise to Capri, a neighboring island where we swam, enjoyed wine and prosecco, and reveled in the wind and spray from the boat. That trip to Capri was my second favorite thing that we did in Italy. 

Last Stop - Rome

A large memorial to Italy's first King.

Vatican City, St. Peter's Square

Ancient Rome - The Forum

Overlooking Ancient Rome

The Colosseum

If I could have rearranged a few things, I would have added at least one more day to our stay in Rome. There was simply so much more to see. We spent one morning in Vatican City touring the Sistine Chapel, The Vatican Museums, and the Basilica (we've now been to the two biggest churches in the world). We spent another morning touring the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Ancient Rome including the Roman Forum. 

In the afternoons, we saw the Spanish Steps (not sure what the big deal is), Trevi Fountain (very pretty), and Piazza Navona (also unsure of the draw). We spent a lot of time just ambling around, stopping for a pizza, some wine, and occasionally some more gelato.

I worried about gaining weight, but I shouldn't have. My husband's Apple watch kept track of our daily mileage. In the first week, we walked 60 miles. In total, we walked more than 100 miles over the two weeks, most of it included steps. Most days we walked between 7 and 10 miles. One day in Positano, I climbed/descended more than 4,000 stairs and walked several miles. 

I am really glad to be home, but we're already planning our next vacation - an African Safari!