Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday in Italy - April 18 - 20, 2012
After a few crazy days in Rome, we rented a car and drove south to explore more of Italy.  Our first stop was to climb Mount Vesuvius!  You actually take a very windy, somewhat scary and precarious road most of the way up the volcano and into the national park.  As we navigated our way past buses going up and some going down, we parked our car on the side of the road and prayed there would be no damage when we returned.  We paid the entrance fee and started our climb to the rim of the volcano.  As we climbed our view became more and more obscured by the clouds settling over us.  After much cajoling, we managed to get the kids up to the rim where we peered over the edge into the crater.  Although we could only see clouds, we could definitely smell the sulphurous belching from the abyss.  The kids were not thrilled that this is what we dragged them up to see.  Oh, well, at least the walk down was quicker and easier.

At the Rim of Vesuvius

Climbing up the Volcano!

Another pizza lunch at a cafe down the volcano and then to Pompeii.  Here we again had Rick Steves giving us a tour of the ruins.  The audio was very interesting and even the kids were learning something.  One thing that stuck with us is that you often see these shops opening to the street that have a counter covered in mosaic tiles.  The counter has four to six holes in it which would have been to hold pots of food being kept warm by coals below.  You see these places every other block or so.  Apparently, this is where the people of Pompeii would have come to buy their dinner, a sort of fast food establishment.  After they learned this, the kids used their cameras to make short videos of themselves coming to the McDonald's of Pompeii to order dinner.  They were happy, which made me happy.  From the theaters to the colosseums, we really had a great time exploring Pompeii.  The only negative thing was that we did not stop for gelato on our way out.  We still had an hour drive to get to our hotel. 

On Stage!

Pompeii Colosseum

The hotel that we stayed as is a bed and breakfast on the outskirts of Sorrento and is called Villa Oriana.  Another family from the kids' school had recommended it and it was perfect.  As we drove through the gates we landed in an oasis with lemon and orange trees leading us down the drive (which honestly seemed more like a walkway and our minivan was a giant crushing it!).  The owner was there to welcome us with fresh lemonade and apple cake just out of the oven.  The kids made themselves at home with a checkerboard as Steve and I checked us in and brought in the bags.  We had two rooms next to each other where the kids were safe in one and Steve and I had the other.  We weren't sure we were going to want to leave in the morning to go sightseeing it was so comfortable to just be there relaxing.

On Thursday morning, we made our way to the main room for breakfast.  The owner's wife asked me to run down and get my camera for a surprise.  I knew what must be up their sleeve.  When I returned, they came out of the kitchen with a small chocolate torte dusted in powdered sugar and cocoa with candles and they were singing Happy Birthday to Katie!  She had mentioned to the owner's wife the evening before that it was her birthday the next day so they made it special.  I had no idea how I was going to get her a cake and my prayers were answered!  Everything was so nice!  The other guests also took a moment to wish her a happy birthday as well.  It was a good start to the day.  Then again, how could it not be with chocolate cake for breakfast!

We walked to town to catch a train to Herculaneum for some sightseeing.  This city was also destroyed in the same volcanic eruption in 79AD as Pompeii, but because it was buried in a mud slide, it is actually even better preserved.  The kids had more fun making videos here even after the rain started.  We made our way back to the hotel for happy hour.  Steve and I got a bottle of wine and the kids had the rest of Katie's cake to eat!  We sat in the lemon grove while the kids made some more silly videos.  Steve was surely thinking, "why can't our vacations be more like this...sitting in a lemon grove drinking wine all day rather than getting all this silly culture?"  Well, Steve, that's because no one wants to read about us sitting and drinking wine all day!  Gotta give the folks something to read!  So...more sightseeing!

Amazing frescoes after almost 2000 years.

Herculaeum McDonalds

smiling in spite of the rain!

Friday we had a guide pick us up in his van and take us along the Amalfi coast.  The road is precarious along a cliff and the parking in the villages is even more questionable.  Our guide told us about the sights and knew where to stop for photos.  Our first long stop was in Positano for an hour.  Here we wound our way to a beach where the kids just wanted to play in the water.  They would chase the waves and taunt them.  Really.  Of course, because it is my vacation, the rain started, so we headed back into the village with our umbrellas.  Steve and I found a piece of pottery which was one of the things on the list I wanted to be sure to get.  We found snacks for the kids and then back to the van. 

From there we headed further south to the town of Amalfi.  There is a Cathedral to Sant Andrea which is an amazing bit of architecture combining Sicilian and Arabic-Norman influences.  What was really great was that there was a wedding going on and tourists were milling about.  We were able to see the happy couple down the steps to their waiting car.  As they rode off to their big party, we sat down to some well deserved gelato!  Of course.  Just as we were about to amble through the town, it started to rain, but not a drizzle, a torential downpour!  We were soaked and the umbrellas were being blown inside out!  We found cover in a shop, but it wasn't letting up so we had to make our way out to find our guide.  Looking like a family of drowned rats we climbed into the van and our guide remarked on how the weather is NEVER like this and we must have the worst luck.  Yep, that about sums it up. 

Gelato, just minutes before the downpour

We continued along and the rain subsided as we made our way to Ravello.  Just as we were getting out of the van, our bad luck pounced again and the heavens again opened upon us.  The two closest restaurants were not suitable for our children's discerning palettes (I hope you read into that...no pizza).  We had to brave the weather and head up the road into town.  The main piazza was just about empty.  People were tucking in wherever possible.  That also meant we were having a terrible time finding someplace with an open table for lunch.  Finally, down a back road, we found a nice little restaurant with pasta on the menu.  The only table was right by the door and we were constantly getting up to close the door when thoughtless patrons came in or out and did not pull it closed.  Beside the rain, a cold wind was assaulting us.  Really bad luck.  But the waitress was very friendly and even brought out seconds of the pasta for Jacob and Steve!  Gotta love the Italians.  The sun was peeking through the clouds as we left the restaurant and we were able to take advantage of the break to explore Villa Rufolo and its garden. 

Gardens at Villa Rufolo

We made it back up the coast to Sorrento in time to change and go to dinner.  It was our last evening in Italy.  Dinner and our last gelato.  We would be heading back to Rome and the airport in the morning.  It was a great trip in spite of the rain!  Steve and I are trying to plan how to go back to Villa Oriana without the kids for a weekend.  We would recommend it to everyone.

Ciao, Italia!