Melting in Sorrento

Much like being in Arkansas in August, the temperature here in Sorrento is a lovely 90 degrees with 90 percent humidity. It feels like home, just with a few more beaches, better Italian food, and a much more efficient public transport system. Oh and ancient ruins. :) Like Rome but much better (and no, I'm not biased at all).

I took the fam to Pompei and gave them an abbreviated tour of the massive city. As per usual our only major run-in with tourists was at the brothel, which we quickly viewed before moving on to the much more interesting and sensational sights. We had a fabulous Bar Sgambati lunch and I got the chance to say final goodbyes to all of our friends. In typical Bower power vacation fashion, we woke up yesterday for a hike up Monte Fiato (still my favorite place) before hitting up the beach in the late afternoon. Luckily I managed to navigate the small Sorrentine neighborhoods to find one of our favorite restaurants in the water with some of the best seafood in the world.

We're currently sitting on a ferry about to set off across the Bay of Naples from the Isle of Capri. Capri, the legendary tourist destination of immaculate beauty and world class shopping. I say eh. It was about as alright as last time. The boat ride to and from the island is what you should really visit for. I can see a Gucci store anywhere. The water here is an unbelievable blue color and the marina is fantastic. Again in typical bower fashion, Dad, Michael, and I found a bunch of rocks to climb on out to the water. Best part of the day!

Sadly we head back to Rome tomorrow so we can fly home on the 15th. Its been a fantastic summer and I'll do my best to share more pictures soon. I will hopefully be compiling my photos for my photography portfolio as well as putting together a tour guide of Italy as a memento of the summer. Should be exciting! Catch you all on the flip side.

When in Rome...

After my first difficult Italian experience in Pisa, I finally met up with the family in Roma!! Pisa was beautiful and definitely worth the day trip just to see the main square. Unfortunately I ran into a bit of trouble with the trains and getting a place to stay in Rome, so I ended up staying a night in Pisa! I found a quaint little hotel and nearly missed my train the next day, but all is well in Italia!

Rome has been wonderful so far! Once our family all met up we went on a long walk to see some of the major sites: the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and Piazza Navona. We even found a few obscure places that I was really interested in seeing like Santa Maria sopra Minerva with Michelangelo's Risen Christ! Today was our first full day. We spent the morning exploring and had a fantastic tour of ancient Rome this afternoon. Our tour guide was an incredibly knowledgeable little Italian man with so much love for his country. He knew everything about ancient Rome and just as much about later works that I had questions about. Visiting the Circus Maximus, Colosseum, and Forum was fascinating, especially with a guide who could teach us a lot of things you don't normally hear about. After the tour he took me to Santa Maria della Vittoria to see the Ecstasy of Saint Theresa! It was even better in person!

We are going to the Vatican tomorrow, which I'm stoked about. Give me loads of Michelangelo, Bernini, and Raphael any day! It'll be great to see if St. Peters and the Sistine Chapel are still as fantastic the second time around. I have a feeling they will be. Regardless, having a reunion with my all time favorite, the pieta, will be worth the visit for sure!

Michael and I just found the Empire Strikes Back in Italian. I haven't watched TV in over 2 months except for World Cup games, and this is the perfect reunion. "Ti amo. No so." Its ridiculously entertaining.

The next adventure!

Sadly Tuesday was my last day in Pompei. The group hiked up the Porta Marina for the last time together to go on one last exploration that fittingly lead us to the brothel (our group was predominantly female leading to a plethora of brothel fever jokes while we were working). The VCP felt so much like home, it was hard leaving and the guys at the station bar making me promise to come back just added to the difficulty. I did eventually force myself to catch a train to...........FLORENCE!!!!

What an incredible city! Que bellisimo! The first day a rounded a corner and the duomo was right in front of me. You don't get those kinds of art historical culture shocks in the US. I've taken power traveling to a whole new level here to see everything. The Accademia, Bargello, Uffizi, Santa Maria Novella, San Lorenzo, Duomo, Baptistry, Ponte Vecchio, Synagogue, San Marco, Piazza Vecchio/Nuova, Piazza Michelangelo...the list goes on! One of the coolest things today was just a random lucky find. I went to the grocery to buy peaches and decided to walk into a random church on the way back to my hostel. The church itself was a beautiful Renaissance building with a fully frescoed ceiling and gilded decoration everywhere. Just seeing that would have been great, but when I walked in, they were just starting the blessing of the bread and wine for communion, so I got to sit and watch the ceremony and slightly participate when I could figure out the Latin. It was sooo majestic and serene and surreal and a fantastic send off from lovely Firenze. There are still many many things that I haven't seen and done, but I'm headed out for my next destination in the morning, wherever that may be.

I'm very excited to meet the family in Rome on Saturday! It can't come soon enough! Its going to be so wonderful sharing everything from this summer with them. Come sooner!!