Roma! part 1

This is our second full day in Rome.   We leave for home  tomorrow, Wednesday.    You probably won't receive this post until after our return.

I don't know quite how to begin.  Rome is big, brash, busy and beyond real description.  If I listed all of the incredible sites we've seen in the past 2 days you'd understand why we're on a kind of sensory overload.  I've learned so much from our time here and know it will take me some time to "digest" it all.

Here are some photos from the last 48 hours.

Pompeii.   Destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius  in 79 A.D. Pompeii had been one of the biggest ports and trade centers in the Roman Empire.   Between 20 and 90 feet of ash covered the area during the 4 day eruption.

The coliseum at Pompeii 

Original fresco that survived the eruption 

The Amalfi Coast

The famous Amalfi Coast is a 25 mile stretch of coastline that runs along the edge of southwestern Italy, near the "ankle" of the "boot". Breath-taking views and "hold your breath" curves that cling to mountainsides make for an exciting ride!

It attracts thousands of visitors a year and has been been deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site.  This is the second time we've been on this drive, and both times we've had professional drivers which, I  believe,  is a must!!!

The Sorrento Peninsula part 2

Lunch in Sorrento---yummy Gelato 

                                               

This area is known for its  
tile and ceramic works.


 

Putting lemon peel in
to make limoncello
We got samples, of course! 

          

A proud pizza maker
who was very busy
in his tiny kitchen

                                           

   

The Sorrento Peninsula part 1

We have spent the last few days traveling along the Sorrento Peninsula visiting interesting towns and seeing the landscape change to a greener hue.  In southern Italy, the Sorrento Peninsula separates the Gulf of Naples to the north and the Gulf of Solerno to the south.  Here are some photos from our travels on the way to the Amalfi Coast.

View of Vesuvius from our hotel near Sorrento.
The destruction of Pompeii and 4 other towns nearby in 79 A.D. is legendary.  The volcano last erupted in 1944.

a lesson in making pasta
Daniel,  our tour guide, is in the blue
shirt.

Beautiful coast

Sample of craftsmanship
of one of the only
remaining companies
that does inlaid
wood carving in the area


     An expert demonstrates one step of the process   (see the pedal under his foot)                                  

The "trulli" of Alberobello

The town of Alberobello has the unusually built huts known as "trulli ".  They have cone-shaped roofs and no mortar to hold the stones together.  There is some speculation that, because of high property taxes, they could quickly and easily be torn down and reconstructed, depending on where the tax assessors were.

Their heyday was the 19th  century, especially during the development of wine growing in the area, although there is evidence they existed in the 17th century.

Today, they serve as tourist shops and cafés.

Matera and Its Caves

If you're reading this blog you know how passionate I am about learning the history and culture of other places.  Well today, Thursday, was really beyond description.

Sassi di Matera is an ancient town known for its cave dwellings, both historic and modern.
The caves show evidence of human habitation dating back to 7,000 B.C. and are thought to have been the homes of the first humans in what is now modern day Italy.

The Italian government forcibly moved most of the people out of the caves in the 1950's, citing the area as an eyesore and health hazard.

Life in a cave

Since the 1980 's tourism has given new life to the caves.  Our local guide has turned 7 caves into a modern home for his family. He also said that there are B and Bs that offer a night in a cave for $1,000---without breakfast!  The remake of Ben Hur, out in 2016, will be partially filmed here too.  Talk about re-purposing!!!

Saying goodbye to Sicily

I believe Sicily is a relatively undiscovered gem to Americans.  Its rolling hills, sunwashed beaches, blue skies, multi-cultural society and amazing history has something for everyone. We spent our last evening in Sicily Tuesday night enjoying a delightful meal al fresco with a lively Sicilian band serenading us.  We watched the sun set over the Ionian Sea, a branch of the Mediterranean Ocean.

Carol and I  enjoy our last dinner in Sicily

Here are a few of the things I learned about Sicily :

*85% of the terrain is hills or mountains 

* Palermo saw the beginning of the Mafia when 46 clans/families started dividing up territory, but today the "Cosa Nostra" is much more active on mainland Italy than in Sicily

*It has only been part of Italy for about 150 years
*It has been ruled by many diverse cultures in its long history including the Carthinigians, Romans, Greeks, Muslims, Normans and Spanish.  Each civilization has left its distinctive mark on modern Sicily.

Goodbye to our hotel

Last views of Sicily from the ferry

A ferry transporting  people between Sicily and the mainland

Taormina, a vacation paradise

We took a day trip to Taormina Tuesday.  It has been an international tourist destination since the 1920's and I  can understand why!  It is appropriately known as Isola Bella, Beautiful Island.

View of Mt. Etna 

Narrow alleys with fun cafés 

The Greek Amphitheater from the 3rd Century B.C.

View of Mt. Etna through an archway 

Unusual ceramic pots from this area

1 Euro=$1.13

Catania and Mt. Etna

Monday we drove through stunning views watching Mt. Etna getting closer and closer. We stopped in Catania to see its UNESCO- designated Baroque city and Cathedral. We walked through a lively fish market and saw fresh produce being sold too.

Mt. Etna is Europe 's largest volcano.  Its last big eruption was in 2002.  As we got closer to it, it appeared clouds were engulfing it.  Its height is over 10,000 ft. but we only went up to a crater that was slightly over 6,000 ft.  However, our guide found out later that it wasn't clouds that were obstructing our view.  There was actual smoke coming from one area of the volcano, a fairly regular occurrence.  There is more smoke coming from it now, Tuesday evening.

On the crater

                                    

Food and wine

Since this is billed as a "Flavors of Sicily and Italy" tour, I thought I  should include more photos to prove it.  This was our dinner in a restaurant near our hotel in Giardino Naxos, "the garden of Sicily," Monday night.

Prosciutto and melon

Pasta

Potatoes,  chicken, and sausage wrapped in lemon tree leaves 

Fresh fruit

We also visited a winery where we had a light lunch and sampled red, white and rose' wines from grapes grown in the rich vocanic soil on Mt. Etna ' s slopes.

Agrigento and Valley of the Temples

Traveling toward Agrigento Sunday we made a stop for gas at an Esso station.  Look what we found inside.

Our next stop was at the UNESCO World Heritage site at Valley of the Temples. The Valley contains the remains of 7 temples built in the 5th century B.C. They are considered to be some of the best examples of Greek Doric architecture

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