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.