Coastal Lovin'

If I wasn't already head over heels for Italia, this past weekend's trip certainly would have sealed the deal.  IES includes one optional excursion in our study abroad package and my pick was a weekend touring the scenic Amalfi Coast.  Now, I know you all must be raising your eyebrows thinking, "Does this girl actually go to school?" and I promise, I do...It's just that I have been waiting for things to settle down to give you the full update on that aspect of this journey.  So, before I bore you with some proof that I actually study here, I'll give you the best of Amalfi.

First Stop: Pompeii

After wrenching myself from bed to make a 7:15 AM bus and passing out for the 3.5 hour drive (which will seem like nothing by the end of this semester of exhaustive travels!), we arrived at the ruins of Pompeii for an 11 AM tour from our chipper, fedora-clad guide Francesco, who sported a hilarious man-purse (murse?) I might add.  Pompeii, a town in the region of Campania, was buried under the ashes and debris expelled by the volcano Mount Vesuvius about 2,000 years ago.  Since its rediscovery in the mid-1700s, its remains have been analyzed and provide extraordinarily detailed evidence of how Romans lived two millenia ago!  Long, fact-filled tours are normally not my thing, but this one was an exception because we actually visually reconstructed the ancient town. We observed the same bodies recovered from the eruption, examined ancient frescoes of vibrant reds and blues, and toured through remains of the palace of justice, the city center, housing for both the affluent and the poor, and beyond.  The faded image of Mt. Vesuvius served as a picturesque backdrop to the compilation of ruins and Francesco's many exuberant exclamations of "Mamma Mia!" livened up the tour.  

Entrance to the ruins

The ruins in front of Mt. Vesuvius

Ancient frescoes

Adornments in the bathhouse, a central social locale for early Roman life

Francesco behind Pompeii's "fast food" counter

Just chillin' by some ancient columns

Not too shabby looking for an ancient city!

Next Up: Sorrento

After our visit to the ruins, we re-boarded the bus for a quick one-hour drive to the luxurious Hotel Capodimonte in Sorrento.  "Capodimonte" translates from Italian as "head of the mountain" and, true to its name, the hotel provided a fantastic panoramic view of the coastline from its elevated perch. We chose to while away our first night's free time by relaxing poolside before a delicious four course dinner.  The gnocchi with creamy gorgonzola and smoky pancetta and the seafood risotto were to die for!  Post-dinner, we walked around downtown Sorrento; stores stay open until 10 or 11 PM for all of the tourists it inevitably ropes in.  We sipped on some wine by the coastal overlook and turned in early in anticipation of next morning's crack of dawn wake up call.

View from our poolside overlook of Sorrento

Had to take more than one!

Houses downtown...so endearing!

Looking up from the Port of Sorrento

Waiting for our ferry from Sorrento to Capri

Crossing Over to...Capri!

Bright and early Saturday morning, the IES-ers marched down to the port of Sorrento to take a brief ferry ride to the isle of Capri, where we would spend the better part of the day.  Funny enough, I unknowingly had thrown on capri pants that morning.  The boat ride left my roommate and I feeling a little queasy, but upon docking, it was evident that any minor stomach pain was justifiable in the face of this breathtaking limestone island.  After stepping off the boat, we took the "funicolare," a vertical shuttle, up the mountain to do some individual exploring.  I joined a group of girls for a tour of the Carthusia perfume factory, a quaint little operation that churns out the most sophisticated scents I have ever encountered.  My ultimate pick was "Carthusian Lady," a perfume combining 80 flowers to produce an intricate, dressier scent for a more formal occasion.  I hope Mom is a fan; these one-of-a-kind souvenirs aren't exactly Target-priced!  When we had finished our rounds and sufficiently window-shopped (Dolce and Gabbana wasn't quite in the budget!), a couple of friends and I traversed a winding path down the mountain to one of the exquisite private beaches.  Even without a paralyzing fear of heights, the walk was certainly anxiety-inducing, but by the time our sore bodies hit the crystal blue water, we all agreed that the trek was well worth it.  And we had to again remind ourselves just how worthwhile it was when, after an hour of enjoying the surf, we dragged ourselves back up the mountain to catch the funicolare down its' opposite side.  We spent our final hour on a boat tour of the entire island with close-up views of the blue and green grottos, a stroll under the "Lover's Arch," a glimpse of Giorgio Armani's vacation home, and sightings of the island's smaller towns, its various monuments and cliff after fabled cliff.  Our early afternoon departure was difficult to stomach, but hey!, at least I got to snack on some of Capri's own "Caprese al Limone" gelato to soothe the pain of leaving it behind.

Step off of the boat and onto paradise...

The dream dress of every girl on our program

For Isabella, your favorite store!

The perfume factory!

These Capresians (sp?) have good taste!

Mountain-side snapshot

After our dip in the ocean...irresistible photo op!

Giorgio Armani's digs

Water by the green grotto...looks just like oil paint!

A long wait at the Grotto Azzurra

Positively Precious: Positano

While we could only steal a quick peek on a Sunday pitstop, this city absolutely wows.  I had to stick it in here for kicks.  I wish I could bring Positano home with me or at least airlift one of those houses! I am so jealous that my parents get to spend some more time here so enjoy it for me, please.

Not to scare you, Mom and Dad, but I may have to marry an Italian
if that means I can live here...

Love at first sight!

Final Destination: Amalfi

Our last stop in Amalfi was a nice finishing touch to the jam-packed weekend.  We visited the church of St. Andrew (whose given holiday is my birthday...kindred spirits much?  Okay, jokes aside...) and roamed around the shops in town, picking up limoncello pitchers here and tiles of the gorgeous coastal landscapes there, than speculating on prices.  While we intended to stop in Ravello for lunch and to view a villa, a fire had tragically struck the town and made it impossible for us to incorporate the stop into our journey.  Nonetheless, our bus toured the entire coastline impromptu and, even in motion, through the tinted glass, we could still capture the most gratifying parting snapshots.  Not a shabby introduction to travels abroad here!

Central strip of housing

Belltower and St. Andrew's Church

Where would Italy be without its' glorious fountains?

Tilework in the cloister of St. Andrew's

Impressive architectural detail in the crypt

Hey, birthday buddy!

I know this was a bit of an exhaustive post, but I just wanted to give you all a thorough recap of the weekend and assure you that I am learning (really) even when it is just some history pleasantly picked up on a short getaway.  To come: the 4-1-1 on school here, field studies, and  some upcoming trips to Florence this weekend and Oktoberfest the next.  

Ciao,

Lex