30 Years

What better way to celebrate 30 years together than in the most romantic country in the world…Bella Italia.

The last two towns of the Cinque Terre are connected by the Via Dell'Amore, or the Walk of Love. Best walked at sunset, the path is covered in lovenote-graffiti and padlocks attached by lovers who throw the key over the cliffs once they’ve attached their symbol of love for each other, sealing it forever. They didn’t have a lock, but after this much time, I think it’s pretty clear that Mom and Dad threw their key away long ago, never to be found again…

Everybody 1,2,3…..Awwww

The Cinque Terre

The tranquil atmosphere of Monterosso, the last of the five villages situated along the coast and the next stop on our trip, was a welcome change after the 4 weeks, I mean days, we spent in Rome. Our first day was spent wandering around the town and enjoying the beautiful waterfront views. A trail connects all five towns from Monterosso down to Riomaggiore, and we spent the second day hiking from start to finish. The views were well worth the sweat as we marvelled at each village from above, below, and inside. The photo shown is of Vernazza, the 4th village of the five. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day to hike, and watching the sunset from a cliffside bar in Riomaggiore was the perfect ending to a memorable day.

The train ride back to Monterosso took about 7 minutes, just a little longer than the 7 hours it took us to walk!

The Perfect Meal

Simple ingredients:

1. Pugliese Bread

2. Fresh Tomatoes

3. Buffalo Mozzarella

4. Salami

5. Olive Oil

6. Your Family

Buono!

Back in Time

While basically everything in Rome outdates anything back home, ancient Rome takes things a step further. It truly is difficult to fathom ideas like sharing a footpath with Julius Caesar or hanging out underneath the Colosseum where lions and tigers (and bears??) were kept before they battled gladiators. The ancient Romans truly were an advanced society, evident in the sophistication of their technology and the survival of their constructions. The only reason why many of their buildings aren’t still around today is simply because they were looted for material to build other things around the city.

Being inside the Colosseum and hearing our guide speak about how audiences were treated to free all you can eat and drink shows involving exotic animal battles, slaves fighting for their lives, and gladiators taking down beasts had me in disbelief that I was actually standing where all this occurred.

I’d like to think that if I were a gladiator, I’d be a crowd favorite. I mean, I’ve got the pose down, right??

Just Like Home, Only in Rome

Being accustomed to staying in hostels for the last few months, it was nice to be able to spread out all my belongings as much as possible in our little apartment. The fact that I made a mess of the place didn’t matter too much as we never spent more than a few minutes inside. With the Spanish Steps right down the street, it was easy to kill what downtime we had watching the scene unfold: friends catching up, lovers laying in each other’s laps, the constant stream of picture takers, rose-sellers doing their best to convince men to buy roses for their companion, vendors unsuccessfully selling squishy head toys, and the rogue police officer chasing them all away.

Rome has something historical or monumental around every corner. Somehow, you kind of get used to it; so by the 7th or 8th time we passed the Pantheon, we really didn’t stop to admire the 2000 year old domed structure that inspired so many great artists and architects. We had more important business to handle anyway, there was a famous gelateria hiding somewhere in the area.

Exploring Roman sights at night provides a whole new scene and experience than what can be seen during the day. One of our hotspots was the Trevi Fountain, seen in the photo. A coin toss over our shoulders into the fountain ensured that we will all one day return to Rome again, hopefully sooner rather than later…

Benvenuti a Roma

After running around Rome for a couple days making my way around a few of the hundreds of churches, I packed my bags and headed to the airport. Where was I headed? Well, right back where I came from, with 2 extra travel partners. After 3 months of reading guidebooks nightly and about the same amount of time packing, my Mom and Dad finally made it to Italy.

Two days without sleep was nothing a couple of cafes couldn’t fix and, before they knew it, they were off an a whirlwind walking tour of the city guided by yours truly. It was great to see the wonder and amazement they had seeing streets, people, buildings, and culture that was all brand new. I think I had forgotten to truly appreciate the little things about places that make traveling such an enjoyable experience. Street performers, vendors, markets, out of control Vespas, colorful streets, hanging laundry, ornate churches, and buzzing piazzas are just a part of everyday life for a typical Italian (cough, cough, me) but to a couple of first timers it’s a sight to behold. Walking around a bit slower all day was just what I needed to gain back that appreciation that I’d somehow lost a little.

The years of theme park mastery accomplished by the Ferland family sure did come in handy as we walked nonstop from sight to sight, leaving no monument, building, or scarf shop (mom) unseen. Funny how after three and a half months apart, we really didn’t miss a beat…

Formia, Italy

My last stop before meeting my family in Rome was Formia, a small coastal city between Naples and Rome. A friend of mine from college put me in contact with Luciana and Vincenzo, a wonderful family that was happy to bring me in for a couple days. Needless to say, their hospitality was top notch. I was treated to some excellent Italian cooking by Vincenzo, a “clever” cooker in Luciana’s words, and to warm conversation with Luciana throughout my stay. One of their two sons, Pierpaolo, came up from Naples to show me some sights and beaches in the area, from a local perspective of course. The whole experience was great, and I hope to see Luciana and family soon so I can return the favor back in the states.

The Amalfi Coast

I can remember reading a National Geographic travel magazine when I was first dreaming up this trip. The cover held a photo of colored houses seemingly stacked on top of each other overlooking a jagged coastline with a tiny road winding alongside. I think the title was something like, “Dining on the Amalfi Coast.” I can still see that magazine sitting beside the living room chair and, as I take in the scene from my hostel balcony, I have to ask myself if what I’m seeing is real. I imagine that, when I return, I will most likely see a fair share of magazines with cover photos of places I’ve visited during my time here in Europe, and, undoubtedly, I will ask myself the same question again and again.

Distinguishing between experiencing a monument or church and seeing its likeness on a magazine should prove to be a simple task. However, when I return home to that magazine sitting in my living room, I imagine that if I close my eyes for a minute, I just might feel like I’m right back here on the coast, watching the cars wind along the road as the boats come in to shore below.

And that’s quite alright with me..

Sorrento and Naples, Italy

Situated just around the corner from the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento serves as a beautiful home base for day trips to Pompeii, Capri, and Naples. Having already been to Pompeii and Capri on a previous trip, I spent most of my time strolling around the busy streets and shops filled with lemons, linen, and old British tourists. Between the rugby games playing at every bar and the fish and chips served at many restaurants, I almost forgot I was in Italy…until I went to Naples for the day.

Naples is the grungiest I’ve seen Italy so far. In speaking to people and reading up about it, I heard many stories of Naples being a dangerous place to be. While I’m sure some parts are a little sketchy, I had a great experience and enjoyed seeing the chaos of life unfold. From little children riding on the front of scooters weaving through pedestrians on the sidewalk, to households spilling out onto and across the streets, Naples has a character to it that’s hard not to like. I only spent a day there, but I would have liked to have a bit more time.After enjoying some pizza in its birthplace, I hopped back on the train to Sorrento and watched some NFL and MLB playoffs in a bar, surrounded by Americans.

Funny how two places, only a few miles away, can be worlds apart…

The Ultimate Hill Town

From Siena, I headed further south to Orvieto, another hill town that is a bit more accessible, just off the main train line. Orvieto has some great views,as you can imagine, and the most intricate facade on a Duomo I have seen thus far. The town is known for its Duomo and ceramics, which fill almost every shop lining the narrow streets.

The main reason I came to Orvieto, though, was for the easy access to the hill town of hill towns: Civita di Bagnoregio

Perched at the top of a pinnacle carved out on all sides, “Civita” is connected to Bagnoregio by a small foot bridge. It is incredible to see this town from a distance, the lone remnant that remains in the surrounding canyon. I feel as though Walt Disney should have modeled something in Disneyland after Civita, it’s got that kind of mystique to it. It reminded me of the Eiffel Tower, in the sense that I think I could stare at it every day and still be amazed and intrigued.

Once I was finished soaking in the view, I made the hike up to the top to explore a bit. There’s not too much going on in the town so, after munching on some homemade bruschetta, I headed back down the hill to catch my bus to Orvieto and the gelato that was calling my name…