The Last Stop on our 90 Day Adventure: Catania

Catania is only an hour away from Siracusa by train, but it is a surprisingly different city! Most noticeably, Catania is a significantly bigger city than Siracusa. More widely recognized as a commercial and industrial city, Catania sees few tourists, but that's not to say that the city isn't tourist-friendly. Most people see Catania as a brief stop on their way to Mt. Etna or Palermo, but Ian and I just loved Catania and are so glad we chose this city as our last stop in Italy!

Sicily Stop #3: Siracusa and Ortygia Island

I have a confession to make: I may like French cuisine more than Italian food. *gasp* I know, I know. Please don't judge me. After three months of eating Italian food, Ian and I are pretty tired of pizza, pasta, bread, and Italian dolchi (desserts). I mean, Italian food is literally all that is served in Italy (duh: I know)! In each new city, we scrounge the streets for new cuisine to no avail. But I was finally able to locate a legitimate and decent-looking French restaurant in our third city in Sicily: Siracusa. My mouth did a little happy dance as I enjoyed my fantastic duck soaked in honey and butter over a bed of gorgeous lettuce. Oh man was it good! Perhaps it was just because I'm getting sick of Italian food, or perhaps it was because the chef and waiters were actually French, but my meal at Le Vin de L'Assassin bistrot was probably the best dining experience and culinary delight I have had in Italy thus far. Please don't tell the Italians...

Sicily Stop #2: Agrigento

I must admit that I have fallen in love with Sicilians. Every single person we have come in contact with on the island of Sicily has been kind, gracious, understanding, and helpful. Despite the fact that more often than not we are not speaking the same language somehow we are able to communicate and understand one another. And, from what I can understand, Sicilians want nothing more than to ensure we know where we’re going, how to get there, and any historical information they can pass along about the beauty and importance of whatever we happen to be visiting. I find it incredibly endearing.

An Introduction to Sicily: Palermo

Throughout our tour of Italy, I have been continually impressed with Italy's public transportation system. Buses and trains run regularly to almost any city in Italy and are, for the most part, very fairly priced. I was even more impressed with our transport to Sicily. Because Sicily is an island just off the coast of mainland Italy, I figured transportation would be complicated. Not so! We were able to take a train the entire way! Let me explain.

Beautiful Salerno and Ancient Paestum

The city of Salerno is so close to Vietri sul Mare that Ian and I probably could have walked there faster than it took for us to wait for the bus and ride into Salerno. But, Rosa, the owner of Il Melograno in Raito, insisted on accompanying us all the way from Raito to Salerno. She walked us right up to the front entrance of our B&B, Salerno Centro, and introduced us to the owner's parents. Talk about service!

Vietri Sul Mare and the Amalfi Coast: Or, the Never-Ending Stairs

Here’s how we got from Capri to Vietri Sul Mare: Antonio (the father at our Monte Salerno B&B in Capri) drove us to the bus stop (because the rain was pouring) where we took the local bus from Anacapri to the Marina Grande on Capri; from Marina Grande we took a ferry to Sorrento; once in Sorrento, we hiked up several long and steep flights of stairs to catch the Circumvesuviana to the Pompeii stop (the Circumvesuviana is a local train running from Naples to Sorrento); once we reached Pompeii, we walked to the TrenItalia station where we caught a regional train to Vietri Sul Mare; once we arrived at the Vietri Sul Mare station, we had to walk down several flights of stairs to the bus station that would take us to the small town of Raito where our B&B, Il Melograno (meaning Pomegrante), was located. While waiting at the bus stop, the owner of our B&B, Marco, happened to drive by and gave us a ride into Raito. We traveled on nearly every form of transportation in one day - thank goodness we didn't have to fly anywhere! (By the way, an interesting fact about the weather during our travel day: the rain would pour whenever we were outside walking to the next stop, and then cease as soon as we were in a bus/ferry/train/car. Very strange…and a bit annoying!)

Things I Love About Italy [a series]: Pizza

I can't believe I haven't posted about my love, love, love for Italian pizza! How could I neglect my most beloved food?! Well, I suppose since I am in the Campania region, the birth place of pizza, it is only fitting that I write about this fantastic gastronomic delight now.

The Island of Capri*

[*I intended to publish this post Thursday morning, when we actually left Capri, but had no Internet. Sorry for the delay!]

Wednesday afternoon: the sun is shining, there is a gentle sea breeze, and Ian and I are sitting in our hotel room looking out the window to the beautiful sea below. The island of Capri is the embodiment of relaxation and ultimate luxury. What a difference from crazy Napoli! Life on Capri is so laid back; there is no need to worry about a thing. We love it!

Napoli, Pompei, Mt. Vesuvio, and the Best Pizza in the World!

Naples. We've been here for two-and-a-half days, and it has been quite an experience. We haven't spent much time in Napoli proper because we wanted to see Pompoeii and Mt. Vesuvius, but we've seen quite a lot in our short stay!

Leaving Florence

This is our last week in Firenze, and what a week it has been!

Things I Love About Italy [a series]: gatti

While Italy is not often regarded for its cats (gatti), I certainly have a place in my heart for her many, many feline friends. Italy's cats prowl the streets in numbers rivaling the the many little dogs in sweaters (and the gatti don't leave their *ahem* business all over the sidewalks...). The cats in Firenze are so friendly, and so fat! They come to us when we call and kiss at them rubbing against our legs with affectionate purring and thrusting their little heads into our hands. I imagine that they are fat because they eat so much bread and pasta (just like Ian and me...).

Five Lands and One Leaning Tower

To be honest, I thought the Leaning Tower of Pisa would be bigger. I have no idea why, but it looked a little small to me. Nevertheless, it is still impressive that the Tower really does lean! It's amazing that it continues to stand without falling. But I don't really trust the leaning and opted not to go inside. Heights are not my thing, and the thought of climbing inside a tall and leaning building is not my idea of a good time. Ian and I were content to get a few shots of the typical tourist pose where we are holding up the Tower. We didn't stay in Pisa more than a few hours - long enough to see the Tower and the few buildings inside Campo dei Miracoli ("Field of Miracles"). After all, Pisa was just a short stop on the way to our final destination: Cinque Terre!

A Visit From Home Sweet Home

My mom and brother came to Italy last week to visit us. They flew into Rome, where they stayed for two whirlwind days, and then took the fast train to Firenze. They arrived late in the morning on a warm, gray, and slightly rainy Tuesday. It was so great to have them here! My brother, Brian, had never been out of the country (because, honestly, Mexico doesn't really count) and my Mom had never been to Florence. To have Italy, especially Florence, be Brian's first out-of-America experience was such a treat.

Take a hike - from Settignano to Fiesole, that is!

It snowed in Florence on Thursday. I was sitting in the big, pink comfy chair reading and listening to the rain drum against the window when the steady drum beat slowly changed and disappeared. I looked up from my book and out the window where beautiful thick snowflakes were gently easing their way to the ground. Instantly I felt a warmness in my heart - snow! Just like Colorado. It was a comforting feeling of being at home. I wrapped a warm blanket around my shoulders and stood at the window watching the snow flakes tumble to the ground. Sigh.

Here Comes the Sun and Fun in Oltrarno

After an entire week with no sun, I was pleased as punch when the sun finally decided to show her lovely face. Last week the weather was all doom and gloom - lot's of rain and cold and no sun. I really started to miss the Colorado sunshine! But, thankfully, we woke up to a sunny morning on Sunday. When the sun comes out it's mandatory to get outside and enjoy the warmth!

Things I Love About Italy [a series]: la lingua

While my own Italian is extremely [ahem] shaky (I can order, say hello, goodbye, and thank you, and ask where the bathroom is...that's about it!), I absolutely love to sit and listen to native speakers engrossed in conversation. Although I may only have a vague idea of what is being said, I often find myself completely absorbed by the conversation. The language is simply beautiful, pure poetry to my ears. It's so full of emotion and extremely fun to watch! Italians are very animated when speaking. Their gestures and facial expressions only add to the intrigue of the language.

In the future, I hope to be able to speak Italian if not fluently then at least conversationally. For now, I am content to utter single words and phrases and relish the lingering feeling of la lingua on my tongue. (Currently, my favorite words to say are: tazza (cup), pesce (fish), and giocano (play)). Perhaps I need to do more Rosetta Stone, si?!

Siena for Ian's Birthday!

Ian's birthday was Friday (he turned 26!), so we decided to celebrate with a mini trip to Siena. What a breath of fresh air! Not that we don't love Florence, but it was nice to get out of the bustling city and explore a smaller town in Tuscany for the weekend. Siena is a beautiful, mysterious medieval city located just south of Firenze. And, as seems to be the trend with smaller Tuscan towns, the city is set on steep hills that wind all around the town and main city center, called Piazza del Campo.

Things I Love About Italy [a series]: il caffè

I love coffee. Anyone who knows me well knows this fact. (Ask Ian and my mom: I require at least one cup of coffee in the morning before I can even communicate coherently.) After my first trip to Italy in 2005, Ian and I switched from basic brewed coffee to an espresso machine. The coffee, or espresso, served here in Italy really is THAT good!

Any culture that considers coffee a religion is a culture that holds a special place in my heart. Italians seems to drink coffee all day. It's absolutely a requirement with breakfast, or a stand in for breakfast. In the afternoon, flocks of Italians show up at local bars and stand at the counter to sip a quick caffè. The perfect afternoon pick-me-up! It also seems to pair well with both lunch and dinner. And I love that huge amounts of sugar are required to enjoy this piccolo beverage. Who needs a 24oz Starbucks mega-coffee when you can have one glorious shot of Italian espresso?! Creamy, caffeinated, and perfectly sweetened...eat your heart out Starbucks.

Running Around Town

What is it about running in a new city that instantly makes me feel at home? Once I have a running route established (which usually ends up being the route of the first run I go on) I immediately feel like a member of the community. I have a routine established, I belong here. See me locals? I'm running! That means I live here. It may sound crazy, but that's just me.

Things I Love About Italy [a series]: The Passeggiata

The Passeggiata is a time honored tradition that takes place every night in towns across Italy. Shortly after 6pm, everyone strolls before dinner through the town center, usually the main piazza. All the streets are closed to cars, reserved solely for the stroll. Couples, friends, and families link arms and enjoy the lovely evening routine.

Ian and I have participated in the passeggiata a few times and it is such a great way to really experience the Italian culture and feel like a part of the city. Even on cool winter nights, families and friends are out strolling. I love it!

Amber