A Precious Little Place...

Kate and Jack in the Mediterranean

A view of the Amalfi Coast

 Ravello

Cliff Climbing

Our anticipated trip to Positano, Italy had arrived!  The year had it's challenges with all the travel and separation, so can you imagine how ready we all were to start our overseas adventure with such a trip.  It was our light at the end of the tunnel..so to speak.   We flew from Gatwick Airport via EasyJet to Naples...just over a two hour flight, taxied over an hour, and finally arrived at La Fenice...our B & B in Positano.  Ahhh.. breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea from every window, deck, and even rooftop.  Positano, being on the Amalfi Coast, has roads high, high, high above the sea that hook & corksrcew on the edge of nothing.  Vespas and motorbikes everywhere.  When looking out at the views, you can't really tell the difference between the sky and the sea.  That blue.  See the picture below of Kate. 

Down 200 steps, the pool was carved inside the cliffs.  Here we enjoyed caprese salads and native wines.  Down 200 more steps was our private beach that included kayaks, tubes, and natural rocks that became instant diving boards for the kids.  Bonus...clear blue water & monster yachts anchored ahead.   

Two different days we were picked up by boat at the beach and taken to a restaurant, Da Adolfo.  This eating place is on it's very own beach (Laurito) and is only accessable by boat.  Waiters are casual and run up and down serving in bare feet.  Everything fresh and fun, needless to say...peaches served in wine carafes.  Lunch is a special time of day in Italy where people relax and share a meal together.  I could get used to this...

A highlight and my favorite day, our boat trip to Capri.  We had an amazing two hour tour of the sea with our guide Alfonso.  He brought us all around the island showing us neat, natural rock formations...some that resembled animals and he showed us tucked away caves.  The highlight was seeing the blue and green grottos.  Wonders of the World.  We spent the day walking around Capri, and taxied up to Ana Capri.  I was told I could find the "real sharks" up here...$$$!!:)  Once in Ana Capri, we took a sky lift to the top...very close to a chairlift in skiing.  The views were simply gorgeous and peaceful.  It felt as though we were as high as the sky.  So glad we made this trip...oh yeah, I forgot to mention on the return boat trip to Positano, our captain threw out his anchor so we could take a dip in the sea, popped a bottle of champagne, and served us biscuits...pinch me I said...again, and again.

The next day we took a bus to the city of Amalfi.  At midday, I tried an expresso macchiato and a homemade biscuit..I think I was starting to blend into their culture.:)  Then we took a convertible van to a place called Ravello...up, up, up along hairpin bends and a gorgeous, scenic ride.  This place is known to have the best view of the entire Amalfi coast and was recommended by Constantine, our B&B owner.  It truly is a must see. 

Pompeii was the next city to tour...the kids were excited to see a real volcano...Mount Vesuvius.  It errupted  in 79 AD and destroyed the city of Pompeii.  We were able to walk through the destruction as it happened 2000 years ago.  During our tour, you could really get a feel of how the people lived every day so long ago.  Amazing to see they had running water, public baths, and gathered socially for wine and spirits.  Not so different than we live today.  There were even perfectly preserved bodies that were entombed in ash from the day of the eruption.

Fun in Pompeii

The last two days were spent like a vacation should be...swimming, boating, eating, drinking, talking, reading, taking walks, and sleeping.  We tried to roll off Italian words from our tongues...per favore, grazie, anguria, spiaggia, and of course sbrigati! (hurry up:).  Nick became a favorite among the locals as he frequented his usual places...the grocery store, beaches, etc... They called him "piccolo bellisimo" - little beauty.  Did I mention he wanted to stay here forever with or without us? :)

I must also note that Kate celebrated her birthday while we were there...lucky nine year old, right?  Buon Compleanno!

We won't forget the charming place we visited and hope very much...to get back there.  The gelato, wine, margarita pizzas, towers, pasta, sunsets, lemons & limoncellos, cameos, flowers, rocks, cliffs, caves, sea glass, etc...will always remind us of this precious little place. 

 Kate turns 9 in Italy