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Italy 2023

maj 2023
En 16-dags äventyr från Oliver & Claire Läs mer
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  • Italy 2023
    Dag 12

    Mediterranean Memories

    26 maj 2023, Italien ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    The last few days of our trip were relaxing. The included breakfast at our hotel was so special: homemade pastry, cheeses and cured meats, olives and espresso, enjoyed on the terrace overlooking the beach. The chef also offered to make us dinner, and it was the best meal we had in Vietri (meatballs and bruschetta, enjoyed with local wine and house made limoncello, plus cream and strawberries for dessert). We climbed the little streets of Vietri to the more commercial sector and enjoyed shopping for ceramics and souvenirs. The town is known for its beautiful Majolica style ceramics which get incorporated everywhere: the walkways, storefronts, and even the dome of the main church. One afternoon we heard a band of local kids drumming and marching into town - we went down to the square and got to see the performance which was cool. The beach was lovely. We were definitely the palest skinned people around - neither of us tan really so sunscreen was in abundance, and we paid 15 euro for an umbrella and beach chairs. Some American college students wandered onto the beach and the Italian proprietor was trying to get them to pay, but they were confused. I helped them sort out the language barrier which was a gratifying moment. We took the train back to Naples, then another train to Florence. We enjoyed one last pizza, and revisited the Oltrarno part of town, also a cool food market where Ollie had a beer cocktail he enjoyed. I found some handmade vintage shirts in the Santo Spirito piazza, and we watched Italian news in hotel room- lots of shouting and interrupting! We caught up on the final episodes of Succession during the plane ride home, which was fun. Also watched the First Wives Club, which was campy, feminist, and very 90s; I respect that Ollie can enjoy the acting chops of Bette Midler and Diane Keaton. The plane ride was cramped but easy compared to the way there. We are so lucky - the trip of a lifetime!Läs mer

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  • Italy 2023
    Dag 12

    Wild Vietri sul Mare and Paestum

    26 maj 2023, Italien ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Yesterday after stopping in the overcrowded yet scenic Amalfi coast towns, we reached Vietri sul Mare, a much quieter and more rustic town but still on the water. We had dinner and watched the locals walking their dogs and children in the square. The children played with sticks, the dogs looked happy, a black cat with a limp scavenged for food. I enjoyed the ornate Bethlehem/diorama scene arranged in town; they had these all over the place along the coast too. Today we had another highlight day. Our driver picked us up at 8 and took us to a family owned buffalo mozzarella farm (on arrival, Oliver said, “can you smell the dairy-air?” I laughed). We met the animals and learned about the cheese production. Next - we met our guide Mario at Paestum, Ancient Greek ruins dating to to 500 BC!! Mario was so informative and passionate, a scholar of archaeology and art history. He answered so many of our questions and we learned about death and burial rituals, the non-utilitarian nature of temples, his interpretation of the Divers Tomb (diving into the unknown of death, with a pomegranate tree to offer the suggestion of a new life, new worlds), Roman warriors, law, gladiators, and more. He even told us about the liberation of Italy during WWII. These temples are preserved in part bc General Clark was careful not to bomb the temples, even though the Nazis were hiding among them. Mario said the south is more “wild,” than north Italy, and we agree. After a luxurious and stimulating tour, artichokes, smoked mozzarella and pasta back at the dairy farm’s restaurant. Really good - felt kind of like a ritzy Sonoma place. Tonight, we’re eating at the hotel; will try to go to the beach tomorrow on our final day before we journey back to Florence, then Alameda.Läs mer

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  • Italy 2023
    14
    Dag 11

    Pictures of the Amalfi Coast

    25 maj 2023, Italien ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Very beautiful costal cliffside towns. Lousy with tourists. Our driver was nice. I liked learning about the islands from the Siren myth from the Odyssey. (Claire please add more pictures)

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  • Italy 2023
    1
    Dag 11

    Last day in Naples

    25 maj 2023, Italien ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Playing catch-up. On Wednesday we had an amazing last day in Napoli. We had a slow morning then walked to the Via Pignasecca, an historic market street full of fish stalls, fruit stands, and tchotchke stores, about 20 min from our apartment. We dodged motorbikes and continued to soak in the wonderful sensory overload of Naples’ narrow, ancient streets. Lunch at Da Attilio, in the Top 3 meals of the trip (pizza recommended by our host). Oliver got the house pizza with 8 different topping combinations featured, I got sausage and ricotta star pizza. Next - MANN (archaeological museum), which helped to contextualize Pompeii and Herculeanum with mosaics and Roman statues; I loved the everyday objects (incl surgical instruments) found in Pompei. We ambled down to Piazza Carita, stopping at a cool used bookstore and drinking Aperol Spritz along the way. Next our tour guide Paolo took us on an amazing food tour. We bonded over American music - Janis Joplin, Leonard Cohen, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. So fun. We finished the night by riding the funicular up to the Castel Sant’Elmo. The vista of Napoli at dusk with its millennia of history and so many lives, so much humanity was awesome. When Goethe traveled to Napoli he famously said, “see Naples and then you can die.” A sentiment I understand!Läs mer

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  • Italy 2023
    Dag 10

    MANN

    24 maj 2023, Italien ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    MANN stands for something like Museo Archeological National Napoli. Saw some really cool mosaics from Pompeii and sexual relics from the “secret cabinet” room.

    Claire may add more pictures.

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  • Italy 2023
    212
    Dag 9

    Our deii at Pompeii

    23 maj 2023, Italien ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Pompeii was a special experience. I have more of an appreciation of how the ancient Romans lived and a great deal more respect for the level of sophistication of their painting — one house (domo) we saw had extremely well-preserved frescos that had a level of detail and use of shading and light that I didn’t know the Romans produced, on par with Renaissance works IMO, and on the walls of a private albeit very wealthy living room.
    Highlights include: the sex menu at the bath house, the bakery, the original bowls of pigments, the phallic imagery (scale of penis vs money bag), walking in the forum, the mythic images, realizing how short they were (lead poisoning), and the mosaic floors (“beware of dog”)    Läs mer

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  • Italy 2023
    Dag 9

    Neopolitan Pizza

    23 maj 2023, Italien ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Today we had our first real Napoli pizza from a spot on the via Toledo near the train station. It was piping hot. They don’t do slices here. Instead, they make a whole pie and fold it twice and hand hand it to you in a sheet of paper. It was good, exactly the same taste the fancy pizza places are going for, with tart tomato sauce, gooey cheese, and a hint of basil on a charred, chewy, and slightly salty crust.

    We got a different one on our way back from Pompeii at a satellite shop of Sorbillo, which is known to me. Very good! Pure and simple. But I think I prefer NY style (more cheese, more flavor, more crisp)    Läs mer

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  • Italy 2023
    1
    Dag 7

    Firenze to Napoli

    21 maj 2023, Italien ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    This morning walked to the busy Florence train station for the 3 hour ride south to Naples. We met our host Elena at this very eclectic rooftop apartment that has a really cool garden patio (see video). Hope it won’t rain tomorrow. She showed her handmade map with pinned locales to explore while we’re here, and emphasized the virtues of Herculaneum over Pompeii (she is a geologist) so we’ll need to check that out.

    Right now a lonely trumpet is playing the girl from Ipanema in the distance thru the sounds of pattering drizzle and chirping afternoon birds.

    We ate a fried pizza which is like the primordial hot pocket and explored a bit of the chaotic and vibrant streets; Naples seems like the decor this apartment: cluttered, beautiful, not taking itself too seriously.    Läs mer

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  • Italy 2023
    Dag 7

    Arrivederci Firenze!

    21 maj 2023, Italien ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We are currently en route to Napoli via a high-speed train. This morning we enjoyed a final cappuccino next to the Arno before making our way to Stazione Santa Maria Novella. Our train car is crowded and we are sitting in front of some boisterous Italian regazzos - pre-teen boys, I want to say 12 or 13. They are loud and kicking Ollie’s seat but he’s being a trooper! There’s a group of older Italians, two couples, traveling together and enjoying a picnic — Yerba mate tea, and crackers, and a thermos of something. They seem to have a train system locked in. The scenery is beautiful. I’m listening to a Spotify playlist of 1960s Italian pop songs, looking out the window, which feels cinematic. Ollie is listening to a comedy podcast while eating pizza crackers. Life is good 👍Läs mer

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  • Italy 2023
    Dag 6

    Florence dinner and Naples nerves

    20 maj 2023, Italien ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    We had a really good dinner at a place Claire picked from our host’s recommendations. We had an asparagus, fava bean, and crouton salad. Then a really delicious creamy pea soup and a pasta with a hearty rabbit Ragu. Then some steak with white beans. Very tasty wine too.

    We are both nervous about going to Naples today after watching a Rick Steves episode last night. It looks like it will be bustling and chaotic. Claire is worried about theft and navigating the transport system and stayed up late doing research, and I am worried about crossing the street because it sounds like red lights are universally ignored there. I went to bed early. We are both trying to comfort each other of our fears. It will probably be an adventure that we are both up to, and will handle it just fine, and I just wish my body wasn’t so sore after all the walking we’ve done in Florence. Maybe should have built in some more rest days. But I am looking forward to trying the pizza in the birthplace of pizza and having some new unexpected experiences. This is an adventure trip and maybe the next one we will sit on a beach drinking pina coladas, but we’re both glad to be doing the kind of traveling that we didnt do when we’re younger and it’s great that we can do it together.    Läs mer

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