Italy - Day 2 May 12, 2024

We woke up bright and early on Sunday morning!  It was Mother's Day in the USA and they also celebrate it in Italy as well so that was kind of cool.  Dan, Peter, and Sarah each had a beautiful card for me.  Thankfully we had gone to a little grocery store the night before and gotten things for breakfast because we knew we wouldn't have time to get anything before we started our day.

The AirBnB had a Nespresso Espreso maker.  At home, I enjoy two full cups of coffee each morning so it was kind of a stretch trying to drink tiny little cups of espresso.  I made do with three little cups and lots of cream and sugar so I could get it down.  When in Rome...

We trekked down our 190 steps to wait for our driver because we were headed to Pompeii!!!  I have been fascinated with Pompeii since I was a child.  My  mom and I went to see an exhibit on Pompeii in Charlotte in 2008.  I did a brief blog post on it. So this felt like an awesome full circle moment for me.

Our driver was right on time and proceeded to take us on a harrowing car ride over the mountains to Pompeii. In the US this would have been a one lane road but in Amalfi, it was a two lane road and sometimes with the scooters it served as a three line road.  There were multiple times I grabbed Dan's leg in fear but finally I was able to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery.  Apparently everyone there is used to driving on these tight curvy little roads and it's no big deal for them. 

Our driver delivered us promptly and safely to the gates of the Pompeii Archaeological Park where we met our tour guide, Ciro. We splurged on a private tour of the ruins and I am so very glad we did. 

Ciro, is a fourth generation Pompeii tour guide and he was so knowledgeable.  We learned so much from him on this tour.  He also had a great sense of humor and spoke English very well.  We all absolutely loved him and at the end we deemed him "The Best Tour Guide Ever".  

After the tour, the driver picked us back and we headed back through the mountains to Amalfi.  We got lunch at Antica Trattoria Barracca.  We were walking through the town trying to decide where to eat and the owner grabbed us and told us this was a family restaurant, owned and operated by his family and we shouldn't miss it.  They had a table open so we took it.  It was crazy crowded in the restaurant but the food was delicious.

After our late lunch, we spent the rest of the afternoon exploring Amalfi and then we went to Mass at St. Andrew's Cathedral.  This church was built in the 900s and in 1204 the remains of St. Andrew were brought over from Constantinople during the 4th Crusade.  Like every church we visited in Italy, it was beautiful on the inside.  I still can not get over all of the gorgeous churches.  And to be worshiping in a church with relics of St. Andrew felt really special!

After Mass (it didn't start until 7:30!) we headed to dinner at Ristorante La Perla.  We had another delicious dinner and then we walked around Amalfi more before heading back to our little apartment to enjoy the views from our rooftop patio.  

It was a fabulous day.  I told Dan and the kids that this was definitely the best Mother's Day ever and there is no way any future one could compare.  They all agreed it would be hard to top this one!

Part of the outer walls of Pompeii

Sarah found cats everywhere on our trip.

Inside the baths

The baths were beautifully decorated

These once held crock pots of food.  They are located in a food stall and people would order food kind of like on a buffet.

A street through town.  Typically there would be a house on either side of a business going all along the street. 

Our guide, Ciro, explaining the water system in Pompeii.  They had running water! And the metal bar he is pointing to is original. 

This was in the "sex room" of a home owned by two very wealthy brothers.  If you look closely the images on the wall are positions.  eek

The ancient citizens of Pompeii had phallic symbols every where.  They were not only signs of fertility but also of wealth and prosperity.

There were poppies growing everywhere in the ruins.  It was beautiful!

Inside a bakery. 

One of the many casts made by pouring plaster into the voids left by the decay of the bodies in the hardened ash and pumice. 

They are always excavating and uncovering more ruins.

That's Mt. Vesuvius in the distance.

We were so hungry at lunch!  And I had a lemoncello spritz.  Dan and Peter became red wine connoisseurs during our trip. I had

The beach near our apartment.

The Cathedral of St. Andrews

Dinner!  Aperol Spritz for the girls.  Red wine for the boys. 

Heading down the steps of the Cathedral after mass.