Amalfi Coast

 
Just a quick post before heading off to Munich tonight! Last weekend we went on a school trip to the Amalfi Coast: Pompei, Sorrento and Capri.  This was supposed to be another beach-y vacation, but the rain seems to follow us everywhere so we only saw the sun for a few hours.  Even so, we still saw some beautiful sights and I will definitely be returning some day! 


Our first day was spent in Pompei.  Fun fact: Pompei is the city, and Pompeii (with two i's) is the area with the ruins.  We toured around the ruins for a few hours and our guide said we barely saw half of it. A lot of the original detail is still there from before Mt Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD.  We got to see the Pompeii Amphitheatre which is the oldest Roman amphitheatre - even older than the Colosseum!  We also toured around the town and saw old bar/restaurants, markets, and brothels.  The beds in the brothels were made of uneven stones, which looked very uncomfortable!

The main square of Pompeii with Mt Vesuvius in the background (behind the clouds)

The large stones were used to cross the road when it got flooded - how convenient!

After a few hours of standing in the rain and playing in the ruins, we headed South to Sorrento where our hotel for the night was located.  We had a fabulous dinner and then toured a limoncello factory where we got to sample some different flavors.

Fabbrica Liquori in Sorrento

Capri

The next day we departed for Capri on a boat. Multiple people had to go on the deck because the waves were ridiculously bad and being inside was like being on a roller coaster.  (We all agreed it was too soon to be on a boat after last weekend in Greece.)  When we got there the sun decided to say hello and we went on a boat tour around the island.  It was gorgeous and I can't imagine how nice it would have been if the weather cooperated.  We only got to do half the tour which I was a little bummed about.  The part we had to skip was the Blue Grotto which is a flooded sea cave.  It would have been so cool to see inside, but it was over-flooded and we weren't allowed to enter. 

Blue Grotto - on the list for next time I visit Capri :)

The rest of the day we spent venturing around Capri.  We ate at a famous restaurant where celebrities like Anne Hathaway, Mariah Carey, and Lindsay Lohan have been.  Somehow we managed to kill 5 or so hours and it was time to head back to Florence.  Right before we were to leave, the sun came out again so we ran to the beach and played on the rocks for a bit.  Great trip but it would have been totally different if the weather cooperated for once!

On Monday, Bre and I went to a Gelato shop called Antica Gelateria where we got to see how gelato is made.  (Do not underestimate the amount of sugar they put in there...wow...).  The kitchen where they make the gelato is very small and cramped but they only use two machines for the entire shop.  I tried some new flavors and this place is the best I've had so far!

Our next job

$25,000 gelato machine

Tonight we head to Munich, Germany for Spring Beerfest.  (Like Oktoberfest but a smaller version.)  Wish me luck on finding some gluten free beverages!