Saturday's PhotoHunting: What is Peace & Tranquility for Me

Surprisingly, this week's theme was a bit of a challenge for me.  But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that there are two primary forms of peace and tranquility for me.

First, my faith gives me great comfort and inner peace.  In this photo, I experienced a very peaceful and beautiful moment while lighting four candles at the Santa Maria della Salute Church in Venice, Italy.  

Second, being out in nature (especially when there is the sound of water nearby) is what gives me an outer sense of peace and tranquility.  I experienced a lot of tranquility on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. :)

To see more PhotoHunters, you can visit Gattina's Kehole Pictures website HERE!  

Saturday's PhotoHunting: Architecture (Building)

 From the top . . .

From a bridge . . .

From the side . . .

Looking up . . .

And during mass . . .

From all points of view, the Maria della Salute Church in Venice, Italy has my heart!

To see more PhotoHunters, you can visit Gattina's Kehole Pictures website HERE!  

2011 Amalfi Coast Adventures: My last live post from Italy . . . what a fabulous trip it was!

Tomorrow I leave my beautiful home away from home town of Praiano and head north to Rome where I will spend the night before my return flight home.  I have arranged a car service to pick me up in Praiano to take me to Salerno where I will catch a direct train to Rome.

For my final night in Italy, I’m lucky to be able to meet fellow Slow Traveler and blogging friend, Sandra, for dinner (and maybe some prosecco).  It will be her first full day in her new home of Rome and I am very excited to meet her and hear all about her plans and may even do a little travel talk. J

It will be a full day and evening tomorrow with an early morning flight out so sadly this will be my final live post from Italy.

I am very happy to say that my return trip to Italy after nearly 4 years being away was everything I had hoped it would be and more. 

The small town of Praiano was the “perfect” place to base my 3 week stay here on the Amalfi Coast.  It was in close proximity to Positano, Amalfi and Ravello and was well serviced by the local Sita Bus transportation system, which allowed me to get around fairly easily.

The town is really small and there is not much going on at night except for the casual stroll down its main road and gathering at the local bar.  There is a family owned grocery store which I used to buy all of my staples for my apartment living.  Some days I woke up early so I can catch an early bus for my day’s sightseeing but there were many days that I woke up early just so I could watch the sun rise in the morning. 

My apartment was big, very functional and had the most beautiful ocean view along with the town of Positano and the island of Capri in the far distance.  The sunsets that the website boasts about are 100% accurate.  There was a very colorful almost mesmerizing sunset at least 99% of the time during my stay and from my apartment terrace and windows I was able to witness the sun setting in all its glory.

The things I will miss about my home away from home here in Praiano:  the bells of San Gennaro, the passing horns of the Sita Bus, Vespas and cars.  Here on the Amalfi drivers have to toot their horns when rounding a blind curve to alert oncoming drivers of your approach which I think gives you the right of way.  I will also miss the locals here, especially the gatherings at the Bar del Sole and piazza.   I will even miss my neighbor who loved playing club music in the early evenings. J 

But most of all I will miss the way of life here.  People stroll down the road, stop to make conversation, passing motorists stop at Bar del Sole to feel the sun at its peak in the late afternoon.  Yes, the way of life here in Praiano is what I will miss the most (along with the beautiful sunsets and the people who live here). 

With the exception of maybe a couple of things, I was able to get to all of my “must sees and do’s” in, which I am very thankful for.  So what are the things that stood out for me on this trip:

- My return trip to the Isle of Capri (although not as magical as my first trip) was still wonderful.  The view at the top of Mt. Solaro, the beautiful tiles in the Church of St. Michelle and sitting in the piazza sipping on a glass of prosecco watching the sunset are all very memorable for me. 

- My day trip to Paestum was a definite highlight.  To see those well preserved Greek Temples and to wonder around the scavi site was amazing especially in the beautiful setting surrounding the site. 

- My day trip to Naples to see the beautiful Cloisters of Santa Chiara, the Naples National Archaeological museum and tasting an authentic Neapolitan pizza was also a trip highlight. 

- I also loved exploring around some of the other towns here such as the town of Amalfi, Maiori, Bomerano, Positano and Ravello. 

- I took in some interesting sites such as the boat ride to see the Emerald Grotto, the tour of the Paper Museum, seeing the beautiful gardens and views offered by Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo in Ravello.  And let’s not forget my adventurous hike on the Sentiero degli Dei (“Path of the Gods”) where I met a very special hiking buddy whom I will never forget.   

- All the wonderful Italians (and fellow travelers) I met during my stay here. The people at the grocery store and Bar del Sole, Chez Black, Gennaro, the tourist office lady, my neighbors, the people I met on the buses and trains and the Sita bus drivers (especially Dino) who skillfully drove the Amalfi roads without giving me motion sickness :).

- I visited so many wonderful churches on this trip, but the most special one of all is the one right here in Praiano.  The church of San Luca stands high up on the hills above the town.   It isn’t big and grand like some of the cathedrals I’ve visited but it has that “charm” quality like the churches I am fond of in Venice.  There are also several very beautiful paintings and a grand looking organ. It’s really the kind of church I would prefer to attend mass in. 

Here are some photos that I took:

Painting above the main altar (sorry it's a poor photo)

So today (my last full day in Amalfi) I treated myself to another wonderful lunch at my favorite restaurant, Chez Black.  I had another fabulous eggplant pizza, a glass of prosecco and a cup of gelato.  Then I took my last walk on the beach to bid Positano farewell (until hopefully next time).  From the bus stop at the top of the hill I took a photo of Praiano for also the last time.

 

My car service picks me up at 8:45 am tomorrow morning, so my apartment owners will come by to check me out around 8:00 am. 

One thing is certain, I have become so spoiled staying in one place for the entire 3 weeks and I have a feeling it won’t be the last time I will do this type of trip. 

I want to say a huge thank you to everyone for stopping by and reading my blog and for your wonderful comments.  I really appreciate reading them and am just sorry that I could not comment back as I would normally.  I do look forward to catching up with all of you when I return home. 

I want to thank Pauline Kenny, founder of Slow Travel, the Slow Travel Community and to all of my wonderful blogging friends for all of the inspiration and knowledge that I have learned to help make this trip the success that it was.  I also want to thank my wonderful sis and family, my good friends and my co-workers back home.

And as the sun sets here in Praiano, my 2011 Amalfi Coast Adventures also comes to a gracious end. Grazie Mille Italy for another fabulous time! I hope to see you again soon.

Ciao for now everyone . . .  I wonder where my dreams will take me to next. J

2011 Amalfi Coast Adventures: The Town of Amalfi . . .

Yesterday, I decided to visit the town of Amalfi . . . but first some breakfast and internet surfing. Check out my morning view.  :) 

Amalfi was once a very powerful Maritime Republic rivaling Genoa, Venice and Pisa.  It’s a cool town which seems busier than Praiano and Positano.  There are lots of shops selling touristy items.

The center of town is not very far from where the Sita bus drops you off.  Once you cross the narrow road through this Arch, you are in the main Piazza del Duomo.  Here you immediately see the Arab-Norman façade of the Cathedral.  It has lace like open arches and an 11^th century  bronze door from Constantinople.  The tiled cupola is typical of Amalfi coast churches.  The fee to enter is 3 Euros and it includes entrance to the Clositer of Paradise, the Basilica of Crucifix, the Crypt and the Cathedral. 

The Cloister of Paradise is the ancient cemetery for the noblemen of Amalfi, built between 1266 and 1268.  Here you can enjoy the charm of the characteristic interlaced arches, supported by 120 slender columns in the Moorish style.  The greenery of the small Mediterranean garden at the center of the Cloister filters through the pure white row of columns. 

Along the side there are various sarcophagi and ancient Byzantine pulpits of the Cathedral.  From here you can also get a glimpse of the Amalfi Cathedral’s bell tower (1180-1276).  It is decorated in the Moorish style with polychrome majolica tiles.   

The Crypt is the heart of Amalfi because here are preserved the head and other bones of Saint Andrew, Jesus’ first disciple.  The Cathdral has a baroque interior dating to the early 18^th century.

While looking around to find the paper museum I get lost in the maze of narrow alleys. Here away from the tourist crowds I can get a sense of local life here.  Laundry hanging, the sounds of conversation and music coming from the inside of these homes.  It’s pretty cool.

Then I stumbled onto the Arte e Carta the little paper making store that Samantha Brown visited when she was here in Amalfi.  Here I meet the daughter who spoke with Samantha.  I mentioned to her that I saw that Travel Show and was very impressed with their store so I was really glad that I found it. 

She then showed me a plaque on the wall with a photo of her father with Samantha Brown’s name underneath.  I was quite sad to hear that her father passed away 4 years I ago.  She proceeded to show me around the store indicated her father’s mark on the paper.  Here is where I decided to purchase a print. It is beautiful and made on the homemade paper that her father made.  She was even kind enough to pose for me in her store and with her sweet cat.  She then asked if I could e-mail her a copy of the photo which I happily did.

I discovered where I need to go to try to see the Valley of the Mills.  But that will be for another day without my big camera. J

Well, I can’t help but give you another sunset shot….

Thanks everyone for stopping by and for your kind comments.  

2011 Amalfi Coast Adventures: Positano smiles and says Buon Girono . . .

Okay, so I "borrowed" that line from Samantha Brown. :) Today, I will pay Positano a visit. A place where John Steinbeck was inspired to write that very famous article and now years later, I have this opportunity to see Positano through my own eyes.

According to the Sita Bus schedule I should  arrive in Positano by lunch time.  The bus lets you off at the top of this hill and you need to walk these narrow alleyways down towards the beach. The path is lined with cute shops and interesting and colorful signs showing you the way as you can get sort of twisted around because you can't really see the ocean walking down. There are white washed shops that line the narrow alleyways down toward the black/grayish sand beach.

First, I paid a visit to the Church of Santa Maria Assunta.  As you enter the church you can read a greeting which says:

I don’t think I have read such an inviting and pleasing welcome.  It’s like I was really meant to start off my vacation here on the  Amalfi Coast with this early visit to this wonderful church. I can now begin to understand why Mr. Steinbeck was so captivated by this town. 

The Santa Maria Assunta seems to be the center piece of this town more than the beach itself with it’s brilliant dome made of majolica tiles as well as a 13^th Byzantine century icon of the Black Madonna. According to local legend the icon had been stolen from Byzantium and traveling across the Mediterranean by pirates, a terrible storm had blown up.  In fear for their safety, the pirates unloaded the precious icon off in Positano and the storm stopped.

They have some wonderful art as well and one that struck me was this “Chapel of Immaculate Conception”  Here’s what was said about this painting:

The painting (1795) depicts the Virgin as she appears in the Book of the Apcalypse: with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown with twelve starts, curshing the snake.  The angels around her are holding symbols taken from the Song of Songs that are applied to Mary:  the Lily, the mirror, the rose, the olive branch, the star

.

After being inspired with my church visit, I decided to have lunch at Chez Black which is a restaurant located right on the Beach. Mimi mentioned that it was her favorite and I can see why.  It’s a little on the pricey side but the service is excellent, the food was outstanding (I had the grilled Sole) and the view….well it’s priceless!

More glimpses of a beautiful town . . .

Thank you everyone for all of your wonderful comments. They are very much appreciated. I am really enjoying this beautiful place in Italy! 

Ciao for now.

2011 Amalfi Coast Adventures: Ciao from Italy . . . .

Wow, what a whirlwind two days . . .

Roma! The history, the art, the energy, the architecture, the churches, the food . . . . It’s got it all and it's amazing.  After the long flight I arrived at my hotel only to be told that they lost my reservation and they don’t have any more rooms. I wasn’t happy, but they immediately found me a nearby hotel and the bellman helped with my luggage.   Then when I checked out, I discovered that the other hotel paid for my room so I all I had to pay was 2 euros for taxes. Okay, now all is forgiven. J

By the time I arrived at my hotel, it was already dark but I headed out in search for a TIM store. I had no address but I saw it while in the Taxi on the way to the hotel.  Don’t ask me how I found it, but I did.  They got me hooked up with a SIM card and I’m good to go.  They don't sell unlimited plans, so I got the maximum internet time they had to offer. Hopefully that will last me.

And how can I be in Rome and not stop by the Trevi Fountain to toss my Euro coin in it to guarantee a return back to Rome!  Plus, I remember learning that the coins collected from the fountain are used to help feed the needy. 

There was this married couple there and it was so cool because when they went to toss their coins into the fountain the entire crowd cheered them on.  I sat by the fountain eating a nice wonderful and delicious scoop of pistachio gelato!  

Next to the Fountain I found a church and influenced by Annie’s blog I went in to take a look inside and to light a couple of candles. In the corner to the right of the Alter I found the most beautiful Mary I have ever seen. She is so mesmerizing it really took my breath away looking at her. Somehow I felt so comforted by her eyes. Thanks Annie for inspiring me to appreciate the many beautiful churches in Italy. They are truly wonderful.

On the way back I stopped to take a photo of this other fountain. I noticed a lot of police presence and this motorcade came zooming in. I was told that was the President of Italy. That explains the police presence and news vans.  By now I’m getting hungry, so I stopped by this family owned pizza.  The pizza wasn’t the best I have had in Italy, but the strawberry desert was really delicious and made for it. J

I started to blog before I went to bed but I my eyes suddenly shut down and I was out!  I had set my alarm before I went to bed. I set my alarm to wake up early so I can have breakfast and do a fast blog post before heading to Termini to catch my train to Salerno. 

My alarm didn’t go off and I woke up late giving me only an hour before my train leaves. I hightailed myself out of bed, through everything in my bags and wend downstairs to check out and have them call a Taxi.

I made my train in plenty of time.  While waiting to find out what Platform number my train will depart from I met a girl who was on the same train.  We chatted the whole time but got split up due to different seat assignments on the train.  She was cool, plus she alerted me to which car I had to get on. She was worried for me and rightfully so, because I was getting on the wrong coach. 

On the train, I sat next to the most entertaining travelers from Australia.  They were a hoot. They are in Europe for 7 weeks and they are going to a lot of places. The two Italian ladies next to me didn’t speak any English but they were a hoot too! They were very busy scratching their lotto tickets and I’m sure talking about what they would do if they won.  I know that’s what I would be talking about!  He, he.

They all got off in Naples and I stayed on until Salerno. My car service was already waiting for me.  I had heard a lot about the drive through Amalfi even seen several videos and wow!  It is exactly what they say . . . hair raising sharp turns through out.  Should I still do the Vespa adventure? Probably not. J

I arrive in my apartment and it is exactly as depicted on the Summer in Italy website. It is gorgeous!  Super clean, tasteful décor, and very well furnished and equipped.  The owner helped me to bring my bags up the stairs.  The owner, Mrs. Agata is so nice. 

And from the terrace in my bedroom!  My beautiful sunset . . .

And since I can see Positano from my Terrance, I’ll be going there tomorrow. 

Thank you everyone for stopping by!   Ciaó for now.