We left early from Rome on a direct bus to Sorrento, where we stayed for five nights to enjoy the Amalfi Coast, Naples, and ruins of Pompeii. Because of traffic, the journey took nearly 5 hours, so we relaxed that afternoon, walking around town and cooking lemon tart and homemade bruschetta in our Airbnb apartment. The next day, we all took the train to Pompeii, victim to the famous eruption from Mount Vesuvius (Vesuvio) in 79 AD. Buried under volcanic ash and pyroclastic surge (fluidized gas and rock fragments), Pompeii is excellently preserved. The volcano spewed molten rock and hot ash at a rate of 1.5 million tons per second, so one can imagine how terrifying and swift of a fate met the region’s inhabitants. The city had many wealthy, trading inhabitants, evident in the fine mosaics and murals remaining in their homes After lunch, Alexa and I continued to Herculaneum (Ercolano), which is even better preserved because of its closer location to Vesuvius. The city incredibly has original wood, highly unusual after centuries, when wood usually decays completely. Walking through the streets felt a bit eerie, but also connected us to the past because of the palpable sense of daily life, including familiar places, such as takeout lunch counters and decorated living rooms. As we left, we passed by the remains of inhabitants frozen in their last moments. The next day, Alexa and I took a day trip via train to Naples (Napoli), where we of course started with pizza napoletana, which earned UNESCO recognition last year. We waited an hour to sit at L'antica Pizzeria da Michele for our 40-minute meal, and would do so again in a heartbeat. With a menu of marinara and margherita pizza, we decided to try one of each with a Nastro Azzurro beer. Wow, this pizza was good – enough reason to make the trip to Naples. A local sitting next to us shared that the mineral-rich volcanic soil from Mount Vesuvius yields delicious San Marzano tomatoes and hearty flour, while the local water gives the dough its chewy, mouthwatering character. The pizza is baked for 60-90 seconds in a 905°F oven heated by burning oak-wood. After a delicious cappuccino at Anhelo, we visited the Museo Cappella Sansevero to see the incredible veiled Christ statue. Composed of marble in 1753 by Giuseppe Sanmartino, the statue depicts the dead Christ covered in a veil, incredibly lifelike and realistic, with the mind-blowing appearance of a layer of fabric over the body. The photo in the slideshow is from Google Images, as the museum strictly prohibits photos. From the chapel, we headed to the National Archeological Museum, where we saw Roman marble statues, Egyptian artifacts from the collection of Cardinal Stefano Borgia, and modern wooden sculptures by Aron Demetz. The contemporary Demetz figures contrasted beautifully with the classical Roman marble. We set out the next morning with Alexa’s mom, Lynn, for the Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods) hike along the Amalfi cliffs. After lengthy bus rides to Amalfi, then Bomerano, we set out on the 4.3-mile hike to Positano. Although not a great distance, the hike proceeded along a steep and narrow pathway, with some tough climbs up slippery rocks. We made it to Positano after 3.5 hours, and met with Alexa’s dad and siblings to celebrate her brother Michael’s birthday and high school graduation at Mirage, a restaurant in Hotel Posa Posa overlooking the beautiful harbor and cliffs. Our last day on the Amalfi Coast took us to Capri, the colorful island just a 30-minute ferry ride from Sorrento. A favorite vacation spot of the rich and famous, Capri’s coast is dotted by obscene yachts with helipads. We had lunch in the town of Capri, then rode up the quieter, scenic AnaCapri. The chairlift to Mount Solaro showcased spectacular views of AnaCapri and the Gulf of Naples. At the top, we enjoyed panoramic views of Capri’s sheer cliffs, glowing blue shores, and bright flowers. We had a delicious dinner with the whole family at L’antica Trattoria in Sorrento to celebrate Alexa’s 23rd birthday.
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