Europe Trip- Day 4: July 1, 2012

AMALFI COAST
By Joshua

Today began with a ride from Rome to Pompeii.  En route to Pompeii, we saw the World War II cemetery of Monte Cassino.

Monte Cassino
 Pompeii followed on the heels of Rome and was 35 degrees Celcius.  The tour of Pompeii was great and the tour guide's name was Genaro.  Genaro was about 70 and was excited to brag to us about the Sicilian Style Macaroni and Mozzarella his wife was making him for dinner.

Outside the uncovered city of Pompeii
Among the highlights were seeing the people that died during the eruption, the shock about how perverted the Pompeiians were, and the Roman style bath. 

Genaro showing us a street in Pompeii.  
It was a lovely little street with a school, stores, bakeries, brothels, and "quicky" rooms.
I see dead people!

Us, ready for the soccer game tonight
and also hoping Mt. Vesuvius is not going to erupt while we're here.
(see it in the background?) "It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when"

From Pompeii we traveled to Ravello.  Sitting 1,000 feet up above the Amalfi Coast, this offered the most amazing views we have ever seen of both the coast and the surrounding mountains. 
It is NOT safe for a tour bus to drive up 3,000 feet. 
These cars are going to opposite direction of us and trying to squeeze through.  YIKES! 


What do you even say here?

Only God can create something this spectacular!

During the time at Ravello, we went to an Arab style villa build during the 8th century BC and saw a wedding take place in the town's church. 

Dear bride: Sorry 40 people snuck into a church before your wedding. Thank you for being so nice about it and still smiling and thanking us when we clapped for you.  Love, Trafalgar Italian Concerto Tour Group
The entrance to a restaurant...this place is just ridiculous. 
After Ravello, we went to our hotel on the Amalfi Coast.  Unfortunately, our hotel is different from, and presumed to be not as good as, the hotel we were supposed to stay at.  We are not at the hotel San Pietro instead of the Panaorma Hotel. 

We ate dinner at the hotel and then watched the soccer game at the hotel pool bar with people from our group.  Unfortunately Italy lost to Spain in the Euro Cup championship in a massacre 4-0.

Literally, the whole country of Italy shut down to watch this game. 
SIDEBAR FROM KRISTIN:  Since we've been in Italy, I've been asked for directions THREE times.  I hope it's because I looked Italian :)

Kristin's Favorite Thing of the Day:
Ravello...views, views, views

Josh's Favorite Thing of the Day:
Ravello

Kristin's Biggest Surprise of the Day:
views were even more beautiful than any picture could show and the Pompeiians were perverts...who knew?!

Josh's Surprise of the Day:
We didn't stay at the Panerama

Gelato Count:
Josh: 2
Kristin: 2
Triple chocolate and chocolate cream
pistachio and some vanilla that had raisins or maybe apricots in it?

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