Walking to Minori

On the way to Minori

Follow nine hundred steps down the mountain side from Ravello to Minori, a small seaside town. Down went Claire, Joanne and Richard step after step leading from one beautiful vista to another .

Jackets and sweatshirts were in order under a heavy sky. Upon the beach, Claire and Joanne cast off their shoes to test the cold Gulf of Solarno while hunting sea glass.

Our bus from Minori challenged on-coming traffic at every hairpin turn on the cliff hugging coast road to Amalfi. Someone must back down to allow the other to make the turn! Arriving Amalfi, we toured the cathedral before meeting Al, Mary and Marie for lunch. Another bus wound its way up to Ravello with all us aboard.


In the evening wedding guests crowded in a small restaurant for salad, pizza and many, many bottles of red wine courtesy of the groom's parents. I videoed Andrew, the groom, as I told him it wasn't to late to back out. He replied “How could I leave this woman!” It was meant to be a statement not a question. Wedding tomorrow.




Be sure to see our updated Crashing ... blog + Pictures link in Rome blog.


Pictures

Ravello

A Porche passed  us like we were standing still. I asked Raffalle, our driver, what the speed limit was on this Italian freeway -just like the interstates in the United States.  "No speed limit for him," he answered. We were riding a van directly from our Rome Hotel to Ravello, the destination wedding location high above the Amalfi Coast. Joatetnne's niece, Holly, is getting married.

Last time in Italy, I thought the food was poor compared to the non chain Italian food in the United States, an impression possibly due the fact that I was sick the entire time.  I lost eight pounds.  This time I may gain eight pounds!

Click Pictures to go to picture album or view slide show:

Crashing an Ordination Party!

It's Saturday today in Rome - and we decided to visit the Pantheon because it is one of the architectural wonders of the world!  It certainly lived up to its guidebook "billing" - it was hard to believe it was built in the year 27 B.C., the biggest pile of concrete ever constructed in its time.  It's walls are 25 ft thick and it has a dome that lets in light (and rain) from the outside that is 142 ft high -it is an absolutely perfect sphere resting upon a cylinder.  It originally was a pagan place of the gods, but later the Christians took it over and now it is the site of a beautiful church and houses the tombs of many famous artists and kings.  The famous artist, Raphael, is buried here.  We rented headphones and listened to the fascinating commentaries of this ancient place. 


Then, it was time for lunch.  We wondered over to Piazza Navona, which is one of the most beautiful baroque sites in all of Rome.  Great chariot races were once held here.  Today  vendors  their paintings and wonderful little restaurants line the piazza.  We ordered pizza , salad and had a Bellini for good measure. 

 

Our taxi ride to the Basillica of S Maria Maggiore halted a block short due to the Communists! They came from all over Italy to march through Rome. The young and old, waving hundreds of red flags as they marched with banners proclaiming Marx, Lenin, and Che Guevara suggest the romance and excitement of revolution.  As I watched, in an instant I reminded myself of the millions starved, executed or imprisoned in concentration camps in the grand but failed political and economic experiment. One of Russian visitors last fall simply said "Under Communism we had no hope." Still they march.

While we waited for the demonstrators to pass, the gelato shop on our side of the street did a booming business. So the communists accomplished a little something for the capitalists! 

On Top of the Basillica

After dropping off Marie (Joanne's Mom) for a little rest, the 3 of us (Richard, Joanne and Claire (J's sister), went back to the Pantheon because we read about a concert that was going to be held there.  Well, we were told by a local to go to the nearby Basillica of St. Augustine.  There was no concert - but we stumbled upon the end of a young priest's ordination.  It was just lovely and we followed the throngs of people up a long winding staircast to the very roof of the church.  It was a breathtaking view of Rome with wonderful people, who invited us to join the celebration and partake of the delicious food and drink.  We were so touched to be part of this event!


It's been quite a wonderful time in Rome - and tomorrow we look forward to traveling south to the Amalfi Coast to the wonderful town of Ravello for all the wedding festivities.

Roma

 We - Joanne, Richard, Joanne's Mom - Marie and Joanne's little sister - Clair flew to Rome problem free for the big destination wedding of Joanne's niece in Ravello.

Marie, First Day in Rome

First thing, I decided to try out my new international phone and accidentally called Angela who is providing summer camp for Bleu in her home back in Punta Gorda.  I didn't realize until later thar her phone rang at 3 AM! Sorry.

While checking through customs. we bumped into Mary & Al, the mother and father of the bride before taking a cab to Hotel Sonya to rest up.  Mary and Al are staying at a different hotel a few km away so just the four of us walked a few blocks down the street for pizza.

Then Claire & Richard walked to the Colosseo for an lively tour after which we decided, what the heck, we would walk the included and "at no extra charge" Forum tour.  Well after that, we took a taxi back and Claire hit the sack.

Joanne sacked out too while Marie & Richard went out for wine and a light meal at a nice restuarnt just up from the hotel.

Friday morning - Tour of the Vatican Museum with our guide Federica.  After lunch, the girls did some shopping.

Stay tuned.

Pictures

After resting at Hotel Sonya,

Mother Daughter Fashion Show

Check out these pictures of Joanne and her Mom, Marie, modeling at a Mother Daughter Fashion Show at Southport.  Marie was the hit of the show.  Everyone admired her gorgeous outfits and how wonderful she looked at a young 91-1/2 years old!  What a great pre-Mother's Day Event!

Miss Manatee Morphs into Chocolate Easter Bunny

Punta Gorda - Neither scientists nor medical experts have explained the transformation witnessed here along Shreve Street in the little town of Punta Gorda.  Miss Manatee has long donned festive outfits to celebrate seasons and holdidays while she patiently waits the delivery of the mail.  But this Easter, she sports an entirely new look having morphed into a chocolate bunny! Here she is posing with Joanne's mom, Marie.  Click on the picture to enlarge.

Bleu One Year Old

Bleu is one year old!  He now weighs 8 lbs, which is a surprise because the breeder thought he would only reach 5 to 6 lbs.  He's so cute and full of antics.  He loves sailing aboard our boat, Eagle's Wings, and makes friends wherever he visits.