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April's Adventures

April's Adventures

Just a woman with wanderlust…..

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Jerusalem, Israel

April October 29, 2018

About a year ago my friend Donna told me she and one of her cousins, George, were planning a trip to Israel and asked me if I wanted to come along.  Naturally being someone who enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures, I said yes without hesitation.  After all the planning, the time had finally come and we finally touched down in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Arriving in the early evening, we collected our bags and rental car and drove to our first destination in East Jerusalem.  The next morning, we woke up super early to head to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  For the record, I will state I am not a religious person.  I believe in being a good person and karma and some higher being but I don’t subscribe to any organized religion.  Having said that, even I must admit this place is a BIG deal.  Like a really big deal.  This place holds 2 of the holiest sites in all of Christianity.  The first being where Jesus was crucified and the other being the empty tomb where they say Jesus was buried and resurrected.

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Exterior of courtyard

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Tomb of Jesus is enclosed within this shrine, called the Aedicule

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Stairway leading to the Calvary (Golgotha), traditionally regarded as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion

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Stone of Anointing, which tradition believes to be the spot where Jesus’ body was prepared for burial

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Ornate decorations in the Calvary

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Inside the Calvary where it’s believed that Jesus was crucified

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Mosaic near the Stone of Anointing

After leaving the church, we walked around the city some, taking in some of the sights.

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Damascus Gate to the old city of Jerusalem in early morning

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Saw this in a shop window and it made me smile

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We also visited the Tower of David which provided some nice views of the city.

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Tower of David

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Looking at the city from the top of the Tower of David

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Interior gardens and structure of Tower of David

The next morning, we made our way to the Western Wall (also called the Wailing Wall).  The Western Wall is considered holy due to its connection to the Temple Mount. Because of the Temple Mount entry restrictions, the Wall is the holiest place where Jews are permitted to pray, though the holiest site in the Jewish faith lies behind it.

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First glimpse of the wall in the distance (zoomed in)

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Seeing the razor wire in the foreground struck me as a powerful image.  Wall is in the background.

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Men only side of the wall

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Women only side of the wall.  You can see the notes tucked into the available crevices in the stones.

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Sun illuminating on the wall as it rises

After spending time at the Western Wall, we visited the Dome of the Rock (Islamic Shrine), which is also on Temple Mount.  The site’s great significance for Muslims derives from traditions connecting it to the creation of the world and to the belief that the Prophet Muhammad’s Night Journey to heaven started from the rock at the center of the structure.  Since we are not Muslim, we were not able to enter but we walked around the grounds, taking in all of the beautiful detail of this site.

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Dome of the Rock

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Dome of the Rock

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Next, we grabbed a taxi to the Mount of Olives.  There is a small church at the top of Mount of Olives which is supposedly where Jesus ascended up to heaven.  It also offers spectacular views of the entire city.

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Spot where Jesus ascended up to heaven (according to believers)

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Amazing view of city from Mount of Olives

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View from Mount of Olives

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Looking down on Mount of Olives Jewish Cemetery

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Church of Mary Magdalene (Russian Orthodox Church)

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Such a beautiful structure!

We ended our time in Jerusalem with a visit to Vad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.  It has extensive exhibits documenting the horror that happened.  Photography isn’t permitted (which I didn’t realize) so I will only show a couple shots below out of respect.

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Hall of names

After our incredible time in Jerusalem, we set off for a trip to Jordan.  Stay tuned for that blog entry!

 

 

  • Asia
  • Thailand

Bangkok or Bust!

April September 1, 2018

Anyone who knows me knows I’ve always wanted to go to Thailand.  It’s just one of those places that has always appealed to me – a land with lush green beauty in the outlying areas, the intricate temples and, of course, the buzzing metropolis of Bangkok.  So I naturally jumped at the chance to join my best friend Laura on a work trip to Thailand!

Normally I plan my trips way in advance but since this was a tagalong to a work trip, I had less than 2 months to research and decide on what I wanted to add to my “to do” list.  With Laura having to work, I knew I would have to find things to entertain myself during the day.

Laura flew into Atlanta and then from there we flew about 14 hours to Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea.  We arrived at 4am and had a 5 hour layover so we had to entertain ourselves until some of the shops opened up.

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Tourist! Sleep deprivation makes me silly!

After having a proper Asian breakfast, we finally boarded our plane for the 6 hour flight to Bangkok, Thailand.  We arrived just after lunchtime to an overcast sky.  We grabbed a taxi and headed to our hotel in the heart of Sukhumvit, Bangkok’s shopping and restaurant district.  We dropped our bags and ventured out for a stroll around the area and had our first authentic Thai meal.

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With the jet lag starting to set in, we opted to call it an early night.  The next morning, Laura headed to work and I decided to venture out on my own.

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I secured my BTS (overhead rail system in Bangkok) card and off I went!  I ventured to one of the many (and I do mean MANY!) malls in Bangkok.  I opted to check out Platinum Fashion Mall in Pratunam.  The best way to describe this mall is a flea market moved indoors with air conditioning.  There are multiple floors of wholesale vendors all packed into small stalls peddling their items.  While most of the vendors sell clothing, I did manage to pick up a few souvenirs.  I also saw a lovely little park, Benchasiri Park, along my walk to and from the BTS station.

 

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The next day I decided to go for culture so I hopped in a taxi.  I knew I wanted to see some of the temples that Bangkok is so well known for.  I asked my taxi driver to take me to Wat Arun (also called the Temple of Dawn).  The temple itself sits on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River.  The thing about most taxi drivers in Bangkok is that they are always trying to hustle you.  My driver wanted to turn off the meter and offer me a “deal” if I agreed to stop by a shop along the way.  Having been forewarned about this practice, I declined and he was not very happy with me.  So he dropped me off at a pier on the east side much further down than he should have and I ended up having to pay 1,500 BAHT for a roundtrip long tail boat ride to the temple’s pier.  Knowing I was paying way more than I should have but really having no other option since my taxi driver quickly disappeared, I opted to take the optimistic view that I had a long tail boat all to myself.  With the skies looking quite ominous, I made sure my life jacket was secured as the narrow but colorful boat made its way along the choppy river waters.

 

Beautiful Wat Arun
Beautiful Wat Arun
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Up close detail - so pretty!
Up close detail – so pretty!
Obligatory temple selfie
Obligatory temple selfie

After getting back to the pier, I had an enjoyable lunch at the little restaurant on the pier.  The view was nice and this was probably the tastiest meal I had the entire time.

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That evening, I joined Laura’s work group for a meal at a very unique restaurant called Cabbages and Condoms on Sukhumvit 12.  This restaurant was started as a way to help
support outreach efforts by Population and Community Development Association (PDA).  PDA focuses their efforts on health, education, HIV/AIDS, rural development, environment and water, all while using a very clever concept to generate interest and business.  The food was delicious and I gladly purchased some of the themed items from their gift shop when we were done.  Definitely a memorable spot!

 

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Even the lamps are themed
Even the lamps are themed
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Condom couture
Condom couture
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At dinner, I was introduced to a couple of ladies, Carol and Meena, who were just lovely and agreed to check out some places with me the next day or two.  We met up early the next morning and grabbed a taxi to The Grand Palace.  This complex has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam since 1782 and is the most visited tourist site in Bangkok.

Dress code is strictly enforced at the Grand Palace.  Meena had to purchase a t-shirt to cover her shoulders and although my capri pants were below the knee (which was okay per my research), the attendant as we entered advised I would have to purchase a wrap or pants to cover up more.  The Grand Palace is truly breathtaking, but with the crowds and heat, it can feel overwhelming at times.

 

 

 

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Adjacent to the palace is Wat Pho, a Buddhist temple which holds a 46 meter long reclining buddha covered in gold leaf.  The photos really don’t do it justice – it’s MASSIVE!  I especially love how detailed the bottom of the feet are – they are covered in laksana (Buddhist Sanskrit symbols & characters).

 

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Thursday I spent the day with Carol shopping at another mega mall, this time MBK Center.  I may have gotten so many deals, that I actually purchased another suitcase.  What can I say – I’m a shopper!  That evening, a small group of us decided to venture over to the Chana Songkhram section of Bangkok.  After enduring the incredibly packed BTS trains, we made it to the dock and got on the river boat.  As we moved along the Chao Phraya river, the skies opened up and we were drenched.  Thankfully, the downpour didn’t last long and we had a tasty meal at a little place overlooking the river. I even got to see Wat Arun again, this time all lit up at night.

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Saturday, we hopped on a short flight to Phuket.  We flew with Bangkok Airways and they were really great.  I’d definitely use them again when I’m in Thailand.  Once we arrived in Phuket, we had a shuttle to the pier and then a 20 minute speedboat ride to our resort on Koh Yao Yai.  This place was AMAZING!  I would definitely recommend this spot for anyone who wants to just relax and enjoy some beautiful surroundings.  Way less commercialized than Phuket.

 

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Really could get used to this view!
Really could get used to this view!
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While this place was beautiful and relaxing, it was not without a little excitement.  Before we read through the details in the villa, we ordered some room service and dined outside before getting into the pool.  While in the pool, we noticed a little friend had wandered onto our deck.  He tried our empty cans of soda and threw a plate on the deck before eating some ketchup with his hands and wandering over to pick up my cell phone.  When that happened, I tried to scare him by splashing in the pool which only caused him to come over and look at me as if I was the strangest thing he had ever seen.  After realizing I was not trying to have a standoff with him, he wandered along the edge of the pool and disappeared in the trees.  In the excitement, Laura thought she had recorded the incident but did not actually hit the record button.  Was definitely a first!

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Not the actual monkey we saw….although it could be!

The dinner that night was delish and they had fire dancers on the beach.  Such a cool experience.  Sadly, we only had one night in Koh Yao Yai so we had to leave.  I definitely want to return again one day.

 

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Wish we had more time!

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Goodbye beautiful Phuket and Koh Yao Yai!

Monday morning we boarded our flight back to the USA, stopping first again in Seoul.  We had a short layover but made it in time.  Only to end up sitting on the plane for 3 hours due to a lighting issue.  Eventually, Delta had everyone get off the plane and after more delays, opted to cancel the flight.  They put us up in a Hilton near the airport and we finally got to fly out the next day.  Never a dull moment!

Now that I’ve finally gotten to spend some time in Asia, I definitely need to start looking at more places there to visit.  They call Thailand the Land of Smiles and I must say the majority of the people I encountered were very friendly and welcoming.

Until next time Bangkok!

 

  • Mexico

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

April June 8, 2018

I decided to take a quick trip to Mexico with my bestie and her daughter over Memorial Day weekend.  We had been to the same area 2 years ago and opted to just stick with the same resort.

It’s amazing to me how many people have a negative view of Mexico, even the Yucatan peninsula which is known for their tourism.  I will never understand it.  I find the people there to be so friendly and the water and natural surroundings are amazing!

For the most part, we stuck to the resort (which had 12 pools and is huge) but we did manage to fit in one excursion during our 4 night stay.  We did a catamaran trip with snorkeling at a coral reef.  It was an amazing experience!

Thanks to some good luck, I was upgraded to first class on my flight there and back!  I could get used to that!  Can’t wait for another trip to Mexico!

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Resort bound!

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Me and my bestie!

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These squirrel things are all over the resort!

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Drinks during catamaran excursion….

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Snorkeling!

 

  • US Travel

Dallas Museum of Art

April February 19, 2018

I found myself planing a last minute trip to Dallas for a belated birthday celebration.  One thing about me is that I’m a planner.  I like to have an idea of what I will be doing when I’m traveling somewhere.  While I’ve been to Dallas many times, I usually don’t spend a lot of time out exploring the area….usually I’m just there to see someone or do something (like the SGK 3 Day walk).  This particular weekend was chilly in Dallas, which I was definitely not expecting!  There are many things to do and see in Dallas but most involve being outdoors.  So we found ourselves looking for something to do on a windy and dreary Saturday.  I saw in my search of ideas that Dallas has quite a large art scene.  So we opted to check out the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA for short).  The DMA is one of the largest art museums in North America.  And to our surprise, it also boasts free admission so nothing to lose other than time to go and check it out!  While I will admit I’m no art buff, I thoroughly enjoyed myself at the museum.  There are 9 unique collections and the building itself is large and airy so you don’t feel overwhelmed even with all of the other visitors.  If you ever find yourself in Dallas on a bad weather day (or you just want to expand your culture), I definitely recommend the DMA!  It’s a gem!

Items from the Egyptian section
Old Man in a Fur-Trimmed Coat – Balthazar Denner (1728)
Standing male figure from Vanuatu: Ambrym Island
Colosseum Viewed from the Palatine by Jean-Achille Benouville (1844)
Water Lilies by Claude Monet (1908)
Elevator grilled from the Chicago Stock Exchange (which was demolished in 1972)
Hermit in the Colosseum by Hubert Robert (1790)
Benzaiten (Japan: 1704)
Tantric Buddhist Ritual Object
Porcelain from Jingdezhen China (c. 1750-1775)
Doors by Louis Comfort Tiffany
Jeux d’Enfants by Dorothea Margaret Tanning
Mukenga/Muykeem helmet mask (Democrative Republic of the Congo: Cuba peoples)
Marriage necklace from India
Headcrest from Nigeria (c. 1930)
Mantle clock with figure of Perseus by Pierre-Victor Ledure
Sea and Pine Trees, Cap D’Ail by Sir Winston Churchill (c.1955)
Green Tara, 18th century
House door from Indonesia
Vase of While Lilacs and Roses, 1883 (Edouard Manet)
Shiva Nataraja, 11th century
Lokapala (Sino-Tibetan: 17th-18th century)
Simhavaktra (18th century)
Mummy Mask
French porcelain (1752-1753)
Jiso Bosatsu, Japan (14th century)
Dutch folding fan (c. 1760s-1770s)
Throne Leg carved into ivory
India sandstone carving showing Shiva and Parvati with their family and attendants
Male ancestor figure named Malabi, Papua New Guinea
St. Sebastian, Austria (Lindenwood with paint)
Bacchic Concert by Pietro Paolini (1625-1630)
Indonesia, eastern Java. 14th century
Bowl from Nigeria: Yoruba peoples
Adam and Eve by Jean Francois de Troy (1718)
Shiva/Parvati (11th century_
Four horn community power figure (Democratic Republic of the Congo: Songye peoples)
River Bank in Springtime – Vincent van Gogh
Wood carving from Nigeria: Agbarho region
Funerary plaque from Western Jin dynasty, China (219-315 CE)
Bwoom helmet mask, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Cuba peoples
Dans La Glu by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Reclining Nymph, Giovanni Bonazza (Italian)
Buddha from Cambodia: Khmer empire
Ganesha, 14th century
Mantel clock with figures of France and Mars (c. 1771)
Madonna and Chile with St. John the Baptist by Francesco Ubertini (c. 1525)
Jane Avril by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1899)
Standing male figure, Ivory (Kai Island)
  • Italy

Tivoli and Rome….and back to reality.

April November 16, 2017

With our 2 week trip in Italy winding down, we made our way to Tivoli.  Tivoli is a town only 30 kilometers outside of Rome.  We stayed just inside the medieval section, which dates back to 338 BC.  The evening of our arrival, Donna and I decided to walk around the old city.  You can feel the history of the city as you walk around, many of the buildings showing their age but still retain their charm.

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Old section of Tivoli – rustic yet charming

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Gate of Castrovetere section of town

Tivoli is also home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Hadrian’s Villa (also known as Villa Adriana) and Villa d’Este.  We decided to check out Villa d’Este since it was within walking distance of our hotel.  Originally built in the 16th century for Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este, it was nearly finished when the Cardinal passed in 1572.  After about 100 years, the estate went into ruin until 1922 when the Italian state took it over and began it’s restoration.  The Villa d’Este has an extraordinary system of fountains:  fifty-one fountains and nymphaeums, 398 spouts, 364 water jets, 64 waterfalls, and 220 basins, fed by 875 meters of canals, channels and cascades, and all working entirely by the force of gravity, without pumps.  While the villa itself is breathtaking, the surrounding gardens, in my opinion, are the real appeal of this magical place.  Photography is not allowed inside the villa, although it seems most people don’t follow the rule.

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Looking at the gardens at Villa d’Este

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statue of Rome Triumphant

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looking down the row of the hundred fountains

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The Oval Fountain

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The Fountain of Neptune

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The Fountain of Diana of Ephesus, or “Mother Nature”

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I think I could have wandered around the gardens all day long, but we had to head out for our last destination of this trip – Rome.

What can be said about Rome?  I mean, it’s Rome!!!  It’s history spans 28 centuries.  It’s the 4th most populated city in Europe and is a global city.  We decided to stay right in the tourist-populated section, right near the Trevi Fountain.  We walked around the shops, took in the Trevi Fountain and Spanish steps.  We ended our evening with a delightful meal at That’s Amore restaurant.

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This vacation covered a lot of ground (literally) but it was all so amazing!  I want to give a special shout out to my travel companions, Ambryn and Donna!  Thanks for putting up with my spastic driving and for making this such a fun trip!  We made Italy our own for sure and it was an experience I will never forget!

 

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Until the next adventure…..

  • Italy

Vico Equense and Sorrento

April November 13, 2017

After surviving our stressful drives near Positano, we headed along the coast to Sorrento.    The area has views of Naples, Vesuvius and the Isle of Capri.  Sorrento is also well known for the production of Limoncello, which I happen to be a big fan of!

Driving into Sorrento, you see the same beautiful views of the Tyrrhenian Sea as the rest of the Amalfi Coast.  We parked in town and grabbed some quick breakfast before heading over to check out the Valley of the Mills.  Located next to Piazza Tasso, it forms the natural edge of the historic center of Sorrento. On the floor of the gorge is an old flour mill, the structure that gives the valley its name. This stone building from the 900s was used for grinding wheat for nearly a thousand years before it was abandoned.  The humidity in the valley is perfect for fern growth, which is covering the structure.  It’s so odd to me that somewhere so magical looking is right next to a busy intersection.  One of the things I love the most about Italy – the juxtaposition of the past right next to the modern world.  

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Beautiful Sorrento

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View from street – deep ravine wall and sea in view

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Valley of the Mills

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Valley of the Mills

After checking out the Valley of the Mills, we walked to the Notturno Inlaid Wood Factory.  I have a friend who recommended this place so I was delighted to spot the sign to their location while we were admiring the Valley of the Mills.  Thankfully the shop was still open for about 30 minutes (they were closing early since it was a Sunday) so I was able to pick up a couple of items for myself.  Their work is absolutely stunning and if you are in the area, they are definitely worth checking out!  Michael was wonderful and got my order all prepared and assured me that my items should arrive to my home by Christmas.  Happy Holidays to me!

We then made the short drive to our apartment in Vico Equense for the evening.  Vico Equense is a great destination for people wanting to be close to the action, but not so close you feel as if you are suffocating.  The apartment we rented was so nice we all commented we would like to live there and the wraparound patio offered some amazing views of Naples across the bay.  We had to deal with some rain and a cold wind so we weren’t able to explore this little gem of a city as much as we would have liked to but I would definitely return here when I make another visit to Italy.

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View of Naples from our balcony

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Mount Vesuvius

The next morning we woke to more rain but were hopeful we would be able to escape the rain as our next destination, Tivoli, showed no rain in the forecast.  But before escaping the rain, I fell victim to a slippery staircase on the way from our apartment to the breakfast room.  While I expect some bruising and am a little stiff, the real damage was limited to my ego.  Clumsy girl for life!

Until next time…..

  • Italy

Positano and Pompeii

April November 12, 2017

Have you ever felt like you were going to die from doing something you do every day?  This was me on Friday as we neared Positano.  We had started our day from Palermo, Sicily.  Taking the ferry back to the mainland, we found that our expected 9 hour travel time would be extended in excess of 12 hours.  We had heard that there had been some heavy rains on the Amalfi Coast which had caused some mudslides.  So instead of slowly snaking along the Amalfi Coast as I had envisioned in my mind before the trip, our GPS took us further inland and then northwest of Positano.  As we approached Naples, we hit a major traffic jam.  After cautiously making our way through the city of Naples, we hit a snafu when the next turn for us was roadblocked (likely as a result of the mudslides).  Guess we learned a valuable lesson that driving apps don’t always take things like that into consideration.  Feeling tired and a bit stressed from the drive, we ended up having to drive about 17 miles more to our location, all along small lanes which hugged the mountains between little sleepy towns.  Although it was dark out, I could tell just beyond the guardrails (some of which were in need of repair), the cliffs were sheer.  If I had a dollar for each time I entered a 10 degree turn and said “we’re going to die”, I’d be a rich woman!  But somehow we finally arrived at our apartment in Positano.  We got our car parked inside the garage and the owner’s daughter showed us to our room.  We all decided we had no energy left from the long drive so we stayed in our apartment, enjoying the twinkling of the lights of Positano from our terrace.

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Positano at night

The next morning, we decided to visit Pompeii.  Pompeii has been a tourist destination for over 250 years. Today it has UNESCO World Heritage Site status and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy, with approximately 2.5 million visitors every year.  Pompeii, along with Herculaneum and many villas in the surrounding area, was mostly destroyed and buried under volcanic ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.  Researchers believe that the town was founded in the 7th or 6th century BC. By the time of its destruction, the population was estimated at 11,000 people.

The eruption destroyed the city, killing its inhabitants and burying it under tons of ash. The site was lost for about 1,500 years until its initial rediscovery in 1599 and broader rediscovery almost 150 years later. The objects that lay beneath the city have been preserved for more than a millennium because of the long lack of air and moisture. During the excavation, plaster was used to fill in the voids in the ash layers that once held human bodies. This allowed archaeologists to see the exact position the person was in when he or she died.

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After Pompeii, we stopped at a nearby restaurant before making our way back to Positano (the only place we opted to stay more than one night).  Unfortunately, the road closure impacted us again so we found ourselves repeating the same perilous route we made the night before.  We woke to another beautiful sunny day in Positano!

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Early morning sunrise in Positano

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View of the small garden just outside our apartment door

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Beautiful day!

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Positano – you are indeed a gem!

We packed up and left the winding streets of Positano for our next destination – Vico Equense.  But that will have to wait for the next blog entry.

  • Italy

Agrigento and Palermo

April November 12, 2017

Just outside the bustling city of Agrigento lies the Valley of the Temples, which was our reason for seeking out this hilltop city on the southern shore of Sicily.  We thankfully were blessed with a sparkling blue sky for our visit.  We opted to take the taxi to the other side of the site in order to cut our walk in half since we had plans to drive to our next destination.  It turned out to be a wise decision as the sun was quite warm while we were visiting.  But the views were amazing!  This archaeological park consists of eight temples (and various other remains) built between about 510 and 430 BC.

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After our visit to this magical place, we headed to our final stop while in Sicily…Palermo. Palermo is located in the northwest of the island of Sicily, right by the Gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea.  Just when I thought I’d seen the craziest drivers, we arrived late afternoon to this crowded and active city!  Our B&B was just inside the old city so we elected to have our car parked.  After getting our bearings, we headed out to explore the city.  The streets were lined with shops and bars and lots of people!  We explored a church and got cursed at (in English even!) by some of the local kids.  Ah, the charm of Sicily!  The next morning we headed to the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo. Unfortunately, photography is forbidden in the catacombs.  However, it was an eerie and surreal experience that I would recommend to anyone who visits Palermo.  From the catacombs, we drove back to Messina to catch our ferry back to the mainland for our next adventure.  Up next, Positano!

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  • Italy

Taormina, Sicily

April November 8, 2017

Sometimes I feel like a kid.  A prime example of this is how excited I got thinking about taking a ferry.  But first we made our way from the dreamlike landscape of Matera towards our next destination in Taormina, Sicily.  For those who don’t know, Sicily is the largest region in Italy and also boasts the distinction of being the largest island in the Mediterranean.  Taormina was our first of three stops in Sicily.  Taormina is on the east coast of Sicily and has cliffs overlooking the Ionian Sea.  As someone who had never taken a ferry with a car before, I found myself being giddy as we approached the port in Messina to make the 20 minute trip from the mainland of Italy to Sicily.

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View of the port in Messina

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Beautiful view from the ferry

We arrived at our B&B after dark and dropped our bags in our room before heading off in search of food and drinks.  In our research for our trip, we found Bar Turrisi in a little town above ours called Castelmola.  This bar has been handed down from generation to generation and the unique theme began when one of the owners (who had 3 sons within a 5 year span) decided to create a theme for the bar based on the penis, vulgarly referred to in Sicilian as “La Minchia”.   While many people think of this as something vulgar, the Greek culture which influenced Sicily instead views this as a symbol of fertility.  Although the kitchen was not open when we arrived, we found the hosts to be very warm and inviting and they quickly prepared us a mini feast of olives, spinach, bruschetta, cheeses and meat.  They also gave us a sampling of the almond wine the Turrisi family prides themselves on.  It was delicious!  But as to the decor of the bar….it was special.  Sure, it’s kitschy but you can’t fault them for having a great theme to draw travelers in to see.  I was certainly amused by it.

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menu at Bar Turrisi in Castelmola

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very illuminating lamp for sure….

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Even the bathroom mirror is themed (notice the instructional wallpaper in the background…I took some notes for future reference…LOL)

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Floor tiles….they really embrace the theme everywhere in the bar.

Really, need I say more about this place???  In all seriousness, the people there were so nice and I would recommend it if you are ever in Taormina.  It was a precarious drive up the mountain to Castelmola, but it was definitely worth it!

After we got our eyeful at Bar Turrisi, we made our way to check out Bar Vitelli, which owes its claim to fame to a scene in The Godfather.  After the drive to Savoca, we realized that they were not open (bad internet research!) but we found a nice little restaurant on the way back to our B&B to have dinner.

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Feeling like we were at the top of the world….looking down on Taormina at night.

We woke up to a bright sunny morning in Taormina and were rewarded with an amazing view!

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View from our balcony in Taormina

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View from our balcony in Taormina

We drove a couple of kilometers from our B&B to the Greek Theatre of Taormina.  According to research, the construction of the amphitheater started by the Greeks around the third century, BC.  To allow the construction was necessary to manually remove over 100,000 cubic meters of rock from the mountain.  In Roman times, the theatre was expanded, making it the 2nd largest theatre in Sicily.  We parked our car and made a short albeit it steep walk to the old section of town where the theatre is found.  The walk is enjoyable as you find many stores and cafes along the way to distract you from the climb.  We paid our 10 euro entrance fee and walked around, taking in all of the sights.  The theatre really is spectacular.  And the views of the sea and Mt Etna are truly enviable.  

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walking into the entrance

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View of town from the back side of the theatre

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View of Mt Etna in the distance

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Head of female statue – 1st Century, BC

So far, Sicily is a wonderful and mesmerizing place.  I will say the drivers in Sicily are even more daring that those on the Italian mainland, which for anyone who has had the experience of driving in Italy knows is not for the faint-hearted.  Off to bed to prepare for our next town.  Until next time…..

  • Italy

Castles, Trulli, and Caves (oh my!)

April November 6, 2017

This entry chronicles the last 3 nights of adventures.  We started off this portion with a stay at Castello di Monterone, a small restored 13th-century castle in Perugia, Italy. It is located in the road that connects Perugia to Assisi, very close to the Monastery of San Pietro and to the Church of San Bevignate.  We were fortunate enough to have a lovely room overlooking the courtyard with it’s own private exterior staircase (which wasn’t so bad when we had help taking our luggage up that winding stone staircase).  Since we knew we had a long day planned the following day, we opted to have dinner at the property’s restaurant.

The next day we started with a long drive to the Apulia region in Southern Italy.  We arrived just after dark at Alberobello.  This small town is known for their trulli style of structures.  The oldest trulli known today are at Alberobello, dating back to the 14th Century.  The trullo’s dry-wall construction, without mortar, was imposed on new settlers so that they could dismantle their shelters in a hurry: an efficient means to evade taxes on new settlements under the Kingdom of Naples, and certainly a good way to deter unruly lords.  We did some window shopping followed by dinner featuring local cuisine which was recommended by the very welcoming staff at the resort.  The trullo we stayed in had a loft area which demonstrated the cone roof associated with the building style.

We woke up to a light rain the next morning which quickly transitioned into a torrential downpour with lightning and thunder while we were getting some sightseeing done.  We checked out and headed to see the Caves of Castellana, quickly to discover once we arrived that the tour was only available in Italian and no photography was allowed.  So we opted to make our way to our next destination….Matera.

Matera is in the region of Basilicata, in Southern Italy. The town’s historical center “Sassi”, along with the Park of the Rupestrian Churches, is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1993.  The area of what is now Matera has been settled since the Paleolithic period. The Sassi are habitations dug into the calcareous rock itself.  Many of them are really little more than caverns, and in some parts of the Sassi a street lies on top of another group of dwellings. The ancient town grew up on one slope of the rocky ravine created by a river that is now a small stream, and this ravine is known locally as “la Gravina”.

Matera is like nothing I’ve ever seen before.  You are struck by it’s sheer beauty.  It is so hard to imagine that in the 1950s, the government of Italy used force to relocate most of the population of the Sassi to areas of the developing modern city. Until the late 1980s the Sassi was considered an area of poverty, since its dwellings were, and in most cases still are, uninhabitable. The present local administration, however, has become more tourism-oriented, and it has promoted the regeneration of the Sassi with the aid of the Italian government, UNESCO, and Hollywood. Today there are many thriving businesses, pubs, and hotels.  We were fortunate enough to stay at Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita, who has been a big proponent in restoring some of the sassi into beautiful and charming accommodations which are welcoming while still preserving the simplicity of their prior history.  We relaxed in our cave for a while, snacking on crackers with white truffle spread, some wild boar salami and cheese with a bottle of wine before making our way up the steep staircases into the main portion of town.  This old part of town is truly charming and unspoiled.  I know this area is gaining in popularity for tourists but I hope they keep the charm we experienced.  It is a really special area.  I mean, it’s not every day you get to sleep in a cave (or one you’d actually want to sleep in)!

We dined on pizza (and more wine!) before slowly making our way back to our cave for the night.  Tomorrow, we will have another long drive as we make our way west to catch the ferry to Sicily for 3 nights.  Looking forward to more adventures here in Italy!

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Castlello Di Monterone

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Castlello Di Monterone

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Castlello Di Monterone

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Castlello Di Monterone

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View of Perugia from Castlello Di Monterone

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Trulli in Alberobello

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Alberobello

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Trulli in Alberobello

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Trulli in Alberobello

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Cat stretching in Alberobello

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Trulli in Alberobello

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Door to our cave in Matera

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Now that’s a door key!!!

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Sassi in Matera

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Matera

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Beautiful and ornate church in Matera

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Matera

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Matera

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Matera

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Matera at night

 

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