Monday, December 12, 2011

Travel Log: Amalfi Coast, Italy



Midway through our Mediterranean cruise, we found our way to Naples, Italy. I didn't find the city as interesting as Rome or Florence so we decided to do a tour of the Amalfi Coast and the ancient ruins at Pompeii. The southern coast of Italy is absolutely beautiful. The waters are calm with a shade of blue and green. It is also famed by its production of limoncello, an Italian liqueor. I never had limoncello in the States but here it's super strong. A shot of tequila pales in comparison.

The town of Amalfi is also known for the Piazza del Duomo and Duomo di Amalfi (dedicated to Saint Andrew the Apostle). There were various cafes in the piazza offering limoncello, gelato, pizza and specialty items. I think the most unique thing we did was drink the fresh spring water from Saint Andrew's Fountain. It was the clearest water we've ever tasted. It was pretty amazing to be at the site where the relics of Saint Andrew the Apostle resided.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Travel Log: Vatican City


Vatican City is the smallest country in the world measuring just 110 acres. It is surrounded by a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. Roughly 33,000 tourists come to visit the city each day. The Vatican Museum is open to the public and it contains an immense collection of sculptures and masterpieces from Renaissance artists. The most famous attraction has to be the Sistine Chapel. It's an amazing work of art particularly by Michelangelo. It was too massive to photograph even though we weren't allowed to photograph anything in the Sistine Chapel. Oops! All was forgiven as we entered St. Peter's Basilica and I drenched my face with holy water. Visiting the city is probably every Catholic's dream destination. Thankfully I was able to do this while I'm still young. Hallelujah!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Travel Log: Rome, Italy

I could have easily spent three days just exploring the historical sites in Rome. It still remains our favorite city of the bunch. Although it was an exhausting journey, we wouldn't mind coming back here. Hubs still talks about the City Hall structure. Like, how did they do that without CAD? Also, gelato was sooo good. The U.S. version is wack.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Travel Log: Florence, Italy


Florence is such a beautiful city. I think Italy in general is rich with history which makes the cities a joy to visit. I had my first taste of authentic pasta after our long tour of Florence. Simple ingredients but full of flavor. I don't think you can roam around Italy without having a load of carbs along the way.