My Adventure on the Alluring Amalfi Coast, Italy

20 July 2003, Amalfi Coast

The breathtaking Almafi Coast

In the summer of 2003, I had the amazing opportunity to visit my good friends living in Naples for a 2 1/2 week Italian adventure of a lifetime. On July 20th my friends, who I will call Jane and John, drove me to the Amalfi Coast for a day of sightseeing.  We drove from Naples to the coast through hair pin turns on steep hills with jaw dropping gorgeous vistas of lush green mountains jutting dramatically from the Mediterranean Sea.  

Herding goats on a busy, narrow road

As we drove on the narrow road up the coast, I was sure several times that our small Volkswagen would not be able to squeeze by the buses that were on the road.  Somehow that cramped road was always able to accommodate both vehicles. At one point I was surprised to see two boys herding goats on that busy road but they were and we drove on by them.  This would not be the first time or the last time that I was surprised by Italian behavior.  As we continued, we drove by one picturesque town right after another all built on the hillsides of the dramatic cliffs.  

I enjoyed stunning views like these on the drive up the Amalfi Coast.

We had planned to stop in Amalfi to walk around, have lunch and go to the beach but there was not a parking spot to be found.  The town was amazingly crowded with people, cars and scooters squeezed into every possible nook and cranny.  The beaches were umbrella to umbrella with barely a square inch of sand to be seen. We gave up on Amalfi and drove on to the next town.  We got the same story there and drove on again.

The extremely crowded beach in Amalfi

Finally we found parking in Vietri, almost an hour's drive from Amalfi. We had lunch at a nice ristorante overlooking the sea.  I had the Penne Pomadora which was delicious as usual.  The food in Italy did not disappoint and indeed was just as good, if not better, than I had imagined. Although, the food was tasty, I am sure that I enjoyed the view that came with lunch more than the food.  It was simply stunning!    

This is the beautiful view we enjoyed with lunch.

After lunch we went shopping for souvenirs.  Vietri is famous for it's beautiful and colorful ceramic dinnerware.  I opted not to buy dinnerware, however, and instead bought a lovely ceramic clock with a colorful Amalfi Coast scene painted on it.  Summer in Italy is hot and humid and after shopping, I was ready to cool off with a swim in the Mediterranean Sea.

Vietri had lots of shops with beautiful Italian souvenirs

We walked about a half of a mile down a steep hill and found a small crowded beach to camp out on for the afternoon. We found a square of uninhabited beach, paid .50 Euro to use the bathroom to change in, and went for a swim.  The water was cool and it felt so good to get out of the heat.  I was disappointed to see that the shoreline was sprinkled with litter but once I swam out a little, the water became fairly clear. Despite the litter, it was a refreshing and exhilarating first swim in the deep blue Mediterranean Sea.  

This is the beach we landed at in Vietri.

Our drive home was crowded and I was surprised by the aggressiveness of the Italian drivers and even more surprised to see a gentleman relieving himself on the side of the highway outside of Naples.  I realized just how sheltered my life had been and just how different other cultures are from ours.   

A gorgeous house built on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast.

I had a great day exploring the breathtaking Amalfi Coast and soaking in the beauty was food for my soul.  I was impressed by the gorgeous green mountains, the alluring blue sea, and the charming towns but I was disappointed by the immense crowds. I will return to this fabulous coast but I now know not to go during summer when seemingly every other European is trying to share the same crowded space!

I am enjoying a delicious Cappuccino in Vietri.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people discover our big beautiful world! If you want to learn more about my travel agency and the services we provide, visit us at www.PurplePalmVacations.com. Happy Travels!

A Walk Back in Time in Pompeii, Italy

19 July 2003  Pompeii, Italy

Mt Vesuvius behind the ruins of Pompeii

In July of 2003 during an exciting 2 1/2 week tour of Italy, I went on a half day tour of Pompeii.  This ancient city was destroyed in 79 AD when the mighty Mt Vesuvius erupted. At the time, Pompeii was a thriving Roman city with 11,000 inhabitants but once the volcano erupted all life stopped abruptly as it was buried under 13 to 20 feet of ash. It was a haunting yet fascinating walk back in time to see the city today just as it was almost 2000 years ago. 

The city gate to Pompeii

The city of Pompeii lay hidden from the world buried under tons of ash for over 1500 years before it was discovered in 1599. The buildings that lay beneath the ash have been well-preserved for centuries because of the lack of air and moisture, providing tourists today a remarkable live history book. 

A street in Pompeii shows how remarkably intact everything is.

An oven in a bakery gives a glimpse into 1st century life

Among the ruins that we saw on our guided tour were a basilica, the forum, a bakery, a shop and a rich man's house. The most impressive and complete building we saw was a spa with hot and cold tubs for the inhabitants of the day to relax in. There were beautiful and colorful murals on the ceiling and ornate statues on the walls. It was one of the only structures that still had a roof so there were many stray dogs inside trying to stay out of the extreme summer Italian heat.

Beautiful artwork on the spa ceiling

Beautiful artwork in a house in Pompeii

The most eerie sights of Pompeii were the cast molds of actual people who died as a result of the eruption. Because they were covered in ash, once their bodies decayed there was an exact replica within the ash. When archaeologists discovered this, they poked a hole and filled the space in the ash with a substance that created a perfect mold of the deceased just as they were when they perished. There was a pregnant lady trying to protect her baby, a little boy covering his mouth trying to breath and a poor dog who was probably stray.   

Cast of a deceased boy

Cast of a deceased pig

Touring Pompeii was an amazing walk back in time and our tour guide Aldo, who was very knowledgeable on the subject, did a great job of taking us back to the way life was in the 1st century. Although we saw a lot in our half day at Pompeii, Aldo explained that the ruins of Pompeii are so huge that if we compare it to the size of an envelope, we only saw the size of a postage stamp.    

Pompeii from outside the city wall

Visiting Pompeii was an enriching experience for me and one I will never forget.  It was a vivid reminder of how quickly things can change and at the same time a glimpse into a time vastly different than our lives today. If anyone has a chance to go, I highly recommend it!

Me at the huge Mt Vesuvius crater

I hope that you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people discover our big beautiful world! If you want to learn more about my travel agency and the services we provide, visit us at www.PurplePalmVacations.com. Happy Travels!