Voyage de Naples à Amalfi

The fourth morning of our trip we woke up, checked out of the hotel (leaving a few of our belongings safely behind, since we would be coming back to the hotel for our final night in Italy), and took a cab to the Roma Termini - the main railway station in Rome. From there, we boarded a first class only train (thank you, Rob) and spent the next hour and ten minutes prepping for our stay in Naples.

We arrived at the station early in the day. Unfortunately, we were not exactly sure where or how far our hotel was from the Naples train station. It turns out that it was right across the street on the other side of the square. This would have been helpful information before we got ripped off my a cab who neglected to tell us that we could literally walk to the hotel from the station. And there went another 10 euros.

This time we were staying in a more modern hotel - Una Hotel Napoli. The concierge was very friendly and told us about a great introductory walk to get a taste of the city. Well, it was not what I or my mother was expecting. It was a far cry from the boisterous, posh streets of Rome. To the contrary, the streets of Naples were lined with piles of garbage and scores of street vendors, which reminded me of canal street in NYC.

Salads and "Fantasy" Pizza

At the end of our walk, we found a nice little outdoor restaurant. The menu offerings included some lighter-fare, which my mother and I were very happy about after stuffing our faces for the last few days. We ordered salads and a "fantasy" pizza (that wasn't on the menu) and turned out to be a simple crispy, grilled pizza with herbs. Everything was fresh and made up for our lackluster first impressions of the city.

After a long walk back to the hotel, we unpacked and relaxed. When it came time for dinner, we headed out to the Gulf of Naples where we were told there were nice shops and restaurants. We walked around and found a large square, which was on the way to an elegant restaurant situated near the waterfront. It was an upscale restaurant and the food came out better than expected.

The next day was the highlight of the vacation. Rob hired a driver to take us all around the Amalfi Coast: Pompeii, Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello. The scenery was exquisite. When we arrived in Pompeii we were approached by an elderly man and his 'agent.' He tried to persuade us that the man standing beside him, holding onto a cane, would be an excellent tour guide for....let's just say a hefty price. I was very skeptical and urged Rob to forego the tour guide, so we could explore Pompeii our own and just get going. But, to his credit, the tour guide was one of the best surprises of the vacation. He had been giving tours for around 70 years and was incredibly well spoken and informed. The cane surely did not slow him down! He showed us everything, and went overtime just to make sure we hit all of the highlights. Pictured left is what is left of a wine store - the hole is where the wine used to be kept. Rob pointed out the grooves in the road, which our tour guide said is a result of the countless times that the carriage wheels drove over the stone road.


There were also marks on some of the walls symbolizing what is original pieces of architecture and what the city had to restore. As seen in the picture to the left, below the squiggly line subsist the original stones and above are the ones that were replaced.

Dancing Faun

Many of the original sculptures from Pompeii can now be found in the National Archaeological Museum, located in Naples. (We visited that museum on the following day.) This guy (pictured right) is called the Dancing Faun and was excavated in the 19th century. The bronze statue symbolizes a mythological character and is believed to have stood in front of a house that is now referred to as the House of Faun. The statue portrays a human body with a shortened tail and horns.

Grooves in Road (from carraiges)

Pompeii

Pompeii

We then hopped back into the car with our lovely driver and continued around the coast. Here are some pictures that I took, while the car was in motion:

Better yet, the driver stopped off along the way at some rest stops to take pictures of the three of us:

I'm not quite sure where we were at this point....but it was somewhere in between Positano and Amalfi. Since we had spent so much time in Pompeii, we had to rush through a few of the other stops. But, the driver wanted us to have a taste of true Italian cuisine. The first place that he wanted to go to was closed, but the second place had a fabulous view and the food was not so bad either. My mom and I both ordered the linguine with fresh lobster.

View from the restaurant

Linguine with fresh lobster

Above the restaurant sat a ceramic shop filled with beautiful and authentic kitchenware. I wanted to buy something for my host mother there, but there were too many options and I decided to wait. There had to be more where this stuff came from, right?

From here, we were taken to the drivers hometown - Amalfi. We only had 10-15 minutes to look around, so I hope to go back there some day. The town was filled with cute little shops and a lot of great gift items. The lemons (pictured left) were humungous - Note: Amalfi is known for its limoncello.

Cathedral of Amalfi

The final destination of the tour was Ravello. It was another cute little town with beautiful architecture and scenery. I was able to finally purchase some ceramic kitchenware for my host mother at a local and authentic shop. It was a shame that we didn't have more time to spend in the town. I simply had time to purchase a gift and then it was time to go. Thus, began the long haul home. We got stuck in a  hefty amount of traffic. However, I was lucky and slept for the majority of the ride.

Once we arrived back at the hotel, we said our goodbyes and were handed a thoughtful present to remember the excursion and generous tour guide. It was an engraved ceramic plate, which he prefers to use as his business card - a smart marketing tool, indeed! We'll be sure to recommend him to anyone planning on trekking through the Amalfi Coast.

It was once again time for dinner. We were exhausted by the day's events and decided to finally try the famous Pizzeria da Michele. It was close to the hotel...within walking distance...and is frequented by tourists and locals alike. Needless to say it was packed. The restaurant requires its patrons to take a ticket and wait (outside) for their number to be called, which is a fantastic idea if you can understand Italian (so you know when it's your turn). However, I do not. Yet, thankfully, Rob knows a minute amount. We conversed with the individuals waiting outside and before we knew it, it was our turn to sit down. We were at a table for four, but a priest who came alone was asked to sit to my right. I suppose this was to enable the restaurant to reap as great of a benefit from its customers as it can. He did not speak a word to us and scarfed down his sizable pizza in under five minutes. The restaurant only has two choices--Margherita and Cheese. The three of us opted for the cheese pizza and successfully finished three medium pies, with only a slight sigh signaling excessive satiation. Nonetheless it was all worth it.

Cheese Pizza

Est. 1870

On our final day in Naples, we had the chance to visit the Naples National Archaeological Museum. It is described as one of Rob's favorites and is one of the foremost reason why we decided to spend a few days/nights in Naples. It was brimming with impressive sculptures, many of which are the original sculptures that decorated the city of Pompeii. For our final evening, the three of us headed back to the seaside and explored what seemed to be a castle. From the top of the 'castle' we had an excellent view of Naples.

Antonio & Antonio

When it came time for dinner, we walked all around the surrounding area and finally made a decision to sit down at Antonio & Antonio. I felt extremely bad for the waiters because they had to put up with our countless questions regarding the menu items as well as our never-ending requests to increase/decrease the strength of the outdoor heater. All in all we had a fun and delicious meal. Nevertheless, I was ready to move on. This time we would be heading from Naples to...Florence!

Bonjourno!

After much anticipation, I am determined to finish this blog! So, let's jump right back in. Where was I? Oh, yes...

It's the second week of my spring break and I arrived in Roma, Italia very late on Friday, April 15th. I took a taxi straight from Fiumicino Airport to the luxurious Eurostars International Palace hotel. My mother and Rob had been anxiously awaiting my arrival (it had been over 3 months since they last saw me). Not only were they jet lagged, but they were also excited to get the vacation started!

Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II

After a much needed night's rest, we embraced the day and got a fairly early start. Following a sedately paced breakfast in the hotel's restaurant, the commencement of our journey in Rome officially began with a leisurely stroll to the renowned Coliseum. Along the way, we paused for pictures in front of the "Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II."

Recall, it was the week leading up to Easter (a widely celebrated holiday in Italy), and so the city was brimming with tourists. Luckily, Rob had purchased a pre-paid 2-day pass to the following three sites: the Coliseum, Palatine Hill, and the Roman Forum. Thus, we did not have to wait on the extremely (or seemingly never-ending) long lines and were able to "legally" cut to the front. However, this DID NOT mean that we sped through all of the attractions. To the contrary, we took our time at each site and utilized the three days to their fullest.

Coliseum (inside)

The Coliseum was much more breathtaking than I had envisioned. It was truly one of the most magnificent sites in Rome. Equipped with an audio guide, we wandered through the iconic remains. Honestly, pictures do not do it justice (but take a look to the left for a sneak peak!).

Spanish Steps

After a 2-hour self-guided tour, I convinced my mother and Rob to take a chance and participate in a free walking tour, which was hosted by a native Italian woman. We rushed to the Spanish steps (where the tour was supposed to leave from) and made it in the nick of time! Funny enough, the tour was headed straight back to the Coliseum. It had taken us 30 minutes by foot to make it to the tour on time...and now we were on our way back to where we had started. Nonetheless, it was a fabulous introduction to the city and was from a native speaker's perspective.

The Roman Forum

The tour dropped us off adjacent to the Roman Forum, so I decided to capture a few shots from our advantageous position. After the tour, I was starving. So, I took a little sidetrip to a street vendor who was selling fresh individual pizzas and paninis. I ordered a tuna panini, which was on the most delicious ciabatta bread that I have ever tasted. Light and fresh...I was refueled and ready, once again, to go, go, go!


From here, we didn't stop until we collapsed. We continued walking towards Palatine Hill, which was by far my favorite site in Rome. I fell in love with the history and landscape. We were able to visit the House of Augustus and take in additional views of the Roman Forum and Coliseum. The site had drinking fountains "au natural," which were about as pure (at least I hope) as you can get. The sun beamed on us the entire way through. We spent way more time here, than we had planned for and once Rob and I got yelled at for taking pictures while standing on parts of the remaining architecture (we really should have known better), we realized that it was time to move on.

Palatine Hill

Palatine Hill

After walking miles and miles, we really worked up an appetite. So, needless to say...we were really looking forward to dinner. My host mother, Inès, had repeatedly told me about her favorite area in Rome - Piazza Navona. It's a lively square with three fountains centered in between numerous cafés and restaurants. After roaming the square in search of the most appealing and best smelling restaurant, we settled on a quiet Italian restaurant situated at the corner of the square. I ordered a dish of fresh homemade linguine with eggplant (aubergine), a traditional tomato sauce, and basil. This was accompanied by a Sicilian glass of Corvo wine. The meal was delicioso! And we topped it all off with a taste of Italian cookies (biscotti) and gelato. What a dream come true.

Day #2: The first item on our list of things to do on day #2 was take a walk through the Roman Forum. It was once a central meeting point for Romans and consisted of mainly ancient governmental buildings. It was crowded, yet beautiful. Although much of the forum had been destroyed, the remaining pieces of from the arches and temples made for an exhilarating walk. I was especially impressed by the exquisite detail of the arches (e.g. the one pictured above).

As we left the forum, I remembered passing by a museum during the tour on day #1. We saw Roman statues galore. There was an indoor and outdoor component to one of the Capitoline Museums, which gave us a much needed break from the blistering sun.

As we made our way to the Jewish Ghetto, we passed by a parade of sorts with men and women dressed in traditional Roman clothing. The three of us got separated for a bit, since the parade became a big picture-worthy sensation in the streets.

Finally we caught up and crossed the bridge to the "Serraglio delli Ebrei" (enlcosure of the Jews). We were told that this area had been established by Pope Paul IV in 1555 to separate the Jews from the Christians.

We were told about the delicacies offered in the Jewish Ghetto (e.g. fried artichokes) and could not help but stop off for a quick bite. We were in a slight hurry, so we settled on a small place that served chicken shawarma. Although it was nowhere near as good as the shawarma that I tasted in Israel, we were satisfied...at least for now.

Great Synogogue

In 1904, the Tempio Maggiore synagogue (Great Synagogue) was built in this Jewish Quarter. We were lucky enough to visit and tour the temple, alongside a lovely Roman orthodox girl who had lived in the area her entire life.




On the way back from the Jewish quarter, we passed by a gelateria. There had to be something special about this place, for there was a line out the door in the late afternoon. It was nearly 4pm and I knew we would be sitting down for dinner again, in just a few short hours. But, Rob and I couldn't pass it up. Like I always say, 'you only live once'! So, we splurged. I ordered a hazelnut rimmed cone filled with half stracciatella and half of the finest chocolate gelato that I've ever tasted. Rob settled on a classic cone filled with mint chocolate chip gelato. If you ever find yourself in the area, the name of the place is Alla Scala Gelateria (address: Via della Scala 51, Trastevere). Trust me, it's worth the trip!

Trevi Fountain

We had a long walk back to the "Fontana di Trevi" (Trevi Fountain)- one of the largest and most famous fountains in the world. And we first had to cross one of the many bridges that takes you over the river (just as we had done on our way to the Jewish Ghetto).






Individuals from all over the world visit the Trevi fountain and it is well-known for its tradition of coin throwing. As the legend goes, if a visitor throws a coin over their shoulders and into the fountain, they will be ensured a return visit to Rome. BBC estimates that a remarkable 3,000 euros are collected daily from the fountain due to coin tossers. Needless to say, it is a landmark.

Time flew by and before we knew it, it was late into the evening. My mother's feet were killing her at this point, since we walked miles and miles. However, I continued to urge her to walk a little longer and a little farther. But, by the time we stopped it had been an extra hour and a half and we wound up climbing atop the Spanish steps in hopes of finding a slew of appealing restaurants. There was only one, but it was  perfect. There was music playing in the corridor and the restaurant had an elegant decor. The waiter and waitress assigned to our table were hilarious and the food was incomprehensibly delicious. It just kept getting better and better. We shared a bottle of my favorite Montepulciano D'Abruzzo wine and my mom and I both ordered the black (often code for squid ink infused) pasta with mint pesto and prawns. It was out of this world.  Finally, we made our way back to the hotel to prepare for day #3.

Sistine Chapel

Day #3: This day was reserved for our visit to the Vatican Museum in the Vatican City. This was the first and only day that we took a subway. It was too far to walk, since our ticket reservations were for 10:30am. As we approached the entrance, there was a line out to kalamazoo. In all honesty, if we did not reserve the tickets it probably would have taken half of the day to make it into the site. Once we were inside, we spent a good 2-3 hours walking around. The exhibits consisted of marble sculptures and paintings. The more famous attraction - The Sistine Chapel - was slightly disappointing, (à mon avis - in my opinion). This might be surprising, but I found it to be much smaller and less extravagant than I had expected.

St. Peter's Square

That being said, St. Peter's Basilica was much more impressive. They were setting up for Easter and had chairs lined up all throughout the center of St. Peter's Square (pictured right). My mother's favorite part of the Renaissance-style church was the marble cherub sculptures.

This was an exhausting day so far, and it wasn't even close to being over. I was starved, but my mother and Rob wanted to finish our visit in Vatican City before stopping to get some lunch. So, I had to wait, wait...and wait. Finally, we found a nice little place with outdoor seating right by the subway. We all ordered paninis of different sorts, relaxed, and baked in the sun.

Next stop was the Piazza del Popolo. There is a central fountain with four Egyptian lion statues. I climbed onto one of them and had a picture taken. At the far end of the square sits two symmetrical churches known as Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto. They were built under the order of Pope Alexander VII in 1658.

Egyptian Lion Statue

Symmetrical Churches

Inside the Pantheon

Then came the Pantheon. Built in 27 BC, this Roman landmark was a beautiful piece of architecture. It has a dome roofing, with central opening that allows rainwater to flow inside. Two kings of Italy - Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I - and one queen - Umberto's wife, Margherita - are buried in this site.



We had one last supper in Rome, before embarking on the next part of our Italian getaway...Naples and the Amalfi Coast!

La Grande Vacance (Partie # 1)

Salut! 
Spring Break was absolutely incredible. I could not have dreamed up a better vacation--2+ weeks of traveling around Europe...need I say more?
       To give you a quick overview, I spent 2 nights in Berlin, 2 nights in Vienna, and 2 nights in Budapest, followed by 9 nights in Italy. Seeing as I have a ton of finals next week and plenty of work to do before then, I'll have to make this as concise as possible.


Berlin, Germany. One of the coolest places I've ever visited. I was amazed at how much there was to see and at the richness of the city's history. There's an East and West Berlin, which was originally divided by the Berlin Wall beginning in 1961. Following World War II, the Soviets took control of Eastern Germany, while the US, Great Britain, and France together gained control of Western Germany. Berlin falls on the Eastern side of Germany and, hence, was in the Soviet's occupied territory. However, Berlin was also divided into two, making West Berlin an islet of democracy within the Soviet's area of occupation (Eastern Germany). In 1961, the Berlin Wall was created as a barrier to keep East Berliners from leaving the Communist region. The wall came as a shock to Berliners, since it had literally been built overnight. Although it went through numerous transformations during its existence, including the use of barbed wire and concrete slabs, it came down very quickly. Berliners chipped and hammered at the wall on November 9, 1989 as a result of an East German government official's mistake, who announced that individuals could leave the Soviet occupied zone and flee to West Berlin, starting immediately. After almost three decades of the separation, the 860-mile long wall was no longer an effective means of keeping East and West Berliners apart. 

       Enough of the history. My adoring impression of Berlin is mostly due a 3 1/2 hour walking tour, which went all around East Berlin. The tour guide (Stephanie, who is living in Berlin as she writes her soon-to-be masterpiece and is from New Zealand) provided plenty of interesting factoids and took us to the more popular places, including the Brandenburg Gate, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Checkpoint Charlie, Museum Island, and the Berlin Wall (of course!). 
       She also pointed out a few places that are not highlighted on the tourist maps--most notable is the site of Hitler's former bunker (Führerbunker). Although we were standing in a parking that, to the eye, seemed to only consist of dirt and pebbles, about 7 meters beneath the surface was Hitler's "suicide bunker." The WWII bunker is inaccessible to the public and went unmarked until 2006 (because the government did not want to draw attention to the place where Hitler committed suicide or encourage individuals to create a memorial out of it). Hitler had committed suicide, along with his wife, Eva, by ingesting poison and then shooting himself. According to the tour guide, Hitler had been biting down on a cyanide capsule, but was afraid that it would not do the trick, so he shot himself to be sure of its lethal effect.

East Side Gallery

       Following this wonderful tour (trust me it got much more pleasant after this stop), my friend, Beverly, and I proceeded to the Jewish Museum and then made our way over to the East Side Gallery, which is the largest part of the Berlin Wall still remaining and is covered by heaps of artwork from anonymous individuals.  

"my MOjO vie" Hostel

Vienna, Austria. After taking a plane from Berlin to Vienna, and having a (far from) fantastic landing (as the steward described it), Beverly and I settled into our cozy new hostel. It was renovated just 3 days before our arrival and looked like a marvel of Greece. The first night we decided to take it easy and just do some light exploring. During our initial walk, we just so happened to stumble upon one of the most remarkable sights that I have ever seen...it's apparently Vienna's Natural History Museum! We met some foreigners in the square and took a couple of photos in front of an elephant statue (unfortunately none of them were on our cameras), but I made sure to take in the beautiful scenery. What an array of impeccable architecture.

Hofburg

       On our way to dinner we passed by the Hofburg--Vienna's imperial medieval palace. It is a massive complex and is home to the national library, imperial treasury, and a museum. Then came Kärntnerstrasse--the main shopping area of Vienna and is comparable to NYC's Fifth Ave. Unfortunately, we witnessed a horrid event just outside of the Stefansdom. An individual had committed suicide by jumping out from somewhere near the top of this cathedral. Spectators surrounded the area, which was taped off, and a helicopter lifted the victim to an unbeknownst location. After a long day, Beverly and I were too exhausted to make it to an Opera performance. 
       The next day we continued on with our self-guided tour and attempted to make it around The Ring, or the long boulevard on which many of Vienna's most famous sites are situated. We passed by the Parliament, Museum Square, and a few cathedrals. As soon as we made it to one of Vienna's universities, it began to rain, so we stopped in and had a look. It was very nice inside and was a great excuse to escape the rain. Next came the Albertina Museum, which had loads of delightful paintings. For lunch, we stopped off at an outdoor market where I had a light, savory Viennese "pancake"(a.k.a. Palatschinken) filled with turkey, mushrooms, and tomatoes. As soon as we reached the next destination, which was another palace, it down-poured. I remembered that the owner of our hostel recommended the Haus der Musik, which was relatively nearby. So, after taking a short break from the monsoon, under an awning, we made our way to this surprisingly fun and interactive museum. I'm almost embarrassed to say that we spent nearly 3.5 hours inside, but we got to fool around in the sound museum and make up some of our own music. I even virtually composed Beethoven's Für Elise. Best of all, our clothes were almost completely dry by the time we left. 

Schönbrunn Palace

       On the final morning Beverly and I took a tram to the Schönbrunn Palace, which was built in the 14th century and in 1548 housed Hermann Bayer, a former mayor of Vienna. We decided to go on the Grand Tour, which included access to 40 state rooms (apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth) and the Millions Room. Outside, we walked through the Crown Prince Garden to the Gloriette. On our way back, we stopped by the outdoor Easter market where we picked up some traditional delicacies, including spaetzel and Kaiserschmarn--fluffy pancake pieces roasted in a pan and served with apple sauce. Once again, it was monsooning and we were soaked! We almost missed our train to Budapest (there was, no joke, only 2 minutes to spare), but we had a whole 3 hours to dry off during the journey. 


Nonetheless, this city is truly phenomenal. 

Dóhany Street (Jewish) Synagogue

Budapest, Hungary. Last stop before Beverly and I parted ways. This was another fun, yet nontraditional vacation spot. Beverly and I were able to find a couple of free walking tours here, which made it a lot more relaxing for us. The first night, we just went off on our own and explored, since we got in pretty late. We found a great restaurant that seemed to be filled with locals. I tried Hungarian chicken paprikash with dumplings. It was delicious! (Fun Fact: Hungary is known for its paprika). We got up early the next morning to make the most of our one and only full-day. We went to the Opera House and met our tour guide for our very small, personalized (and free) group tour. To my surprise, a girl that I went on birthright with showed up along with another girl from U of M and a few others with who she is studying abroad in Jerusalem. What a small world! I was slightly disappointed by how little we actually saw during the 2 hour-long tour--we sat down in a café for about an hour to warm up and learned some history. Nevertheless, I saw a bit of Pest: Moulin Rouge, Opera House, and the Dóhany Street Synagogue, Holocaust Cemetery, and Tree of Life. So, I was really looking forward to the afternoon tour of Pest. Let me note here that Budapest is split up into Buda and Pest. I was a lot more fond of Buda than Pest. The two sides are separated by the river Danube. 

Chain Bridge

       For the second tour, we began in a main shopping area next to the legendary Café Gerbaud --famous for its cakes. We then proceeded on to the Chain Bridge. Along the way to Buda, the tour guide pointed out the Four Seasons Hotel (the most expensive one in Budapest) and the Palace of Justice. On the way, we ran into my friend Casey who was supposed to meet Beverly and I in Budapest for the final night. Then we all headed up to the Buda Castle and Royal Palace, from which we had a great view of the Parliament. We then saw St. Stephen's Basilica that's known for its colorful tile roof. The tour ended here and the three of us trekked to the Labyrinth of Buda Castle. We were inside the undergournd cellar network past 6pm, so the lit walkways turned off...it was pitch black (and scary) until someone came around with lanterns. Inside, there were various items (e.g. radio, hair brush, etc.) that were preserved from WWII when the labyrinth served as a bomb shelter. It was also a wine cellar at one point, so there was a running wine fountain of Mathias (but it was not safe to drink out of it). 
       On our way back to Buda, we stopped for pictures in the Fisherman's Bastion, which had some fabulous views. Moreover, we met a wine professor from Bordeaux who had taken his students on a class trip. As we continued down the hill, to cross the bridge, we saw the motorcade for the President of Bosnia-Herzegovina! Oh la la. We took to foot, once again, and finally crossed back over to Pest. We eventually (after getting a little lost) found our way to a nice Indonesian restaurant for a relaxing, but very late dinner. 

In front of Parliament

       The last day in Budapest was très rapide. We began with the Parliament, which we wanted to go into, but there was too long of a line. However, we did get to see the President of Bosnia-Herzegovina again (see right). Then Casey and I said goodbye to Beverly who went off to Switzerland and walked to Heroes Square. From here, we took a peak inside the Széchenyi Bath. Budapest is known for its Turkish spas. We saw another pretty castle in the area and finally went to the large indoor market. I tried some traditional purple cabbage and an hour or two later, I was on my way to the airport. Next stop...Rome.

Castle near Heroes Sqaure

View of Parliament

Me, Casey, and Beverly

Parliament