Napoli, Pozzuoli, Capri - Wowee!

Ok, so 10 years later... the Okies are BACK! (Well, for today anyway. And I guess we aren't really Okies anymore. Official Texas residents, baby! But still technically emigrants? Semantics, my dear Watson.)

Yeah, life has been speeding forward at break-neck pace, but it couldn't be better. I'm almost a month into my new job... settled at my very own desk and everything! Matthew is studying pretty much 24/7. Bullitt is enjoying his daily routine of sleeping, eating, and performing an Olympic worthy technique that I like to call 'carpet diving.' The only thing missing right now is a completed blog! As a painfully type A personality, it is driving me nut-zo that the European chapter of my life is still out there, dangling in limbo over the Atlantic Ocean. Thus, it's time to move on from my incoherent jibber jabber and resume/close the Italian portion.

If you'll recall, we left off having just spent a day wandering the Amalfi Coast. Gorgeous, remember? With limited time left in Italy, hubs and I squeezed in an afternoon on the isle of Capri with a quick overview of downtown Naples along the way.

Who'd have thunk that this giant castle belongs smack dab in the middle of a gargantuan Italian shipping port?

And talk about a mega church! This Pantheon-like structure was intended to serve as a monument to Napoleon Bonaparte, but that didn't work out so well. For Napoleon, that is.

As we wound our way to the port from the metro station, we stuck to the main road - Via Toledo. And it was busy! I'm not particularly fond of intensely crowded and unfamiliar areas, but I guess I should have expected no less from the most densely populated city in Europe.

The soaring glass ceilings and sprawling arches of the Galleria Umberto provided an enjoyable sense of relief from the packed city outside.

Ahh... room to breathe.

I willingly traded the hustle and bustle of Naples for the breeze of Capri. It was only a short ferry ride away from the port, and I knew I was going to like it the moment the coast line came into view.

No wonder the world's rich and famous come here for some good old fashioned R&R. Fun fact: Grace Kelly was obviously a trendsetter in the fashion arena, but did you know that she was instrumental in the success of capri pants? She popularized the modern-day version of cut-off pants while vacationing on the island in the 1950s; hence, the nomenclature of the garment.

Quite impulsively, Matthew and I hopped on the first available tourist boat that was taking a trip around the island. We thought it would be cool to see it from the water first before venturing too far inland. Please note my husband's forced smile. Perhaps it had something to do with our fellow passengers. Boy, were we in for a real treat. That's what you get for less than 20 euros a person, I suppose.

First stop on the boat tour - the Red Grotto. Its name was bestowed upon it due to the fiery red coral stuff visible just above the water line. Yes, 'fiery red coral stuff' is its scientific name. 

A little further along, we passed under the Arch of Love, (which is also a scientific name.) Legend has it that if you kiss under the arch when you see one particular rock that is shaped like a lion's head, your bond will never be broken. Or something like that. I've slept a few times since then, so I may not be 100% accurate with my legendary details.

By far my favorite spot of the entire place was the Green Grotto. I mean, really, the color of this water is other-worldly. If I could bottle it, drink it, paint with it, and soak in it all at once I would.

A giggly Asian woman was kind enough to take our picture while we waited on the rest of our group to return from the Blue Grotto. You have to pay separately to see the blue one. And you are obliged to get into a small row boat with an Italian man who whisks you into a cave through a tiny opening. And did I mention that he sings throughout the entire experience? We passed.

We were ready to sit still for awhile after our 2 hour boating extravaganza, and this was our beach of choice. It was composed of large, smooth white stones. Not the most comfortable to lay down on, but we had no right to complain. We were on the freaking island of Capri, for cryin' out loud!

Speaking of large, smooth stones... how's that for a gem? The services of a chiropractor would have to be employed after wearing such a bauble. I didn't know that any natural precious stones came in that size. The only people who can possibly afford such jewelry belong with the likes of these guys... (see next picture)

This is but a minor sampling of the celebs who apparently frequent one particular restaurant on the island. In the upper left, you can see my girl, Beyonce. Only us close friends have permission to call her "B" for short. It's a Houston thing, don't worry about it.

Once again, I can easily understand why this would be a great spot for vacation. For being such a small patch of earth covered with throngs of tourists, Capri was surprisingly quiet.

Looks like all the hoity-toity folk were too busy lounging on their yachts to be walking around and sharing the streets with commoners.

I could not (and still cannot) get over the color of the water! It's not even blue. It's magic. Pure liquid chromatic bliss.

Our last outing on the island involved taking a funicular up through the limestone cliffs and back down again. At the top, we were blessed with amazing views. What a setting!

I cannot overemphasize how fortunate we were to lodge at the palace of Mr. and Mrs. T. Without them, this entire Italian getaway would not have happened. And as if feeding us and providing us with ridiculously awesome shelter weren't enough, they helped us wrap up our trip by showing us around the city that they call home - Pozzuoli.

Just around the corner from Mr. and Mrs. T's palace is this precious path. They are regular patrons of a tiny restaurant nearby, and they took us there to sample lemoncello (Italy's signature beverage.) Interesting side note: the basement of this restaurant is an ancient cave complete with archeological artifacts.

After that, the T's drove us up to the Lago d'Averno. They even brought a lock and key for us to commemorate our visit and celebrate our love. We wrote our names and wedding anniversary on the lock in sharpie pen, attached it to the bridge, and then threw the key out into the abyss. Maybe someday we can revisit that spot and see if our lock is still there! Lake Avernus is famously known as the entrance to Hades in Dante's Inferno. Hmmm... I'm not entirely sure what it means that we secured our love lock to the gates of hell, but whatever!

And on the opposite end of the spectrum, we also got to visit a church near the docks in Pozzuoli's port. The boulder in the foreground immortalizes the time that Paul of Tarsus spent in Pozzuoli, which was then called Puteoli. (Yes, I'm talking about that Paul - founding father of Christianity and author of numerous books in the Bible.) Acts 28, specifically verse 13, refers to the detour <via shipwreck> that Paul took on his way to Rome.

Our final evening in Italy went out with a bang. Literally. Mr. and Mrs. T invited us to a military recreation base for an unabashedly American 4th of July celebration. Matthew and I were in heaven. The smell of authentic burritos and pulled pork barbeque sandwiches was wafting through the air. The guitar solos and twangy melodies of Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Cash (played by Italian cover bands) filled our ears. And droves of white people who looked just like us seemed to be streaming out of the hillside. We were nostalgically overloaded. Words do not convey how surreal this experience was. It had been three months since we had stepped foot on American soil, and suddenly, America came to meet us in the middle of an Italian volcanic crater.

We found ourselves oddly secluded in a bubble of our homeland. The size of the concert stage gives you an idea of the scale of this crater.

Once we had our fill of delicious food, we claimed a few seats at a picnic table under the big top tent. Spain was playing Italy for the Euro 2012 football (soccer) title. The spectators around us were electrifying. They sang/screamed their national anthem at the top of their lungs and proceeded to blow their air horns incessantly for the next 3 hours. Spain ended up dominating Italy, but the fans stuck it out to the end, cheering as if they were in the stadium near enough for the team members to hear them.

Fireworks were launched during halftime of the game. How ironic! Recognizing American independence while sitting on a NATO base inside an Italian volcanic crater. The rim of the crater protruded high enough into the night sky that the fireworks were concealed from the residents of the surrounding towns. The echoes were incredibly loud.

And what type of American celebration would dare exclude funnel cakes and rickety carnival rides? Not this one!

These festivities were such a satisfying way to finish our time in Italy. We saw places we never dreamed we would, and while we cherished those experiences deeply, we also began to look forward to going home. Our final international excursion before returning to Oklahoma was the perfect mix of comfort and novelty. We felt pampered, exhausted, content, and excited for what lay ahead of us in the coming weeks.

I will never forget this view from the palace balcony and the people who welcomed a couple of broke travelers into their home for a few days.

Thank you to our gracious and generous hosts for facilitating a once-in-a-lifetime trip!

With familiar amenities amidst historical masterpieces and unsurpassed natural beauty, this family truly possesses the best of all worlds. We are beyond grateful to have shared in a tiny piece of their story. It was a fantastic addition to our own adventures! Grazie!!!

World Heritage Site...

Google defines a World Heritage Site as "a natural or man-made site, area, or structure recognized as being of outstanding international importance and therefore as deserving special protection." These places are deemed worthy of the title by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization.) Truth is, that's a lot of label-y words which basically translate to: "This stuff is unbelievably gorgeous and historic and should be treated as such."

So which UNESCO World Heritage Site did Matthew and I most recently visit? THE AMALFI COAST! We agree that Switzerland is our favorite place in the world for natural beauty, but the towns of Amalfi and Positano are the most picturesque cities we have seen thus far. They are downright breathtaking.

If you'll remember, hubs and I spent a morning in Sorrento before hopping on a bus headed for Amalfi. Despite the fact that Sorrento is only 19 miles away from Almafi, it took an hour and a half to get there. Winding and twisty are not adequate adjectives to describe the road linking those two places. Thank the Lord for vehicular air conditioning and motion-sickness prevention medicine. I would not have made it otherwise.

Looking out the bus window took quite a bit of courage. If the sheer drop offs of the cliffs didn't scare me, the sudden appearance of oncoming traffic on the tiny road was enough to make me a bit tense.

How does one finagle a gargantuan charter bus through a traffic jam?

By brushing dangerously close to the surrounding walls. Who needs side-view mirrors?

Sorry for the glare on this one. I took it as we were riding past. I have no idea why there was a British phone booth on this random Italian inlet.

The back and forth sway induced by the tight turns really wasn't all that horrible. But I was relieved when we made a quick stop overlooking Positano.

The colors of this town and its setting make my heart glad. Sooo pretty!!!

Eventually, we arrived in Amalfi. In order to plan our return trip to Naples with enough time for a stop in Positano before catching our train in Sorrento (confusing, I know), we were able to squeeze in dinner. But not a whole lot else. And we still ran, barely squeaking on as the last passengers to board.

This was our restaurant of choice. We splurged a bit on a multi-course tourist menu, but it was worth it. Plus, we were very centrally located among the main attractions, including...

... this cathedral, the Duomo di Amalfi. A Christian structure has been standing in this spot since the 9th Century, although it has been remodeled on several occasions.

The cathedral's bronze doors are original, cast in Constantinople back in 1066. Ten freaking sixty-six. They are the oldest doors of post-Roman manufacture in all of Italy. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to see what was behind those impressive doors because we were wearing shorts. Not proper church attire in Amalfi.

Just around the corner, we stumbled upon this charming alleyway.

And this super patriotic one.

Sadly, that was all the time we had for Amalfi. A fast walk to the end of the dock in the port allowed a few last minute Kodak moments.

The sun was beginning to set, and half of our view was already in shadows.

However, the other half was still all sunshine.

Dazzling.

Like I said before, we hauled it back to the bus destined for Positano. Once we disembarked there, we had roughly 45 minutes to snap some pictures, drink a lemon granita, and find our way back to the stop. (At this point, our travel trick of photographing the most accurate transportation schedule came to the rescue. The sign above our stop was incorrect, but the schedule saved on my camera was right on. Whew!)

What a great place this would be for a beautiful brunch or a romantic sunset dinner! Maybe next time.

On second thought, we should just rent out this entire villa.

Yep, UNESCO nailed this one. The Amalfi Coast is outstanding and deserves special protection. I'd like to take my children or grandchildren there someday.

As the light of day left Sorrento, so did we. Unfortunately, we missed the train we had intended to take by mere seconds. It pulled away as Matthew and I approached the platform. Grateful that there was a later one coming, and exhausted from a long day, we waited.

When we finally exited the metro in Pozzuoli, hubs stopped for one of those awesomely cheap yet delicious pizzas near the palace of Mr. and Mrs. T. We felt bad for returning so late and hoped that our hosts weren't too worried. We entered the house expecting to find our surrogate parents in bed. Much to our surprise, Mrs. T was in the kitchen fixing herself a late dinner. I thought my nose deceived me. Could the sound of sizzling beef be true? Was the scent of taco seasoning really bombarding my olfactory bulbs? Indeed. My senses did not fail me. Mrs. T was cooking taco salad. I repeat, TACO SALAD. Mexican was the single category of food that I missed most from America. Sorry, even London's version of Chipotle couldn't quite imitate the real thing. I was giddy with excitement as Mrs. T offered to share her concoction with me. Chips and salsa included. Oh happy day! Because the T's work on the naval base, they have access to all of the finest American groceries. Their cabinets were stuffed with the things that I didn't realize I could covet until I saw them. I'm not sure I can convey how scrumptious that taco salad tasted. So simple, yet such a vivid reminder of home.

The gently breaking waves of the Mediterranean sparkled in the moonlight outside my window, a hearty helping of one of my favorite meals sat satisfyingly inside my tummy, and a glorious day of fun in the luxurious sun of Capri lay only a few hours ahead of me. Needless to say, on the night of June 29th, I went to sleep a happy girl.