Italia!!

Italy was great, the fact that I was able to witness the Italian lifestyle with my boyfriend and his family was even greater. It changed my outlook on how to live my own life. I enjoyed the simple lifestyle of his suburban beach town of Alba Adriatica, a town 3 hours away from Rome. Though I felt a little alienated because of my different culture, I felt a warm welcome from every one in the small town and I envied the great bond between Italians and their friends and family.

4 weeks of eating, sun bathing and drinking wine. My idea of relaxation! My trip began when I arrived in FCO airport, followed by a 4 hour drive from Rome to Sorrento. Though the drive was smooth, we stopped by at an Autogrill along the way. It's the Italian gasoline/restaurant/cafe/shopping stop all in one. We stopped to refuel our car and our stomachs. My boyfriend got a plate of pesto pasta to share, and some an antipasto of cured meats. Now I wish we had that in America! The Autogrill actually serves some good food for a gas stop. Anyway, three hour later, amidst the warm Sicilian surroundings, we knew we were close. There were Italian Villas set on top of the hilly tops and I couldn't help but wonder what life would be like if you lived in those. While driving to Sorrento, we saw the magnificence of Mt. Vesuvius on our left, and the Bay of Naples to our right. The weather was hot and though visibility wasn't clear, there was a beautiful haze stretching out for miles. Not a moment was boring, I loved driving along the narrow streets, squeeling over Gelati stops and counting the vespas parked alongside the road.



Our hotel was very far up from the main marina, but it was a beautiful family run hotel, Hotel La Vue Dor.

Our room had a balcony of the Gulf of Naples. We quickly unpacked and rode the hotel bus down for some touring. After 4 hours of driving, we needed to utilize our two legs and the cobble stone streets of Sorrento was perfect for it. The sun was setting soon, and we decided to grab dinner on the Marina Grande shore while watching out first sunset. Those of who who haven't gone to Sorrento, do it now. The sunsets are unbelievable and the location is perfect for trips to Capri and Amalfi Coast.