Sunday, November 30, 2014

Rome, Italy

We spent last Wednesday in Rome 
Unfortunately the Trevi Fountain is under construction...

…but we were able to "throw a coin" assuring our return some day.


The Colosseum was amazing….


…we climbed stairs that were 2000 years old...


…imagined all of the activities that took place there...


…intrigued by the architecture...


…enjoyed the day with cousins...


…took in the views...


…and were thankful for beautiful weather!


We ate lunch in an old monastery on a cobblestone street:


And then we entered the Vatican City:


The Vatican Museums were stunning...


…paintings that could take your breath away...


…tapestries that are hundreds of years old...



…coffered ceilings in gold...



…St Peter's Square...


...viewing works of art I studied many years ago as a teenager...


…especially Michelangelo's works of art...




Stop by tomorrow to see the end of our trip (French Riviera and Barcelona)


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Thursday, November 27, 2014

Naples, Sorrento, Pompeii and Capri

The next day on our vacation was a busy day.  

The cruise ship pulled into Naples early morning:


We went to a Cameo Factory in Sorrento and watched an artist carving:


 Lovely pins, necklaces, and earrings for sale in the gift shop:


BUT, the floor is what really caught my eye!!


Pompeii was our next stop - absolutely amazing!!


It is hard to comprehend that all of this was buried for years and was able to be preserved!


Mt Vesuvius in the background:


The frescos are what surprised me the most...


…after years of being buried by lava, soot and dirt, that some were clear and brilliant.


Many bones were found and preserved:


Just amazing….





Next was a traditional lunch of Manicotti, chicken and lots of wine, and then shopping in Sorrento with our guide:

(my husband's cousin Gerry and wife, Carol)


And then it was off to Capri...


…such a quaint and serene island this time of year.

They claim this to be the most narrow street in the world and they have designed small trucks that can travel down this alley:


The scents from the perfume factory were lingering in the air:


We climbed high to get a view of the Faraglioni Rocks:


Looking down we could see the prettiest color blue I have ever seen:


Capri "closes"down for the winter season and we were one of the last cruise ships to visit.  It was a quiet way to enjoy the views, scenery, and shops!


Another lovely sunset on the ferry ride back to Naples and our ship:



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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Montenegro - The walled city of Kotor

After spending 2 days in Venice, we hopped on a cruise ship.  Our first stop was Montenegro

It takes about an hour to travel from the Adriatic Sea through the bay to reach Kotor, Montenegro.



It was a cloudy day, but the small villages along the coast line were bright and quaint.



This is certainly a quiet area, a place to hide away from reality!


We were greeted by the locals with shots of vodka and donut holes!


The old city of Kotor is walled in….


..and we entered through this archway:


We found a quaint village of restaurants, art galleries, antique shops, and souvenir booths.


 It was easy to get lost in the many winding alleys:


The bell tower in the main square rang every 15 minutes...


…and the smell of food travelled through the alleys.


A quick shower kept the alleys quiet and the shops busy:


But the sunset gave us hope for a sunny day to follow!


Come back to visit Naples, Pompeii and Capri!

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