This Weekend, OR The Fruitless Search for a Pashmina, OR Camping Hell
I went on the Internet for the first time this weekend and apparently something has occurred, so the first thing I want to know is this... Ellen, are you ok? What happened? Is everyone ok? Sorry guys about asking, but ya'll know how I worry...
This weekend Erin and I decided to go out of town, around Thursday night. We left early Friday morning (not having to worry about our flatmate, who had randomly walked into our room the night before and announced that she was going to Copenhagen... land of the Danish people, who I strongly suspect have a fake currency) and went to Pompeii.
Let me just say that it was awesome. Erin ran me ragged trying to find the Garden of the Fugitives, which apparently is only known for the body casts of the victims of 79 AD, and we wandered around the streets, looking in buildings and at brickwork that is amazingly well-preserved. It was pretty neat staring at Mount Vesuvius, and I got a lot of photos (btw, Pompeii still smells like volcanic ash). Did you guys know that even in ancient Italy there were fast food restaurants? You could pay a few stercese at the local thermopoli (I believe that's what they were called) and get hot food out of something that actually looks a lot like a modern steam table. Wierd, but very cool.
After Pompeii we took the train to Sorrento, a beautiful town that, no matter where you look, you end up with kick-butt views of either the coastline and cliffs or mountains. We walked to our hotel, which was a comedy of errors in itself, as it took about three miles to do it, and as we were walking I said to Erin "The only thing that could make this worse would be..." *Cue torrential downpour*.
The rain forced us to find refuge in a pizza place, that served probably the best "pie" I had ever eaten. Erin and I have become addicted to fresh bread, olive oil, and Perroni (an Italian beer). Suffice it to say that I realize now why Italian grandmothers clutch their chests at the idea of "cheap olive oil". It tastes like Vaseline. The good stuff is so light that you can barely taste it.
When we finally got to the campsite, we found ourselves in camping hell. The cabin was dirty, the showers were worse, and it was flipping cold. We fell asleep more out of exhaustion than anything else.
The next day, we went shopping in Sorrento (not much else to do there, honestly) and I got presents for people (all I do is shop for Christmas, it seems like). I bought myself a beautiful music box too. We wandered around and people watched, mostly. Sorrento is known for its woodwork, lemons, mozzarella and lemoncello, a "digestive" (Italian code for knock-you-flat-on-your-bohunkus) drink that is made out of nothing but lemon peel, sugar, and alcohol. We really enjoyed it ;).
When we got back to the campsite we were still flipping cold and there was a group of German high schoolers who seemed to think that it was hilarious to follow us making kissy lips. I finally called them an unprintable name and told them to leave us alone (in German). (By the way, if you don't think that drunk Germans butchering the Italian language is hilarious, you have no soul). Later that night, while minding my own business and walking to the bathroom to take a shower, I got a marriage proposal in very drunken Dutch. DUTCH. Natch, man.
The next day, we went to Capri and checked out of purgatory. We weren't able to see the Blue Grotto, but we did get to see some really awesome views from the top of the island and have some incredible mozzarella caprese! :) Capri is so beautiful... the views are incredible and I hope I'll be able to go back someday. We went around looking for a pashmina and found some really nice (and ludicrously expensive ones) and we found out that the place to buy them was in Sorrento... oh well.
We managed to make it home (Naples looks like Bosnia, btw... don't ever go there) and practically collapsed in the apartment. Erin gave me an awesome mug with lemons painted on it that she'd bought me in Sorrento, and I absolutely love it.
MY MOM IS COMING ON FRIDAY!
I cannot tell you how excited I am about this. Dad's coming on Monday too, and they're gonna be here for a whole week.
I have a list.... I need to go buy food today, all we have in the fridge is a package of proscuitto and a bottle of pepsi.
How was ya'll's weekend?
This weekend Erin and I decided to go out of town, around Thursday night. We left early Friday morning (not having to worry about our flatmate, who had randomly walked into our room the night before and announced that she was going to Copenhagen... land of the Danish people, who I strongly suspect have a fake currency) and went to Pompeii.
Let me just say that it was awesome. Erin ran me ragged trying to find the Garden of the Fugitives, which apparently is only known for the body casts of the victims of 79 AD, and we wandered around the streets, looking in buildings and at brickwork that is amazingly well-preserved. It was pretty neat staring at Mount Vesuvius, and I got a lot of photos (btw, Pompeii still smells like volcanic ash). Did you guys know that even in ancient Italy there were fast food restaurants? You could pay a few stercese at the local thermopoli (I believe that's what they were called) and get hot food out of something that actually looks a lot like a modern steam table. Wierd, but very cool.
After Pompeii we took the train to Sorrento, a beautiful town that, no matter where you look, you end up with kick-butt views of either the coastline and cliffs or mountains. We walked to our hotel, which was a comedy of errors in itself, as it took about three miles to do it, and as we were walking I said to Erin "The only thing that could make this worse would be..." *Cue torrential downpour*.
The rain forced us to find refuge in a pizza place, that served probably the best "pie" I had ever eaten. Erin and I have become addicted to fresh bread, olive oil, and Perroni (an Italian beer). Suffice it to say that I realize now why Italian grandmothers clutch their chests at the idea of "cheap olive oil". It tastes like Vaseline. The good stuff is so light that you can barely taste it.
When we finally got to the campsite, we found ourselves in camping hell. The cabin was dirty, the showers were worse, and it was flipping cold. We fell asleep more out of exhaustion than anything else.
The next day, we went shopping in Sorrento (not much else to do there, honestly) and I got presents for people (all I do is shop for Christmas, it seems like). I bought myself a beautiful music box too. We wandered around and people watched, mostly. Sorrento is known for its woodwork, lemons, mozzarella and lemoncello, a "digestive" (Italian code for knock-you-flat-on-your-bohunkus) drink that is made out of nothing but lemon peel, sugar, and alcohol. We really enjoyed it ;).
When we got back to the campsite we were still flipping cold and there was a group of German high schoolers who seemed to think that it was hilarious to follow us making kissy lips. I finally called them an unprintable name and told them to leave us alone (in German). (By the way, if you don't think that drunk Germans butchering the Italian language is hilarious, you have no soul). Later that night, while minding my own business and walking to the bathroom to take a shower, I got a marriage proposal in very drunken Dutch. DUTCH. Natch, man.
The next day, we went to Capri and checked out of purgatory. We weren't able to see the Blue Grotto, but we did get to see some really awesome views from the top of the island and have some incredible mozzarella caprese! :) Capri is so beautiful... the views are incredible and I hope I'll be able to go back someday. We went around looking for a pashmina and found some really nice (and ludicrously expensive ones) and we found out that the place to buy them was in Sorrento... oh well.
We managed to make it home (Naples looks like Bosnia, btw... don't ever go there) and practically collapsed in the apartment. Erin gave me an awesome mug with lemons painted on it that she'd bought me in Sorrento, and I absolutely love it.
MY MOM IS COMING ON FRIDAY!
I cannot tell you how excited I am about this. Dad's coming on Monday too, and they're gonna be here for a whole week.
I have a list.... I need to go buy food today, all we have in the fridge is a package of proscuitto and a bottle of pepsi.
How was ya'll's weekend?