Southern Italy

Fall 2000

We like Italy. No, that is not quite correct. We LOVE Italy and take every opportunity we can find to go back for a visit. This time our 'excuse' was the fall school break and bargain basement airplane tickets. With Rick Steve's guide books in hand and great anticipation, we made a tour of the ages--from ancient Greek sculpture, through the might of Ancient Rome and the power of the Roman Catholic Church, right up to modern Italy. Here are some of the pictures we took during a long and wonderful week. (Click on each photo below for more pictures.) Enjoy!

Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast

Our trip started in the coastal town of Sorrento, a bit south of Naples and across the bay from Mount Vesuvius.

In this part of Italy, the hills go right to the edge of the sea. This means that the towns go up and down more than they spread out sideways and that there is little room for roads. Navigating is a three dimensional challenge--as is finding a lane for the car!

While making driving a challenge, this results in some incredible scenery and feats of engineering. One of these is the coastal road through the town of Amalfi. The sea below, vineyards above, and houses hanging in between. Wonderful.

The Isle of Capri

If you were to take the coastline of Amalfi, turn it back on itself to form a circle, and stick it in the middle of the bluest water you could find, you would have Capri. Famous for the song and the Blue Grotto, we found Capri to be a quiet and restful place to spend a day walking and watching the sea.

Pompeii

In AD79, Mount Vesuvius blew it's top and in only a few minutes the thriving Roman port town of Pompeii was completely covered with ash and cinders, encasing the town and the inhabitants for centuries. Three hundred years of excavations later, much of Pompeii is now uncovered and we could explore the glory that was ancient Rome society.

Streetside shops, public bakeries, sidewalk lined streets, private courtyards behind locked doors, and large public spaces. In many ways, just like modern Europe--but 2000 years earlier and built completely by hand.

Rome

Rome! Wow! What is there to say that has not been written elsewhere? The colosseum, the forum, Trevi fountain, St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Musuem, and more. The city that was once the center of the known world is still impressive. Even more so during our visit as 2000 is the Jubilee and Rome has been cleaned and polished for fifteen years in preparation. What could have been the worst part of the trip (what with everyone running a fever, encounters with thieves, and rain each day) was so incredible that it was the best part of a wonderful time. It's hard to describe though. It overpowers the senses and awes the imagination. The might, the beauty and the shear size are incredible. But the camera shrinks it all down.

The Colosseum

The Colosseum was constructed in 70AD and was home to violent entertainment for nearly 400 years. 70,000 people could watch gladiators and animals fight to the death in domed comfort. (Their version of the multiscreen theater?)

When Alex first saw the Colosseum, all he could say is "Wow! I waited eight and a half years to see this!"

The Forum

Across the street from the Colosseum, you find the Forum. This was the center of Roman government containing the law buildings, major temples, the Senate, and was overlooked by the palaces of the emperors. It was from the surprising small area that the world was run and to which all roads used to lead. It is now a area of tumbled memories of the might that was.

St. Peters Basilica and the Vatican

During the middle ages, the Popes were the patrons of the arts, commisioning and collecting the works of the best artists in the world. This art is now displayed in the Vatican museum. When the Protestant revolution began, the Popes wanted to remind the world how powerful they were and constructed the largest Christian temple in the world, St. Peter's Basilica. The plans of Michaelangelo decorated by the brilliance of Bernini, St.Peters is a powerful celebration of power.

Other Sites From Rome

There was so much to see and so much to experience, that the 'other sites' deserve their own page. Please click here to see them.

One site for which we have no photographs is the Borghese Gallery of art. This museum has several original sculptures by Bernini. They are incredibly powerful and moving sculptures that photos can only begin to capture. If you would like to see them, please check out this page of images.

When all is said and done, we had a wonderful time...and had to return home to rest. A great vacation.

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