Tutto Benne

This morning we set out on the sketchy train to Naples, where people were singing Volare and asking for money. We didn't eat anything all morning, so by the time we got there we were starving. We did some research and ended up at Da Michele, a place that's over 140 years old. It's so crowded and you take a number. All the locals eat there. They only serve 2 types of pizza: Neapolitan, and Margherita. The place was actually in the book (and movie) Eat Pray Love, although I didn't find that out until the Canadian guy sitting at our table told us. Worth the stop in Naples. It was the most incredible pizza. The crust was chewy and delicious, the sauce was sweet and perfect. Ugh I want anther one. Apparently there are very strict rules with pizza in Italy, and Margherita pizza has to be cooked for 60 seconds in a wood oven, the cheese has to be from one of two types of water buffalo, and the tomatoes have to be from the foot of mount Vesuvius. Also, apparently the type of water used is very important in making the crust amazing. Best pizza maybe ever.

Then we headed back to Rome. It felt instantly like home, and we barely needed a map to get around. We walked to Enrico e Bruno and had an amazing but sad final meal. We had seafood risotto and Michael begged them to let him buy the spicy oil, but they said no. Secret recipe I guess. We finished with tiramisu, and it was as good as the first time.

Then we walked back to the first place we ever went in Italy, the Trevi fountain. Michael had gelato and we watched people take hilariously posed pictures and some people ran through the water. Then we walked back home.

Funny enough, the subway went up 50 cents since we've been gone! So we snuck through with 1 ticket (we're broke and everyone was doing it). I'd say we stuck it to the man.

Our hotel is so weird. It's in what I would describe as Rome's Korea town, and our room didn't have air conditioning so we were upgraded. The front desk people don't speak English, but breakfast is included (yay!).

Tomorrow we're off to the airport. I likely won't blog until I get home, but if I completely forget, I'll leave it with one final thing:

This has been the most incredible trip of our lives. We have seen so much and done so many fun things, and there isn't anything we wanted to do that we didn't do (well, maybe rent scooters). It's been an incredible bonding experience, and we make an awesome team. I'm incredibly lucky to have had such an amazing travel buddy! We ate EVERYTHING, Michael taught me a card trick, and we both got exquisite sun burns. We saw some ridiculous things that I probably forgot to blog about. But this trip has been the best thing, and I can't wait for our next one!

You don't happen to be Jews do you?

This morning we had croissants and Michael had marshmallows for breakfast. We got on a train to Pompeii and met the weirdest couple. The guy was wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs shirt, so I struck up a conversation. Bad idea. His girlfriend was NUTS. She went on and on about how her family is so Asian and made a few lovely remarks about how Asian people are cheap. She then said "you don't happen to be Jews, do you" to which I replied "actually yes, yes we are". Awwwkward.

Then we went on a bus up to the top of mount Vesuvius, which was awesome, since we saw the crater right from the top. We saw cool steam vents and the rocks were cool and had bits of igneous glass in them. We shared more hypothetical questions, and headed back down to Pompeii.

The ruins of Pompeii are really cool. So well preserved. But it was a little eerie. There was a person covered in plaster that was found buried in ash, and you could see their bones peeking out. Apparently they were slaves who couldn't get out in time.

I got a truly amazing shorts tan, and a bra strap burn on one shoulder. So beautiful. Michaels neck is a different colour than the rest of his body, it's so burnt. We put on a ton of sunscreen so I don't get it.

Then we went back to our usual restaurant, and wandered the streets. Tried to go to a garden, which was actually a hotel. The bouncer (?) was so confused that we'd want to explore a hotel. He said "why you want to go there? Is a hotel..."

Michael bought chocolate that he said was the best chocolate he's ever eaten in his life.

Bed time now. So tired from the sun. Tomorrow is our last day... Sad!!

Dogodogodogodogo

I can't remember if I blogged about yesterday. I don't think I did! We went down to the water after breakfast and we roamed around. My knees hate me, since we had to walk all the way down to Amalfi, which was 800 steps. Really beautiful, and we saw soooo many lizards.

We had a meh lunch of pizza and then went in search of a beach. We didn't find a nice one, but we found a BOAT! We rented a boat for 4 hours and anchored it along different parts of the sea. It was super choppy, and I thought we would capsize. We went swimming (freezing cold) and ate our leftover pizza and tanned in the boat. It was amazing, and really beautiful! They just gave us a boat and told us how to go forwards and backwards. No other instructions... A little sketchy but oh well, it was worth it and we had a great time.

We found the cat that scared Michael the night before, and we hung out with him for a bit until he fell off a roof and ran away. Then we went to Gerry's for dinner again. It was delicious. We recommend it highly to anyone going to Amalfi.

This morning we opted to take a boat to Sorrento instead of puke on a bus. I'm so happy we did that. I legitimately would have puked. On the bus ride down from Pogerola, I looked at Michael, nodded, and he knew what I meant. No more buses today.

Sorrento is incredibly beautiful. Michael calls it the Beverly Hills of Italy. Our hostel is actually more like a 4 star hotel, and the guy at the front desk was so helpful and told us a great place to eat, called Chanteclere. The owner of this place looks like Alec Baldwin (not even joking. Italian doppelgänger). Lunch was 4 euro for a primi, 5 for a secondi. It was amazing and the owner told us exactly what to order, and was so friendly. He talked to us all meal and it was amazing.

The rest of the day was just wandering, enjoying the sights, and going into tiny shops. The beaches are nice, but we didn't swim. There's a cool store here that you buy sandals and a guy makes them for you in the shop in 5 minutes. Basically any sandal you want!

We didn't want to take our chances, since apparently the food in Sorrento is mediocre, so we went back to the same place for dinner. We met a newlywed couple from Washington there, and they were completely wasted and the guy works for NASA. Fun times all night. Now I'm exhausted and full from another great meal that tasted like my imaginary Italian grandmother would make.

Gerrygerrygerrypoppoppop

Yesterday could only be described as very weird. We took 4 trains and 2 buses to get to Pogerola, a tiny town right beside Amalfi. The bus on the edge of the mountain was definitely one of the scariest experiences I've ever had. We came close to hitting so many cars and swerved around corners so fast that I thought we'd fall of the cliff. Almost puked too. Then a man in a funny hat tried to take Michael's seat, and didn't speak English and I was laughing so hard. There was a couple behind us that we met who had cockney accents, and they were on their honeymoon. They were a little weird but really friendly.

Finally we made it to Amalfi, and searched for the random bus to Pogerola. We met a lady, Luisa, on the bus who took us to the apartment where we're staying. It's an 800 m walk down a hill from the bus stop, and it's in a garden and surrounded by lemon trees in neighboring gardens. It's a PALACE. It's got a kitchen and a loft and a living room. The best part is the balcony, where we are currently eating breakfast. Last night we bought eggs freshly plopped from a chicken, smoked cheese stuffed with olives and ham, and bread. We're currently feasting, and it's so so good.

After climbing the unlit path up to Pogerola's main piazza, we found a place that the owner of the apartment recommended. It's called Gerry's, and the view from the terrace was UNREAL. We watched the clouds come over the mountains and the sun set, and we had delicious ravioli in a salmon sauce and spicy tomato penne. We had a beer and wine, and dessert, which was an Amalfi specialty called lemone something... Anyway, Gerry called it "lemon boobs" because well, that's what it looked like. He liked us a lot. We might go back there tonight! In total the meal cost us 30 euro too. Insane for an antipasti, 2 drinks, 2 primis, and 2 desserts.

We went to bed in a weird kind of damp bed... Also the internet is only available outside, and Michael got spooked by the same cat twice while out there at night. The town is also weird but cool, and is nestled right in the mountains so we yelled and tried to hear our echo. The moon was HUGE and it was awesome.

Like I said, weird experience. But ultimately hilarious and a great day. We also had McDonald's on the train. I had the"Crispy McBacon", which is hilarious in itself, and it had this mustardy sauce on it and no pickles or onions (yay!). And obviously Miami fries. Michael had the "NYC Crispy", which was like a quarter pounder with bacon and BBQ sauce and a cheese and bacon bun. The meat here is such a better quality too, which is really nice. We also ordered from this automated machine that you pay and being your receipt to the cash and they just hand you your food. Cool!

We're going down the 800 steps to Amalfi today... My knees are going to hate me. Then back up the windy road on the bus!