Prague Pictures

Since we haven't been the greatest at posting pictures, here are a few recent photos of our trip to Prague in June!

Prague, June:

Home Sweet Home

The highly anticipated call from the Navy housing office arrived last Tuesday. There is a policy that has been enforced since 2008 referencing "direct assignment" aka if you move to Naples and there is base housing available for you, you must take it. Ben and I had moved here with the intention of living on base for the first year or two and then moving off. This time it worked in reverse for us.
Upon moving here in March we sat through an area orientation that basically scared the daylights out of us telling us that if we moved out in town the chances of us getting our home broken into were really high. We were then told the day after that there was nothing available for us on base so we had to live in town. How do you like that?

We selected our home in beautiful Posillipo after seeing about 15 places, zero of which had potential except for this one. As you all know, it is tiny and the trek up 107 stairs every day is not highly appealing but we loved it and made the best of our one man kitchen.

The second part of the Direct Assignment policy: if there is nothing available for you, you must live in town until something does become available. After a minimum of four months in town, you are able to break your lease and the government will completely fund your move back to base. If you decline it and choose to move back there later on, you will have to pay for your own move as well as wait for any housing to be available and there was no guarantee of a timeframe. By the way, keep in mind that we are in Italy. Renting your own moving truck and giving your guy friends a six pack to move your things doesn't work here. Not only because of the truck rental situation but also because it is darn near impossible to find anyone in the world to move furniture and boxes up and down 10 flights of stairs for all of the six packs in Europe.

Back to our phone call. We received a call, literally the first working day after our four month minimum in town was met. The housing manager informed us that A. There was something available for us. B. It was not available for us to see C. We would have to give our landlord two weeks notice and D. We had to make our decision within 48 hours. But, oh, no pressure.

The one positive part of the housing rep's call was that the unit was a newer unit. Another feature that is very rare among the units on the Navy base. I decided to do some investigating and dragged my friend Jen over to the place. I figured that if we couldn't see the actual place we could at least see what was around it. Sooooo....we walked over and lo and behold the cleaners were inside getting it cleaned up. We poked around and looked through the windows- and I forgot to mention that this place is on the FIRST floor. That means no stairs at all.- and saw that the living area alone was probably the size of my bedroom, living room, and kitchen, the kitchen was massive, and the two extra guest rooms were a good size. This bodes much better for those of you who actually decide to come visit. :) Then, as we rounded the bend Jen gasped and I had to see what she was looking at. I looked inside the window and saw a massive walk in closet. That about sealed the deal for me. Just kidding. Although I have to say that I am looking forward to spending plenty of time in that closet because I could practically make it an extra bedroom for myself. No more ugly Ikea wardrobes from the base housing department!

In reality, this was a very, very, very difficult decision for us. Were we willing to trade our view of Capri and Sorrento (a full water view, I might add) for life in suburbia among Navy wives and nothing to do in our area? We had to put alot of thought into it and spent time making a pros/cons list, playing devil's advocate, listening to comments from the peanut gallery (more specifically, people who thought we were crazy for even entertaining the thought of living on "Alcatraz"), and really figuring out what would be best for us over the course of the next two and a half years. Because once you're there you cannot move off.

My Mom always tells me that everything always unfolds in the way that God has intended for us. The night before our 48 hours were up it started to storm. Thunder, lightning, and the whole shebang. It honestly sounded like the screens were about to fly off the hinges and the wind howled through the windows. That, along with my current bout of insomnia, made me realize that the weather is not always going to be fine and dandy in Posillipo. That two months out of the year it pours here and that for a good two additional months it is gloomy and somewhat miserable. Who wants to look out the window much less venture downtown in the middle of winter? I can only imagine how much Ben's road rage (which he has tamed extremely well) would grow driving to and from work every day in the middle of the rain. Or how difficult it would be for him to find a quiet place in our apartment to study as he starts his MBA program at the end of September. Or how not fun it would be for me to leave the apartment to go anywhere on a bus in the middle of winter. Talk about isolation. Why prolong the move and live unsettled for who knows how long until we do decide to make the move? Once something is actually available and the chances of it being new are very slim.

Without trying to overdramatize, I can honestly say that it broke our hearts a little to call the housing office and accept the offer. Knowing that we will no longer be eavesdropping on our Italian neighbor's conversations (not that I knew what they were saying, I just liked hearing them next door), chatting with our chicken shop owner friends downstairs, shopping in the Salumerias (salami/cured meats shops), watching the Italians convene in the piazza outside on Saturday and Sunday, and hopping on the bus to get to the center of downtown Naples is not easy. I may even miss the staring that Neapolitans like to do when I talk. But I can say that Ben and I were extremely blessed to have the opportunity to live the full Italian experience for the past five months. We made the most of life in Posillipo and were proud to call it our home.

We would never have been able to make the Italian friends that we've made, stop and talk to the locals, learn our way around the public transportation system, and sit on our terrace enjoying the sunset with a glass of wine if it weren't for this opportunity. It's given me the ability to learn more Italian and the confidence to venture out by myself. I've loved every minute here and we know that we will leave with plenty of fond memories of life in our Italian town.

On the other hand there will be no regrets when we can turn up the heat as high as we want during the winter and speak with whomever we want, whenever we want, in English!  We are looking forward to a little piece of home.

--Fast Forward to Moving Day--
The last two weeks sped by and "packing up day" finally arrived. It was gray and gloomy outside when we woke up, it matched our mood perfectly. It's humorous to think about how different the packing process was this time vs. the experience in San Diego. The three movers knocked on the door, breathless of course, came in with their boxes and surveyed the place. Tony, the manager in charge, spoke excellent English and they got to work immediately. Instead of carefully wrapping each and every item up as they did back home, they literally places everything in drawers directly into boxes. Quite frankly some of the items that the movers back home wrapped meticulously (a toothbrush holder, really?) was a waste of time and these ones were all about getting the job done as fast as possible so that they could enjoy the rest of their afternoon. Tony requested a radio while explaining that they got into a squabble on the way here and had to deal with some silence on the car ride over so they were in need of some music to "avoid the tension in the room." I couldn't help but laugh at that and handed him our ipod speaker. Ben and I got to listen to some groovy Italian rock in the beginning followed by Jay Z and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Quite an interesting selection but nevertheless entertaining.

The movers took a smoke break on our terrace and I went outside to check on them. One of the movers asked me a question in rapid Neapolitan (keep in mind, I'm starting to understand Italian pretty well but once they start with this Neapolitan business it all goes out the window) and Tony translated for him, asking, "He wants to know, Signora, how you could leave this for the Support Site?" This question did not strike me by surprise because A. We've been asking ourselves the same question for the past five months- should we stay, should we go, blah, blah, blah and B. Every Italian looks at me like I have three
heads when I tell them I'm leaving Posillipo to go to Gricignano. We all know that they are not the most practical when it comes to decision making (it's a common fact that the Italian culture is all about being passionate and spontaneous) so it's easy to understand why they think I'm crazy for leaving the most beautiful neighborhood in Naples. I responded to his question by making a pregnancy gesture and didn't even need to explain myself. It registered immediately that in no way, shape, or form can anyone pregnant walk up and down those stairs every day, no less carry a child up there. Not that we plan on it any time soon at all, but we will be here for three years and can't take that chance. And when he saw the kitchen, you could see that he was starting to see the bits and pieces of the puzzle.

And wow, it felt like Christmas bringing boxes down from the crawl space! It was like opening our wedding presents all over again because there was so much up there that we haven't seen in 8 months, much less been able to use. Knowing that we can pull these items out and use them at our convenience with our AMERICAN outlets in our apartment will be very, very nice. Now the question is, do we have enough to fill all this space? The answer is definitely no.

Our polleria friends and the owner of the mini mart downstairs were definitely not happy when we told them we were leaving. Max, who Ben sees every day and spends alot of time chatting with, was very sad. I told him we would come visit him every week (you better believe I'll be spending the majority of my time taking the bus to come downtown!) but he shook his head and gave me a hug saying "But you my veep, I see you every day!." Veep stands for "VIP, very important person," because he always jokes that we are his VIP, don't ask me why. :) Probably because he sees that I drag countless friends to come downtown and visit me, in my avoidance of going to Gricignano, to enjoy downtown.

Anyway, to make a long story short, we are moving. We, or rather I, had to be dragged off of living on base in the beginning, happy with my comfort zone and little America, to living off and then am now resigning myself to the fact that we are moving out of town to move back on and convincing myself that it's a good thing. I guess you could say that I am very sentimental once I find my security blanket, as is my husband. Funny though, I would never in a million years have thought that I would be the one to make that final decision to accept our offer and move. Poor Ben has so much going on with starting his MBA that moving at this second was the last thing he wanted to do. Can you blame him? Sometimes you've just got to just go with what's practical and not necessarily what's favorable. But I do have to say that we don't want to hear about how our favorite spots (all downtown, of course) are only a drive away because it is nothing like waking up in the morning and being instantaneously happy because the sun is shining and the water is so close that you feel like you're on a cruise ship. Or hearing an accordionist play "O Sole Mio" outside our terrace like they did today (I felt like this was such a treat on our last full day here :) ). On the other hand, there is nothing like being able to hop on a bus to get to and from work easily every day, put ALL of your stuff away in real, built in closets (haven't seen those in awhile) and pressing that magical little button on your dishwasher. Ben has happily retired his drying rack and dish rag and I can tell you that there is not one single ounce of sentimentality there. I am also thrilled that he is going to be able to resign his daily road rage during his commute and hand me the keys to the car! Not to mention that we feel incredibly spoiled to have 1900 sq feet to play with when families of four have to fit in the same amount of space! We are very lucky.

So, everyone, thanks for listening and being supportive! I will be thrilled to post pictures of our second and final Italian home!

Mom's Blog

It's long overdue but here is Mom's version of Naples!

Since I’m the first house guest to visit Tricia and Ben in Naples, Tricia has gracefully acquiesced to allow me to be a guest blogger on her blog for the chance to write about my visit with them from my perspective.  So here goes…

After a long, seemingly endless journey to Naples that included 19 hours of travel time and a tight dash between airlines in Munich, I finally arrived in Naples met by Tricia and Ben’s smiling faces. That precious sight melted all the fatigue away. They’ve been so eager for visits from family and friends, I truly felt received like royalty, but wish the weather was as welcoming. The stifling heat and humidity, reminiscent of my years in Manila, took my breath and energy away.

The 25-minute drive to their apartment from the airport gave me the opportunity to observe Ben’s driving skills as he weaved in and out of traffic in his Fiat Punto, honking his horn like a native. He can certainly “run with the champions” at this point and from what I hear from Tricia, his indignant road rage has given way to a cunning, calculating passive-aggressive style that assures his survival on the Italian roadways. He maneuvered his way through some narrow city streets on teeth rattling cobblestone roads, some made for four-legged transportation ages ago.  One way streets would go any way the driver wanted it to be, making it necessary to lean on the horn at every blind turn. Driving there, like their strong espresso coffee, is not for the weak-hearted.  I guess Ben’s military training is coming in handy.

It was an experience entering their lobby to look up and see five flights of stairs (107 stairs in all), without elevators, to get up to their penthouse apartment (they are on the 4^th floor but the Europeans count the ground floor as 0). Tricia wasn’t kidding when she said it was a “mini-workout” to get to her floor---that is, depending on how old you are; it was a maxi-workout for me. Let me tell you, after 3 weeks of climbing stairs and walking long distances on those uneven city streets, it guaranteed firm glutes and thighs. Thank God Ben was there to bring up the suitcases.

One last aerodynamic Feldman, Athena, was there to greet me as she “flew” around the room in such a state of ecstasy to see a familiar face, or is it because she knew there would be forbidden tidbits coming her way in the kitchen? We finally settled down to Tricia’s special chili—the All- American comfort food for the travel weary. There’d be plenty of time for Italian food.

Jet lag can be a good thing. I woke up before the Italians did and took pictures from Ben and Tricia’s veranda overlooking a piazza on one side and the most magnificent views of Mt. Vesuvius, the Gulf of Naples, old castles and the city skyline on the other. There were residences and inns on the cliffside with an elegant, gated villa (most likely Mafia owned) on the promontory.  In the soft, early morning sunlight, it was a little like paradise.

First order of the day was --you got it-- a trip to Tricia’s weekly one-day Neapolitan street market.  Leave it to Tricia’s Filipino genes to find all the bargains complete with her “fluent” Italian to haggle for bigger discounts.  They had clothing items, Italian shoes, kitchen items (where I bought more espresso cups for Ben’s mean brews), flowers and various other sundry items. It was a lifesaver to buy lighter clothing to survive the summer heat.  Watching people was just as fascinating as watching what people bought. Ben was the great tour guide in the afternoon where we strolled through the shady streets in Vomoro to window shop, people watch, and eat gelato.

Their apartment is located in a great area called Posillipo, complete with macellerias (butcher shops with great salami, sausages, prosciutto and cheeses), pizzerias, beauty shops, little groceries stores, a polleria (rotisserie place), a seafood shop, a churros with nutella stand, pharmacies, coffee shops and even a church just a few doors away that summoned me to mass with its church bells on some mornings.  The piazza below provided some weekend entertainment for us as we leaned over the balcony to watch  crowds of people—families with babies, amorous  couples (I mean amorous) and groups of friends who came for pizza and gelato until after midnight.  Parking their motorcycles and tiny cars in tight spaces facing every which way, always left us wondering how in the world could they untangle themselves to get home?  Even a garbage truck on a late Sunday night got into the act!  Across the street is a bus stop—which has delighted Tricia because she refuses to drive in Italy. She has become a whiz at getting her way around by bus, metro, funicolare, boat and speed trains (for longer distances).  When commuting with her, she only had one request—no English spoken lest it attract the wrong attention; so I found out the hard way. No sooner did I say something in English when we’d feel several pairs of eyes staring at us. For some reason, people there are fascinated by people who speak English, like we belonged to some unusual human species.  I suppose the pickpockets would feel the same way, too.

My definition of “walking distance” is very different from hers.  For me, it might mean a few city blocks, for Tricia, it means walking until your feet or stamina give out. We did a lot of walking by her definition, but it was also a good way to see places you might never see when you are in a car or to work off the pizzas and pastas.

The legendary Amalfi coast is more beautiful than travel books would describe.  Positano, a medieval port city built on a cliffside was one of the most picturesque places I have ever seen.  Some years ago at an art and wine street fair, I remember seeing a booth with a photography-as-art display of photos from a town built on cliffs in Italy—and I remember thinking, “I’m going to see that magical place one day, wherever it might be”.  It was Positano.  What a marvel it was to see how these homes were built tiered on the rock face and artisan shops, hotels and restaurants built on the bluffs.  There is only one narrow street that snaked all the way up to the top and stairs which provided the only other access up or down.  Bougainvilla vines and flowers grew around everything like a giant garden which made the whole picture a jaw-dropping  piece of Heaven---and Ben said his meal was the best he’s ever had in Italy.

Speaking of food.  Those who know our family know what foodies we are.  We believe that sampling a country’s cuisine is as important as appreciating the people.  You haven’t lived until you try the Neapolitan pizza (I am told, pizza was invented there) with its thin crust and salsa di pomodoro sauce freshly made with a slightly sweet variety of tomato.  Being seaside, my favorite was pizza with mozzarella and alici (anchovies) and Tricia’s more exotic favorites were the grilled squid or octopus salad. When Ben was hungry, we could entice him to sample some of our strange menu choices, but he drew the line at the octopus. He liked the vongole, pasta with clams topped with parmesan cheese (which is a mortal sin in Italy when served over seafood).  In Prague, we tried the fried cheese with boiled potatoes (not bad) and their thick, dark goulash soup (not too bad, either).  If we worked the farms like their people did in the past, we probably could eat their food everyday without turning into blimps.

 It is interesting to note that dogs are allowed in restaurants and many hotels. Here is a photo of Athena patiently waiting her turn to get a morsel of Ben’s pizza when we visited Vietri.  She likes Italian food.

Tricia’s pantry looked like a well- stocked Asian market with every imaginable ingredient you might need to cook up a meal because she loves Asian food and can’t find an authentic restaurant there.  She made a great Pad Thai, lo mein dish,  lemon chicken, and scallops with lemon grass among other things. Leftovers usually go with Ben to work the next day, probably making people wonder what asian smells are coming from his warmed up lunch—and where he is getting the stuff.  She’s become a great cook; I’d have asked for smelling salts a couple of years ago if I had been told what a talented cook she’d eventually become.  Ben is as talented at dishwashing  (without a dishwasher) as Tricia is at cooking.  Great division of labor.

Ben graciously let us take the opportunity of visiting Rome, the Eternal City, for a couple of days and Prague for three to take advantage of great summer fares.  Much as I love Rome with its mix of rich, historical monuments among the “newer” (later century) buildings, it was almost too uncomfortable with the suffocating heat and the crowds of people that travel in the summer months.  Long lines everywhere, packed metros—not good for the claustrophobic.  Nevertheless, we had a wonderful visit.

Prague, the city with a thousand spires, has been beautifully restored after the Cold War.  It is a completely different city from the one I saw in the early 90s shortly after the Iron Curtain came down; I would describe it then as a beautiful woman that aged badly.  Sadly some of the magnificent churches or basilicas that spoke of deeply Christian roots have been turned into symphony halls or places for performing arts.  It made one feel like a peasant to see the grandeur of the lifestyles that were lived in those palaces and estates. The rich and famous of today have nothing on those folks back in the day.   With Tricia’s ever roving eye on shop worthy stuff, she swears by their finest quality Turkish pashminas, her favorite Mango brand store and gorgeous crystal.

We did some day trips to Sorrento and Capri that took us by hydrofoil in no time at all.  Sorrento is home to the Sorrento lemons that grow as large as cantaloupes.  Lemonade is not its usual by-product, but rather a liqueur called limoncello, basically made with 100 proof alcohol and a few drops of lemon. It must be drunk chilled to cushion the shock. Creamy limoncello is also an option. What can I say? Those haunting love songs that speak of romance in those places hardly do them justice. What makes these places more beautiful is their history. They weren’t built from designs of master city planners, but evolved over time with lots of stories to tell. Without our technology, they were still really built to last.  Capri goes all the way back to the Bronze age and one can also still see some Roman villas that were used as vacation homes by the wealthy Romans in the time of Tiberius Caesar.

Europeans know how to live. They take long afternoon rest periods called “riposos” to recharge their batteries and to take long leisurely lunches (if need be) or naps...and they drink plenty of wine.  If you haven’t done your shopping by 1 pm, you might need to wait til 4 or 5pm. They also walk everywhere and do a tremendous amount of socializing.  They also make time for public displays of affection (PDAs as my children call them).  Italy, the Land of Romance, is no myth. It is not an unusual to spot a couple locked in a death grip of a steamy embrace that makes one wonder when they will come up for air.  Sometimes, if these kissing couples might be around a coffee shop, the patrons make the scene their afternoon entertainment as they sip their cappucinos.  I’ll bet those stress -relieving habits offset their smoking habits.  They just might live longer than their non-smoking, stressed- out, workaholic counterparts in the West.

On one Sunday, Ben, Tricia and I got on a Hop On Hop Off bus that tours Naples. These tour buses point out significant monuments, streets or museums along the way where one can hop off to do more exploring.  After visiting the world class museum in the heart of town, we walked the streets to enjoy local color and to see how the Neapolitans live. We watched wedding parties coming out of churches and walked through little streets and alleyways in Old Town to poke into the little shops. We discovered a street that sold artisan pasta in every imaginable flavor, shape and color.  Imagine basil, pistachio, pepperoncini, lemon, sun-dried tomato, spinach, squid ink and carrot pastas?  A creative cook could go crazy with possibilities!

Seeing the American base was a real experience.  After wandering around antiquity and history, there is this little patch that looks like a total transplant from the US, as if some giant laser beam cut a slice of America and patched it onto the Italian countryside. Within the confines of the gates were immaculate lawns, modern apartments, basketball courts, football fields, schools, hospital, commissaries and anything else that would belong in a newly minted town in the US.  I suppose one would be able to live there and never feel they left America.

Before this comes to a close, may I add a few more points to Tricia’s travel advisories (if she had any)?

1.     Don’t go to Europe in July or August unless you want to encounter armies of perspiring Europeans.

2.     Don’t have a perm before travelling in the summertime unless you want to look like the wild man from Borneo.

3.     Don’t go without getting on the stairmaster to get in condition at the gym if you plan to stay at Tricia and Ben’s 5^th floor apartment (without elevators)

4.     Don’t speak English on public transportation when you get there.

This can go on forever with the million little impressions I came away with, but I need to say that this was never really meant to be a travelogue--- rather an account of the precious time I spent with Tricia and Ben in the faraway place they now call home.  

Ben, thank you for putting up with all the girl chatter, getting recruited to drive us places, doing dishes, bringing home Disney movies for mom-friendly entertainment in the evenings and allowing us to share some weird dishes with you. You are truly a son to me. Tricia, thank you for being my constant companion, tour director, translator, cook, and confidante. Thank you both for sharing your new friends, for loving your mother and allowing me a chance to get a wonderful glimpse into your newly married life.  What a special opportunity you have to start a new life facing many new experiences together.  I know it isn’t always easy to be far from your close friends and family and it isn’t as glamorous as it sounds living in Europe sometimes, but all of us who are an ocean away are always thinking of you and looking forward to being with you when you come home…and thank God, we are only a vonage call, skype, facebook or email away.

I love you both!

Mom

.

Speedos and hair styles

My morning began amidst a flurry of madness when I went downstairs to have my hair done. There is a salon in our piazza, quite popular among the little old Italian ladies as well as younger clientele. For this reason, there is never any shortage of seeing women from all walks of life sitting outside smoking and gossiping over their cappucinos.

The salon is probably no larger than 800 square feet and you can only imagine the chaos. I've become resigned to the fact that no matter where I go, the second I open my mouth I will always encounter staring. I forgot that today is the last day the salon will be open because it will be closed for three weeks for holiday (did you know that the standard is 42 days off per year for Italians, excluding their own personal vacation and sick days?! Lucky, lucky people), thus it was even more packed than usual. So, I walk in and literally don't know what to do with myself. There are probably about 8 chairs, all occupied, and no one at the main desk. I stand there for about 10 minutes until someone acknowledges my presence and gestures for me to sit for awhile. I hadn't realized that everyone who comes into a salon greets everyone (loudly, I might add) so it's no wonder why they stared at me this time, probably thinking about my rudeness, before they even realized I was American. After I was finally seated, it was a great experience for me to do some staring of my own. I watched as about 20 people came and left, greeting each other loudly and yelling to each other from each end of the room in conversation, commenting on each other's hair styles, and waving their hands in the air. I can't tell you how strange it it to watch as they kiss each other's cheeks and greet one another at one moment, and then roll their eyes at each other and yell frantically the next with hand gestures. I've come to realize that they are all gestures of affection and definitely part of the culture. In the past I had compared getting my hair done with going to the spa, as it typically gives you the time to read a magazine and just have some time to yourself. I have now thrown that idea out the window. It is now a "community" experience and quite entertaining at that. I left the salon with a haircut, enough hairspray in my hair to realize I probably shouldn't go near any flames in the near future, and a new perspective of what it means to get your hair done.

Speaking of spas, I visited two Italian "spas" last weekend. They were both located in an area called Lucrino, easily accessible by the train, and overlook a lake. Both kind of reminded me of summer camps with thermal spas and saunas/steam rooms. The second was much nicer than the first as it sprawled out over a massive piece of land, offered about 5 pools, sauna, steam room, gym, and mani/pedi services, all for only 25 euro per day! The only creepy part was the mud pool, aka swamp looking thing where people were literally going in and giving themselves mud masks and swimming with the fish. We went with our friends for the day and were amused to see a few men (in speedos, which is the standard here of course) head to toe in mud and laying in the sun. They looked like sea creatures! I tried to get a few pictures, hopefully you can see him:

I actually even attempted to go in, realizing that there's got to be a benefit to this "mud treatment" but once I saw the swampy looking fish that was it for me.

We were surprised to learn that you are required to wear swim caps in all pools (go figure) so I also had my first opportunity to wear a swim cap:
Interesting.

We've had quite a bit of activity over the past month. My mom's visit came and went- she has decided to do a guest blog to write about her perspective of Naples' through a visitor's eyes, which I love-and we have lots to tell about that. Ben and I finally purchased our terrace furniture and can now entertain and enjoy the incredible views (which, as you know is the reason why we moved in here to begin with!) just in time for the beautiful, cooler weather that has come our way. We have learned to appreciate the idiosyncrasies of our new city, instead of criticize, and take full advantage of sightseeing and embracing our home. While stuck in traffic last week, we decided to make a list of the top ten Neapolitan favorites. Please know that none of these are meant to be offensive or derogatory in any way, they are just observations we've made:)
Favorite things to do, in no specific order:
1. Stare.
2. Wear purple, head to toe. Royal purple is THE color of the year in Naples. Fat, skinny, tall, short, it's all purple here
3. Sunbathe. I give up-I've realized that no matter how dark I get I will absolutely never be as tan as Neapolitans in the summertime. It's like a job for some, they do it every single day. Sunbathing on the rocks is a popular pasttime.
4. Tailgate with pizza. I think you'd have to see our piazza on a Fri/Sat/Sun night to believe it. It's like an American football game swapping the burgers for pizza, and minus the football.
5. Light fireworks. 2 AM is not an exception, enough said. The other day when we were at the Royal Palace in Caserta they were being lit in town at 3 pm. Who can even see fireworks at 3 pm?
6.Move at their own pace in all aspects of life besides driving. Then they absolutely have to get there first and as fast as possible, most likely to move at their own pace in whatever they're doing
7.Be first in line at any cost.
8. Use the phrases "Allora" (our version of hmm.. or um..) and "Va bene" (okay or it's okay) as often as possible
9. PDA. Mom said she was going to count the number of couples she saw making out in public. Unfortunately, we didn't drive by the areas where newspaper fully lines the car windows. Ahem.
10. Speak passionately, live life to the fullest, and embody a strong sense of community, always.

Planes, trains, and automobiles

Since it was so difficult to end our “vacation” in Prague, we decided to extend it in Sorrento! It was our friend Bill’s birthday and his wife had invited us to spend the day with them on the coast to celebrate! Ben and I booked a hotel the night prior so that we could spend our last “vacation” night in Sorrento.

We arrived home from Prague on a Friday, woke up on a Saturday, and took off. Ben and I  soon realized that Italy’s star ratings are quite different from the Czech Republic’s ratings when we checked into the hotel, Hotel Caravel. Note: do not stay in this hotel! It was dingy, felt dirty, a good thirty minute walk from the main area, and completely took away from the experience of being in Sorrento. Thanks for nothing, Hotels.com! guess travelling takes more of a toll on us than we’d thought because we felt exhausted after a few hours of walking through Sorrento! We took a cab back to the hotel for a much needed nap. I’m not going to go into too much detail but let’s just say that quite a few ants met their maker that afternoon and the hotel had to put us in another room because the whole situation was disgusting.

That evening we had another unfavorable experience when we were starving (don’t ask me why we always wait until the breaking point when we are both hungry and grouchy to find a restaurant) and sat down at what appeared to be a very popular restaurant. We were happy with our bruschetta but hugely disappointed with our entrees. Poor Ben ordered seafood and even though it was fishy, stomached it because he was so hungry! After dinner we looked at each other and said “Are you still hungry? Yes..are you still hungry? Yes.” So on the story goes of two dinners! We hightailed it out of there are found another, delicious Italian restaurant and stuffed ourselves with good food this time. Wow, I’m realizing that a major part of my blogs is about food. We are food lovers but I swear we’re not pigs! J

We had a great time with our friends, Bill and Jo-anne the next day, as we were with them during their very first visit to Sorrento! Jo-anne is British and an absolute blast to be with (her husband is American but also fun to be with, of course!) We enjoyed spending the day walking through Sorrento, having bellinis, and listening to her argue with another table about England and the World Cup. Our time with them was certainly the highlight of our trip to Sorrento since we sat in three hours of traffic getting home.

I know I’ve already mentioned the driving quite a bit, but it gets better and better as we seem to be confronted with compromising situations. The first situation we experienced was when an Italian guy tried to run us off the road, excuse me, the freeway, and then proceeded to pull over and try to fight Ben because Ben had brake tapped him. The second was on our way home from Sorrento. After sitting in stop and go traffic on our way home, the traffic finally ended and the roads merged into a two lane road. A driver in front of us tried to snake his way into our lane, and an irate Ben did not want to let him in. So the guy basically pushes us out into the road because he refuses to take no for an answer. My dear hubby lays on his horn for a good 2 minutes, no joke, and then surprise, surprise, the dude stops his car in the middle of a the two lane road, and walks up to our car trying to fight my husband. After all, it is Ben’s fault that this guy could not wait his turn to get on the road. Needless to say, I had to hold Ben back to make sure he did not get out of the car and do any damage and quite frankly, I am pretty much over the driving here. Soooo…I decided to take public transportation last week.

I went to see a friend in a beach town next to us for coffee and was so pleased with myself that there were no hiccups during my journey on the metro! The next day I decided to be even more daring and visit Jo-anne in a town further away. I did my research online and realized that I could take the following: Linea 1 from our metro stop to Linea 5 at a stop 5 stops away which would take me to her. I get off at the supposed connecting station, “Montesanto” realizing that there are no signs for Linea 5 anywhere! I went over to one of the station workers to ask him how to get to Linea 5 and he asks me “Dove andare” (Where are you going?) and I tell him “Monterusciello”.  The old man says “Cumana” which is a rail line that I certainly did not think I would be taking.  Then he points outside the building. I take myself down the road to the “Funicolare” refer to the “funicoli, funicola blog” and am confused as it does not appear to house any actual railroad lines, just the funicolare. I go for a coffee to get it together, keep in mind that I am quite calm because thankfully I know enough Italian to get by and figure out how to get home, and ask the next person how to get to Linea 5. What does he say? Dove andare? I tell him Monterusciello and then he tells me Circumvesuviana (?!!), which is another railroad line. AAAAAAA!! To make a long story very short, I rode the bus, the Metropolitana, the Cumana, and the Circumvesuviana last Tuesday. It was quite an interesting experience but at least I can tell you how to get around Naples via the public transportation system now!

Other than the glitches I have experienced over the past few weeks, everything has been calm and we are settling in well. We have been enjoying time with friends, old and new, and making the most of living in Posillipo. I plan to post more pictures of our actual apartment since we’ve been putting up more pictures and doing our best to make it “home.” We enjoy walks to an area called Parco Virgiliano, the Naples version of Balboa Park I think (minus museums, of course) interacting with the locals, and experiencing our town. I told my mom the other day that taking the bus by our house is quite the trip as you hold on for dear life on the bumpy streets, no one pays for their tickets, and it is like monkey bars. One moment someone is literally centimeters behind you holding on to the overhead rail, then they move their hands so they are basically on top of you, and then the next thing you know their other hand is in front of you and they are working their way off the bus. No “excuse me’s” necessary. The other day I took the bus with my friends to the market down the street and it was great to realize how close we are. It’s the simple things, you know? Your patience is surely tested. Even now, Athena and I have been waiting for Ben at his work for 4 hours on the 4^th of July (he is on duty today and doesn’t want to be here as much as we don’t) and she’s giving me dirty looks. Even the dog is learning patience!

I have done some reflecting on our lives at this point in time and it boggles my mind as to how much has changed. Priorities have changed, attitudes have changed, sense of security has changed, and to sum it up, what matters most to us in life has changed. We’ve done so much within the past few months that looking at our lives pre move is like viewing it through a looking glass. The wedding itself feels like years ago! While we are enjoying our new lives in Napoli, we miss our friends and family back home so very much. Thinking about my trip home in December feels like I’m going to a different world- and it’s only 16 hours away! Ben and I get so caught up with life and settling in that we do not take the time to catch up with friends and family to tell them how much we miss and appreciate them as much as we should. I’m sure that is the way it is vice versa, as it is hard for people to take the time to call us when they are busy with their own lives. It means alot and we would love to hear from you!

We are looking forward to our very first visitor! My mom’s trip will begin with her arrival on Wednesday and I CAN’T wait! We will be hosting a steady influx of visitors until the end of the year. I booked my flight home- December 9 through January 17, yay!- and it’s amazing to think that we have already been here for over three months! Even though it feels like we’ve been here forever, the time does seem to fly!

Stay tuned for pictures from Mama Gonzalez’s trip, we are going to keep her very busy! 

Drinking Beer in Prague

Disclaimer: this is an extremely long blog entry. Read it only if you have the time and desire to visit Prague!

Ben and I loved Prague. We loved it so much that we frantically tried to figure out a way to extend our trip by a few more days. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible, but we were able to leave with hundreds of pictures, Czech goodies, and wonderful memories. And the realization that it is, without a doubt, a city that we will return to very, very soon.

The trip began on a sour note as we arrived at the airport three hours before our flight. I hate flying with a passion (although I am married to a pilot and travel frequently, go figure) so I planned to be there within two hours of our three pm flight. In order to get seats next to one another on WizzAir you must be lucky enough to get on the airplane while there are available seats next to one another (think Southwest but the Neapolitan version which takes it to a whole other level). I arrived at the airport pleased with myself that I was able to actually get my husband to the airport two hours before the flight in order to get seats together (if you know Ben well then you know that he likes to leave everything to the last minute and hates waiting probably as much as I hate flying). Not only did I realize that the flight was at 3:50 but it was also two hours delayed! Oops. From now on Ben will definitely be checking our itinerary before leaving the house.

After killing time for a few hours we had our first Neapolitan flight experience. We sat at the gate, completely unaware that our 3:50 pm flight was delayed. 4 pm passed. Then 4:30 pm. Then 5 pm. After checking the screen about 5 times for an hour, the airline finally decided to inform its passengers that it was delayed. They completed this obviously excruciatingly difficult task by changing the time on the screen inconspicuously. No announcement, just an innocent change in numbers where the “expected flight time” was listed. Annoying!

I must say, though, that it was an entertaining wait. We watched as an African- European little girl, no older than three, wearing a get up of go-go boots and a purple mini skirt, raced around the terminal throwing papers everywhere, running into people, and screeching while her mother sat there shaking her head and doing nothing. We tried to watch as a blonde Italian lady at the gate next to us was yelling,-literally, screaming-at the top of her lungs at someone (I couldn’t get a clear view because there were too many people watching, I’m assuming it was probably a gate agent. But who knows these days). Needless, to say, the time passed a little faster when we had “scenes” to watch.  All the more reason for us to learn Italian, so we can understand what they are saying!

At 5:30 pm it was time to board. We lined up like cattle although it was not really a line. It was more like Neapolitans shoving each other, yelling, and trying to get on the bus that would transport us from the terminal to the airplane first. Not that I understand what the rush was, considering that we were all going to the same place and I quickly learned that getting on the plane first was not a matter of how early you got to the airport, or even how fast you got on the bus, but rather where you re located on the bus in order to get out first and snag a seat on the plane. Anyway, to make a long story very short we were able to be seated next to each other.  It was such a pleasant flight that we somehow managed to be seated next to an American who chatted with Ben the entire flight while I watched my episodes of Real Housewives of New York in peace for two hours straight.

We finally arrived in Prague at 8 pm. The shuttles were no longer running and God knows we didn’t want to figure out the metro by that point so we decided to catch a cab. We were caught off guard when Dale, Ben’s seatmate and a former Navy officer, put us in a cab and handed the cab driver money to take us to our hotel. I have to say that the sense of camaderie we’ve experienced among Americans living abroad is amazing!

What a relief when we arrived at our hotel and saw that not only is it located in a wonderful, central area, but it was gorgeous and fully lived up to the 4

(and a half) star rating . My fellow hotel snobs and salespeople will completely understand where I’m coming from. J The hotel is called K&K Central on the border of Nove Mesto and Stare Mesto. It is comfortable, Czech style, and walking distance to Prague’s Old Town- note: the place to go for young people- and the metro stations.  At only 87 euros per night and complimentary breakfast it is a complete steal. The beds are so comfortable in this hotel that it was difficult not to spend the entire day lounging. Not to mention it was down the street from a mall with 200 stores. Ahhhhhh.

We had dinner down the street at a restaurant called “the Needle house.” Our eyes got bigger and bigger as we scanned the menu and saw all of the different food options. You have to realize that when you sign up to live in Naples, Italy, you’re basically signing up to eat Italian food for four years unless you plan on cooking every night. I was in shock when I ordered salmon and it came with fresh dill. Dill! I could’ve cared less about dill in the US. But because I hadn’t seen any fresh herbs besides the basil and the select few that they offer at the Exchange in a long time it was all novelty to me. I have definitely learned not to take the little things for granted that are handed to you so easily in the US. And I ate the garnish! Hehehe.

I realize that I am probably being way too elaborate in explaining our trip but one has to realize that this was our first time out of the country in over four months. We appreciated and soaked up very little bit of it!

Day 1

We woke up the next morning and realized it was chilly so we made our way to the mall to find some kind of sweater or warm cover up. Prague has unpredictable weather so even if the weather reports tell you it will be warm weather, always bring a light jacket! I almost passed out when I walked right smack into Starbucks. I have been dreaming about peppermint mochas for the past three+ months so you can only imagine our delight when we saw the familiar green and white logo.

We hopped on the metro and made our way to “Mala Strana,” aka “Lesser Town” across the Vltava River. Prague is comprised of mini-cities within one main city. All are easily accessible by metro (the metro is extremely easy and pleasant to navigate, fyi) or walkable depending on how far you are willing to walk. Ben and I had already observed the amazing steeples, towers, and historic buildings as we walked to the mall and the metro station but seeing the city’s skyline and the Vltava River from the Mala Strana area was magnificent. Prague truly is a place unlike any other. The buildings are historic but colorful; it almost resembles a gothic fantasy land. But with normal, civilized people and streets that are ridiculously clean!

We made our way to the region of Mala Strana that houses the Old Royal Palace, St. Vitus Cathedral, and the monastery of St. George. There are also a few other points of interests like the Toy Museum, etc, but the first three are the frontrunners and a must-see in Prague. Before moving to Europe, I had never really taken the time to learn about or appreciate architecture and it’s significance throughout history. Prague showcases four major types of architectural design: Romanesque, gothic, renaissance, and baroque. Some fun facts: Romanesque- exteriors often circular and interiors starker and simpler than gothic. Gothic- soaring towers, spires, beautiful but dark. Renaissance- figurative designs on the outside, bohemian style with emphasis on classical and mythical figures. Baroque-big cupolas, marble columns, ornately painted frescoes, everything in marble and gold. Though all can seem similar to one another, they are actually very different and it’s amazing to see these throughout Europe.

 It’s interesting that you learn a lot about yourself through travelling. Ben and I had always thought that we were the type to take tours in order to learn as much as possible about the destinations we visit. After a few unsuccessful tours we have learned that we are not the tour group type and prefer to do everything at our own pace. For this reason, we are thrilled about the invention of “Do it yourself tours.” Little machines that you can rent and take with you as you sightsee. (On a side note, if you are as ADD as I am then you will probably also appreciate the Rick Steve’s books which include self guided tours and the Hop on, Hop off buses that they offer in every part of Europe).

We rented the self guided tour machines and explored the region. It was entertaining to watch the changing of the guards, which occurs every hour on the hour. As you can see these guards take their jobs very, very seriously J

I would have to say that my favorite of the three places we visited that day was the St. Vitus Cathedral. We were in awe when we saw the Duomo in Florence, but just as pleasantly surprised when we saw St. Vitus Cathedral. The Cathedral is baroque  style with a façade decorated with statues of saints. The building consists of numerous “chapels” which in my opinion are really altars, dedicated to important saints, along with Prague memorials commemorating casualties of World War I,  murals of Christ and the life of St. Wencelsas, along with the Royal Crypt which houses three Czech kings and their wives. I was enamored by the golds and ornate artwork within the walls of St. Vitus, not to mention the fact that there is so much history and detail about significant elements of Czech history in just one building alone.  We toured the Royal Palace afterwards (the official residence of royalty prior to the second half of the 16^th century) and St. George’s Basilica (a former convent dedicated to housing 19^th century of Czech art). Neither one was half as interesting to me as St. Vitus. Although the Royal Palace exhibited crowns belonging to past kings and I must say the jewels were gorgeous. Ben made sure to shoo me out before I could spend too much time in the museum shop looking at jewelry J.

My only regret about this area was that we did not see the Lobkowicz palace which houses the “Princely gallery” including famous paintings, musical instruments, and the family’s jewels. Since we had spent so much time touring already we decided to head out for lunch.

We used a Fodor’s tour book during this trip because we couldn’t locate Rick Steves at the bookstore. We have been spoiled by the blunt, up front manner of Rick Steves books so we decided to go against Fodor’s advice and lunch elsewhere, rather than soak in the “views” offered by the restaurants within the Palace courtyards. 

Ben and I had our first authentic Czech meal in town, at a cute restaurant called. We had a Pilsner, Czech beer which is definitely heavier than American beers. Note: if you are on a diet don’t go to the Czech Republic! You won’t be able to resist the food and beer! Beer is the national beverage of the CR and can be found everywhere. People drink it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, no joke! The restaurant was a cool place and felt like a cave. We got our first taste of Goulash, which is like a Czech beef stew, and were both happy as a clam. The waitress taught us how to say please,”Prosim” and Thank you “Dekuji vam”, and how to lay your fork and knife to show that you are still eating, want more, or are finished with your meal. It was an experience of pure yumminess and Czech education!

After lunch we did some shopping and somehow I was able to convince my dear husband that I needed a pair of beautiful 14k gold garnet earrings and a blue ceramic pitcher to be used as a vase. We have decided to collect something from every place we visit. What could be better than something you can keep to pass down as an heirloom (Czech garnet!) along with display pieces for the home?! :) Fortunately for me, my husband is starting to see where I’m coming from!

On the way back to our hotel we crossed the Charles Bridge, an iconic piece of Prague history. The bridge connects Stare Mesto with Mala Strana over the Vltava River. It offers views galore, beautiful statues, and street vendors peddling their wares and watercolor art. It is a tourist mecca and almost impossible to get a nice picture of Prague without Joe Schmo and a million other people in it. The bridge is ideal at night, particularly at sunset, when it is less populated and perfect for watching the sunset.

Hungry after a long day of sightseeing and a quick nap in our luxurious beds, we set out for more Czech food. Yikes, we tried an interesting Czech dish all right! Because we were starving at 9 pm we decided to find something close to our hotel in Stare Mesto, aka, touristy. We found a pub slash restaurant (although I guess because they all house so much beer, most restaurants would be considered as pubs anyway) and skimmed through the menu. We started off with an order of beer cheese and fried bread. Interestingly enough, this appetizer was not bad. The cheese was coated in some kind of breadcrumb thing and the bread was well, fried bread. Which I would never in a millon years have tried elsewhere. What I find quite interesting in Prague is that waiters will not give you a recommendation for meal selection. If you ask what’s better this or that, they will always say, “It depends on what you like.” Well, duh, I like both that’s why I’m asking you which is better here! We finally got the waiter to suggest the smoked pork ribs over the duck. I have underlined smoked because I did not realize that smoked really means bacon! Yuck!!! So we both received steaming hot humongous slabs of bacon on the bone. Thank God we had already stuffed ourselves with beer cheese and greasy bread so we literally could not bring ourselves to eat it and took it to go. Beware of smoked ribs!

Day 2

Prague has a famous Jewish Quarter that we decided to visit. Because Ben is Jewish, this was something near and dear to his heart and an area I was extremely interested in seeing. On our way to the Jewish Quarter, we stumbled into the heart of Stare Mesto, Old Town Square, and saw restaurants, another clock tower (I swear, Prague has clock towers everywhere) and the church of St. Nicholas. We walked into St. Nicholas and, as always, were mesmerized by the sculptures and golds that were incorporated into the church. It was beautiful, these Czechs mean business when it comes to building their Churches! The church is famous for concerts that it holds several nights a week. The organ playing heard in the church was truly “gothic” and even though Ben and I are not really organ music fans you cannot even imagine how it sounds in a building like that. It’s crazy. Anyway, we walked into Josefov, the Jewish Quarter, and found the trail of synagogues and museums we were interested in. The sightseeing throughout the Jewish quarter was an unforgettable experience. The Jewish population played a huge role in Czech history as so many lived in Prague. We started with the Spanish synagogue and made our way to the Old Jewish Cemetery, Pinkas Synagogue, and the Ceremonial Hall. Each offers a different exhibition on various aspects of Jewish customs and history and were a must see. It was so depressing to learn that of more than 118,000 Jews living in the CR only 30,000 survived to see the end of the war; one would not have ever realized that the CR had housed so many at one point in time! Out of all that we saw, by far the most significant was the Pinkas Synagogue. The synagogue is a Holocaust memorial that commemorates the Jewish community of Prague. It gave me the chills as I walked in and saw the thousands of names inscribed into the walls of citizens that had lost their lives during the Holocaust. Literally, you are surrounded by walls of family names and as the reality of what happened during the Holocaust sets in, you come face to face with the names of these innocent people that were killed and it makes it that much more real. Upstairs was by far the most heart wrenching as there is an exhibition of drawings created by Jewish children during the Holocaust. Children of all ages had drawn pictures of scenes like what it meant to them to be with family, travelling by rail to these “camps,” what it would feel like to return to Prague one day, and much more. It was emotional to watch as these pictures turned from happy scenes with family and friends to darkness and depression and then again to hope as they imagined what it would be like to return to Prague and the end of the war. Pictures of some of these children are displayed, as well. It was sickening to think of the cruelty inflicted upon innocent children and so many others. The best part was seeing drawings made by those children who ended up surviving later on.  I have read plenty of books on the Holocaust, and seen plenty of movies and documentaries on the subject but by far, nothing has ever struck a chord as much as the Pinkas Synagogue did.

I had no idea that there were specific Jewish cemeteries and was surprised to see the Old Jewish Cemetery which is, no exaggeration, the burial ground of 10,000 Jews! All within a tiny cemetery!

We left the Jewish quarter feeling like we were in much need of a drink. We had lunch and later on ended up overhearing about a pub where you can pour your own beer! Each table had a tab that is computerized so that you can pour as much as you want, request a waiter/waitress, request songs, and even compete against other tables. We decided that if we are ever “sightsee’ed out” in Prague one day, we won’t hesitate to spend the day at this bar. I’m kicking myself because I’m trying to remember what the name of it is but can’t! I guess we’ll have to google it so we can pay a visit next time!

Day 3

On our final day we decided to look for the Church of Our Lady Victorious, the Church that houses the Infant Child of Prague. I have seen so many of my mom’s pictures and figurines of the Infant Child of Prague that it was wonderful to actually see the figure in person. It looks like a doll, Baby Jesus, dressed in an elaborate, ornate gown. He was given to  Prague as a gift from the Queen of Spain hundreds of years ago and is known as miraculous among Catholics. Ben and I paid homage for some time and went on to sightsee and navigate the rest of Prague at our leisure.

Along with collecting items when we travel, we have decided to start a wine collection. That’s right, so if in ten years we invite you for dinner at our home and happen to open a bottle of European wine, consider yourself lucky! J We found a wine shop and after speaking with an interesting Czech woman for quite some time (she didn’t like that I was asking a lot of questions so she called me “difficult.” A few minutes later she told Ben that I was “exquisite” ??? because apparently she realized she had better change her tune but I had enough and walked outside) we decided to go on a search for wine (sold by someone that actually deserved the sale) that was worth it. So…we ended up in the Czech grocery store! We bought several bottles of wine and I ended up buying (what else) dill and thyme so that I could take them home and freeze them for recipes.

We spent our last dinner in Prague at a beautiful restaurant overlooking the Charles Bridge, Kampa Park. We couldn’t find the actual walkway to enter it (it’s quite hidden) but we cheered to a wonderful trip to Prague and an expensive, yet worth the view, last meal in the Czech Republic!

After three days of unforgettable experiences, three bottles of wine, garnet earrings, a crystal vase, a ceramic pitcher, Czech candy, and our bellies full of Starbucks and dill, we reflect, yet again, about how lucky we are to have the opportunity to travel like this. Every time we start to fall into the monotony of daily life and frustrations with the culture- you know, a toilet breaking and no plumber to fix it for a week, Internet that takes two weeks to reconfigure- Ben and I stop to remember our travels within the past three months alone and know that it is worth every minute.

Next stop, Ben’s birthday trip: Barcelona, Spain August 25-29!

Tuscany Trip pictures

San Gimignano 

It wasn't easy to convince Ben to go wine tasting.

Under the Tuscan Sun

Amidst the process of unpacking and organizing over the past month, we were able to take a 4 day break and drove throughout Florence and Tuscany. Ben had told me that he was going to surprise me in terms of where we were staying. At 7 PM on a Thursday night, we packed ourselves, luggage, and Athena into the car and began our 5 hour journey. This was not an easy drive folks. Well, any drive that consists of Italians behind the wheel is no an easy drive. Though I did my best to keep my mouth shut Ben had to keep instructing me to look away from my side view mirrors (he was driving, I wasn't) because he knew how antsy I was getting. You laugh now but wait til you come visit!

Anyway, after an interesting drive through the dark hills of tuscany at midnight Ben proceeded to tell me that the key would be left at the door for us. Hmm...I was very curious as to what kind of facility he was taking me to. We removed our bags and the dog from the car and hiked up the stairs to unlock our room. Ben went in first and he peeked his head out at me and said Uh oh..... I knew exactly what that meant and braced myself for the room. There are Agriturismos which are somewhat luxurious or even have clean bathrooms and beds. This was a full on farm. It was definitely an Agristurismo experience though, and that was the full intention so neither one of us regret it. :)

The next day he took me to San Gimignano which is absolutely one of my most favorite places in the world.
http://www.sangimignano.com/
It is a quaint little town in northern Italy set amidst the picturesque rolling hills. Everything is rustic and timeless and it truly a town one could never forget. They specialized in Chianti wine because of the region so Ben and I made sure to offer our services and test the wines for them:) And the cheese- AMAZING! How I have not gained any weight yet is beyond me but this food is to die for. I better not jinx myself. P.S. If you ever go to Tuscany do not order Ribollita. I'm not even going to tell you what it reminds me of but it's not appealing or tasty.

Along the way, Athena made a Chihuahua friend named Robin. Robin is Slovakian and Athena was able to learn some new words: botsem means come here, sadnut si means sit down, and so on. Even our little 5 lb dog is learning other cultures and meeting other "foreigners". It's crazy! The funniest is when Italians ask me if she (Athena) can speak Italian. In other words, does she know how to sit, stand, walk in Italian. Ummmm...no!

When you watch movies it is easy to assume that the location is just as beautiful in person. Often times when you actually visit, you realize that is not the case. Tuscany is one of those regions that is just as beautiful in person as it is onscreen or in pictures, if not more gorgeous. It is serene and the perfect spot to visit when you need to relax and enjoy the scenery.

After spending a full day in San Gimignano, we left for Lucca which is a city surrounded by four walls.
http://www.italyguides.it/us/italy/tuscany/lucca/lucca.htm
The story is that the four walls were built to protect the city from any sort of military attack in the 17th century. We arrived in the evening so unfortunately, we didn't have the opportunity to tour Lucca but we did have dinner in one of the piazza's. If we have the opportunity to go again, we would definitely take advantage of the bicycle rentals and ride throughout the city, which is very popular.

We arrived in Florence "Firenze" early Saturday afternoon and checked into our hotel which was conveniently located within walking distance to all of Florence's attractions. It was my second time in Florence after having been there years ago and I love it. Ben and I walked to Ponte Vecchio- the bridge across the Arno river- and explored the area. It is filled with gold shops and touristy items and we didn't buy anything but it was wonderful to be able to admire Florence's scenery from the bridge. We made our way to the Uffizi museum where we were able to view the work of all of the famous artists from Michaelangelo to Leonardo da Vinci. After a 45- one hour wait in line we finally entered the museum. When you visit Europe be sure to take full advantage of the option to purchase tickets online. It will save you alot of time! It was interesting to see how the Renaissance world and art have created Florence's history and the city it has become. We chose to forgo a tour guide and followed along with our guide to Florence, a Rick Steve's book- by the way, if you have the opportunity to travel buy his books- he is amazing and helps to narrow down which sights are worth seeing. It was fascinating to see some of the paintings I had studied in Art History class in person! That evening we had dinner in a busy piazza and enjoyed a bottle of wine and people watching.

After dinner we made our way back to the hotel and, as cheesy as it sounds, almost fell over in awe when we came face to face with the Duomo, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. I've seen the Duomo before but completely forgot about how magnificent it is, especially when you don't expect to bump into it at night after a bottle of wine. It glowed from every angle. I don't know what kind of lighting they use but Ben and I both feel like it is one of the most beautiful structures we have ever seen. It is massive, gothic, and incredible. We read that it can hold 20,000 people- that is crazy! That and San Gimignano are definitely our two favorite parts of the trip.

On Sunday we did something different and purchased tickets to ride the "Sightsee Florence" double decker bus. The bus drove through the city and offers it's passengers headphones so that you can hear about what you are seeing. The bus took us to a region near Florence that we had never seen, and that most people never visit, called Fiesole. Fiesole is a town directly above the city with Etruscan roots, Roman ruins, and amazing views of Florence. It is mellow and a great option for those to get out of the city and explore other parts of Florence. We drove by cathedrals, monasteries, and museums galore. I don't think I've ever seen so many cathedrals in my life. And it's amazing to see the effort and money that have been put into them!

After Fiesole we went to the Boboli gardens which remind me of Balboa Park in San Diego, but even more beautiful. It was a mini hike and we realized it is an area where most of the students and possibly locals go to relax, have quiet picnics, and enjoy nice weather. Speaking of students, much of Florence is comprised by Exchange students from all countries and tourists. I'm not kidding when I say that when it comes to language, Ben and I felt like we were back in the US. As much as we love Italian, it was such a nice break to be able to speak English everywhere we went.

For our last dinner, we went to ZaZa's, which comes highly recommended to us by my girl friends back home. Thanks for the recommendation, girls! It was the best meal we've had since we've been here, no joke!

On Monday we made the five hour drive home, stopping at the US War Memorial outside of Florence. It is the cemetery of 2,000 US soldies who were killed in battle during World War II. It was quite the emotional experience, and very meaningful to us considering that not only was it Memorial Day (coincidentally) but something that hits close to home because of Ben's military service. We got alot out of walking around the site and paying homage to the soldiers that died in battle. If there's one thing I can say about living in Europe it's that it makes you a heck of alot prouder to be an American than you have ever felt before!

We truly enjoyed our weekend away and were so happy to have had the opportunity to visit Florence! I'm sure we will go there again within the next three years and look forward to seeing even more sights next time. We decided that we are going to go to another country next and booked a trip for the 21st through 25th of June. Next on the list: Prague!

Neapolitan Life as we know it

Wow, it's been quite some time that I've been able to update everyone with the latest and greatest in our lives! We've had so many fun experiences- places to go, people to meet, things to put away, vespas to avoid on the road- it's been madness! First and foremost, it started with the move into the apartment in Posillipo. Posillipo is a downtown residential area which offers full views of the Islands, the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, and Mt Vesuvius (who we hope does not get angry any time soon!).

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if there is one, most important piece of advice that I could share with anyone before moving to Italy it is to learn the language before arriving. Amidst all of the craziness with Ben's arrival from deployment, the holidays, the wedding, and the move, that is the one major detail I overlooked. Charades and nodding your head all the time simply don't cut it in a region of Italy that is purposely intending to hold on to it's culture. Because we have chosen the full immersion experience of living in town, this has definitely affected us. It's been a huge blessing in the sense that since I hear it being spoken so often around me, I start to pick up on it and am learning more and more every day.

Ben is extremely friendly and has made friends with Max and Carlo, the two polleria owners (rotiserrie chicken place) downstairs, Mario at the cafe/mini store next door, and Roberto at the Italian restaurant down the street. On the days when it seems like no one else in the world understands- because truly, they don't understand you- it is always nice to see the friendly faces to greet you with "Buon Giorno!" (Good morning/good day) or "Buona Sera" (Good Evening) when we walk by their little shops each day. Thanks to my husband we have Italian "friends." And thanks to Google translate on my Blackberry I can type in what we need and have a full conversation. :)

On to the move-in. As pictured in our last couple of blog entries, we live in an area called "Posillipo."
http://www.portanapoli.com/Eng/naples/views-vomero-posillipo.html
Posillipo is a city, well, I guess more so considered a town, within the downtown area of Napoli. It is a waterfront area, complete with views, cobblestone streets, and all of those traditional Italian restaurants and cafes you picture when you think of Italy. All snobbery aside, it is considered the most prestigious city of Napoli and you can see why as you observe the lack of garbage, grafitti, and can simply enjoy the views and the sound of old Italian men doing business and singing "O Sole Mio" in the piazza outside of our terrace. I forgot to mention that we are also located above an "Elletroforno", pizza,pasta, etc restaurant that is VERY popular. It's chaos Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night right outside in the piazza as people from all over Naples meet to socialize and eat pizza. It's almost entertaining that people drive from miles and miles away just to sit in a parking lot to eat pizza and enjoy views. Hmm...maybe Ben and I should charge for access to our terrace:)  We smell pizza through the windows quite often. Thank God we are on the top floor!
And what a top floor it is. I apologize in advance for anyone who comes to visit because I hope you prepare yourselves for the hike before you pull your suitcase up the stairs. It is no joke, I am tired halfway up. We are in an old Victorian building and they don't believe in elevators which means that everytime we go home it is a mini workout!

The movers came the week before last and were red faced and panting when they got upstairs. Hehehe. All I could think about was how happy I was that Ben and I weren't doing the moving for the millionth time in my life especially up these stairs! We took care of them though, and gave them plenty of water, and pizza.

We've been living in a huge mess over the past few weeks but have finally gotten it under control. I am happy to say that the bathroom and kitchen and master bedroom are completely finished but we still have the remaining rooms to complete. Between both of our jobs and activities we've been involved in it's been impossible to devote our weeknights to the apartment. We've been working on it during the weekend and this weekend we are much more relaxed and pleased with our efforts. I've been to Ikea so many times that I'm honestly surprised that I'm not on a first name basis with the workers, especially since I'm the one who never hesitates to ask for the "Sconto NATO" (military discount, 15%!). Thus we've had boxes of Ikea furniture add to the boxes of our household items and it was not a pretty sight. The issue with Italian homes is that there is no storage whatsoever. No closets, no medicine cabinets, not even towel racks. Nothing. Oh, except we do have kitchen cupboards anda crawl space upstairs which was a plus. Therefore Ben and I have had to buy everything- a full wardrobe, set of drawers, under the sink cabinet, desk, everything you can possibly think of. It's been chaos. Nevertheless, it's our first home as husband and wife and we are enjoying putting it together.

At the end of the day, the most peaceful sight is looking out at the water and the islands. It is gorgeous and we cannot wait to bring home outdoor lounge furniture so we can finally entertain.
I refuse to post more pictures until we have our paintings up and the apartment looks complete! Stay tuned...

In terms of everyday life, we've been adjusting well. Since this is Ben's "shore duty" he shouldn't be deploying for the next few years and this job doesn't involve flying. He jokes and says he is "flying a desk." Though I loved working with my brother in law, I had to quit my job due to the evening hours in order to spend time with Ben, and to fully experience Italy and living in Europe. As much as it seems incredible not to be working, it is a transition for me to be completely unemployed. I am making the most of our new life and I love experimenting with new recipes and being able to be stress free. I was a bit surprised that the base is not more welcoming to new spouses but at the same time it really forces you to make the effort on your own. I've met many great people so far and enjoy taking advantage of the outings that the military offers or participating in the cooking classes. I drive into work with Ben very often and am at the base visiting with friends or doing errands probably 99% of the time if you can believe it. I plan to take advantage of volunteer opportunities at some point in the next few months and am looking forward to getting more involved!

It's funny that after we are fully moved in we will probably only be living in town for 5 months or so. The drive to and from work every day is making Ben crazy (and again when you visit, you will see why!) and because I spend so much time at the base it only makes sense for us to be residing there. We hope to have babies at some point in the next few years and if the government is only going to move us at their expense one time then we had better take advantage of the opportunity!

If you are thinking of coming to visit us we encourage you to come within the next few months so you can fully experience the beauty of Posillipo and downtown Naples! My mom is coming next month and we cannot wait to have her here!

There is so much to do here and Ben and I have been doing our best to make the most of it. We went wine tasting with friends last weekend at a winery nearby called "Cantine Astroni". Unlike most of the wine tasting experiences we've had where you simply go to a winery and sample all of the wine- which, trust me, is always a good time- they actually tour the winery with you and explain the process of the wine making show you how the grapes are grown and even share some tidbits of information such as the fact that the grapes have been able to grow abundantly due to the volcanic ash in the soil or that they grow rosebushes among the vines so that if there is an infestation of pests they attach the rosebushes first and give them time to save the grapes, etc. Then we got to enjoy the wine- which was amazing and very, very affordable- and went home with six bottles! We plan to start a wine collection while we're here and learned that the military will transport something like 150 bottles to the States for us when we leave. Tough life, huh? :)

Last weekend we also went to dinner with our friends Jen and Pat in Sorrento. We went to a really cute restaurant called "The Foreigner's Club" overlooking the Amalfi Coast and the cliffs. Sorrento is only 45 minutes away and well worth visiting! This weekend we hope to visit one of the islands, possibly Capri again, or Ischia since the weather has been so perfect.

Life in Naples has been treating us well so far. It is quite different but I can honestly say that it's really forced us to evaluate what is important in life and to appreciate things that we have taken for granted in the past. For example, in the States I used to get in the car whenever I felt like it and go wherever I wanted to. Here, I don't do that. Everything is planned in advance and I have to sum up the courage to get behind the wheel of our Fiat punto first (I think part of that is on account of the fact that the first day I drove by myself I got terribly lost and ended up downtown during rush hour. Yikes!). It's forced me to realize that for a person who likes to move quickly in all aspects of life and go go go I need to slow it down and take it one step at a time. Ben and I have both found friendships in people that we would not have taken the time to get to know back home- simply because of seemingly having nothing in common. Here everyone has one thing in common: we are all blessed with the opportunity to experience a different culture and navigate through ups and downs of it together. When Ben and I decided to accept this duty station we were caught up in the glamour of living in Europe and didn't stop to consider the adjustments that would coincide with it or the fact the when you choose to live somewhere new you will always be faced with adapting to the monotony of routine and daily life. We chose this destination because we wanted to travel and truly be forced with relying on no one but each other during the first few years of marriage. I can honestly say that it has strengthened our relationship already and helped us to build the elements of a strong and healthy marriage. When you make a sacrifice like asking your spouse to give up their job for them to be fully dependent on you financially or learn how to cope with dealing with each other while yelling at crazy drivers on the road and incessant backseat driving there is nowhere to go but up! You learn to appreciate each other's strengths and to lift each other's spirits when they are frustrated with the transition into such a different type of life.

With that, I will move on to the next post to tell you about our trip to Tuscany!