Thursday, August 27, 2015

June 15, 2015 Sorrento to Ancona, Ferry to Greece

It's a nice day for a bus ride!! Today we headed back north and to the other side of the boot. In Ancona we caught an overnight ferry to Igoumenista, Greece. It was a beautiful drive, but on a sad note, it's our final day with our bus driver George. We really loved him.


We crossed the Apennine Mountains again, the are just gorgeous. Green mountains, lush valleys, winding roads and lots of agriculture. Italy is a beautiful place, I was sad to leave so soon.

On a TRULY thrilling note, around 130pm we were in the neighborhood of the Gran Sasso (great rock) Research Institute where, in underground laboratories, they are studying neutrinos being beamed, yes BEAMED, from the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron particle accelerator in Switzerland (almost 500 miles away).

I KNOW. Take a moment. I myself need to pause for a residual swoon.



 look at all the scooter people!



 i also have a tunnel thing.


that's George.

George dropped us at the ferry terminal where we had to bid him adieu. I'm fairly certain, after 2 weeks with us, he would not miss us as much we missed him.


 Cody attempting to coach me through a selfie.
 those are full size semis on that boat. 2 levels of them mind you.
 waiting to load.
pretty sweet ride.
pretty sweet view. 

So now here's where things go sideways. Not in world-peace threatening sort of way (mostly), but I do believe we owe people from several continents abject apologies. Karen & I sang Karoake. and not just any song, an 8 and half minute song. 

also, "sang" is not exactly the right word. 

"Oh, you're one of those girls from last night."
(thought my days of hearing THAT were over!)

Aside from the trauma we inflicted, everyone had a fantastic time on the ferry. We danced the night away in the discotheque, met some cool folks from Croatia and in the morning we were in Greece!

 Marc and Benny helped warm the crowd up for us.
 No one took pictures of us, but i think they needed both hands to cover their ears. 

Eric had some sweet moves, shocking as I didn't know that was possible with anyone related to me.



Wednesday, August 26, 2015

June 14, 2015, Part 2: Sorrento

Here's a direct quote from my diary:

"After another hour on the bus we arrived in Sorrento. The streets are narrow and scooters flit around like deranged mosquitoes."

I honestly don't know how our driver managed to maneuver our enormous tour bus through these narrow streets. Especially with clouds of scooters buzzing around.

We started our afternoon in Sorrento with a very interesting demonstration on inlaid wood, not really my style, but I can appreciate the artistry and the precision of it all had me swooning.  We had a few hours of free time before loading back onto the bus and heading to our hotel. Some of the kids made their way down to the water, the rest of us honed our shopping skills. This town is amazing and beautiful and I want my whole family to move here so I can live there.
Enjoy the pics!

I have a bridge thing...
 ... and a fence thing
 and a sky thing... and a water thing...
 and a flower thing.
 and a boat thing.

but thankfully NOT an italian driving thing. 
I would have died of old age by the end of the afternoon if i was George.
Sorrento. Isn't it just GLORIOUS???




Okay, so that's Karen and Marc in front of me, to the left, there is this crazy chasm filled with flora and fauna and there's this structure down there. Finally spotted the steps, but what goes down must come up and I was okay right where I was.




















because you have to.

 Hi MOM!
Karen and I both immediately thought of our niece Gabriella when we saw this outfit. She of course would also have to have a coordinated purse.

 Jayna taking a picture of Angee, Karen, Marc and Kirsten.
 Seriously, who's with me?
I know it's almost the exact same picture but it's also almost the exact same awesome. I don't know about you, but awesome times 2 is my favorite.

and that's when the neighborhood went to pot... 
haha... kidding. 

 Sorrento is so awesome, it can overcome terrible plastic patio furniture.



The restaurant below is on the other side of the rail (and down a bit, obviously) from the picture above. The next pic is the rest of the view.


you know you want to.