It was amazing that we were able to convince our oldest son, Grant, to stay with us a bit longer as he could have returned to New York after his internship and finished his coursework for the year. Instead, he remained with us in Volterra and completed work on-line. We love the magic of the internet! We are grateful because in previous years we only had the opportunity to see Grant but 4 times per year as we lived in Guanacaste, Costa Rica and he in the Northeast of the US. The opportunities to visit with one another were so limited.
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Unfortunately , the playoff game was a loss, but it was such a wonderful season. Grant had made so many new friends and contacts. He had developed a close personal relationship with the general manager Nicola Alberani and the energy in the air was amazing! Grant had learned so much. He went from learning all the Eurocup rules and laws of the game to later becoming a talent scout. By the end of his time interning with the team, Grant sought out two new players for the team and one was offered and accepted a contract with the team! Grant had the incredible experience of watching his own pick, by his own merit, play on the floor of the Virtus Roma stadium!
After several long goodbyes, it was time to hit the road another 3 hours south into a town
called Caserta, nearby Naples. Oh, what a sight it was! Friends of ours in Tuscany raved about how it was such a beautiful place to behold. And how it rivaled France's palace,Versailles. Once we ventured inside what looked like a hauntingly huge Palace, we were astounded. There were throne rooms, decorated bed chambers, children's fancy cribs and ancient toys, even a fancy marble bathroom Napoleon once used. The number of rooms were endless, it seemed. So much that we had to monitor our time so we could enjoy the bountiful gardens and fountains outside. A truly memorable visit.
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| Siena getting fierce in Caserta's grand entry staircase |
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| Caserta's lovely ancient feat: a fountain system! Incredible! |
Next, we were off to the Amalfi coast! We lodged in Sorrento for the long weekend and visited both Pompeii & Herculaneum (Ercola) while gazing up at Mt. Vesuvius, So very daunting.
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| On a dare, Liam stuck his head inside the ancient, public cooking well/ fire pit... one of many in Ercola (Herculaneum) |
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| Grant in Ercola! |
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| Garden of the fugitives in Pompeii! |
At night, we walked the beautifully lit streets of Sorrento, so charming and lovely filled with shops overflowing with souvenirs and the aroma of pasta dishes and ragu. Our daughter, Siena, wanted to live there.
By day, we boarded boats to visit the isle of Capri! We visited the Augustus gardens and the wonderfully fragrant perfumeries that dotted the walkways. It was heavenly and sweet smelling.
Finally, on one ever so fateful day, we booked a boat to take us out to visit the blue Grotto. Amazing! We had to wait in a boat line to change into little rowboats, reminding me of Venice with a standing rower. I never knew we would have to duck our heads down into the boat in order to enter the Grotto. I certainly was blue and a bit warm with the salty air you could taste. The rowers slowly paddled us in a circle and sang familiar Italian tunes. The acoustics carried their harmonies and we felt like special guests. The blue hue of the water reflected light from outside in the Bay of Naples. A dream of mine to see for years.
On our final day in the Amalfi coast, we drove along the windy, coastal road past the cities of Amalfi, Ravello & Positano. Walking out to the sandy shores, visiting beautiful shops and gardens along the way while savoring every thought, feeling, smell, sensation and vista... like it was a bucket list location and this would be our last time. We even met and made a new friendship with another international couple. I think we were approachable and open. It was a wonderful experience to not feel like a tourist as much but rather, a local visitor.
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