As we approach the city of Naples, it quickly becomes apparent that this is not your classic Italian city that is romanticised in pictures and movies. Instead it is a very busy cargo terminal, a large port for cruise ships and full of bustling chaotic streets. We are thrown right into the lawlessness driving that apparently occurs throughout all of Italy. No lanes, no blinkers, few and far between red lights. Everyone free to ride and drive (tons of scooters..the most efficient way to navigate the cities) as they please. It's a game of frogger if you try and cross a street on foot. Everyone is going somewhere in a hurry. Every second, as scooters weave in and out of traffic and cars do not hesitate when zipping out of alleyways, it seems as though there should be dozens of accidents. Yet surprisingly we did not see anyone get run over or any sort of incident at all ?!? In fact, during a cab ride, our driver actually bumped a Carabinieri (cop) during a three point turn. This did not even phase the official! These sort of things did not bother any of the locals....not the cut offs by other drivers, nearby side swipes and rear ends...not even the close encounters of almost getting run over!
Chasing the Wild Goose
Our next couple of days will consist of completing the remainder of the documents needed to marry in Italy and reaching Positano. First we simply needed to obtain a tax stamp from which every local tobacco store has for sale. No such luck for us. With the language being a huge barrier, we would visit and strike out at more than half a dozen shops before running into our savior. A gentlemen who ran a Bar (Bar = Coffee shop, no seats, quick visit and social place) and spoke English pointed us in the right direction. Success! Next was a trip to the U.S. Consulate to complete the Nulla Osta and then to the Prefettura to "Legalize" the Nulla Osta. Off to Positano!
Meandering along coast, the view promised spectacular landscapes around each corner making the anticipation for Positano even greater the closer we drew near. Sea level roads gave way to shear cliff side ones with houses built right into the cliff side. "Wow", "Look at that", "Can you believe it" was about the extent of our conversations as we were mesmerized by the beauty of the coastline. Sometimes it was hard to distinguish where the cliff ended and the structure began. Amazing engineering.
The town of Positano is simply magical. Pastel structures fill the cliffs that lead down to the beautiful seaside. Shops, cafes, bars and gellaterias line the streets. Be careful as you exit these shops, there are no sidewalks, just narrow streets w/cars, mopeds and scooters zipping by constantly. Truly a unique town and even more unique and special experience.
With the language barrier continuing to be a nuisance, the chase continues. This time searching for the town hall where we will be married. Circling the town 4-5 times on the one way street that leads down to the sea to the top of the mountain. Once again, we eventually come across an English speaking local who explains to us where we need to go. Now off to find our lodging.
Seemingly further than we expected from the town of Positano, we finally arrive at the agriturismo. Perched high on the cliff overlooking the ocean is this B & B style home that is just beautiful. While settling into our room we begin to catch a foul odor wafting through our room and the lower level of the home. After further inspection we find that the sewer field and tank cover is directly outside of our room. I can imagine the difficulty living on a cliff side poses on the "plumbing" arrangements, yet there could have been a better solution to eliminating the odor. While talking over a carafe of wine, Bridget and I decided that our arrangements here would not be sufficient enough due to the factors of distance from Positano and the wonderful aromas the house offered. A quick phone call to our wedding coordinator and she had us set up in a wonderful hotel in Positano named Hotel La Bougainville for the remainder of our week. After a wonderful dinner, a nights rest and bread filled breakfast, we headed back into Positano.
Our hotel was only a few steps from the main piazza and we spent the rest of our day lazily strolling the picturesque city sipping on macchiatos, eating, window shopping and savoring the local gelato! Dinner was fantastic as we sat outside on the sidewalk right on the cliff overlooking the beach.
Meandering along coast, the view promised spectacular landscapes around each corner making the anticipation for Positano even greater the closer we drew near. Sea level roads gave way to shear cliff side ones with houses built right into the cliff side. "Wow", "Look at that", "Can you believe it" was about the extent of our conversations as we were mesmerized by the beauty of the coastline. Sometimes it was hard to distinguish where the cliff ended and the structure began. Amazing engineering.
The town of Positano is simply magical. Pastel structures fill the cliffs that lead down to the beautiful seaside. Shops, cafes, bars and gellaterias line the streets. Be careful as you exit these shops, there are no sidewalks, just narrow streets w/cars, mopeds and scooters zipping by constantly. Truly a unique town and even more unique and special experience.
With the language barrier continuing to be a nuisance, the chase continues. This time searching for the town hall where we will be married. Circling the town 4-5 times on the one way street that leads down to the sea to the top of the mountain. Once again, we eventually come across an English speaking local who explains to us where we need to go. Now off to find our lodging.
Seemingly further than we expected from the town of Positano, we finally arrive at the agriturismo. Perched high on the cliff overlooking the ocean is this B & B style home that is just beautiful. While settling into our room we begin to catch a foul odor wafting through our room and the lower level of the home. After further inspection we find that the sewer field and tank cover is directly outside of our room. I can imagine the difficulty living on a cliff side poses on the "plumbing" arrangements, yet there could have been a better solution to eliminating the odor. While talking over a carafe of wine, Bridget and I decided that our arrangements here would not be sufficient enough due to the factors of distance from Positano and the wonderful aromas the house offered. A quick phone call to our wedding coordinator and she had us set up in a wonderful hotel in Positano named Hotel La Bougainville for the remainder of our week. After a wonderful dinner, a nights rest and bread filled breakfast, we headed back into Positano.
Our hotel was only a few steps from the main piazza and we spent the rest of our day lazily strolling the picturesque city sipping on macchiatos, eating, window shopping and savoring the local gelato! Dinner was fantastic as we sat outside on the sidewalk right on the cliff overlooking the beach.
The Big Day!
As far as the day of Weddings go, I am confident that Bridget and I were far from the normal Bride and Groom. We had no pressure upon us as our day began. A relaxing breakfast followed by a stroll in town, then a bite to eat for lunch. Then back to the room to get ready. Since we were having pictures taken before the cermony, it was inevitable that I was going to see my bride in her dress. When I did, my heart started to race. She was stunning, so elegant....so beautiful! Since her dress was so form fitting, I had to put her shoes on for her. We had a good laugh and many after that. We were having such a wonderful time with each other.
Maximus was our photographers name, an exuberant local who loved his profession. He lead us through the streets and walkways of Positano capturing one of the most precious days of our lives. We were on top of the world as locals and tourists clapped and exclaimed "Bellisimo"! An hour of modeling in the streets then we headed to the town hall. The ceremony was simple and beautiful. We were out on a balcony overlooking the ocean as a mandolin player continuosly strummed beautiful music while the statements were read. Following the ceremony we headed to the top of town to a breathtaking vista overlooking all of Positano for the final picture shoot. There was a fruit stand at this location and apparently Maximo knows the owner along with everyone else in Positano. We asked if we could get a picture in front of the stand. They went above and beyond and let us get within the stand, feed each other grapes and drape strands of dried chili peppers around each others necks. An absolutely fun way to end the day. Music on the rocks was where we had our celebretory dinner. The perfect ending to a perfect day.
Toscana
With a six hour journey ahead of us, we started the day off early. We were headed to a small town called Chianciano where our Villa awaited us. For the next week we would use this small sustainable farmstead as our hub for day trips. Included would be Pienza, Cortona, Montepulchiano, Montalcino, Sienna and Firenze.
Every town had something different to offer. Whether it was a certain wine or cheese due to the wide array of microclimates Italy has to the many different cultural traditions. Each town has multiple churches, piazzas, statues, pizzarias, gelaterias, musuems, parks, bars and cafes. Positano aside, my favorite town was Sienna while Bridgets was Firenze. Firenze offered a very cultural and fashionable experience for here, something that draws her toward city life. The small town, old world feel of Sienna presented was what stuck with me about the city.
Most small towns were perched atop the highest point around resembling medevil fortresses. Very interesting how 20th and 21st Century populations have adapted their living amongst the ancient cities. Outside of these towns are beautiful, lush green rolling hills as far as the eye can see.
Each town consists of multiple duomos, some of which you are able to climb to the top of. Sometimes having in excess of 400 stairs, spiraling to the top. Well worth every step as you gain a unique perspective both inside and out. Unfortunately, as the number that we visited grew, the less interested we became. With each one containing thousands of years of history, the information became overwhelming. None the less every structure, especially the churches were stunning and gained our respect from every degree of thinking.
With a six hour journey ahead of us, we started the day off early. We were headed to a small town called Chianciano where our Villa awaited us. For the next week we would use this small sustainable farmstead as our hub for day trips. Included would be Pienza, Cortona, Montepulchiano, Montalcino, Sienna and Firenze.
Every town had something different to offer. Whether it was a certain wine or cheese due to the wide array of microclimates Italy has to the many different cultural traditions. Each town has multiple churches, piazzas, statues, pizzarias, gelaterias, musuems, parks, bars and cafes. Positano aside, my favorite town was Sienna while Bridgets was Firenze. Firenze offered a very cultural and fashionable experience for here, something that draws her toward city life. The small town, old world feel of Sienna presented was what stuck with me about the city.Most small towns were perched atop the highest point around resembling medevil fortresses. Very interesting how 20th and 21st Century populations have adapted their living amongst the ancient cities. Outside of these towns are beautiful, lush green rolling hills as far as the eye can see.
Each town consists of multiple duomos, some of which you are able to climb to the top of. Sometimes having in excess of 400 stairs, spiraling to the top. Well worth every step as you gain a unique perspective both inside and out. Unfortunately, as the number that we visited grew, the less interested we became. With each one containing thousands of years of history, the information became overwhelming. None the less every structure, especially the churches were stunning and gained our respect from every degree of thinking.
Roma
Our last three days of this perfect journey were spent exploring the vast city of Rome. Three days was enough for us. We covered most of the main part on foot, coming across the mind boggling structures of the Colliseum, the Roman Forum, Vatican City, Piazza Navona, The Spanish Steps, Medici Gardens and multiple other ruins that lay amongst this 21st century city. It's amazing how much history is just lying around not documented or even unearthed yet. This in fact was the most overwhelming experience we had the whole trip. Information overload is an understatement as we tried to grasp the timeline and historical moments that define this civilization of the past.
Our journey together began almost seven years ago to the date of our marriage and since has taken us to many reaches on this earth and within ourselves as well. This is yet another chapter in the continuous growth of our relationship as we add more pages to the beautiful novel of our life together.
1 comment:
What an incredible experience!
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