See It: Amalfi, Italy

Okay...it is time to get caught up on all our travels.  Life got a bit busy and hectic in the fall and winter...which is a great place to be in.  We feel very settled in our routine, jobs, friends, and life now that we have been in the UK for 18 months. 

Back in September, we went to Italy as our first long holiday to mainland Europe.  We fit in a few visits to various cities, so we felt like we saw quite a bit of southern Italy.  At the time, Italy was experiencing an heat wave, which we were not completely prepared for.  We must have adjusted to the cool, windy, wet weather of the UK.

We primarily stayed in Rome and Sorrento, but took day trips to other places from those cities.  One the places I was excited to visit was the Amalfi coast.  We had heard such wonderful tales about the beauty of the coast and the town. 

We took a hour boat ride down the coast to Amalfi, which allowed us to take in the beauty of the Italian coastline.  In the photos, you cannot see the narrow, winding road that is used to get to Amalfi if you elect to take the bus.  Being in a boat cruising along was so much more enjoyable than white-knuckling it in a bus on the edge of cliffs!  The majority of the homes along the coast were white, but the pockets of brightly colored homes definitely added to the charm! 

One of our main goals when visiting Amalfi was to eat at Taverna de Apostolic Ristorante, which was nestled right next to the stairs leading to the Amalfi Cathedral off one of the squares.  Amalfi is a definite tourist destination with a multitude of restaurants right off the main square that cater to tourists' desire to eat "Italian."  We had tried a couple of these type of restaurants in Rome and were not particularly impressed.  Taverna de Apostolic Ristorante was one of those hidden gems recommended by numerous guide books.  The wait staff was wonderful and friendly, but spoke very little English...which is sometimes a good sign of a more authentic and local restaurant!  They had a beautiful patio for outside dining, but sitting under the noon sun and eating warm pasta was not appealing, so we ate inside, which was just as charming.  Their pasta did not disappoint.  It was cooked to perfection, and we both ate every bite!

After lunch, we headed into the Amalfi Cathedral.  It was beautiful, but on this very hot day, it was not very cool.  We looked around and then went in search of some gelato to cool off!

Amalfi is known for its lemons, which we did not know upon walking through town.  Baskets filled to the brim with lemons were common sights throughout the town.  We have never seen such large lemons...some were as large as our heads! 

Once we had located some gelato and lemonade, we headed down to the beach.  Both sides of the pier were filled with beach chairs and umbrellas and people taking advantage of a late summer heat wave. 

We strolled through Amalfi, took in the sights, ate pasta, cooled off with some gelato, and relaxed on the beach.  Even though it was almost uncomfortably hot, we enjoyed our day trip to this slide of Italian coastline.  If you stop by, we might even still have some lemon candy from Amalfi for you, and the lights will definitely be on!

~W

A Stroll through Rome

Whenever we plan a trip, whether a day trip or long vacation, we make a list of activities or sights that are must-see and do.  On every list, my contribution is... "I just want to walk around the town and streets."  I have always been more interested in just walking around a town or city among people living their lives than visiting a museum.  AJ loves history and museums.  He can and will spend hours upon hours looking at and reading everything there is.  While he is perfectly content spending his vacation checking off museums, I want to walk up and down the streets, sit in a cafe, visit a park, and read a book.  Rome proved to be the perfect combination to satisfy our two distinct traveling interests. 

A narrow street blocks from the Colosseum

Cafes were at every turn.  I was instantly drawn into the charm of sipping an ice tea, reading a book, and people-watching from such a quaint location.

As we strolled along the streets near the Colloseum, we just happened upon an Italian film crew taping a scene for a movie.  These two actors are apparently in love in the movie.  While we had absolutely no idea who these actors were or even if they were famous, we still stood on the corner and gawked through two or three tapings of a thirty second scene.  As we were standing there, I jokingly stated to AJ, "We won't find this in a museum!"

The location of our first taste of Italian pizza...it did not disappoint!

The character and architecture of each street and building had me taking photos at every turn.  The balconies filled with flowers added to the beauty of each of the buildings.

One of the funniest sights on our stroll through the streets were these two signs.  A few stickers turned these standard "Do Not Enter" signs into a something to chuckle at!

In addition to loving porches, I have a fondness for windows and flower boxes.  I found no shortage of gorgeous windows adorned with simple, yet beautiful flowers.

As I reminisce of my days strolling the Roman streets while feeling the warmth of the sun on my cheeks, remember the lights are always on!

~W

See It: Rome

This past summer we tackled the task of deciding on our first major European vacation.  We only had two real criteria: somewhere warm and somewhere near a beach.  Typically, I am not a beach-type person, but the cool summers of the UK had me craving the warm sun on my face and my toes in some sand!  Since we know our time is limited here, we wanted to make the most of this vacation.  With a map of mainland Europe in front of us, we talked and researched, and then we talked and researched some more.  After a few weeks of discussions that went a bit like, "Well...what about X? Yeah, that sounds great! Or what about Y? That sounds awesome, too!" we decided on a tour of Italy.  It would be warm, and there would be a beach.

Our first stop in Italy was Rome for two days.  We saw the majority of the must-see sights, except Vatican City.  We will return to see that!  We were fortunate that our hotel was just a minutes walk from the Colosseum. 

AJ deep in thought as he looks out at the people wandering about on the Colosseum grounds.

I cannot imagine living in one of the flats to the left and waking up to the view of the Colosseum each day!

The side of the Colosseum; this photo does not adequately illustrate its size.

As I stood looking onto the arena of the Colosseum, I remembered the hours I spent with a few friends constructing it for a sixth grade social studies project.

There is something charming and absolutely Italian in my mind about looking out an
opening in the Colosseum and seeing a VW bug! 

The beauty of the stone work on the ruins of buildings in Palatine Hill were stunning.  

While we did not make it to Vatican City, there is clear view of St. Peter's Basilica from a spot on Palatine Hill.  

Throughout Rome you will find "SPQR" (Senātus Populusque Rōmānus: The Senate and the People of Rome);
it can even be found on sewage drain covers!  

We spent hours walking the streets of Rome, checking off all the must-see items.  Hours were spent in Palatine Hill, the Forum, and Colosseum reading about the history.  With the sun beating down on our faces, we strolled through this ancient city pinching ourselves that this was our summer vacation!  As we reminisce about those hot summer days, remember the lights are always on!

~W

See It: Geneva, Switzerland

Over the August UK bank holiday, we hopped on a plane for our first mainland Europe trip.  We headed to Geneva, Switzerland in search of magnificent mountains, decadent chocolate, delicious cheeses, and warm temps!   For 48 hours, we explored this stunning city.  After a quick and tasty dinner on Friday night, we strolled along the lake while a band played at a lakeside bar.  The lights of the buildings that line the lake create a beautiful reflection in the lake.

After taking in the beauty of the city the evening before, we were excited to get up and explore the city and surrounding area on Saturday.  Mont Saleve was our main destination for the day after reading recommendations on travel blogs and consulting with Rick Steves.  A quick bus ride took us to the France-Switzerland border, where we then walked into France....but much to our disappointment we did not go through passport control and get a French passport stamp!  Mont Saleve has a cable car to transport you up the mountain.  As we rode up, we instantly sensed that the views from the top were going to be amazing!  As we exited the cable car building, breath-taking views of Lake Geneva and the city welcomed us.

Jet d'Eau, the famous water fountain in Geneva, is easily spotted from the top of Mont Saleve.

Beautiful views were at every turn as we explored Mont Saleve.  The vastness of Lake Geneva was
remarkable even from the top of a mountain.

From the cable car location, there are trails that lead a bit higher up the mountain.  After walking through the trees and climbing the steep inclines, we were rewarded with picturesque views of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps.  As we took in the sight of Mont Blanc, I could not believe we were looking at the French Alps. 

As we sat in the shadow of Mont Blanc, it was almost as if we were looking at a painting on a canvas.   
Admiring its beauty brought a sense of calm and peace.

An afternoon stroll along the lake passing multitudes of sailboats easily made one envious of a life on the lake with the French Alps as the backdrop.

Jet d'Eau is placed where Lake Geneva empties into the Rhone.  500 liters of water per
second are jetted into the air up to 450 feet at a speed of 124 mph to create this amazing sight. 

The lake was filled with a variety of boats.  On our stroll, we spotted this boat cruise. 
On our next trip, dining on the lake will be on the itinerary.

We squeezed in a tour of Geneva before heading back to the UK.  Our tour took us by some of the important organizations, such as the European Headquarters of the United Nations, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization, that are headquartered in Geneva.  We then left those buildings behind to explore the history of Geneva.  The historic cobbled streets of Geneva are filled with charm and character. 

Terraces adorned with flowers dotted the streets of Geneva.

Hours could have been easily spent wondering the city gazing at the charming buildings and architecture. 

Our tour of Geneva ended with a boat ride around the Swiss portion of the lake.  There was no shortage of photo-worthy shots, but enjoying the moment and taking in all there was to see as the boat cruised around the lake was what makes this adventure so incredible.

The lakeside is sprinkled with gorgeous homes and buildings. 

As we boarded our plane, we had a bit of sun on our cheeks.  While the beauty of the surroundings and the delicious food have us daydreaming of the next time we get a Swiss passport stamp, remember the lights are always on!  

~W

See It: London...Bucket List Events

In July, the stars aligned as they never had before for AJ and I.  In the spring, we spotted a deal for a weekend getaway in London that included theater tickets to Wicked.  After seeing the amazing low price for this weekend deal and that it was around the time of my birthday, I was sold, and the trip was quickly booked.

As our getaway weekend approached, AJ realized the finals of Wimbledon would be held the same weekend we were in London.  After a bit of research into ticket availability, he discovered tickets for the Saturday matches would go on sale the Friday morning at 9:00am before the Saturday matches.  While I was full of doubt in his ability to secure tickets, AJ held out hope that Ticketmaster would work in his favor.  A little after 9:00am and with a click of the mouse, two Wimbledon tickets for the Saturday matches were purchased.  AJ was almost giddy over the thought of watching Serena Williams in the Ladies' Finals at Wimbledon.

Friday afternoon, we headed to the train station for our journey south to check two items off our bucket lists.  AJ could not contain his excitement over his successful ticket purchase.  The anticipation of spending Saturday at Wimbledon was definitely building.

After arriving in London, we quickly found our hotel, checked in, and changed for the play...the initial reason for our trip.  We grabbed some dinner at a restaurant that I love and headed to the show.  I was a bit nervous as I had built the show up so much based upon my friends' reviews.  In a small theater, my expectations were met, and I happily checked an item off my bucket lists.  The entire production was stunning.

A quick iPhone photo among the crowd outside the theater after a stunning performance.

With a bounce in our step and smiles plastered across our faces, we spent a sunny Saturday morning walking along the river!  While sitting on a bench along the river sipping our morning coffee, we pinched ourselves that this was our view and our life! 

People watching paired with a morning coffee along the river with this view made for a perfect morning!

Around 11:00, we headed off to Wimbledon on Saturday morning with bounce in our step.  As we rode the Underground to the main stop for Wimbledon, the car filled with more and more spectators.   
We explored the grounds and grabbed a bite to eat before heading to our seats.  As we waited for the Ladies' Final to commence, I was struck by the intimacy and size of Center Court.  Before sitting in the stands of Wimbledon's Center Court, I thought it was much larger. 

The Royal Box...can you spot any famous people??

While Wimbledon is known for its royal and celebrity spectators, we did not spot any!  Supposedly David Beckham watched the Ladies' Final with his son; we did not run into him!

Watching Serena Williams play and ultimate claim the championship was memory that only this adventure could provide.

The silence in the stadium during play was intense.  It was unlike any other professional sporting event.  As we sat in our seats in the fourth last row, we could hear the ball bounce as the players prepared to serve.  While watching the matches, I truly felt the sentiment express in this quote from Billie Jean King, "Tennis is the perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of tranquility."  Serena Williams' strength, athleticism, and power were incredible to witness in such a calm and peaceful surrounding.  The speed of her serve at times was faster than the serves of the men playing in the Men's Doubles Championship! 

The Wimbledon Tennis Club ball boys and girls stand in formation for the award presentation after the Ladies' Final.  His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, walks out onto the court to present the awards to the players.

The ball boys and girls that worked on Center Court were equally amazing to watch.  The precision and poise that they exhibited at all times was exceptional.

Serena Williams holding her Wimbledon Championship Trophy.

 The presentation of the awards by His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, was our brush with royalty!  Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, is not be confused with Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.  Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, is Queen Elizabeth's first cousin, while Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, is the son of the Queen. 

After the Ladies' Final match, we strolled the grounds until it was time for the Men's Doubles Finals.  We stopped by the food stalls and indulged in the traditional strawberries and cream.  It was a delicious treat for a warm London Saturday!

AJ enjoying his strawberries and cream outside the Wimbledon Shop.

Our weekend in London to see Wicked and Wimbledon was one we will always cherish from our overseas adventure.  As we pinch ourselves that we experienced Wimbledon, remember the lights are always on!

~W