Grand Hotel Cesare Augusto, Sorrento, Italy

We arrived in Sorrento on Wednesday.  We will be staying here until Thursday morning.

They gave us our key.  It is solid brass, and it's very heavy.  You leave it at the desk when you go out.

I immediately checked out my room.

The floors in the room and on the balcony are tiles.  They keep the rooms very clean.

The bathroom is large.  Notice the flush buttons on the wall behind the toilet.

The bathtub is large, with a decent shower.

It is wonderful to have a balcony.

Each morning, I can check out the world, and I can sit out during free time to enjoy the view of the lemon trees and the hillside.

The lemon trees are protected from the wind with mesh tarps.  Did you know that the lemon tree can have buds, flowers, ripening fruit, and fully ripe fruit at the same time? 

We Re here from Wednesday to Thursday, when we leave for the Amalfi Drive.

 

First Crocus

Finally - our first crocus on April 12, 2014.

Spring has taken quite a while to get here this year.  We're delighted to see the first signs of spring.

Find Your Luggage

Did you ever try to find your car in the mall parking lot?  It seems that almost every car is the same color as yours.  It works the same way luggage on the baggage carousel.  Combine that with fatigue and jet lag, and it's no fun at all.

There are lots of tips out there to mark your luggage with something that will distinguish it from all the others spinning around.   Many suggest tying yarn or ribbon on the suitcase.  I have visions of the ribbon snagging and holding my bag to be bumped and thumped by all the bags behind it on the conveyor.  

On our first flying adventure, I got an artistic kid to decorate my bag.  Turns out, the fabric bags take acrylic paint very well.

Cat thinks so, too.  Flight attendants commented that it was a great idea.  Thanks GLMH-L.

But I decided it was too subtle for these eyes, so convinced D to jazz it up for me.  Got a picture designed to be a tattoo.  Punched holes.  Patted chalk through holes.  Two coats later, we're ready to roll!

Thanks, D!  I think I'll be able to find it easily.

No need to jazz up the carry-on...It's bright pink.

The carry-on is an L L Bean Deluxe Rolling Backpack.  I got it after watching a student use hers for two years, cramming it with all the essentials for high school.  At the end of two years it still looked brand new.  Zippers still worked perfectly.  Handle and wheels were fine.  I found this bag in an LLBean outlet.  I just have people thinking my name is Shelbie.

How to relax

Tommy is enjoying some couch time before dinner.

It's a dog's life!

Tommy does not get to romp as much as he might like! We got a foot of snow this week.  This means less outdoors time with the big guy.  More time to be a couch potato!

Pompeii 1960

In 1960 we moved to Paris.  That summer we made a trip to Italy.  Pompeii and Herculaneum and Paestum were sites we visited.

I think this is Via dell' Abbondanza in Pompeii.  Leslie, Rosemarie, Louis.  Mount Vesuvius is in the background.

It was a super hot day.  We look tired!

Tommy Loves the Snow

Tommy goes in and out all day - rain, snow, fair weather.

He has to be brushed off when he comes in - nothing is as nasty as a wet dog.

Map of trip

Here's a map of areas I will be visiting.
I fly into Naples (Napoli) midday on Wednesday, April 16, 2014.
Then a bus to the hotel in Sorrento.

Thursday will explore the town.

Friday is a visit to Pompeii

Saturday in Sorrento

Sunday to Naples.

Monday to Capri.

Tuesday to Herculaneum (Ercolano).

Wednesday is a tour to the countryside and cooking and making mozzarella.

Thursday is the Amalfi coast, Positano, Amalfi, and a new hotel in Minori.

Friday is Paestum (just beyond the right side of the map).

Saturday is Ravello.

Sunday is the end, with a drive to the Naples airport.