Greetings from Italia!

Ciao! This is my first entry about my experiences in Florence, Italy and various other European excursions. I have already been here for 3 weeks and it feels like I just landed yesterday; that's how fast time goes in this amazing country. And while I am behind on my updates regarding arrival, trips to Chianti, Pisa, and Lucca, I will start by explaining my weekend at the Amalfi Coast.

Through a travel company, I took a bus with a great group of people at 6:30 pm on a 6 hour bus ride to Sorrento, Italy, where our hotel would be for the next three nights. It was raining when we arrived late at night and the next morning as well, but the poor weather was not even enough to harm the beauty that is the Amalfi Coast. Friday morning, we took a ferry to the island of Capri, getting a tour around the island in the bluest water I have ever seen. I could try to recount all the stunning shades of blue and turquoise surrounding me in that ferry but words could never describe its beauty and my pictures will never do it justice. The tour guide pointed out the vacation homes of various celebrities including Giorgio Armani and Italian actress Sofia Loren. The island was beautiful, even without much sun in the sky in the morning. However, luck was on our side when the sun came out just in time for a few hours on the beach in the water. We spent some time swimming and taking pictures and climbing and jumping off of the rocks in the Mediterranean. We ate lunch and got drinks and enjoyed the company of wonderful people and a surreal view of Capri.

The next day, we embarked on a journey to Positano, my favorite stop on the trip to the Amalfi Coast. The day was spent walking up and down hundreds of stairs, but it was all worth it for the amazing view and the great little shops along the way. I took care of a lot of Christmas shopping that day, and to say the least, I could have bought something in every shop/jewelry stand we passed if it were up to me. The jewelry makers were fascinating and kind and had gorgeous displays, mostly hand-made. I got myself a bracelet made from real flowers, and I'll treasure it forever! Then three of my new favorite people, Talya, Jessica, and Kim, and myself rented kayaks and kayaked in the Mediterranean.. something that I feel so fortunate and shocked just being able to say. It was unforgettable and so much fun. We spent the rest of the day getting food and basking in the great Italian sun, looking up at a mountain of beautiful houses of all different sizes and colors. The whole time I could not believe I was not looking at a postcard, it all felt so unreal. That night, the three great girls I roomed with and myself spent a while bonding and getting to know each other, and it meant a lot to me to know that I had found friends on this trip that I could get along with and understand each other and learn each other's stories. It will definitely be remembered as one of the more pivotal moments of my trip here, I'm sure. Then, we went out with other people on our trip and had a great night in Sorrento!

The weekend didn't end there. We still had our stop at Pompeii, which was my second time around, so I didn't go with a tour guide, but still enjoyed the wonder that is this city of ruins. Then, we climbed Mount Vesuvius and I encountered yet another mesmorizing view of the Amalfi Coast for miles. While I was up there, I honestly thought about how happy I would be to have a small little house on top of that dormant volcano with that view for the rest of my life. It was unbelievable and I never wanted to walk away from it. That view and Positano instantly became two of the most unbelievable things I will ever see firsthand for the rest of my life. It is in moments like those that I feel extremely fortunate for the opportunity I have to be in Europe. I didn't want the weekend to end, it was amazing.

In the meantime, more updates are to come from the past three weeks and the future of course! Ciao!