Pictures of Sorrento

Sorrento

The kids and I have now been to Sorrento three times. It was almost instantly on the first visit that it became ranked on my "favourite places in Italy" list. It's just south of Naples and is at the north end of the Amalfi Coast. It's small (pop. 16 000 - although it feels much bigger) and it just has a different pace. However, I have yet to see it in tourist season.

Sorrento is famed in literature and for it's visitors from famous Romans to Casanova. It has a beautiful atmosphere with all the things a tourist needs for a day visit. It has shopping, cafes, restaurants and pizzerias. (And Kyle won't let me forget the gelaterias and his favourite toystore!) It has a small lane jammed with little shops selling the local specialties: leather (purses, gloves, shoes), local pasta and everything lemon. The area is famous for lemons! The most popular item has to be lemoncello. It's a very smooth lemon drink with a dangerous kick! Of course there are lemon chocolates, candies, soaps, tableclothes and everything else lemon. There is even a lemon grove right in the heart of this bustling town!

I've now seen Sorrento in the sun and the rain and I still love it. The people are great - very friendly and helpful! Of course it doesn't hurt that most every lemon shop is very willing to share samples of their lemoncello - which of course is better than anyone else's. (Most shops have the factory in the back of the shop.) Of course Kyle likes the shop that makes the chocolates where he can stand and watch - and charm his way into receiving many samples!

I love the feeling of wondering the streets of Sorrento. Not that I've shopped that much there. I have checked out almost every single pottery shop, but only purchased one beautiful bowl with lemons painted on it. Sorrento is a port town but the heart of the town is perched high above the water. It has lots of waving palms and greenery. And the view out onto the Bay of Naples is breathtaking!

I'm sure we will return to Sorrento. It's a must see for my visitors' list and I still have to get Brian here!

All kinds of visitors

We've been so fortunate to have all kids of visitors to our home in Italy. We've had visitors almost back to back. (Funny how we never had that problem in Ukraine!) Margo came to visit for a couple of weeks and stayed through Easter, then four days later Dave, Feather and they're 2yr old daughter Molly (neighbours from back home) arrived and three days after they left my mom arrived. Mom arrived a day late after getting shifted by the mess at the new Heathrow terminal - but that's OK because I wrote the wrong day on my calendar for her arrival so she was still a day early for me! Kyle got quite the surprise when we arrived at the airport to look at airplanes and found Nana instead!

My mom has extended her stay for a few days as Brian has had to fly back to the States to complete the paper work for his Italian Visa. I sure appreciate the help with the kids! It's especially helpful because Vika and I have both been sick (and we shared it with mom!)

Our next set of visitors, Brian's parents, are scheduled to arrive late next month. Although we've heard rumblings of others, closer by, that maybe coming for quick weekend visits???

We've discovered there are some must sees that we advise to go to or take our guests to in our area. Sorrento is definitely a favourite of mine. Pompei is amazing. Of course, there is Naples (not quite the same as other European cities, but growing on me.) We have so much more to explore and discover, and thus "screen" for our guests. Nice of us to do that, isn't it?

I'll do my best to give some more updates soon of some of our favourite places - with pictures soon!

The Kyle-ism for the week:

While sitting at the table waiting for dinner he says, "I have a jumpy thingy in my toe. It must be my blood pressure." And calmly continues waiting for dinner.