After boarding, getting settled, and a welcome celebration in the Solarium at the front of the ship as we departed, we went to the first port of call, Naples, Italy. Having never been on a cruise before, we really didn't know what expect as far as excursions go. We did a multi-location tour, going to Pompeii, Sorrento, and Capri.
The first stop was Pompeii. We knew of the story and had seen a few pictures, but it was truly amazing some of the things that were restored. The tiled floors and many of the walls, for example, still showed their colors.
It was interesting to hear how the people were restored - that the archaeologists would find a cavity in the ashes, then they would fill it in with plaster, which was the shape of the person or animal.
Our guide was especially funny. He would tell us all about how inefficient Italians are and kept checking his phone. He admitted to us that he had had an argument with his girlfriend, and she was apologizing and telling him he was right. Later, after Jared asked him how many languages he spoke, he talked on and on about the different people and cultures he liked and didn't like - all while still live on the microphone to the entire group!
It was interesting to imagine what the city used to be like. There were ruts in the stone from carriages passing by, and raised 'crosswalks' where the raised stones were split in just the right width so the carriage could pass through.
The city forum and market were quite large - it was so interesting to imagine just how large the city was and how much ash must have fallen to bury it completely. Dani absolutely rocked the orange Precoa sunglasses!
Mount Vesuvias overlooks the city.
One of Jared's favorite pieces of art was in a store - it was an inlaid wood piece. If you look closely, you can see how all of the different colors and shades are done with wood!
We took a fantastic bus ride to Sorrento along the coast (literally) and through some tiny villages perched on the cliffs. The bus driver honestly was amazing how he got that big bus through those tiny, narrow, windy streets.
We spent an hour in Sorrento, walking through some of the shopping center, getting pizza and gelato (the lemon was amazing - the lemon basil was pretty good too!), and picking up some souvenirs, including a dress for Dani.
We went to the dock down below the city and boarded a boat to Capri (emphasis on the "Ca").
From the boat, you could see the road above the cliffs coming down into Sorrento. What an amazing area of the world!
Capri is a small island, but it is gorgeous! From the little port,
we took a train up - I was glad to be on the train instead of walking because it was so steep!
We took a walk through Capri, enjoying the sites and smells. We walked by a little road that led down into a park. Though we didn't go down there, the flower-covered road was picture-worthy!
The park overlooked a bay surrounding Capri. There were giant cliffs on the side and lots of boats out enjoying the crystal clear water. The view was honestly breathtaking!
The stores were very upper-end - we remember seeing baby clothes and onesies on sale for hundreds of euros! Dani, obsessed with the smell of lemons, bought some great lemon perfume. We also had a delicious lemonade with orange in the bottom, and, of course, gelato.
It was a great day, mixing with a lot of agents and funeral partners from Precoa, making new friends and memories all at once.
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