It’s funny how quickly a new place can be thought of as “home.” Home is not a definite word. The house you grew up in, or the house you have a mortgage on, is not necessarily your only “home.” I remember my first week at Gustavus, already telling my mom that I would need to go back home (to Gustavus) after certain events. Well it’s been two weeks here in Perugia, and there is no doubt in my mind that this is my home. We went on our first weekend-long trip this past weekend, down the coast to Sorrento, Naples, Pompei, and the island of Capri. It was unbelievably beautiful, we got great tans, swam in the Tyrrhenian Sea, and had delicious full-course Italian meals….but by Sunday night, on our bus ride back up to Perugia, all we wanted was home. We got off the bus in Piazza Italia, in the center of Perugia, looked at each other and said “It is SO good to be home.” I found comfort walking through the streets that I have come to know as my own, stopping by my school (even though I just started there two weeks ago) and finally coming home, with all of my roommates, to my comfy, food-less, potentially mosquito-infested apartment. It is SO good to be home. Home sweet Perugia.
Now here are some pictures from our little weekend getaway:
Pompeii.
Me in Pompei!
A view of the city center in Pompei.
Mandi, Lauren and I in a courtyard in Pompei.
Pompei was a town on the river before the volcano eruption destroyed/covered it in 79 AD. Sailors would come into the town and want to go to the brothel (naturally), but most of them couldn't speak latin. Thankfully, this images were carved into the ground as a road marker pointing towards the brothel. AKA, when a sailor saw this, they would follow the direction in which it pointed, and find the brothel. Literally.
Our first view of Sorrento!
Day 1 in Sorrento, overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The beach in Sorrento (note the man bending over in tiny tiny shorts...he's actually pretty well covered for an Italian man).
Where we went swimming in Sorrento, in the sea! Can you believe how clear the water is?!
On our boat tour around Capri.
The beautiful blue water surrounding Capri.
Inside the Blue Grotto.
We got in these TINY rowboats, had to lay completely flat in the boat, and go through a TINY cave entrance to get into the blue grotto, where the water was the most brilliant blue I have ever seen.
Arcos around the Island.
On the beach in Capri with Lauren and Mandi!
Representing the beautiful state of Minnesota while in Naples, Italy.
Napoli!
Pizza in Napoli. 4 Euros for that whole pizza TO MAHSELF. YUM.
Cioccolato ("Foresta") Ice Cream/Truffle? From the most famous cioccolateria in Italia.
Apartments in Napoli.
For good measure, a picture of one of the rooms in the brothel (check out the bed made of stone. OUCH).
CIAO!
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