Day 15 heading to Sorrento, 9-23-14

Our driver was expecting to take us to the airport but luckily we discussed it right off and we headed off to central Rome to join our bus tour through Carrani tours. It is a rather complicated arrangement that they have but in any case we went first to Naples. A nice guide talked about the cities and places along that ride until we reached Naples where another guide took over.  We had a one-hour walking tour with her in Naples where everything was under construction. In Naples they want to build a new system of rail transportation with new additional stops but found many historic relics, etc., including three whole intact boats as well as walls from previous buildings that are causing some big delays. After that we are moving on to Pompeii and lunch. The process of serving a very good lunch to hundreds of people was very efficient.  The hall of a top hotel was nicely furnished and very pretty. Several bus loads of people filed into the room and the primi course was quickly brought out by waiters on large platters and we had a choice of soup, salad or lasagna. The waiters served each person according to their preferences. They served big portions and asked us if we wanted seconds. I had the lasagna and it was maybe the best I ever had-very thin pasta, nice sauce, cheese, and layered also with mortadella and mild ham. The second course was fish or meat.  We chose fish. It was a cod with tomato sauce and roasted potato and cauliflower. The meat was roasted pork in light cream gravy. The dessert was chocolate chip ice cream-not gelato.  We had wine at 4 euro each and espresso at 1 euro each and I had walnut liquor to add to it.  The food was and is all included in the price of the tour, beverages are extra. After our excellent meal we started the Pompeii tour. Pompeii has expanded exponentially since I was here 41 years ago and our guide was great.  After two hours of tramping around all the  important spots we were back to the bus. This is the crazy part.  Everyone had to unload their luggage because the trip was divided into about four different destinations. Eventually after some confusion, different languages, etc. we drove to Sorrento where still more divisions were made to four different hotels who housed various travelers. We are at the Capodimonte which was the third stop. When I was here years ago, we were located in a small town with one street along the shore-this time it's a metropolis of busy shops and spread along miles of Shoreline. When we arrived  in our room it was one big bed and we were scheduled for two beds so maids came and separated and remade the beds.  It is a very beautiful four-star hotel. Dinner was a very nice atmosphere on the fifth floor open al fresca dining, nice linen tablecloths, silver covers on the dishes coming to the table. My food was great, shrimp resotto with spinach, hunters chicken with mushrooms and baked apple. Carol had caprice salad, fish, banana cake w chocolate frosting. Tomorrow is a full day at Capri.  

These trees mark the Appian Way.

Does he look like a grump to you?  One in every crowd.

They discovered a huge moat around this building.

This is the moat.

Pompeii was a very large (maybe 50K) population previously occupied by Greeks, then the Romans made them their slaves.

See Mt. Vesuvius in the distance-it's still active.

Dining at our Hotel Capadamonte

See the quarter?  These are the Lemonchello Lemons.