We have now traveled from Rome to the Tuscany region and have arrived at our final destination, Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast!

the rundown-9

Obviously this was one of the most stunning regions we visited and, I always feel better when I’m by the water.

However, as I briefly mentioned, Sorrento was a bit of a shit show at the onset. The hotel was completely deceptive with it’s online presence so, what we booked and what we actually walked into, were two very different things. A lot more on that later. For now, I want to focus on all the good that was Sorrento because it was in abundance!

WEEK OF MAY 30, 2016

RUNNING

I was finally able to run free though the streets and hills of Sorrento! And I have zero pictures of it. Well, I have this but it’s awful…

Sweaty post run selfie.

Sweaty post-run selfie complete with the unmade bed that my husband may still be sleeping in.

I did not bring my phone with me because it’s gigantic and, I wanted to just take in the views with my mind and eyeballs and not worry about getting photos. I ran several times during our stay and I did the same route each time. My turnaround point was at the crest of a mountain where I would stop and just look out and be grateful. I will never forget those runs.

SWIMMING

This was probably my most favorite part of the entire trip.

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If there’s one thing I want to go back and do over and over again, it’s this. I mean look at that water! And yes, that is Mt. Vesuvius in the background. It was so beyond amazing and, at this part of the vacation, I was actually able to lay back and relax.

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It was also an adventure just getting to the water. The coast is built into a mountain so water access is not as easy as one might think.

Step one: Walk about a half-mile from our hotel to another hotel < – – yes this was one of the major issues we had

Step two: Either walk down a very steep and narrow tunnel that leads to steps OR take an elevator that literally goes down into the mountain and then comes out into a tunnel of rock. The boys absolutely loved this part!

Step three: Relax like it’s your job and take in the views that include a friggin’ volcano! Stare in amazement and feel incredibly lucky, grateful and slightly buzzed because, wine.

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Taking the long way!

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EATING

It wasn’t so much the food (ok, that is a lie) as the views as you were eating the food. I would never, ever get sick of staring out onto this, no matter what I was eating.

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But, of course, there was plenty of eating.

On our date night, my husband and I had a table side filleting of a local fish called turbot, because we are super fancy.

And now I will fillet the hell out of this fish with only a fork. Watch and be amazed!

And now I will fillet the hell out of this fish with only a fork. Watch and be amazed!

As delicious as it looks and so simple.

As delicious as it looks and so simple.

Two desserts was kind of my husband's thing.

Two desserts was kind of my husband’s thing. Yes, those are both his.

Probably the best restaurant we had the pleasure of eating at was ReFood (pronounced Ray Food). Simply amazing and so accommodating.

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And, I ordered the Veal Scaloppini strictly because my brother does the best impression of Corey Feldman as “Mouth” in Goonies. Yes I did.

 

It was amazing.

It was amazing.

DRINKING

Have I mentioned the wine?

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We wanted to remember this one! I haven’t yet tried to find it locally so fingers crossed.

ISLAND OF CAPRI

This needs it’s own blog post so stayed tuned! Here is a preview…

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THINGS I LOVE

Watching other people’s weddings.

At the hotel where we eventually got a room, there was a wedding pretty much every night. One in particular was extremely entertaining! From our perch on one of the open porches my husband and I witnessed gorgeous, drunk and just crazy wedding guests, go back and forth from the bar to the dance floor.

Feet up and just watching the drama unfold... For some reason my husband's drink had to be in this?

Feet up and just watching the drama unfold… For some reason my husband’s drink had to be in this?

The music from the DJ provided the soundtrack for the display and, the highlight, was watching a guy who we simply called “man bun” (for obvious reasons) steal one woman after another. We seriously saw this dude with like three different girls and, eventually, their husbands or boyfriends would come looking for them.

We wanted to tell some of the more confused and lost guys, “if you’re looking for your date, she’s with man bun.” Hilarious.

THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH

The noise! I pictured Sorrento as a sleepy, seaside community tucked into a quiet mountainside. It was the opposite of that. The streets were extremely crowded and busy, the insanity of the drivers continued and may have even intensified and, the sidewalks were so narrow and cobbled that it was difficult to walk with two kids (both of whom insisted on only holding my hands!) and in platform shoes. I know, but what am I going to wear out on the town in Italy? Flip flops? I have some dignity left after 40.

This one road with tons of shopping is shut down on Saturdays during the summer...or something like that. All I know is that is was great to not have to dodge cars on this night!

This one road with tons of shopping is shut down on Saturdays during the summer…or something like that. All I know is that is was great to not have to dodge cars on this night!

The only time when the streets were not crazy, loud and busy were during my 6am morning runs but, even then I had to jump on and off the sidewalk to avoid being killed by the occasional car. #frogger

RANDOM PICTURE OF SORRENTO

A woman and her cannoli. A love story.

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[Tweet “Experience #Sorrento #Italy though the words of a adventurous #athlete who just wanted to #rest…and #eat! “]

If you think this roadshow is done, you would be very wrong. I have to completely and entirely bitch about the atrocity that was the deception of our hotel in Sorrento and then, rave about the beauty and wonderment that was the Island of Capri. And, if you’re really lucky, I will do yet one more on Pompeii. Brace yourselves.

How was your week?

Do you like to sit on a beach with an ocean view or be really active on vacation?

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