4 July

4 July
Lane here--I'm going to make this short as I am sitting here on the cliff with a panoramic view across the bay to Vesuvius and the sunset, and I want to give my Limoncello di Sorrento the focus it deserves. We spent the day climbing the volcano--we were down in Pompeii yesterday to get the human perspective, and today we returned to look down upon the remains the puny mortals left. The climb was hot and sweaty, but at the end we gazed into the cauldron and invoked the name of Vulcan to our peril. We made it down the mountain safely, though, and purchased some lemon slushies flavored, like everything lemony right now, with the local lemons that grow everywhere and so large that if you were to see an orange that size you would be amazed. Some day we will have to return in October to taste the olives that grow in all the remaining space.

We took the train home to Sorrento, being treated again to the wandering accordion players that hop on and off the trains playing and then asking for money-- no doubt annoying the commuters but still adding to the experience for us. We then climbed the cliffs to our hotel and a swim in the pool that was most needed. Now we're finally cool and, when Alaine and the boys are done with their showers, we'll walk back into town and see how the local pizza compares to that of Rome. Hey, but what's that smoke I see rising from Vesuvius...