OneCreativeCat: #7 Naples Italy

Whew, last day of excursions!
For anyone planning on a Mediterranean cruise, I think this was a great buy, Royal Caribbeans 7 day cruise, we hit Spain, France and Italy. Take the time to stay in Barcelona a day or two first before getting on board, we chose Madrid. It was great too, but the ship departs from Barcelona, easy peasy!

    We arrive in Naples on the morning of Thursday Sept. 12.
Some say Naples is the birthplace of Pizza, YUM!
The weather is going to be rainy! We had beautiful weather up to now.
Our excursion for today: Travel to a farm to see how fresh mozzarella is made, and how they press olives for olive oil. We will then head to Sorrento for lunch and shopping, then up to see the city of Pompeii.
    The bus ride to Le Sorrento Farm was quite an adventure, the rain was pouring down and our tour guide was saying "oh, we only get a little rain then it clears up", well, she was shocked at how much it was raining about an hour into the trip, the streets were flooding and it was quite treacherous driving along the coast! But we arrive up into the hills and, Viola! the rain stops long enough to enjoy the farm and have a taste of fresh mozzarella cheese, oh my, way better than what you get at the grocery store!
    We leave the farm and drive into the little town of Sorrento, the rain starts again as we try to walk along the streets, we purchase umbrellas and find a restaurant to have pizza, because you must have pizza in Italy!
At lunch I bring out the photos of my grandma, Ginia, and Dante, and we have a nice little lunch with them! I wish I could have travelled to Italy with Ginia, as a young adult, that would have been nice, but we make do and head on our way to Pompeii!
    As we are driving to Pompeii, we see Mt. Vesuvius in the distance, the tour guide says it will errupt again soon (the next 100 years), but the people are not concerned as they live such a simple and relaxed life in their beautiful city, they cherish each day and live it as if it could be their last, because, well, it could be their last when you live under an active volcano! I could live there and be happy, with all the wine and cheese I could eat, ah, that is the life on the coast of Italy!
     At Pompeii (the rain stops again long enough for us to see Pompeii, what great luck we are having!) We start our walk along the ruins, back in the day Pompeii was quite the place to hang out, it was a hustling little town, actually it was nothing but a big party mecca, much like a "Las Vegas" of ancient Rome! Yes, complete with all the food, wine and women a Roman could endulge in! Geez, what a let down, I left new Las Vegas to see old Las Vegas, hahahahaha!
    It is impressive how they are uncovering Pompeii from 18 feet of volcanic ash and finding most of it intact!
    Back on the bus for the ride to the ship, our final excursion over with! What a great day, what a great trip! My final entry will be in a day or two, where I will sum up my thoughts on my first trip over seas.