Our Italian Honeymoon.

Hope you enjoy! Some snippets from our trip along the Amalfi Coast and Rome. Courtesy of the hubs!

XO,

T.

Honeymoon in Italy from Austin Hendrix on Vimeo.

My Roma.

Aw, Rome.  Our last and final city on our amazing honeymoon journey through Spain & Italy.  And while we desperately missed our furry companions back home (if you couldn't tell by the fact that we bought pet food in every city along the way for the strays) we weren't ready for this dream trip to end.  Days of eating, drinking, fabulous hotels at every bend and endless hours of exploring cities by foot?  Was a return to reality really necessary? Yet there couldn't have been a better place to end our honeymoon.  After 3 drizzly days beachside on the Amalfi Coast, Rome welcomed us with sunshine (a thing this California girl really adores) and a charming little apartment.  We were ready to take it all in.  

Rome quickly moved it's way to the top of my favorite cities list.  I fell in love in a big way.  The tiny streets full of graffiti and plants tumbling down balconies. The cobblestone.  The way an ancient monument stood so proudly next to the most romantic restaurant one could imagine.  The little dog that sat next to me at the Cappuccino bar.  The vespas parked outside the Pantheon.  The old men that would dramatically throw their hands in the air (reminding me of my mother). And mostly, just how lovely and Italian it was.  The Mister and I have both travelled through Italy before (although never to Rome or the Amalfi Coast) and boy, was it good to be back.  There is really no place like Italy. 

Possibly the most charming aspect of our days in Rome?  The darling neighborhood we found our apartment in. Trastevere.  A little community across the Tiber River that knocked our socks off.  A real Roman neighborhood. Where people live, work, shop, and eat.  So lovely and bohemian that I dreamt of picking up and moving there. A place with the best pizza we've had on earth. A neighborhood that comes alive at dusk and doesn't stop until 5 am.  Where we drank late into the night and stumbled around the streets with prosecco in hand right next to our Italian friends.  Where every picture perfect street has potted plants and bicycles and dogs and laundry hanging by clotheslines.  This is postcard Rome.  And we moved in for 3 days and never wanted to leave.  

On our first dinner in Trastevere we met the most darling cat.  She waltzed into the restaurant and sat down on the chair beside us only to be lured back outside by the staff with some salami.  And, right back in again. She seemed to have the waiters pretty well trained into feeding her.  We quickly named her Roma, and after learning she was pregnant and due any day, would return to the same spot before bed every night to check on her.  There she was, in her cardboard box, eating salami, like clockwork.  And religiously, the staff would try to convince us to take home an "Italian cat".  They could see we were smitten.  I tried to convince the boy, but something about a very preggars cat on a 14 hour plane ride didn't thrill him...  I wish I had a picture of my Roma! 

Instead, some pictures of the nightlife in Trastevere...

Late one night we followed the crowds into this itty bitty bookshop where everyone stood around ordering these tiny chocolate concoctions full of liqueur.  They are about the size of thumb and you take them in your mouth in one gulp! The cup itself is crunchy chocolate.  You pick the liqueur, they fill it up, and top it off with all sorts of creams and sprinkles.  Pretty delish. And in a bookshop, no less. 

After all that late night drinking, we started the day off with a walk along the river to the Vatican.  To cleanse our sins?  Walking this path reminded me of New York City in the fall.  The air was crisp, there were people everywhere, and the city was gritty and beautiful all at once. 

After a morning of spirituality, we were ready for some indulgence.  Gelato, wine, and shopping.  We trekked through the city on foot coming across the Trevi fountain, Piazza Navona, The Pantheon, and this lovely tiny car!  Yay for yellow!

This street caught my eye as we walked past.  I loved the colorful glass balls that were strung between the buildings...

We made sure to take in all the major sights; the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, and the gorgeous park (where we found a dog park and got our fix!).  

And most of all? We ate.  A lot.  Fresh fruits and olives and cheeses at the morning markets.  Cappuccinos and pastries as snacks.  Plates of pasta and slices of pizza covered in fresh veggies and garlic.  And the hubs engulfed lots and lots of Gelato.  Luckily, we walked the entire city every day, wearing holes in our shoes, to keep up with all that eating.  

Each restaurant we ate at was insanely beautiful.  I was enamored with this all white one (above).  Modern in an ancient city.  Something you don't see a lot of.  

On our last evening we walked from Trastevere into Piazza Navona in search of a spot for dinner.  Just off the piazza was a pathway of candles leading down a narrow street.  Intrigued, we followed.  And there was The Library.  A nook of a restaurant that was meant to be our last dinner.  Old books, a spiral staircase, bottles of wines and scotch stashed away in bookshelves.  The yummiest pasta and wine.  With all of five tables, the place was perfectly cozy for a romantic late night dinner.  At midnight we stumbled out, fully satisfied.  We had done Rome well.  Very well.  And she would be missed!

Ciao, all! I hope you enjoyed our honeymoon half as much as we did.  I'll be back later today with a little Italian video courtesy of The Mister!  

XO,
T. 

Heaven on Earth. The Amalfi Coast.

Be. Still. My. Heart.  Is there any place more jaw dropping on earth than the Amalfi Coast in Italy?  Anyone who has been here will tell you the same tale:  one of a long and winding journey from Rome by train to Napoli, and from Napoli into Sorrento.  Sorrento, the first of the towns along the Amalfi Coast, is charming and picturesque, while barely hinting at the scenery that is to come: the drive to Positano.   The hubs and I were lucky enough to spend three long days in Positano on our recent honeymoon, and truly, there is no other place like it on earth.  After a quick flight from Spain, we took the 2 required trains that brought us to Sorrento (a good half days trip, at this point) before boarding a bus that would drive us along a winding, hill climbing, two lane road to our destination.  To say that the drive is the greatest roller coaster on earth is an understatement.  The buses and cars whiz along the roads at their Italian pace, and as tourists, we sat, awe struck, taking it all in.  This drive alone is worth the journey.

The bus dropped us on a hill at the very top of Positano-- a town that has been built into the cliff and plunges dramatically into the water.  With our (very heavy, after some shopping in Spain) luggage, we were stuck to wander aimlessly in search of our hotel somewhere at the heart of this town.  A place with few sidewalks, no taxis, and racing cars, this part of our trip ceased to be the highlight.  As we tried to take the hundreds of stairs that created a shortcut through town, a little old man stopped to tell us "no, not for you".  Apparently, luggage was meant for the long and winding road- the stairs might kill us, he warned.  We took them anyway.  A shortcut is a shortcut, especially at that point.  Breathless and sweaty, we arrived at our hotel, a welcome refuge from all those stairs and the drizzling rain.  

The Palazzo Murat was in the center of Positano.  A gem of a hotel created out of an old house with a beautiful garden full of lemon trees that has been turned into a restaurant.   The staff greeted us with ice cold coconut milk and upgraded our room (yay for honeymoons and off season!) to a beautiful suite complete with a balcony overlooking the town and the ocean.  We were exhausted, but we were in heaven.  Even the drizzle outside couldn't put a damper on this place.  

That night we walked to Le Sirenuse (a place I read about on A Cup Of Jo!) where we drank our first glass of Prosecco on our trip and watched the rain pound dramatically against the windows.  The dining room here is lit by millions of candles, and while we only stayed for drinks and to take in that view, we had to snap some pictures of how romantic looking this place is!

The next day we hired a driver to whisk us from town to town along the Amalfi Coast.  An experience I'll never forget- both for his charming Italian hospitality and for the way the car raced along those roads.  Never has the saying 'life isn't about the destination, but the journey' been more true.  On this stretch of coastline, every inch of it makes one marvel.  Who thought to build such towns on these cliffs?  There are houses hanging over the sea, roads that defy gravity, and small islands floating in the sea said to have mythical powers.   

We stopped in Ravello, a town known for it's enchanting gardens and the infamous Villa Cimbrone, where great movie stars of past have hidden away with illicit lovers, and had lunch and wander aimlessly for several hours. 

It's no wonder the gardens of this villa have harbored famous love stories--  it was the most beautiful place we've ever been.  Moss covered sculptures watch over charming pathways that lead to the sea; what stories would they tell if they could talk?  And just as you think it couldn't get any better, there is the Terrazzo dell'lnfinito, a terrace where marble busts meet the edge of the world.  Where you look down and see nothing but the sea below, where the clouds stretch before you, and houses cling to green hills on either side of you. Ravello is the highest town along the Amalfi Coast and here, at this viewpoint, I had to steady myself many times.  My fear of heights did not care how beautiful this place was.  There was a break in the rain, the sun peeked through, and we truly felt like we were on top of the world.  Pinch. Me. This was heaven.  

So where does the name Infinity Terrace come from?  The poet Gabriele d’Annunzio declared it to be the only place in the world you can be "kissed by eternity."  Thus far, I would have to agree.  

Wandering back from the Villa to the center of tiny Ravello, there were constant feasts for the eyes.  Just look at the giant squash growing in this garden.  With a view like that, I might even take up gardening!

Or this dozing cat, perched so sweetly among the flowers at the entrance to her garden. 

In the tiny town of Amalfi we sipped cappuccinos and snacked on local pastries.  And, befriended our first Italian stray dogs, Charlie and Lessie.  These two eager pooches were taking up residence in an auto shop and happily turned tricks for us as we walked by.  I made it my mission to find a bag of dog food in one of the small little markets (a bit of a hard task in such a tiny place) and we gave them lots of food and belly rubs.  Sadly, these wouldn't be the last stray dogs we met here.  The Amalfi Coast is home to dozens of beach dogs that roam the streets, befriend tourists and local townspeople (who name them and even adorn them with bandanas, affectionately) and eat handouts from the restaurants.  These dogs are the friendliest strays I've ever met.  So friendly and clean you'd swear they had homes.  Yet no one claims them.  The horrific part is watching them wander these twisting roads in and out of buses and cars on their otherwise idyllic journeys.    

This is our friend, Whisky (no, we did not name him), a little Corgi mix that spent all three days following us around Positano.  At night, he would sit at our feet in restaurants and follow us back to our hotel (in the rain!) at night.  In the mornings we would find him in this church doorway, keeping dry, with his little bandana still in place.  It broke my heart a little to say goodbye to this little guy, knowing most of the town would be closing down soon (most people here leave for several months in winter, only returning again in the spring with the tourists).  

One afternoon we sat on our balcony, munching on snacks from the local market, and enjoying the view. Olives, a hunk of fresh parmesan cheese, and crusty bread with wine and cappuccino.  My favorite way to eat. Little bites of everything.  I can taste it still! 

And on our very last morning, as we climbed up the hill towards the bus stop, with suitcases in tow, we watched the sun rise over Positano.  What a place to say goodbye to!  Vowing, to someday return...

And finally, to Rome we go, where this good old honeymoon of mine will end.  See you tomorrow!

XO,

Tori 

Sevilla, Sevilla.

We spent two charming days in Sevilla discovering the Cathedrals, the quaint tapas bars, and riding through the pretty parks by horse and carriage.  On Saturday, every local in town came out in their finest and the women sported the most beautiful and elaborate hats I'd ever seen (you can see a short clip of them in the video my husband made, below).  We were surrounded by them drinking in the bars before they headed off to whatever occasion had them dressed that way.  Killer heels in the cobblestone streets, and all.  I never mastered that!

The park is so elaborate- nearly every inch is covered in some sort of tile work or mosaic.  

Here's a tiny tapas bar we stopped into for a bite (I think I ate bread and olives!) and drank more red wine...

We stayed at Las Casas de la Juderia, a four star hotel (that also happened to be our least favorite place of all our hotels).  The hotel is a mish mash of 7 old mansions that have been linked by tunnels with random courtyards in the middle of all that inside space.  I was really excited about the place when I booked it!  Watch the video and see how long it takes to get to our hotel room from the lobby! They literally give you a map to get to your room!

On the last night, we climbed up to the hotel rooftops (also linked by staircases and tunnels) and explored. Overall, a cool hotel, but our room just felt a little cave like (you can see the small blue window of our room, below).  This girl likes lots of open windows and sunshine!

And to sum up our whole Spain honeymoon, Austin created this little Zumi video from the trip:

Granada Enchanted.

Ah, Granada, Spain.  A place that immediately stole our hearts.  A city of tiny winding alleys climbing up a hillside.  Where the breathtaking views are as common as the Moorish doorways leading to quaint gardens.  We fell in love in a big way with this ancient city.  We spent an entire day walking through narrow cobblestone streets in the Albaicin Quarter and for a moment, closing our eyes, we felt as if we had journeyed to Morocco. The stalls full of glass lanterns, the itty bitty tea shops glowing with candlelight and incense- this charming district is full of mystery, romance and be.still.my.heart. architecture and vistas.   

We stayed in the sweetest hotel, Room Mate Leo, in the center of the city, where we were upgraded to a room with a gorgeous patio overlooking the rooftops of Granada.  We stayed up into the wee hours drinking Cava and eating pastries huddled under a blanket we purchased from a Moroccan shop keeper.  

But perhaps the best part of our journey to Granada (and possibly the whole trip)?  The evening we spent in the historic Arabic baths.  Lit entirely by pathways of candles and glowing lanterns, this underground sanctuary of caves was pure heaven. Pools ranging from steaming hot to cold to luke warm (meant for alternating between to remove toxins) are set in the most romantic atmosphere (where, sadly, no photos are allowed). We sipped delicious mint tea and spent two hours relaxing on hot stones and soaking in the pools.  If ever you find yourself in Granada, this is a must do experience.  

{Hammam Baths}

See you in Sevilla!

XO,

T.