Our Italian Adventure: Arriverderci Roma and arriving in Sorrento

Last morning in Rome. It's been a wonderful experience for all of us. Each has benefited from the lessons we've learned, the sights we've seen and the enjoyment we've had doing things with family. The children have been remarkable, playing together, looking after each other and enjoying so many giggles. We checked out of the Hotel de la Minerve at noon and then did our own thing. Michele, Hilary, Jeff, Bella and I went to the "CHAGALL Love and Life" exhibition at the Chiostro del Bramante. What a wonderful way to present the art of a complicated, lovely, and romantic artist. The exhibit highlighted his life's works with the words that inspired him to paint. His religious period was extremely interesting as was the period that he painted to express His love for his wife Bella. We stopped for a quick lunch before going back to the load the bus. "arriverderci Roma". I hope this part of our trip will inspire to the children to return again and again to the Eternal City. Our ride to Sorrento took about four hours. The adults slept but the children giggled, told stories and jokes and played cards. Our guide Andrew gave us an instructional history of Mount Vesuvius and the eruption that destroyed Pompeii. We rode along the edge of the Vesuvius National Park on our way to Sorrento. Soon the road turned single file in each direction with the scooters, Vespas, and bikes going both direction on the middle line. Very curvy and unpredictable road and traffic conditions. Then from our window we could see Sorrento along the coast ahead of us. We were all ready arrive! The first sight of our hotel was breathtaking. After taking bags to our lovely rooms we left the hotel for our first dinner. Everyone loved the shop-lined street and interesting restaurants right on the side walk. Elsbeth was happy that we'd left the big town behind for some quaint small town feeling. Everyone was anxious to do some shopping--in the morning. Especially Ron. We met for breakfast overlooking the private waterfront of the Imperial Taramontano Hotel. The children couldn't wait to get into the swimming pool. Soon they wanted to put their feet into the black volcanic sand beaches and float in the buoyant Mediterranean Sea. Ron was with us and then left to shop some more. Having dinner in town tonight with a view of the port and waterfront.