Pompeii

We were staying at Hotel Diana in Pompeii which was very centrally located and was extremely reasonable at 85.00 euro about $119.00 for the three of us. Not luxurious but clean and pleasant with a beautiful garden with lemon trees in it had the weather been better we would have breakfast out there.

The day started out well, warm and not raining. Unfortunately we got up too late for the breakfast at the hotel, but they kindly brought the most delicious croissant and cappuccino from the bar.  We then headed out to find Pompeii which we were assured was only 5 minutes walk from the hotel.  Well if you didn't make any wrong turns and jogged it might have been.

As soon as we entered the gates we were offered a guided tour which we decided to take up.  For an hour we were shown the best parts of Pompeii including almost complete houses, the amphitheatre and shops. Soon after our tour finished the rain started to come down but we continued around in the wind and rain and toured the remainder of the site it is quite amazing and far larger than I imagined.

Lost in Pompeii

Walking around rainy Pompeii

Fountain in Pompeii

Found a roman kitchen

So after all this culture and weather we needed some lunch and headed to a restaurant not too far from the entrance, always a bit of a bad sign.  But beggars can't be choosers and we wanted to have lunch before driving to Sorrento so in we went.

The walls of the restaurant

As soon as we ordered they brought some complimentary bruschetta which was a little burnt on the edges. We were a little put off until Jacky informed us that charcoal is good for gas and so we dug in, and actually it was very tasty and had some hot pepper flakes on top which is something that I am definitely going to try. (can't really vouch as to whether it helped with gas.)

Free bruschetta

We ordered a salad to start and then Jacky ordered ravioli, Candy Scallopini limone and I ordered my favourite  escalope milanese.

Rather boring salad

Escalope Milanese

Both Jacky and Candy were disappointed with theirs, but actually I really enjoyed mine. We shared a decent bottle of wine and enjoyed a leisurely lunch for our first day.

After we finished we put the address into the sat nav (English for GPS) and after getting lost several times made it to the coast road and arrived in Sorrento in a howling wind, dark and in one piece thanks to Jacky's driving.  The italians drive as if they were the only ones on the road, pulling out in to traffic or just stopping in the middle of the road and then everyone just drives around them.  Rather Jacky than me.