Today I woke up at 9:15 and had a breakfast of milk and cookies (no, I'm not kidding) with Anna (the French Anna). These people really aren't into healthy breakfasts!! She had to leave for class at 10:30, so I went left with her then took the map she'd given me and started off.
I walked all around the old city and along the coastline. It was (thankfully) a beautiful day. I went to see this old church calld the Duomo di San Matteo built in 1076 after the Norman
occupation. I also saw a garden called the Villa Comunale which was very beautiful. For lunch I stopped in a little pizzeria type place and had a pizza-shaped tuna, lettuce, and tomato sandwich (the bread was like pizza crust on top and bottom). Of course after that I had to have gelato, and I accidentally ordered banana and amaretto flavor (ick!) - I thought of dad though - he would have liked it a lot! After walking around Salerno for quite some time, I caught the 2:07 train to Vietri which is on the Amalfi coast. It is famous for it's ceramics and almost every shop seemed to be a ceramics shop. I bought something small (but it may be a gift, so I won't say what it is!), but there were so many beautiful painted tiles and wall hangings. Mom would have loved to get one, and they were very reasonably priced - I'm bummed I can fit so little in my luggage. As it is, I may have to mail a few things home (since I still have 2 months of collecting knick knacks!).
I walked around Vietri for such a long time trying to find out how to get down to the beach. Finally, I went into a patisserie and got a cookie and asked the guy "how can I walk" (making walking motions with my fingers) "to la playa?" And he pointed out the way, which I'm not sure how I missed the first 10 times I'd gone past it. haha The beach wasn't too exciting, but the water was very beautiful. I plan to go to Amalfi (the town) on Friday which is supposed to be really extraordinary.
Anyway, I got back to Anna's flat right at 5 when she said she'd be home. I was planning on leaving for Rome on Friday, but Anna told me that there is a HUGE free concert in Rome for May day (May 1st) which is Friday and practically everyone it Italy is going to Rome. This explained why no couch surfers had responded to my request and the hostels I'd looked up were all full. However, I can't stay with Anna Friday night because she and her friends are taking a bus into Rome and back (it will probably be very late). Thus, Anna walked with me down to a hostel in Salerno and I booked a bed there for 17.5o Euros. It looks like a nice place and they said I could drop my luggage off at the crack of dawn that day (since we have to leave Anna's flat at 7 am). I'm going to be so tired Friday...
I am starting to get a little bit homesick. Having left the Anna in Greece and her warm, welcoming family, it has made me miss that kind of homey environment and my friends/family back in the states. It doesn't help to learn that two of my best friends, Ashley and Tiffany will both be living in Asheville starting this summer. :'( Selfishly, I want them to stay in Charlotte.
Well, I will update again tomorrow.
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