California

We have visited California numerous times and have seen the northern portions and the southern portions.

We have family that was based in the San Francisco area for many years.  San Francisco is the northern section of the state. We loved visiting them, seeing the city and visiting other nearby spots. Here are some pictures from some of our trips!

There are two famous bridges in the San Francisco area.  One is the Golden Gate Bridge.  It approximately three miles long.  Construction began on January 5, 1933 and was opened on May 28, 1937.  It is painted something called, "International Orange" and painting is a continuous job throughout the year.  It is one of the most famous bridges in the world.  You can drive across it, ride a bike or walk. Official Golden Gate Bridge website

The other bridge is called the San Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge.  This new bridge opened on September 2, 2013.  It replaced the old Oakland Bay Bridge, which opened to traffic on November 12, 1936.  Both of these bridges were thought to be impossible to build at the time.  Many people who live in the area also use a ferry system to travel across the water.  Bay Bridge Official website

The City of San Francisco has very steep hills!  For transportation for portions of the city, citizens and visitors take cable cars.  These famous cars were invented by Andrew Hallidie in 1873.  San Francisco Cable Car History

The Transamerica Tower stands proudly as part of the downtown skyline.  Construction began in 1969 and was completed in 1972.  It's pyramid shape reflects earthquake preventative design.  San Francisco is prone to earthquakes.  The most destructive earthquake in San Francisco happened on April 18, 1906.  Another earthquake happened during a World Series baseball game on October 17, 1989.  Since the 1906 earthquake, architects have designed buildings with the latest earthquake preventions.

California has many other wonderful places to visit!  One of my favorites is Muir Woods, which is located closer to a charming town called Sausalito.     Muir Woods is named after a famous naturalist, John Muir and is home to some of the world's largest trees, the giant redwoods.  Official Muir Woods website

Another stunning area in Northern California is the area of Monterey.  This portion of Califonia hugs a dramatic coastline along the Pacific Ocean.

  

Italy 2012

Lunch!  Pizza was invented in Naples, Italy.  It has a very thin crust with simple, fresh ingredients.  We chose the Margherita, which is tomato sauce, mozzerella cheese and fresh basil.

The Island of Capri

This is Grotto Azure or the Blue Grotto. It is a very famous place on the Island of Capri.  You enter a small opening by laying down in a row boat.  It is the bluest water I have ever seen!

My favorite town on the Amalfi Coast, Positano!

Ravello, a town on the Amalfi Coast in the hills.















 





  







 

 

 



The other photos are St. Peter's Basillica, which is the largest church in the world.  It is part of Vatican City, which is the smallest country in the world.  The hallway with a map is from the Vatican Museum, one of the most famous museums.  The building at nighttime, is the Pantheon, which is one of the oldest buildings in the world.  There is a hole in the ceiling that let's in natural light.  When it rains, the water comes directly in the building!  The last picture is the Roman Coloseum.

I first traveled to Italy when I was in college and participating in a study abroad program in London, England. When I was in graduate school, I had the opportunity to study at Loyola University Chicago's Rome Center, the oldest U.S. university study abroad program.

Since then, I have traveled to Italy several times. The most recent trip included Naples, Capri, the Amalfi Coast and Rome. There is so much to see throughout Italy, it is tough to decide where to go! Naples is a thriving, busy city in Southern Italy. Along the bay, there is a lovely promenade, a fort and Mt. Vesuvius, an active volcano. It last erupted in 1944, but caused major damage 2,000 years ago to the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. We visited the historic city of Pompeii and it is an amazing place. This enormous city was completely covered in volcanic ash and offers a glimpse into life 2,000 years ago. Many of the treasures found at both Pompeii and Herculaneum are displayed at the Archaeological Museum.

A vast ferry/hydrofoil system from Naples takes visitors to many beautiful places. Our first stop was the Isle of Capri. This is one of my favorite places in the world! It has two towns, linked together by a narrow road. The drive to Anacapri in the small orange bus is somewhat terrifying in that it hugs the side of the cliff. The town of Capri is a little larger. Both towns have stunning views of the water.

From Capri, we took the hydrofoil to my favorite town on the Amalfi Coast, Positano. The Amalfi Coast is a string of charming towns along the Mediterranean Sea. Most of the towns have rocky beaches with the exception of Ravello, which is high in the hills. The towns have lovely places to visit, eat and relax.

Rome is one of my favorite cities! It dates back nearly 3,000 years and is filled with art, beautiful architecture, and amazing archaeological sights. We visited portions of Ancient Rome that are open to the public such as the Roman Forum, the Colosseum and the Pantheon. We went to many art museums including the Vatican (online Vatican collection) and the Borghese Gallery.

An interesting part of visiting Rome is going to the various piazzas.  Italians have small homes or apartments, so the piazzas become part of their "living room."  There are many cafes and markets in the various piazzas. Friends and family meet for coffee, a meal and gelato!