We have had so many experiences in Italy since my last post, I’m not even sure where to begin.  Let’s just say we’ve had Internet challenges along the way that have kept me preoccupied and not able to post.  We are living in our house (no more hotels!) and finally have Internet AND power in the house, so I hope to keep updates coming more frequently.

In late October, we went for a family hike to the top of Mt. Vesuvius.  We drove most of the way up the crater, and then hiked for 20 minutes to get to the top.  I have a ton of pictures from the hike, so will try to pick my favorites.

We were smart to go early in the morning as we found parking easily and didn’t have to deal with too much traffic on the super windy steep road up the mountain.  We purchased biglietti and grabbed some hiking sticks to make the trek.  The hiking sticks were a smart move as they were needed more for the trip down.  My leg did quite well, surprisingly, with all the uneven surfaces.  The boys did awesome and were super excited to be on an ACTIVE volcano that could errupt at anytime (it is overdue for it’s “normal” timing).

On the way down, we saw a local girl hiking with enormously high hills, I only wish that I was quicker on the draw with my iPhone so I could share the ridiculousness.

After our trip, the boys each bought some volcanic rock souvenirs and we headed out to drive back home.  Many more day trips coming our way.  Great first one for everyone to enjoy!