I know, I know. There have been no blogs for a few days now! I'm sorry.

I wish I could say that Princess Cruises is some super, reputable cruise line, but I wouldn't recommend them to anyone who doesn't wish to be bled dry by people who lure them in with this concept of 'value'.

Unless your concept of value is paying internet charges to type in microsoft word… you don't belong here. Obviously I don't belong here. I'm as cheap as they come.

Regardless, I'm paying it, because the non-Princess coordinated activities have been so amazing that I can't NOT share the information and happiness of that with everyone I know and love.

Similarly, I can't wait for our free internet in Rome (free INTERNET?! Gosh golly and WOW Princess Cruises, that exists!?), and wish I had spent more time online in Barcelona instead of being a lazybutt in bed!

Anyway, it's been 3 days since I've updated and it's been so packed full of learning and sights that I can't possibly tell you about everything, but I'll try!

The last places I spoke to you about were those in the area of Florence. We have since passed through the area of Rome and Sorrento, Naples and Capri.

Firstly, since we are returning to Rome for 5 days following the cruise, Genny and I decided to take a tour that would take us outside of Rome and into less touristy areas. We saw areas of Italy that were so beyond that which I thought I would get to see. Mountains, volcanic lakes, and picturesque harbors with fishermen going about their everyday business. Most of our day was spent on the motor coach, but I have many pictures from that day to share regardless. Once I flip through them again and have more time, I'll remember more things I want to share from that day in the Estrucian countryside.

Yesterday, we visited Pompeii, Sorrento and Capri. We started off with a 50 minute hydrofoil boat trip to the island of Capri, where we made the mistake of sitting above deck in the wind. Boy oh boy, was I cold by the time we got off that boat. The coastline was beautiful, with cliffs and rocks and houses nestled into the hills. The harbor was perfect.

Next, we took a funiculaire up the side of the mountain (which is spelled funicolair in Italien) to see the true city center of Capri. The shopping there is VERY high class, so I bought a pre-lunch gelati and enjoyed looking around with Genny. Then, back down the funiculaire we went and back onto the boat for a 20 minute boat ride to the mainland, where we visited a tiny, tucked away ristorante for an AWESOME lunch.

When we walked in, each table had two different types of bread, distilled water, and a jug of local white wine (dispensed from a keg of wine) waiting for us. We were served ricotta and spinach stuffed cannelloni for our starter course, then chicken with potatoes and peas for our main, followed by espresso and tiramisu for dessert. W

We then enjoyed around 45 minutes of free time in Sorrento, before boarding our motorcoach to visit Pompeii for the remainder of the afternoon.

It's hard to describe Pompeii, and I know I'll butcher it, so the best I can do is promise that my pictures from Pompeii will be the first I upload when I have free internet access again. They say it is a city frozen in a moment in time, and it is. I felt almost wrong walking through those streets where thousands of the lowest class (mostly slaves, ordered to protect the properties while their 'masters' evacuated) died from volcanic ash and gas. Once I knew the reality of what happened there, that it wasn't thousands of people from all classes that died there, but a slaughter made by ordering those thought of as 'less' to remain, it became less about looking at the architecture and the sights (the mountains are beautiful around Pompeii, and can be very distracting) and more about learning the history of these people. Seeing other visitors jostle to take pictures of the plaster casts of those who died quickly became disrespectful in my eyes, of those who died there. You're walking through a veritable grave yard.

Our tour guide, Enzo, went to school for archeology before becoming a tour guide. He was the best we've had so far.

Today, Genny and I have done not much but read and sleep, and this is being typed when I know everyone at home will be slumbering so that I can concentrate on it. Hopefully no one minds that the blogs will be continuing in this relative infrequency. I will still be replying to comments and emails at least daily, thank you to everyone who has taken a moment not only to read, but to comment.

I can't wait to see you all when we get home.