5/26/19                            Cochiti Lake

 

We packed up the truck and set out for a day trip. Seeing as I miss California waters so, we decided a lake visit was in order.

Being very unfamiliar with New Mexico lakes, we just asked around and were told Cochiti Lake was in the not too far area. So the hubby printed directions and off we went.



The directions seemed pretty clear, however we get lost in the vicinity of the lake. Locals came to the rescue and pointed us in the right direction. As we approached the lake, we noticed there were no clearly posted signs. So if you  try to visit this lake, the turnoff is near the tower thing.

 There's a little swimming area cordoned off.

  The water was in the brown family. I was really hoping for something more of a bluish hue. I think that kayak-er has the right idea. Maybe next time we bring kayaks or a little pontoon or something.

 

Beans thought the water was fine!

Dogs are okay at Cochiti Lake, but they must be leashed.

Covered seating areas are available.

We decided not to go for a swim. We were happy to learn that there were plenty of cool places to visit nearby. We drove along the Turquoise Trail and walked around Santa Fe's plaza.



We're still on the lookout for local beautiful lakes.

5/22/19            Rome, Italy

We debarked the cruise ship in Rome and stayed at a hotel very close to the airport.  The Isola Sacra was not only well located for travelers needing easy access to the airport, it was a fantastic hotel.

The room was comfy. The lobby was beautiful. The breakfast, included with your stay, was the best I've seen, as far as complimentary breakfasts. And staff were very accommodating.


  

 This pic does not do the pool justice.

The hotel restaurant was very good.

 Flatbread

 Pizza

Sushi. Why sushi in Italy? I really have no idea. I guess I just love it.

There's a marina a short walk from the hotel.

I wondered around the neighborhood. The area was charming. Many houses had beautiful statues and gardens. There were many flowers and the landscaping was so green.

Mailboxes

This amazing trip came to an end as we eventually flew back to the states.  It was nice to get back home. 

I've only been back a couple of weeks and I have found myself on the www.cruises.com website several times. Is that wrong?

5/21/19      Pompei and the Amalfi Coast

The Pompei/Amalfi Coast excursion was scenic and delicious. The bus made its way along the coastline and some pretty narrow roads--yikes.  Our tour guide talked about Mount Vesuvius, volcanic ruins, and various towns we visited and drove through.


We stopped at a scenic overlook and I was drawn to this cute fruit stand.

Since the area is known for their huge lemons, I bought one with the intention of growing a lemon tree. The lemons are massive, and the lemon trees I saw were very pretty, but the skin is super thick making the juicy part just like most lemons.

This is the gentleman overseeing the fruit stand. He was a sweetie.


Our next stop was a restaurant with an attached shop. The view from the restaurant was wonderful.

We ate ate the Calajanara Restaurant.

Window shopping at the restaurant's store.

 Yummy local food. The biscotti was calling me.

 Are these vases? Dunno, but they're pretty cool is a sort of scary way.

Colorful!

This piece was inside the restaurant. They really celebrate lemons here!

Handmade pasta. Yes!

Lemony cake. Yum.

Amalfi, Italy

Amalfi was adorable. There were lots of great clothing shops and tourist spots, as well.

Postcards!

  Bar Flavio Gioia

Bar Flavio Gioia beckoned me and I totally caved in. I tried the nutella gelato--an excellent choice.

Pompeii, Italy

The tour group went to the ruins and we learned all kinds of historical stuff. Sadly, my mind was still on the gelato.

I noticed the abundance of flowers around Italy. Here we were at the ruins and there were tons of beautiful flowers amid the rubble.

The Pompeian plaza offers great shopping for tourists.

 Suisse is a great cafe for caffeination. The cappuccino was exactly what I needed--at 5 or 6 euros, it was pricey.

 The pizza was just okay.

The cafe's servers.

Capri, Italy

 
We visited the Limoncello di Capri, where they make Limoncello.

There were all kinds of samples, but since I'm not a Limoncello fan, I passed. Of course, that didn't stop me from shopping in the store.

They make the Limoncello right there.

Tour group walking through.

 Lemon-themed plates.

 Citrus-y Soaps

The gift shop was pretty huge. There really was something for everybody. Granted, most items were lemon themed, but the selection was fantastic. If you need gift items to take back home, you will certainly find something here.

There was a bar and a bakery area, with tons of lemon flavored things.

 Keto be damned! Who can resist this?

After this very long day, we made the bus trip back to the cruise ship. Needless to say, we slept great that night.

It was a fantastic day.