Portofino, Italy

 

When, I lived/work in/at Gaeta, Italy, I often signed up for the MWR (morale, welfare, and recreation) trips on the tiny Navy Base.  However, they would also be cancelled because there wasn't enough participation.  I found out later that some of this was 'because' the military spouses had their own group and would sponsor their own trips-- which simply meant that there often wasn't enough people to support the base hiring a bus/diver to do the weekend trips.

 

After signing up for a few trips and then find them cancelled, I finally went to the local travel place on base and I asked them if there were any areas that I could go to by train.   So, she got me train tickets to go to Postofino, Italy.   I had to take the city bus to the next town to catch a train and off I went, on an adventure, to Portofino, for the next Saturday.

 

It was only about an hour or so away and often there would be views of the ocean out the train windows.

 

When I arrived, I discovered that the train station was above the town.   I disembarked the train and I followed the few passengers that also got off the train.  The views were breathtaking... an Italian harbor town laid out in it's own private cove, different levels of the town as it flowed down to the beach and the ocean.   You could see the sandy beaches, laughing children, ocean waves splashing against the rocks along the edge of the harbor, and there were many sailboats and a few yachts were docked.  

 

 

*I found out later that this is a 'very' expensive, popular place with the rich and famous too.

 

This is the harbor from the water and all my time was spent 'above all' of this area.   I went back to Portofino another time and I arrived by Ferry to the harbor.  I spent the day there and I only stayed in this area. 

 

 

 

 

We walked down steep, narrow steps from the train station area and eventually ended up in a level area, full of places to eat, gelato stores, and amazing hand painted ceramic shops.  It was very difficult to decide what to purchase.   Some of that was because there was JUST SO MUCH to choose from and every shop had their own different artist and styles of painting.  

 

The other factor in purchasing items was... I was going to have to carry it all back up those narrow steps, onto the train, and back home. 

 

 

 

 

I bought this blue serving platter. 

 

 

This was in a gelato shop... this is the front panel of where all the gelato flavors are displayed.

There were a few shops that sold the hand painted tiles that were to be put together like this.  I bought one with the intention of using it 'somehow' when I finally moved back to the states.   I did use it and I had it placed in my guest bathroom, when I had the shower retiled and updated.

Lots of lemons were on the hand painted ceramics... this is an area that grows and produces a lot of lemons.  

 

I enjoyed my visit so much - especially with the unexpected find of all the shops with hand painted Italian ceramics, that I went back another Saturday with a friend before we both moved to new locations in a few weeks.

 

Gaeta Italy

The second time that I lived/taught in Italy was at Gaeta, Italy.  It was right on the ocean about halfway between Naples and Rome.  It was where a tiny USA Navy base was stationed.   The Navy used the Navy Ship in the harbor for most of their needs and the actual 'base' consisted of one small two story (or was it 3 story?) building up the hill/small mountain away from the Navy Ship.

On this 'base' was a bank, the post office, various military offices, and a small shoppette that was the 'commissary/military uniform sales/etc. everything' type of shop.  I bought my groceries at the Italian grocery stores and markets. 

 The school for the American children of the military was not on the little base- it was instead about 3-4 miles away in a small 2 story rented school building.  I taught 3rd grade when I was at Gaeta.

When, I first moved there, I stayed in a hotel in the new part of town.   Across the street from the hotel was a small fruit/veggie store.   They also sold the amazing Gaeta Olives.  Trust me, they are the best that I have ever tasted and are only grown in this area.  I really could take or leave olives until I moved to Italy and got to have the fresh olives to eat.   Now, I love olives.

This is the very HANDSOME Italian man who owned the fruit/veggie store.  He was very NICE too.

In the main shopping area was one of my favorite Pizza places.   I loved it because you could buy the pizza by the slice.   See the one in front with the salad/lettuce on it?  That was a summer type of pizza.  I loved it and my other favorite one was the one that had small cherry tomatoes, basil, and olive oil drizzled on it. The other pizza places sold the traditional round pizzas- but, this was perfect for me-- just get a slice of pizza and walk and eat.   Of course, they might not have your favorite pizza-- but, you could wait or just get another type because, the pizza is very good in Italy.     The red star shows where Gaeta was located.   I would take the local city bus to the town of Formia to catch the train to go to other locations.  Unfortunately, I was only there for 10 1/2 months.   The school was tiny and got smaller and several teachers including myself were excessed and sent to another location.   It was the most beautiful place that I have ever lived.   Or visited.  I would suggest Gaeta as a place to visit- you can easily get there by train from Rome or Naples/etc.  However, do yourself a favor and do NOT visit during JULY or AUGUST.   Expensive and too many people plus probably not any hotels available anyway?       Gaeta had 2 intact castles and they were still being used by the city/government. One is near the water in the sunshine- you can see the tower, and the oldest one is in front of that one, away from the water, and is in the shadow.      Gaeta also had a huge swimming beach.  This is only about 1/3 of it.  In the summer, the place was packed with Italians on their month long summer holiday.  Here are the US Navy Ships.   Another HANDSOME Italian man.  He was also very NICE and he spoke excellent English because he was married to an American.  He made my wrought iron baker's racks.

The rest of the views from my previous home in Gaeta, Italy

 As I mentioned in the previous post... I lived on a hill/small mountaintop overlooking the ocean with a huge lemon tree grove, and the best part was the million dollar view of not one... but, TWO old castles in the old town of Gaeta.   Here are the view out my living room windows (castles) and the ocean, mountains, harbor and old church were from my bedroom and balcony views.

 The church and harbor view to the mountains as seen from my bedroom and balcony.  It would snow in the winter on the mountains... but, never on the ground.   This place is located 1/2 between Rome and Naples.

 This was my first time to live anywhere where citrus fruit would grow.  PS I was disappointed the the 'home grown from the yard' lemons tasted no different than the lemons in the store.  I thought it would be more like the difference between a home grown tomato and a purchased one.  However, I did make a lemon pie one day.

 There are 2 castles in this area.   At times, one castle was even used as a prison.  One is still being used as 'government' type of facilities.   They are all intact and you can go on a tour for parts of the castle and see some of the 'prison cells.'

 In the front you can just make out the walls of the older castle- the tower for it isn't showing- it is behind the trees to the right.   They are over 600 years; if I'm remembering correctly.

Can you see the 'bomb' holes in the church roof from the war?

And as a bonus... the house came with its own Italian Villa cat!   The previous owners called him:  Bruce.  However, I didn't since that name reminded me of a 'carousling' former boyfriend.   He was tame and you could pet him... however, he hadn't grown up being picked up so he wouldn't let you pick him up.   If he was 'home' he would follow me around anytime I was outside.   He's a little upset with the photo taking- but, I had to keep taking photos because every time I'd get him focused in the camera... he'd move forward and touch the camera lens with his nose. This is when I first moved in- he was a sweet kitty and not meant for the 'fighting' life that goes with being an outdoor villa cat living on a mountain.

This was the front of the house.  The cat would sometimes climb that spiral staircase and sleep on the roof.   You can just see an outdoor patio area (tile roof area to the far right) and near this are stairs that go down around the house and the balcony on the back side of the house with the ocean views.     Can you see why I loved living here even if it was only for 10 months?  I was only in the house for 6 months.   My job was 'ex-cessed' and I had to move to another location.

Sunrise over Gaeta, Italy

 A few years ago, I lived in Gaeta, Italy.  It is halfway between Rome and Naples and right on the ocean.  I lived up on top of a small mountain without a car.   There were only 3 or 4 houses on the mountain.  To get to work, I'd have to walk down to the bottom where I could catch a city bus that would take me pretty close to my job.   The city bus only departed from this area once every 30 minutes.  As a result, I left really early to make sure that I was there waiting on the bus.   After I walked to the bus stop... it was another 2 1/2 miles to the school.   At a certain point, if the bus was running late... I had to just start walking the entire way to the school to make sure that I'd get to work on time.   Sometimes I had to do that.   Which is why I left as early as I did to allow myself enough time to walk over 3 miles- if I needed to do so.

At this time of the morning it was always dark; so, as I started walking down the hillside on the simple narrow paved one lane road without any street lights... for my 30 minute commute down the hill....



 

 I left my house walking in the darkness, making sure that I kept my flashlight down towards the narrow road so that I could just barely see the paved road under my feet, feeling for the hardness of the road under my shoes, making sure I didn't hear the crunch of the gravel indicating that I was about to walk off of the road into the brambles, trees, and into the forested area.  I continued walking down the narrow road in the darkness...listening to the birds slowly awakening, and within minutes the sun slowly crept over the mountain's edge.  I knew it was time to turn off the flashlight.   I didn't want to miss a moment ... because...  I got to see this amazing view every morning.  Sunrise over the ocean.  It was breathtaking, different each day, calming, serene, and it never failed that I didn't just stop and look for a few moments ...  trying to absorb and remember how each day's opening gift was so different and beautiful.

Simply;  the beauty made the long trek to work much more bearable.  

This was the view that I had when I got to the bus stop:  A close up harbor view...

It was the most beautiful place that I have ever lived, visited, and experienced.