The next morning we awakened to a gorgeous day. The view from our balcony over the Tyrrhenian Sea, accentuating our hotel at the foot of Monte Orlando was breathtaking. The sky cast a beautiful blue hue over the water. God had prepared the perfect day for us and humanity to enjoy. Quickly preparing ourselves for a busy day of touring the city and after having a light breakfast in the hotel restaurant, we met Vito in the lobby and left to explore.

First stop…liquid refreshment, a cappuccino. After indulging on an Italian staple, we drove around the beautiful bay watching the boats sailing the harbor and fishermen preparing their gear for their livelihood.

After a while of driving we took to our feet, a common practice and a healthy necessity for Italians. Scaling the steep alleyways and steps through Old Gaeta, we came to rest at Cappella delle Sepolture "Terra Santa" (translated: Burial Chapel “Holy Land”). The view of the sea from this vantage point was spectacular.

We then meandered through narrow sidewalks gazing at the structures of stone and small religious shrines embedded within them every now and then. A woman hearing us speaking English stopped us (she was also an English-speaker) and chatted a while with us. We discovered that she had dual-citizenship and was an author who wrote about Gaeta and was active in the preservation of the old city and we quickly became friends.

We then returned to base camp where I was reunited with my friends from my previous trip, Gianluca Bronco and his wife Pamela Costibile. It was good to see them again and I'm glad that Greg got the opportunity to meet them. We were invited to dine with them later in our visit and I looked forward to that immensely.

Before we knew it, the day was ending and I was able to get a spectacular “sunset over the sea” shot. Tomorrow would bring further adventures.

After arriving in Gaeta and checking into the beachside Hotel Serapo, we unpacked our bags while Massimo took Vito home to get his vehicle. We notified our family in the states that we had arrived safely and while we waited for Vito to return to the hotel to begin our day, the cameras were readied for use as we were steadfast on capturing every possible moment of our journey.

Vito arrived and Greg and I piled into his car. As I had previously been to Gaeta, I insisted that Greg sit shotgun so that he could see the city. Before going to meet Wilma and our new cousin Giulia, their newborn daughter, we stopped at Tapas Bar for a quick espresso. Paolo Perone, the owner, was tending the bar and seeing him again was pure joy for me. His son Fulvio was not there however. Once again I was graced with the best espresso known to man.

After our detour to Tapas, we made a quick journey through Medieval Gaeta (the old part of the city also known as Old Gaeta) to show Greg the buildings and the harbor. Then it was on to the house to see our family.

​Vito’s apartment is located on a hillside partially overlooking the city while also providing a view of what appears to be olive trees, something that Gaeta is famous for worldwide. Parking for the structure is beneath the actual apartments themselves. One thing that stands out about Italy is that a considerable amount of walking is necessary, not to mention healthier for those of us in need of exercise. Most elevators are generally small and compact and do not afford much space in which to transport one from the ground floor to a higher elevation. For example, at the hotel it required separate trips up to our room in order to get us and our luggage settled. Vito’s apartment complex had only a staircase as did most other residences we visited.


Seeing Wilma again was very exciting and after exchanging the typical Italian greeting, gender notwithstanding, “kiss on both cheeks” greeting, we were treated to our newborn cousin Giulia. Holding her was such a joy and we were ecstatic to have a new member in the family. 


Wilma had prepared a wonderful meal for us which consisted of pasta (of course), mozzarella d’ bufala (giant balls of mozzarella cheese made from the milk of Italian Mediterranean buffalo), and prosciutto and salad, topped off with dolce (sweets). After a hearty meal, Vito took us to an arena where a volleyball match was being held. Vito broadcasts for various sports events (primarily futbol-soccer as we in the United States call it). Afterward we visited for a while and then Vito escorted Greg and I back to the hotel where a good night of sleep awaited us.

After a long and tiring flight from Raleigh to Philadelphia (with an extended layover in Philly because of airplane technical difficulties) we were able to arrive in Roma. I wish I could say it was unscathed but that would be a lie. The plane was crowded, small and contained some very rude people who had no respect for anyone but themselves when it came to wanting their space, even though it was OUR space that was being used by us and paid for through the generosity of our mother and father. I felt really bad for my brother as he was the one who suffered the most. The lady in front of him may as well have sat on his lap for eight hours. One of the saving graces about the flight was having the opportunity to share my previous Italian experience with someone who was going to be there for the first time. Greg got the chance to recommend some good Italian dishes, especially one that is characteristic of Roma.

We arrived in Roma, passed through immigration, picked up our bags and found our way to customs. After having our passports stamped (something that I failed to do when I came through Roma on my last trip--"it's Italy" as Vito would say), we proceeded to customs expecting to be questioned for everything under the sun. WRONG! There was simply a sign that said "if you have nothing to declare then pass through this exit". So without any fanfare, we were finally here and of course, Vito was with his chauffeur (thank you Massimo Taiani) to meet us and take us to our hotel in Gaeta a little more than an hour drive away. We were tired but very glad to be in the land of our family. And so begins the best part of our journey.

This is my first entry to this blog. Yesterday, I drove from Florence, SC to Greenville, NC to prepare for this, my return journey, to the wonderful country of Italy, the home of my mother's family. Having been in 2010 for the wedding of my cousin Vito to his beautiful wife Wilma, I am very excited to return. After all, I did throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain. I am acting as a surrogate tour guide for my brother, Greg. Greg has never been to Italy and this will be a new and, hopefully, enjoyable experience for him. I want him to have the memories that I had when I first traveled there. As of this writing, we are sitting at the airport gate in Raleigh, NC. In about an hour, we should begin to board for the first leg of our journey to Philadelphia. After that, we begin the long journey across the pond to Rome (Roma for the Italians). It will be the next day when we arrive there. Forecast -cloudy but lots of fun to be had regardless. I am looking forward to seeing all the family and friends I promised that I would see when I was there previously. And yes, I do plan on throwing yet another coin in Fontana Di Trevi so that I can make this journey yet again in the future. More to come when the opportunity arises (probably on the layover in Philly). Ciao and may God bless.