C'era una volta...: Ho Avuto La Migliore Fine Della Settimana Della Mia Vita [I had the best weekend of my life]

This weekend we went to Pompeii, Sorrento, Positano, and Amalfi. I cannot tell you how much fun I had. The Amalfi Coastline is too beautiful for words. I'll just let my pictures explain...

Just bein' silly in Pompeii with Jillian & Fatima!

Peekaboo! From left to right: Rhyme, Fatima, Andrea, Jillian, Jessica, Ellen, Alli, & Me!

Cheesin' by the pool at the hotel in Sorrento with Michelle, Alli, & Jessica!

Aren't you sad you didn't come to Italy?

Ruins at Pompeii.

Me in the theatre.

The original 'Fast Food'.

New life goal: have a frigidarium in my entryway.

Not the best picture of me, but Jessica & I couldn't resist takin a Longhorn picture [between us is a small fresco of a longhorn].

Atrium in the center of a noble family's home. It was one of the most well-preserved post-eruption.

This fresco has a story behind it: A young boy was hunting with his dogs when he accidentally came across the Goddess Diana bathing at a lake. Diana, angry that she had been disturbed, promptly turned the boy into a deer (notice he's starting to grow antlers), resulting in his dogs eating him alive. What a way to go... Uffizi better never betray me like that!

Bones of 'survivors' that died attempting to loot the mansion.

I actually fit!! This was taken in the doorway outside of the summer dining room. They used to gorge themselves and then stick a feather down their throats to vomit in the vomitorium so that they could continue eating... Suzanne Collins totally ripped off this idea from the Pompeians in The Hunger Games!

Aren't the frescoes amazing?

The first form of Italian political propaganda. People would sit outside of shops. waiting for shopkeepers to emerge and they would trade votes for money, favors, or goods. The name outside the store (above us) stated who the people had to vote for if they received favors from the proprietor.

This was once a bakery!

Me standing on an ancient crosswalk. The streets were essentially filled with sewage, and so the people had to walk on the raised rocks to cross the streets.

Frigidarium. Of course only men were allowed...

The remains of a man killed during the eruption.

Close-up of his face. Eerie, no?

Peekaboo shot with the Core 8 from a different angle.

"The menu," as our tour guide called it, at one of the Brothels.

The #1.
Photo Credit: Andrea Tocci

Oh my!
Photo Credit: Andrea Tocci

Have you made your selection?
Photo Credit: Andrea Tocci

Stone bed at the brothel. Comfy?

See anything you like?

Beein' silly at the brothel. You definitely couldn't afford us.

Boys at the Brothel! -- they decided that would make a great boy-band name.

One of the many public fountains.

Apparently the phallic symbol was a symbol of "good luck and fortune" back in the day. They were literally everywhere. Oh Pompeii...

In the center of the Forum. Active Vesuvius in the background!

IES ladies in front of Mt. Vesuvius! If you draw lines up the sides, bringing them to a point, it will show you how the volcano looked before the eruption. Apparently it basically blew up when it erupted, taking a big chuck out of the top.

Jessica, Sara, & Me. Sara didn't get the message that we were posing haha

Body and tons of different sized pots that were found post-eruption.

The most famous human remain at Pompeii. He was actually found face down, and you can see he was trying to cover his mouth. The majority of people that died in the eruption were actually killed by suffocation from all the smoke and ash. Lava was never even produced; only flaming rocks and ash rained down on the city.
Photo Credit: Andrea Tocci

"The pregnant woman," or as we named her: "The girl that went to Italy and ate too much gelato!"

Jillian & I enjoying the brief breeze.

Ladies at the pool enjoying our fancy drinks.

Jessica & I.

The girls from the apartment, minus Jillian :( in front of the Amalfi Coastline.

Pasquale & I making the coastline every prettier ;)
Photo Credit: Andrea Tocci

Sorrento Limoncello!
Photo Credit: Andrea Tocci

...& the lemons, of course! You could literally purchase lemons as big as your head!
Photo Credit: Andrea Tocci

Me on the pier at Positano.
Photo Credit: Andrea Tocci

& then all the girls decided they needed a Positano boyfriend...
Photo Credit: Andrea Tocci

Jessica & I on the boat ride to Amalfi.
Photo Credit: Andrea Tocci

Loving life right now.
Photo Credit: Andrea Tocci

Open-mouthed and completely in awe of all the beauty around me.
Photo Credit: Andrea Tocci

Enjoying the boat ride with Fatima!
Photo Credit: Andrea Tocci

The beach at Amalfi! Incomparable to anything.

What a perfect name...
Photo Credit: Andrea Tocci

Another world-famous gelateria. The big picture above the man in the pink's head is of the Pope there!

Jessica & I in front of the coastline.

It doesn't get much better than this.

I love all the cliffs everywhere. Che meraviglioso! [How amazing!]

View of Positano from the boat.

Il Paradiso è qui... [Heaven is here].

My future yacht.

Endless photo-ops...

I love the sea. Look at that gorgeous color! The water was cristal clear!

Ancient fortress that were used to defend against the Saracens.

I love how they just built everything right into the cliffs.

Speechless...

I smiled all day long.

The "Kissing Bridge." It received its namesake because it looks like two elephants kissing with their trunks. If you kiss your lover their you will have eternal love.