Avellino.....

We rented a car, Ford Focus, and drove to Avellino from downtown Naples. Once out of Naples we entered very steep, beautiful mountains. A very nice road to drive. Avellino sits in a valley between mountains. Like being in the Alps, except it is very warm, mid-70's. Very unusual weather according to the natives. Avellino is a community of 52,000. Looks very prosperous, shopping consists of Hermes, Gucci, Prada, et al. Saw some men's underwear that was considered a bargain at 2 for 35 Euros. That's about $50, or $25 each. The driving is much less frantic than in the other places we have been. Very few bicycles and scooters.

Breakfast in Naples

Lunch in Avellino. You would love this place. That's a swimming pool in the background.

View from hotel window. That mountain is where we go to go to Roccabascerana.

Another view.

Avellino Town Hall

Gelato everywhere and always being eaten

Learning an essential Italian skill

Some views of Naples

Today we decided to just roam the streets of Naples to get a feel for the city of 1 Million and its people. It has been a wonderful day of awe and laughs. Napoli suffered horrorably from bombing by the Allies in WWII. National monuments obliterated. Whole blocks of apartment buildings leveled. Factories gone forever. Like the Poles the Napoli Italians have built it all back. They really, even now, appreciate the generosity of the Americans in helping them. They have created a society and way of life like no other. We have selected a few of the pictures to give you a sense of Naples.

Clothes drying is an art in Naples.

Dryers do not sell in Italy. Fresh air is the way.

Hang'em where you can.

Every widow is a clothes dryer.

Clothes add color everywhere.

Do it everyday, with a smile.

You have no idea how fast that scooter is moving.

Chapels on every building.

Some are true works of art.

Some are quite elaborate. Only fresh flowers are accepted.

Beauty Shop owner cleans up from first customers.

Nieghborhood fresh produce and general murchandise stores.

Picking the days fruits.

Yard Sale.

Local repair shop

Shopping Center, called a gallerie, built in 1892. Only first class merchandise stores accepted.

Sweets always available

Yard Sales always should be repeated.

PDA is doing well in Naples

Yep, PDA is acceptable and openly practiced. You how practice makes perfect. Well perfect is close in Naples.

Sometimes PDA leads to weddings.

Nona gets instructions from Papa.

Now what?

Park'em where they fit.

Police ticket scooter scooters.

Yep, have ATV's too.

Nuns driving a car.

Yep, have visiting cruise ships. 7 this morning. Most Americans met were either getting ready to go or were just returned. We are the only ones visiting Italy.

We arrive in Nicole's idea of what is Italy

After leaving St Peter's we go to the Roma Termini to take the train to Napoli at 250 KPH. When we moved from Bologna to Rome we noticed how warm Rome is compared to the North. Long sleeve was packed and polo shirts became the norm. Now we are in Napoli and the weather is down right balmy. We are wondering if we made a wrong turn to the Carribean Islands.

Nona orders our lunch in the Termini with all appropriate sign language. She has really adapted to Italy, so much so the local boy scouts approached her thinking she was a local Nona.

Our hotel in Naples. Nona tests the chairs placed in her kind of setting.

Where we will have breakfast. Yep, that is a cruise ship down there. And a castle.

Naples Bay. With a tropical breeze. Yes, that is Mt Vesuvius in the distance.

The Rum Cake, with lots of Rum, was delicious.

Today to Mass at St Peters and maybe to see the Pope

Today, Sunday, we will attend Mass and go to Communion at St Peter's Basilica. We hope, following the Mass, to join thousands to whom the Pope will speak and extend a blessing. We rise early, have breakfast, check out of the hotel (we go to Naples this PM), and get a taxi to take us to St Peter's. The streets are blocked near the Vatican, so we walk the last mile. We are early, Mass begins in an hour, and the Pope is set to appear nearly 4 hours later, 12:00 PM. We are not sure we will be able to do any of that for which we have come.

Mussolini's Avenue to St Peter's is quiet as we walk Via della Counciliazione to the Basilica.

As we enter the line of those seeking to enter the Basilica to attend Mass, we see the early arrivees gathering in hopes of seeing the Pope.

We get to attend Mass and recieve Communion. We offer our attendence for our families and in thanksgiving for being able to be there.

The Mass was offered in back of the main alter. This is looking back to the main alter, which is used only by the Pope.

The alter where we attended Mass and recieved Communion.

The canopy over the main alter.

Linda reaches for holly water as we prepare to leave the Basilica to go to the Square.

Vatican City's Heraldry Shield.

The Swiss Guard keeping things in order for the anticipated appearance of the Pope.

The crowd is now growing and the excitement is palpable. Will he appear.

The Pope's carpet is dropped. The Pope will be appearing today! And, we are there.

The crowd has now become huge...more than 250,000...in all directions.

Anticipation grows. Banners are everywhere. Songs are sung. Everyone looks to the second window from the rightmost.

The Pope appears and speaks. In his talk Linda's family, the Sassis, is mentioned to the cheers of those there with a banner from San Giovanni in Persiceto, Linda's family town. Yes, we did hear it right. We are seeking a translation of what was said. Nona is in near tears.

The Pope is about to bless the crowd. We bow and make the sign of the cross.

Once the Pope concludes, the bells of St Peter's ring in joy. We are stunned at what happened.

We leave in disbelief we were there and what happened.