Author: Jayne Lawson

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.” Psalm 46:1-3

Today we awoke to overcast skies and rain! Oh no! We are scheduled for a motor boat ride to Capri, and I hope the rain doesn’t cloud our vision (no pun intended!). As we came into the harbor, we could see the 8th century Castello di Arechi (Lombard Castle) perched high on a hill overlooking the city. It was originally used as a fort. Salerno is known for having the world’s first medial school, Scuola, dating from the 10th century and the Verdi Theater, an opera theater dating from 1872!

Capri

Overcast skies this morning as we approached the port of Salerno, so we packed our rain jackets today! It was steadily raining as we disembarked the Emerald Princess. We waited in the rain as our local tour guide passed out our radios before leading everyone to the boat for our hour-long jet boat ride to Capri. The trip started out quite gloomy and wet, but the rain stopped after about 45 minutes into the boat trip. The Amalfi coastline was stunning with houses dotting the rugged cliffs.

Capri is a large island just off the Sorrento peninsula that forms the southern border to the Bay of Napoli. This island was first discovered by the Greeks, but eventually it was purchased by Augustus, emperor of Rome. Later, in the latter part of his life, Emperor Tiberius came to Capri and he remained there until his death. As we approached Capri from its southern coast, we could easily see Mt. Salerno, the highest peak on the island at 1900 feet above sea level.

By the time we arrived in Capri’s harbor, the rain had become a drizzle. We rode the funicular to the top of the island where there were many different shops, a church, and the symbol of Capri – the clock tower. Most of the stores were very expensive. Names like Prada were not uncommon to see. While most places we had visited prior to Capri had many souvenir shops, here we had to search diligently before finding one. John did manage to find a gelato shop, so he was happy, and we felt it was important to sample Capri gelato! (Spoiler alert: it was amazing!)

Clockwise from top-left: hydrangeas in a restaurant; $1800/night hotel; electric cars are the only transportation allowed; church; gelateria (one is for John!); clock tower

As we strolled around, we passed the Charterhouse of St. James, a monastic estate of the Carthusian order, which was founded in the 14th century by Giacomo Arcucci. No longer a monastery, it serves as both a high school and cultural center. We continued our walk to the Gardens of Augustus, which had several beautiful overlooks including one where we could see the “Faraglioni stacks,” three rock pinnacles formed over time by erosion from the wind and sea. The gardens were donated to the island by the Krupp family on the condition the gardens be free to the public. After riding the funicular back down to the harbor area, we boarded a boat for Sorrento.

Left: Faraglioni stacks. Right top to bottom: Gardens of Augustus, town of Capri, monastery, cliffs

Sorrento, Italy

Greek legend says this town was once the home of mermaids, or the siren, who sang beautiful songs to lure sailors here to their doom. Today, 40,000 people live here in the homes built upon the volcanic cliffs. Sorrento overlooks the Bay of Naples, and from the harbor, we rode a minibus up a cobbled tightly winding road to the main part of Sorrento at the top of the cliffs. It was now pouring rain as we scurried into the Vela Bianca, our restaurant for lunch. Our table was already set with white wine, bottled water, and bread. We sat at a table for four, but no one sat with us, so we had some alone time. The atmosphere in the restaurant was very friendly, and we were hungry. Bring on the Italian cuisine!

Top left: Appetizer – pasta stuffed with spinach and ricotta in a tomato sauce

Top right: Entree – Florentine (chicken) scallopini with mozzarella and tomato Bottom left: dessert – Lemon cake

Bottom right: bread basket

After lunch we walked around the town. There was an outdoor market that had the biggest lemons I have ever seen!

We also visited a store that had beautiful wood furniture with a type of inlay that was beautiful. We then boarded our motor coach for the hour-long trip to Pompeii driving through the region of Napoli. Naples is the third largest Italian city after Rome and Milan. It is the largest metropolitan city in southern Italy and is located at the northern part of the bay of Naples.

Pompei

For 800 years it was a thriving city until it was destroyed by Mt. Vesuvius. This mountain is still active today. Its last eruption was in 1944, but it is still considered an active volcano. Although “resting,” or dormant at the moment, it is considered the most dangerous volcano in the world because if it erupts violently again, it will impact the city of Naples where more than 1 million people reside. Italian authorities do have an evacuation plan for those who live in the “red zone,” which includes the city of Naples. Volcanologists say they can determine if a volcanic eruption is imminent from all the devices they have installed on Mt. Vesuvius, and they can alert the public well in advance of an impending eruption.

Mt. Vesuvius

One plus of the eruptions is that the soil is enriched with volcanic minerals making it very fertile. The main agricultural crop grown here is the olive, and there are twenty different “tastes” of olives produced here. Next, grapes are grown for the wine of this region. The third crop is the lemon from which limón cello is made, and tomatoes are the fourth main vegetable grown here in the very arable soil.

History of Pompeii: In the 7th century BC, there was a functioning harbor here and an independent thriving city. By the 3rd century BC, Pompeii was under Roman rule. In 79 AD, the top of Vesuvius exploded violently spewing tons of ash and debris into the atmosphere and down upon the unsuspecting towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. (This was approximately 75 years after the birth of Jesus.) For 3 days, volcanic debris and ash rained down upon the city of Pompeii. During the eruption most of the inhabitants of Pompeii fled. There are only 1,200 deaths that are known today, and they would be those who were unable to flee the city. These people, the elderly, the sick, and the very young, died from suffocation from the volcanic gases and ashes. The city was buried in 30 feet of volcanic ash, and the volcanic debris created a 3-mile extension of the coast of Pompeii. What once was the thriving harbor of Pompeii was now new land formed by the volcanic ash and lava.

In the early 1700s, a farmer discovered some of the remains of Pompeii when he was digging a well. In 1748, King Charles of Bourbon ordered the excavation to begin. Today only 2/3 of Pompeii has been uncovered. This is approximately 165 acres. Excavation has been stopped for about 10 years now, leaving 55 acres still to be excavated at a later date.

As we walked through the ruins, we found that many of the things we see today were also apparent in Pompeii. Examples are sliding doors, pedestrian crosswalks, sidewalks, and speed bumps! Since there was no electricity, the people of Pompeii implanted white marble pieces in their cobbled roads that would reflect torchlight at night, serving as a rather primitive type of “night light” for the pedestrian to follow.

Clockwise from top-left: stepping stones (crosswalk); “beware of dog” carving; marble pieces to reflect torchlight; ruts in concrete blocks are for sliding a door or gate to open.

Pompeii was a very developed city. 35 bakeries have been excavated as well as many eateries, public fountains, and other businesses. Structures in Pompeii were made of basalt, terrecotta tile, and marble. The fountains were not only used for drinking, but they were also used to wash the streets and clear them of waste! Bakeries milled their own flour as evidenced by the grinding mills in them. The main square, also known as the Forum, was a pedestrian area. There were no carts allowed, so if you had to carry goods from one end of town to the other, you could rent an animal to do so. There are buildings that have engraved pictures of the animals that could be rented. At one end of the Forum was a huge temple dedicated to Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of the Greek god, Zeus. This temple was flanked by two arches. One was dedicated to Nero and the other to Caligula.

Clockwise from top-left: Vesuvius looms over Pompeii; pillars from the main square or Forum; Pompeii street; adult body; dog body; 3-year old boy body; temple of Jupiter

Herculaneum

This city was located at the foot of Mt. Vesuvius. Approximately 5,000 people lived there, and they all died during the eruption. Most likely a pyroclastic flow engulfed the city before anyone had an opportunity to flee. As this boiling volcanic sludge cooled and hardened, it preserved the trapped citizens of the city. Today, only a small amount of the city has been excavated because a new city had been built upon the remains before anyone realized there was a city buried beneath the surface. It is believed that only 25% of the city has been excavated.

Cameo Factory

Cameos are a type of jewelry made from seashells, mother of pearl, or coral. It is intricately carved by a master cameo maker into profiles of women (most common), animals or flowers. The more detailed the design, the more expensive the piece. While cameos are usually white or cream colored, some can be blue or pinkish. We were able to watch a master cameo maker work on a cameo. He was creating the curls of a woman’s hair on the cameo while looking through a magnifying glass while carving.

Top-left: cameo being carved. Bottom-left: master cameo maker. Right: finished product.

Next stop: Kotor, Montenegro

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10

Pisa is about 20 km from Livorno with the Arno river running through it. It was an independent city-state during the medieval times and was founded by the Tuscans prior to the Romans being here. The Field of Miracles is the main square in Pisa, but no miracles have actually happened here. The area was dubbed that by an Italian poet.

The famous leaning tower is actually the bell tower for the Cathedral of Santa Maria. Building began in 1173, and unfortunately, the ground was not as stable as the builders had originally thought. The tower began to lean almost immediately because the unsettled soil could not support the weight of the marble tower. Construction stopped for about 100 years, which was a good thing because it gave time for the ground to settle. At this time, only four levels had been completed. Construction began again in 1273 from the fourth to seventh floors, and the tower was finally finished. In 1990, the tower’s leaning was understood better. It actually leans because one side is rising from bubbles in the underground clay which push the tower up on one side as they move to the surface.

Builders finally had to remove soil from beneath the tower to stabilize it. It was reopened in 2001 for tourists to climb. Architects say it is just a matter of time before the tower actually topples over, but it is not expected to do so for at least 300 years. The tower stands 58 meters tall and is completely made of marble. It weighs approximately 13,000 tons.

On the grounds of the Field of Miracles are several buildings. The tall round building is the baptistery (built 1150-1155), and the cathedral is behind it, between the baptistery and tower. The cathedral, or Duomo, was the first structure built here. It was constructed during the Crusades and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Although it is predominantly Roman architecture, there are a lot of Islamic influences that can be identified.

Clockwise from top-left: Entering the Field of Miracles; the Leaning Tower of Pisa; the baptistery; Duomo

While John climbed to the top of the tower, I stayed below to keep the tower from falling!

Left: John is on the far right; top-right: bells in the tower; middle-right: staircase inside the tower; lower-right: Jayne supports the tower.

Next stop: Rome, Italy

“Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.” Psalm 109:1

Marseille is France’s first port, and it’s oldest French town. Today, it is the second largest in population with 875,000 people living here (Paris is first). Founded by Greek sailors, Marseille has a rocky coastline with fishing villages and summer resorts. Hills and mountains are all around the city, and lots of aromatic herbs grow here – thyme and rosemary are the most famous.

Clockwise from top-left: sign on the hill; Arc de Triomphe; Notre Dame de la Garde basilica; sailboat marina; prison island from the novel Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

Basilica – Notre Dame de la Garde

This cathedral was built in a 46-year period (1853-1899). It sits atop a hill overlooking Marseille and the bay. There is a gold statue of smart on top of the bell tower.

Aix-en-Provence

Founded by Roman soldiers, Aix-en-Provence is the second town founded in southern France. Located about two hours from the French Alps, it was established about 122 years before Christ, and from 972 AD to 1481, it was an independent country. Aix-en-Provence is known for its warm water springs, which the Romans used to create their public baths. Because of the many springs, the city has lots of fountains. Today, nearly 90,000 people live here.

Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur

There are three knaves, or sections, in this church, and they were built at different times. The first knave was built by the Romans circa 300 AD. The baptismal area is from this time period. The second knave was built in the 13th century. The altar area shows the gothic architecture and there are many stained glass windows. The third knave is from the 17th century and is baroque architecture. There is a greater use of gold and marble as well as more statues in this section.

Placo de Hotel de Ville – Town Hall Square

This is where the government offices are in Aix-en-Provence. Over the doors of the Town Hall are three flags. They are the EU flag, the French flag, and the Catalán region flag. (The Count of Barcelona, in the region of Catalonia, was also the count of this region). Next to the Town Hall is the Post Office building, which has a facade with wheat on one side and grapes on the other which represent the region’s agricultural staples.

Farmers’ Market Square

Lots of produce is sold here including lavender (the region is known for this), honey, breads, and meats.

Fountains

Fountains are all throughout Aix-en-Provence. The first fountain was built in 1618 in the square “Anciano Placo de L’Archevescat.” It was also in this square that the French Resistance first met to plan its war efforts against Germany in WWII.

Clockwise from top-left: 1st fountain in Anciano Placo de L’Archevescat, Placo de Alberta fountain, Town Hall fountain, Main Street fountain, Four Dolphins fountain

Bastide du Cours

Lunch was at the Bastide du Cours restaurant in Aix-en-Provence. We had mixed greens with goat cheese and bread to start, then chicken with veggies as the entree. Dessert was a strawberry mousse cake with blueberries and cranberries.

Next stop: Genoa, Italy!

Psalm 107:29 “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”

Calm seas. I suppose that is every sailor’s dream. No one really wants to sail through a storm. This morning, as we sailed into the Mediterranean Sea, the seas were amazingly calm; it was like looking at a lake! Not a single whitecap could be seen in any direction. If there had been a dolphin or whale nearby, it would have easily been spotted! We have been blessed with incredible weather and seas on this trip. Even our Atlantic crossing was uneventful in terms of sea conditions. No storms, no huge waves. It has been a very peaceful journey.

Reminds me of life. We all relish days that are like calm seas. No worries or cares to invade our lives. No problems on the horizon. Smooth sailing ahead! But it’s not always like that. In fact, it is inevitable that storms will arise in our lives. We don’t know when they will come or how long they will last, but they will come. The good news is that no storm lasts forever. Tempests at sea eventually die down, and calm seas return. The task is to keep an even keel while navigating through the storms, employing the skills we have learned to safely sail through them until the skies become clear, and the seas settle down once more.

Just as a sailor keeps constant contact with his captain, we must maintain close communion with our Captain in order to maintain a godly heading in life. The Lord will never lead us astray. Reading His Word and praying to Him will help us safely sail through the troubled waters of life. It is an undeniable fact that storms will come. Some will be frightening; some will be painful; some will seem hopeless, but through each one, God has promised to be with us, guiding us, helping us, and delivering us safely through them.

It is true that even with the knowledge that God is in control, it is still difficult to undergo the trials and tribulations of life. We must strive to have the proper perspective. In our own frailties, the storms we face may seem insurmountable, but when we focus on God’s power as our source of strength, we can know that no matter what storms lie ahead, we have the assurance that we will weather each one successfully if we stay the course. God is manning the helm, and He is aware of all the unseen obstacles ahead. He knows exactly how to navigate through them. If we remain at His side and trust in Him, we will soon emerge from the raging tempest into blue skies and tranquil seas!

“And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Mark 4:39

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Can you remember a time in your life when God calmed your storm? Praise Him for that today!