After a hectic train ride, we arrived in the beautiful coastal town of Amalfi. Although it's a little touristy and hence overpriced, we managed to have a relaxing time.

We left on the train from Perugia at 8:40 Thursday night. We planned on having a lay-over in Rome from 1 am till 6:45 during which we would hang out and nap in Roma Termini, the Rome train station. But we didn't realize two things: 1) we would have to change trains in Tarantola, a town that exists solely because there is a train station at which people going from Perugia to Rome switch trains, and 2) that Roma Termini closes from 1 am till 4:30 am. When we got to Tarantola, the train-guy ran through our car yelling "Vuoi andare a Roma (You want to go to Rome)" or something like that and we just kind of sat there while the few remaining people on the train hurried off. After a few minutes we realized we were the only people on the train. Then the train-guy walked by outside with his bags and happened to see us in the train. He told us that we missed the train to Rome that had just left and that we had about an hour and a half till the next one. So we hung out for an hour and a half in a town whose only purpose is to have a train station.

When we got to Rome, at 1 am, we got kicked out of the train station because it was closing! Luckily, our fellow TCU student, Rachael, had stayed at a hostel in Rome before the trip, so she called a guy who worked there and we were able to hang out there for a little while, but we couldn't have beds unless we paid the whole $25. We didn't think that was worth is seeing that we would only be there for a few hours. So my friend Maria from TCU called a friend she had in Rome and we were given a place to nap for about 2 hours. We fit 5 girls into 2 single beds and a single futon (somehow I, the smallest one, got my own bed). It was a fun time let me tell you. But being able to have a full day in Amalfi was worth it, plus we have a story.

When we got to Amalfi, after an hour-long winding bus ride, we immediately dropped our bags at the hotel and headed for the beach. The closest beach was 400 stairs down the side of a cliff, so down we went. We were five of about 20 people on the beach, and we were the only Americans. It was so relaxing! The water was so blue and the cliffs were amazing. The water was pretty cold but not so cold that you couldn't enjoy it. After laying out and heating up for awhile, we took a dip and we were totally refreshed.

The next day we decided to go to a more touristy beach that was in between our hotel and the hotel of our friends and that also did not involve 400 steps. The beach, of course, was not as nice, but it sufficed.

Amalfi is known for it's gargantuan lemons that are used to make Limoncello, an after dinner digestivo, a liqueur served in small quantities that's supposed to help you digest your food. It's really good and it was especially good there. All of the restaurants serve it (usually for free) after meals.

To go back to the train station, we chose to take a ferry instead of the bus. The view was fantastic, and it didn't make my friend Camille sick! We had another short stop in Roma Termini, where my friends payed $10 for McDonald's. I won't let myself buy or eat any American food like that while I'm here. I've only had a couple of Pringles, and I intend to keep it that way. But it was such torture having to sit in the same train compartment smelling their fries!!!

I just had an Umbrian specialties tasting session, which included salami, wild boar sausage, peccorino and parmaggiano cheeses, olive oil and bread and red wine. It was really good, and all of it was made locally. Tonight we have a wine tasting session, after which my roommates and I are making breakfast burritos with Italian sausage and Italian tortilla-type-things. We'll see how it goes!

Buona serata, Ellie