Amazing Amalfi Coast

Okay, I know it's been a while, but I've been making the most of my time off in traveling, so I hope that you find these next few posts exciting. Some of this may seem journal-ish, so I hope you don't mind. Anyway, this past weekend after Pompeii, a group of us went to the Amalfi Coast. The Amalfi Coast is a coastline, not a singular location, in Italy. It's made of Sorrento, Positano, Agerola, and Amalfi and a few other small towns. After taking a windy bus from Pompeii through the mountains, we found our way to the town of Agerola. It's actually pronounced "aJERRola" which we comically learned in our attempts to find the right bus station. We got dropped in the center square of San Lazzaro and didn't know wear our B&B was. By God's grace alone, we stumbled upon the father of the owner of the B&B. He was incredible to say the least. He showed us to the B&B and welcomed us like family. He and his wife cooked for us and were the picture of hospitality. It could not have been a more perfect first night.

Gregorio was his name, provision is his game (sorry for the cheesy line, it's getting late)...I'll tell you a little about him real quick. He worked as a barber in NY for 20 years, has pretty good English and is quite a character. Now, he's retired and provides literally everything for his family by the sweat of his brow. He has cattle, pigs, chickens, a vegetable garden and a wine press. Yes, he butchers and prepares everything for his family and it tasted so fresh. I literally couldn't believe everything he did and how we had the experience to eat and stay with him. My words don't do their family justice, but they were so loving. I have a few pictures of the place:

 We dropped our stuff after a long day...

Italians don't smile much, but they were really loving.

The Path of the Gods started right near their house. It was a three and a half hour hike. We experienced every season - snow, rain, rind, and sun. It was an unforgettable experience. Take a look:

Hiked along the coastline, right through the mountains

Beginning the hike, ready to brave the elements.

Sunshine, and the end is in sight!

Positano, right on the beach!

Finished the hike in a T-shirt.

The fleeting beauty of the sunset over Positano.

Breathtaking, remarkable, however you call it, I will never forget that hike...

From Positano, we made it to Sorrento, which is a larger town right along the coast on the way back to Rome. Our B&B at Sorrento was adequate. The rooms were nothing special, but the breakfast was incredible. We walked around town in Sorrento and relaxed by the beach. Oh, I watched my first soccer game with the locals - we saw the first half of Napoli vs. Lazio. Rome is in the region of Lazio, so I was pulling for them. They were winning, but I didn't want to cheer for fear of the Napoli fans in Sorrento :)

We made it to Rome after a ferry ride in between to Napoli. 

I'm on a BOAT!

We didn't see too much of Napoli, but it kindof felt like the Bronx of NY, so yea, make of that what you will. We got back without any issues and got to decompress a little before going back to "reality." I'm glad that my going back to reality is Rome. I realized that could get used to this. 

I also realized that I could travel and do all of this without any thought for God. In our room last semester, we studied Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges and the book asserted that the sin of ungodliness is the root of all sin. Ungodliness is basically the failure to recognize God in your life. In all of the great things and interactions I'm having, and will have, I continually need to take a step back and slow down and say "Thank You God." Even the warmth of the shower or the walk along the sights downtown is something that I could do and if I'm not careful, I would forget God. I love that our curriculum and discussions are Christ centered, and that we have the same perspective. I love community dinners and testimony night. These are great reminders of God and His love for His people. I want to continue to see God in the little things.

I love that we have a new chance to have another shot at life each day. To God, everything is new and it never gets old to him. I love this GK Chesterton quote (thank you Mr. Joe for sharing this in a sermon one day):

“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”