Hotel Mirasole on the Beach Gaeta

Monday was beach day. We packed a lunch and left early, around 8:30am, for the sandy beach of Formia. The day was beautiful and hot, a high of 36C at the beach.<br><br>We spent a lazy and relaxing day in the water and sun-tanning. We were introduced to Creme Cafe, a slush-type espresso drink. It was too die for. It was so refreshing and good. Actually, since our arrival in Italy ...

... away, we can see the remains of the foundations of the old Roman Amphitheatre. It was a smaller version of the Colosseo in Rome and sat about 20,000 people.<br><br>Next we visited the Commonwealth War Cemetery located in the heart of Cassino. Here are buried the young Canadian, British, Indian, Australian and New Zealander soldiers that fought in the area of Cassino from February to June of 1945.<br><br>We ended the day with another 3 hour long supper.<br>

Our regional train (less comfortable and slower than the EuroStar ES trains) from Rome to Casino left on time and arrived on time in mid-morning at the "Stazionne di Cassino". My two cousins, Franca and Rosetta, were waiting for us. They both live, with their families and my uncle Abel, in a suburb of Cassino, Cervaro. They live more in the countryside and are surrounded by beautiful ...

Le valigie si sono chiuse a fatica come al solito....al ritorno non so perchè, ma le stesse cose sembra che non ci entrino più nelle valigie...<br><br>Colazione e poi in aeroporto, anche se un po' presto, ma abbiamo da restituire la macchina e controllare il peso delle valigie perchè non sborserò più un centesimo per l'eccedenza bagaglio!!<br><br>Infatti eccoci sul pavimento dell'aeroporto a sparpagliare vestiti tra le varie valigie e ...

... Middle Ages, Gaeta was a fortified city. It was naturally protected because of its strategic position, placed high on a promontory, almost completely surrounded by sea, but its defences were further strengthened by the building of walls and towers. The construction of the imposing castle began at the end of the tenth century, and today it still dominates the entrance of the harbour. This Angevin and Aragonese stronghold is steeped in ...

... silvery green foliage of olive trees, indeed the cultivation and preparation of this fruit is the mainstay of the local economy. They are sometimes sold abroad as "Oliva di Gaeta", but in truth they are grown in the Itri area. <br><br>The surrounding area is part of a protected Natural Reserve, the Parco Naturale dei Monti Aurunci. This mountain chain takes its name from the ancient Aurunci tribe, and has some impressive peaks, the ...

... killing several of his guests. <br><br>The Grotta di Tiberio can be found at the far end of Levante Beach. The remains of Roman dwellings lay buried for centuries, and were only unearthed during the construction of the new coastal road, the Via Flacca, during the 1950's. In the grotto were found fragments of huge sculptures which once adorned the man-made fishponds at the cave mouth. These marble statues, dating from the 2nd century ...

... food shortages. Thus my grandfather Benedetto felt restless, as many Italian families departed for distant lands: the America, France, Belgium, Scotland, and England. His elder brother and sister had already moved to live in London, and Benedetto, longing for adventure was also enticed by the prospect of emigration to a new land of opportunity. In the Summer of 1911 my Italian grandparents ...

Venturing a little further inland from Itri, there are fertile, verdant valleys dotted with traditional farmhouses. <br>This area is part of the Aurunci Natural Park, and Campodimele is the headquarters. The picturesque, medieval village of Campodimele is perched high on a hilltop, located 647 meters above sea level. It is encircled by formidable, walls, 12 cylindrical turrets, and ancient houses that form part of ...

... behind in Chesapeake and I really missed not being able to move on with them into high school. Looking back on it, I think I wasted a big opportunity. My Dad retired from the Navy and we moved back to Chesapeake. I was really excited about this move back to the states and I decided to surprise my friends with my return.