Bonjourno from Sorrento!

Its been a bit since we have had affordable internet access or time to use it! We left Avignon in a whirlwind and got the only train to Paris last Sunday and had to pay a bit more because they only had first class available. It actually was worth every penny because it was the most comfortable ride. Only 2.5 hours to Paris - I have never been on a train so fast! We got to Paris and I must say, if you have never been there, stay as close as you can to the center. We had a barebones hotel out in Bastille and it was a bit of a pain getting in and out all the time, plus our neighborhood was a bit scary. But we made the best of it and we were just happy to have our own bathroom :) Though it was cold and raining, we managed to walk everywhere and really see all the sights. We skipped the Louvre, but made it to the Modern art museum (more our taste anyway) and did the whole walk to the Arc de Triumph and all the grounds in between. We wandered up to "the biggest flea market in Europe" and it was scary and all the stuff was cheap - dont let anyone talk you into that one. We had our breath taken away by Versille - totally amazing and well worth the crowds. One night we treated ourselves to a really good French restaurant - could not resist. And the last night we made it back to the Eiffel tower and, though we did not think we were going to make it up because the line was so long, finally got to the top and the view was stunning. If you are in Paris, go up there at night - the lights are amazing and the whole structure is set to twinkle with blinking white lights on the hour which makes the whole thing sureal. Just bring your boxing gloves to fend off the vendors selling plastic Effiel towers - they are very aggressive and everywhere.

Yesterday, we woke totally exhasted after staying up trying to figure our next step via slow internet connections and we found this great place in Sorrento. We hoped on a plane in the morning and landed in Naples after lunch. As for Naples, we could not get out of there fast enough - people were yelling and screaming at each other, there was more litter than I have seen anywhere and the smog was so thick you choked on it. Sometimes you just dont realize how good we have it! But a quick train ride down the coast and we landed in Sorrento. Our directions to our place were a bit hazy and we wandered very tired and hungry all around before we finally found our way up the hill and into Villagio Verde - the greatest place we have found yet. Though we dont have a view of the bay like all the other places boasted, we have a little bungelow in a lime and olive grove, away from the noise of town (god, there are scooters EVERYWHERE) and we have a big queen bed, our own kitchen and bathroom and a beautiful pool with a terrance. It is paridise after Paris. We decided to stay four nights because it is cheap and so relaxing. Today we took a stroll through town, took in the sights, bought a couple days worth of grocerys (we have a little deck with a picnic table on the front of our cabin to each at) then made cocktails and sat by the pool - ahhhhh, sooooo nice :) Tomorrow we are taking a bus up the Amalfi coast to do some beach going and hiking in the surrounding towns. We will try to keep you posted again once we make it up to Rome. Enjoy our pics - one from atop the Eiffel tower at night, one from Versilles and two from our little bungelow here in Sorrento :)

Chow for now -

Blythe and Chris