a travel diary.

Just when I thought I couldn't possibly fall more in love with Italy...I did. I went to Naples on Friday, and enjoyed Capri and Amalfi Coast during Saturday/Sunday morning. We literally started our day from 6am each morning. It was tiring...but so worth it.

Naples from the start was....eh. It looked very urbanized, and almost reminded me of downtown LA (it's really dirty and kind of ghetto). LOL it's true. But after trying the pizza, in the actual city where it was first invented, Naples stole a little piece of my heart. The pizza place (Pizzeria da Michele) had only two kinds of pizza, either margherita or marinara. It was the same pizzeria where Julia Roberts ate for her film "Eat, Pray, Love." Anyways, the pizza itself is so unbelievably simple and pure that it was seriously too delicious. I can't even put it in words. Naples is a must-go-to place, even if it's only for the pizza...because after that, no pizza will ever compare.

I was the only one that got Marinara. I think I'm becoming lactose :(

But it was still the best pizza in the world. It was light, but full of intense flavor. I finished the pie all by myself :)

I want another pie....

A picture of Julia Roberts at the pizzeria! :)

"rub my belly" ahahha I loved the pink walls at the hostel.

anna <3 why are you so adorable!!!

A huge piazza in Naples...I forgot what it's called.

I was trying to hold my dress down while I was jumping.

Naples' known dessert. It's called "sfogliatelle ricce."

The other was "il baba" which I didn't get to try :(

the streets of Naples!

Karem and Sadiya :)

heh...heh.

Joanna and Ellen at the park! :)

We saw this at a park festival in Naples. They really can't spell in Korean.

So weird to think they have taekwondo or 'taekuldo' in Italy.

Me and Diny <3

Sunset in Naples, sigh.

Bye, Naples <3 you were good to me.

reminds me of the Lion King. Thanks Sadiya for the shot :)

Capri reminded me so much of Catalina Island...except that it was a much more expensive version. Right when we got to the island, we decided to take a boat tour of the island. A man came up to us and said we could have a private tour for a cost that was a lot less expensive than the actual tour. We were scared but we just did it because he said we could pay afterwards, and that we didn't have to pay if we weren't satisfied. It ended up being amazing. But, it took me awhile to stop looking for weapons inside the boat just in case he happened to attack us 7 girls (better to be safe than sorry). Anyways, the weather was gorgeous at the island, so it was the perfect day to swim and enjoy the sun. It was a relaxing day, one that I very much needed and hoped for while I was there. I swam, took a nap, and ate good food, all along Capri's beautiful shores.

Seafood pizza. I don't think I can ever get sick of pizza...well, not yet.

The most ridiculously expensive, fresh-squeezed orange juice ever...

BUT it was so good. It was the best I've had in a while.

Joanna's Limoncello. She got it because Capri is known for it.

Unfortunately, the taste is so bitter and gross.

Alcohol in the daytime is a no-no for us.

Yeah, I know my hair is crazy.

LOL. I miss this already.

HI JO.

I LOVE THE OCEAN.

CAPRI <3

Last but not least, AMALFI COAST. By the time, we made it to Amalfi, I was pretty tired and the bug bite on my leg was not helping. I didn't want to walk too much so while the rest of the group swam, I just laid down and relaxed for a bit. After the swim, we all grabbed a cheap bite to eat, and I had two scoops of gelato for dessert :)

We were planning to go to our hostel after dinner but we missed the bus back to our hostel by a minute or two :( So we had to wait for the next one which was an additional 1hr and 30min wait. BUT, because of this lag, my trip to Amalfi was probably the best yet. To kill time, Joanna, Delia and I swam in the ocean at night. It was the most amazing experience ever. The lights were beautiful, the moon was bright, the wind wasn't cold, and the water was perfect (a bit cold at first). After that, all of us just laid on the shore and made "music" with the pebbles or we...tried to. Just when we thought that the night couldn't get any better, fireworks appeared. It was seriously the most amazing night ever. I just feel so unbelievably blessed that I got to experience it.

The beautiful weather in Amalfi :)

Amalfi at night is gorgeous. I think it's more beautiful at night than during the day.

Joanna's dark chocolate and something else gelato.

My 'pistacchio' and 'yogurt' gelato.

I never liked pistachio flavored ice cream until Italy.

It tastes like real pistachios, only it happens to come in a gelato form.

Yup, swimming at night. I think people thought we were crazy. There was practically nobody else out there but there were restaurants right in front of the ocean. So, we were probably fun entertainment for their customers.