One of my favorites...

So after our relaxing & recharging day, there was ONE touristy thing that I just COULD NOT LEAVE ITALY without seeing...

POMPEII!!!!!

I can STILL remember the first time I saw a picture of Pompeii in a social studies book when I was in the 2nd grade and have been dreaming of seeing it with my own eyes ever since. (macabre history buff, much??J)  I was just captivated by the thought of how an entire town could be wiped out of its residents, but still remain partially standing all these years later....    

The most fascinating being the people frozen in time in the volcanic ash after over 1,900 years....

I couldn't stop touching all of the buildings remnants....it's as if you could almost feel the life of the village in its remains.... 

...not to mention the panic & terror that must have ensued on that fateful day in 79 AD.  Not hard to envision as Vesuvius ominously lingers in the background from everywhere you look. 

And it was REALLY far away!  I always envisioned that it would be looming DIRECTLY over the town! Guess distance can't compare to lava racing down the mountain at 130 MILES AN HOUR! Yeeeesh!

After taking in all of Pompeii, we actually got an up close look at Mount Vesuvius!  Our tour (yes...I booked a tour through the hotel!  Pompeii is fairly easy to reach from Sorrento via the Circumvesuviana train...but after our luck: we weren't taking any chances!!J) took us about 3/4 up the side of the volcano...

Unfortunately, by this point in the trip I was too tired to attempt the 30 minute steep hike to the top craterL By very fortunately, we had made friends with a GREAT couple from Michigan (Hi Marlene & John, if you're reading this!!!J), so while Scott hiked up to the crater with John..

(still sorta jealousJ)

...Marlene & I sipped cappuccinos (yes, there was a coffee shop!) and watching the clouds swarm from the side of the volcano.  Not something you get to say you do every dayJ hehehehehehe...

As we descended back down, our tour guide (VERY CALMLY) informed us that Vesuvius is scheduled to erupt again in 2019.  Ummmmmm...that's not THAT far away!  And I HIGHLY doubt there were all the COFFEE SHOPS, souvenir stands, hotels & restaurants around its crater in 79 AD as there are today!  Yeeshhh....

Anyway, after we came back to our hotel, Marlene & John invited us to dinner in our sweet little Sant' Agata and we gladly accepted their inviteJ  And on recommendation from our tour bus driver, we ended up here...

I can not even BEGIN to tell you how much I LOVEEEED this night in Italy.  Not only did we have WONDERFUL company, we found this AWESOME FAMILY RUN restaurant (think Mom working the kitchen, son as the head waiter, wife as the other waitress...) on a perfectly mild night where we got to dine al fresco in the nice little courtyard....

(ignore our messy tableJ)

...and even got to hear the neighboring CHURCH CHOIR PRACTICING WHILE WE ATE DINNER!  Does that not SCREAM "perfect night in Italy" or what?????   Oh yeah...and did I mention we ate dinner for not 1...not 2....nope, not even 3...but FOUR HOURS????  ABSOLUTE BLISS!

All that AND we had a DYNAMITE meal!  Italy. of. my. dreamsJ hahahahahhahah....I started off warming up with a bowl of pasta fagioli soup....

OK...I lied...there was no pasta in this soup, just beans, but it was soooo warm & comforting.

Meanwhile, Scott started off with some stuffed peppers.  I know one was a red pepper & we have no clue what kind the other way.  Nor could we figure out what they were stuffed with.  NOR could we figure out WHAT THE HELL THEY DID TO THEM to be "THAT GOOD!"  They were incredible...

And for my main course:  I must admit...I was addicted.  I saw homemade seafood pasta on a menu again and just knew it HAD to be mineJ

It was JUST as good as the one I had in Amalfi and just like there, I polished off this entire plateJ  So heavenly!

But the "top dish" honors MUST go for Scott's choice of the evening: "Pasta e patate con provolone..."

I think my socks literally flew off when I tasted this dish.  It was part pasta dish, part stew and all parts FANTASTIC!

It was broken pieces of spaghetti, ditalini pasta, FINELY sliced potato pieces all in a sauce/broth.  It was one of the MOST unique and delicious dishes I've EVER tried!  And the thing that put it ABSOLUTELY over the edge???  The whole dish was permeated with the taste of this provolone del Monaco...

THAT was the BEST cheese I've ever tasted in my life.  It was like a REALLY strong, REALLY flavorful yet soft Parmesan cheese.  Utterly & psychotically delicious.  I have no idea if this was a specialty dish of this restaurant or if this dish is common in Italy, but they MUST bring this business to America ASAP:)  It is AWESOME!  Carb haters, be damned! J

And yes...there was still more fabulousness to be hadJ  As Scott couldn't decide between the pistachio mousse & the ricotta and pear cake.  So....when in Rome Sant' Agata: he got both!

And both were soooooooooooo good!  A delicate and flavorful pistachio mousse and the light and sweet ricotta cake with a touch of fresh pears....ahhhh, so goodJ  (Marlene even said the ricotta pear cake was HER favorite dessert everJ)

And I just had to go with the lemon layer cakeJ  So glad I got to try one...I had been wishing to try lemon cake since we had gotten to lemon country Sorrento and I finally got my fillJ

And after a complimentary shot of lemoncello (don't worry...I just had a sip!), we toasted to new friends and our WONDERFUL nightJ

We left VERY full & VERY HAPPYJ

Oh yes....and our buddy showed up again to say "Buenosera"!

...although he quickly tired of our antics and promptly fell asleep right under John's feetJ  So sweetJ

So I hope you are enjoying my trip blogs.  I have one more (delicious) day in Italy to share, along with our one (wild) night in Spain and than it will be "back to usual" around these partsJ  But no worries...we've jumped right back into our normal cooking & workout schedules!  I'll share all the FESTIVE meals we've been having soonJ  Have a good Wednesday!