Show And Tell: Groundhog Day

Today I am so excited because it is another edition of Show and Tell Tuesday! This assignment is to describe one "Groundhog Day" that I would love to repeat each year.

Since we do not have kids, I thought my next response ought to be our wedding day. But to be completely honest, even though wedding days are once in a lifetime, every little girl's dream, I'm glad it was just one day.

There is a lot of build up and stress that goes along months prior to the BIG day...rainy weather, cake collapsing, dj playing the chicken dance, rental company not showing up, the air conditioning going out, even the fear of saying "Rachel" during the vows. Thanks Ross.

Source

I actually discussed today's assignment with Husband and we both came up with a favorite moment together. If I could repeat one "Groundhog Day" a year, it would be the time Husband and I spent along the Amalfi Coast of Italy.

It was by accident that we found Praiano, Italy during a week long roadtrip through the boot of Europe. Our favorite vacation spot is not Paris, London, or Rome but rather this quaint, tiny, Italian village nestled somewhere in the rocky cliffsides between Sorrento and the life daunting roads that lead to Amalfi. 

Top 5 Reasons Why I Would "Goundhog Day" Our Trip to Praiano, Italy:

Praiano, Italy is a tiny town situated an hour's drive away from the tourist mecca Sorrento. Our hotel balcony overlooked the main square outside the town's centralized cathedral. 

Each night different groups of the community would gather around the mosaic paved plaza for visits, views of the sunset over the water, tricycle riding, or hoops with friends. The plaza was like a giant front porch for the entire community to join together and end each day in the company of each other. 

The church is central in Praiano, Italy. It is easily spotted from the water below by it's cheerful sunny yellow walls and blue tiled dome roof. This is a church that brings it's community together. 

10 months later, Husband and I are still talking about the food we enjoyed immensely in Praiano. Every home in the area has lemon trees with the best lemons we have ever tried. We ate at our hotel's restaurant two nights in a row just because we couldn't get enough of the chef's creamy lemon pasta sauce.

The lemons were so big we had to buy some for our own cooking back at home. Husband recreated a lemon cream sauce with lemons from the Amalfi Coast and it was outstanding. He has since tried again with lemons bought at our local grocery store and while it is good, nothing can compare to way it tasted with true Amalfi lemons. 

Each morning and every evening Husband and I dined on the balcony overlooking the ocean. Between the local wines, fresh squeezed orange juice, and lemon mousse I was in culinary heaven. The food was so divine that I branched out and tried stuffed anchovies. The anchovies were breaded and stuffed with crab so of course, they were outstanding! If you are ever in the area, you have to check out Tramonto d'Oro. 

A little bit of rain left Husband and I wondering if we should sign up for a cooking class with the chef at Tramonto d'Oro but a break in the clouds gave us a chance to get outside and explore. 

We took a city bus from Praiano to the larger town over, Positano. There the city is more well known for it's colorful buildings stretching from the water up into the top of the cliffsides.

We hiked from the top of the town down to the beach. Along the curvy, steep streets we popped into shops and took in the scenes from a different lifestyle. Husband bought a bottle of lemoncello and I found myself picking out a few pieces of coastal clothing perfect for warmer weather. 

When Husband and I reached the beach at the bottom of Positano, we stopped for a bite of lunch. We ate traditional pasta and pizza overlooking the water at Chez Black. Afterwards, we took a 45 minute ferry ride down the coast to the town of Amalfi. 

In Amalfi, Husband and I took time to sit for a coffee inside a plaza beneath the steps of town's cathedral. We sat listening to a street band perform, watched the crowds pass by, and enjoyed the peaceful noise of the nearby water fountain. 

When we had had enough, we grabbed gelato and headed back to Praiano. Each day ended with a beautiful sunset over the water. It was the perfect scene to end the perfect day. 

Along with the beautiful sunsets, each day began with a fresh start as the sun rose over the water. It was fantastic to sit out on the balcony each morning with a fresh cup of coffee and ponder what adventures lay ahead in the day. 

 Hotel Tramonto d'Oro had lush landscaping all around the property. After breakfast, Husband and I enjoyed wondering around the grounds taking in the different views of the water. 

This doorway opened to stairs that led all the way down the cliff to the water. We opted to stay within the gardens and always intended to take the hike down but never got the chance. This just gives us a chance to do something new "next" time! 

For us, Praiano, Italy was the perfect destination to experience new culture, top notch food, with a relaxing setting. It is one place of many that Husband and I have already stated we MUST go back someday! I have written before, here, about our trip along the Amalfi Coast but just rewriting about this experience has me wondering when the "next" time will?!

If you are interested in Rome, read more here, here, and here.
If you are interested in Tuscany, read more here.

Is there a special trip that you would relive again and again?



Happy February,

 

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