Sorrento (Italy) | Easter Processions - 14 Apr, 2023

Looking northeast from my balcony, I have a beautiful view of Mt. Vesuvius. At the base of the volcano to the right behind the pine is Pompeii, while Herculaneum is located directly across the bay. Both cities were destroyed in 79 A.D. when Mt. Vesuvius erupted and are now major archaeological sites in Italy.

Sorrento is located on the south shore of the Bay of Naples. The city sits atop beautiful cliffs, and it takes about a 45-minutes by boat or a bit over an hour to reach by train. It is on the northern portion of the peninsula known as the Amalfi Coast.

When I disembark the ferry in Sorrento, I look up and think, WOW! I have a lot of climbing to do! The city sits atop very high cliffs. I can't wait to see the view from above. The small yacht pictured below is not my ferry boat.

I hope to find warmer weather here. My time in Napoli was enjoyable. However, the sunshine was lacking. Today is a beautiful day. Thesun's warmth on my skin. is offset by a strong cool breeze

Unfortunately, I can only check in after 4 pm. However, my host was kind enough to let me drop off my bag early. I leave my things and head out with my pullover. I spend the rest of the afternoon experiencing the great view of the cliffs. By the time 4pm rolls around, I am frozen. I should have grabbed my jacket to block the wind. The relentless wind is now frigid as the sun drops on the horizon. There's little I can do to stay warm.

Despite the cold wind, it feels great to be in Sorrento. The town is quiet this time of year, as the tourist season has yet to start. However, there are a few more people here than I expected.

My first meal in Sorrento is fantastic! Homemade fusilli pasta, buffalo sausage, eggplant, and smoked mozzarella. The tomato sauce is light and compliments the dish well. Unfortunately, there is so much that I can't make my way through the entire plate. I've learned through the years to stop eating when I feel full. Tonight, this is a challenge as the dish is fantastic! Nevertheless, I don't enjoy that feeling of having overeaten and would prefer to leave some on the plate these days.

After dinner, I stumble into an unusual event. People are lined on both sides of the streets. But then, I remember it's Holy Thursday, and Sunday is Easter. The procession of Venerdi Santo has a strong tradition dating back to the 1300s A.D. The White Procession takes place in Sorrento on Holy Thursday at 8 pm.

Like those around me, I am captivated by the procession. Yet, I resist the rising emotions when I see the participants wearing white hoods. Watching the parade evokes images of the Ku Klux Klan, a subversive white supremacist group in the United States. However, realizing this procession is unrelated only takes a little while. So I settled in and enjoyed the unusual event. I'm not sure how long it lasts, 15 or 20 minutes, I suspect. An incredible brush with local culture and the Vernedi Santo!

A curious thing happened following the procession. I began to wonder where my travels would take me after Italy. It's been important to me to always travel with a purpose. I don't want to simply check boxes and spend my time visiting pretty places. There are no shortages of these places in the world. Last year, I had a good deal of my travels planned out. International Appalachian Trail, Tour de France, and the Camino de Santiago were the big three rocks I built my trip around. I lacked details on how these, but generally, I knew where I was going and when I would be there. 

This time it's different. I have lots of ideas that could be better developed. This time, my goal is to let my trip evolve and reveal itself. I still have things I said I wanted to accomplish after I returned to the United States. The time I spent reviewing my posts confirmed that this has stayed the same. However, thus far, they have eluded me and not coalesced into a concrete plan. For example, finding volunteer opportunities and meditation retreats has been difficult. I also have at least one more walking trip I want to do. I also want to spend 7-10 days walking through different countries this time. It is time I revisit these ideas. I feel that this time, it may be different. Let's see where it takes me.