Sermoneta from where the bus parked to let us walk up. We did make it without rain, and I had the most amazing dish of tagliatelle with boar.
Ninfa gardens were truly spectacular. Lush, filled with "out of season" flowers (very unusual microclimate there -- there were crocuses in bloom and the magnolia trees were just budding) and ivy cascading over ruins. This garden is on top of what was once a town.
The water was so clear that the English teacher's 7-year-old daughter got closer for a better look...then toppled into the river. The teacher asked the guide how often that happened. She replied: Never, as far as I know. Leave it to us Americans.
Unripened pomegranate
Above and below are photos of Terracina. The mayor was so happy SYA was in town that he invited us all into his chambers for a warm welcome (and photo for his press kit, of course!) This is one of the many, beautiful, medieval towns perched high up on a hill. You'd never even know if was up there from where we were staying on the beach.
I have easily taken over 100 photos of "laundry" in my lifetime. Never gets old -- love it.
This is a shop owner sitting outside to catch some air. Why do Italians have such great legs? I think it's from the daily obstacle course they put themselves through: cobblestone madness in the highest of heels.
Beach at Terracina
From Terracina we took the bus to Sperlonga. Similar to Terracina, it has a lovely litle town on top of the hill and a beautiful beach below. The contrast of the whitewashed walls with the narrow stone streets was stunning.
After walking down the crescent shaped beach, we arrived at the Tiberius Museum and Grotto.
On our last day we took the bus to Monte Cassino, site of the first Benedictine monastery from the 529 AD. It's perched way up on a hill (don't ask me about the never-ending, spiral-like bus ride). It is a complete reconstruction, as it was bombed to smithereens during WWII.
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