Ravello Music Festival

Overlooking Positano on the Amalfi coast

Sea cave

Ravello

The amazing stage at Villa Rufalo

Hamid Drake on drums!!!

How I woke up this morning: THRILLED. I was so pumped to get up and go to the amazing breakfast. Unfortunately my dreams were broken and my life became a reality because they didn't make anymore Nutella cake :(. They substituted it with homemade chocolate zucchini cake that was still DELICIOUS but nothing can beat my precious Nutella cake. Breakfast was still a 10/10 because of all the other amazing food they had like the breads, baking, fruits, eggs, cheeses, cereals and much much more. Also this will be our last breakfast here because we are leaving Villa Ketty today :(. We at least got to hang out by the poolside for a while because our driver wasn't picking us up until 2:30! I read my book, swam around, enjoyed the view, ate leftover pizza from last night and, of course, snuck a few more treats ;)))). 

Once we left our spectacular stay at Villa Ketty our driver took us along the Amalfi Coast and past all the gorgeous little towns to get to Ravello. We stopped at a few places with stunning views and at this little fruit market that made us freshly squeezed lemonade. They were very crazy there and kept laughing and giving us free fruit!! Also we stopped at an underwater sea grotto where a guy took us out on a rowboat so we could look in this little water cave. There were lights set up to light the inside and it was actually quite cold which was AWESOME because of how HOT IT WAS OUTSIDE. Stalactites (those rock things hanging down from the ceiling) were above our heads and the water was so, so crystal clear. 

After a two hour drive with a few stops, we arrived in Ravello. We were greeted by these Italian men who own the little house we are staying at, which is not actually in Ravello, but in a different little village called Torello, that doesn't have any roads, only foot paths and lots and lots of steps.  We were wondering how we were going to get our luggage to our apartment, when the Italians threw our heavy suitcases over their shoulders and down the stairs we headed. Hundred of stairs led us down through narrow walls and into this town with a total of approximately 10 people living in it....including us. There are no stores at all - not even a grocery store or restaurant. When we got into our house it was ummmmm, wellllll, it's ahhhhhh. It's ok! Let's just say there's no wifi or air conditioning but we will live!! The AC problem doesn't really help the fact that it is insanely hot here. Although there's a few cons at this place, the view here makes up for it!!! We can see the ocean for miles and miles, and all the little houses and vineyards along the mountain. There are so many small little farmer houses and gardens around us. 

After we dropped off our luggage we walked back up the stairs so the owner of the house could take us in his car to the nearest grocery store. The grocery store was smaller than my room but it met our needs and we got some good food!! We walked down from the grocery store back to our village and then down the stairs again to get back to our house. For dinner mum made tomato pasta with the groceries that was really great!! 

Tonight we are going to a drumming concert for a drummer dad really likes and is friends with named Hamid Drake. We walked back up the stairs to get out of a village and then up hundreds of more stores to get to Ravello where Hamid is performing. A lot of walking up steps - I was dead by the time we got to the top. Before Hamid performed we watched this orchestra play the xylophone and sing to make really nice sounding melodies together. The really amazing thing about this festival is it's location. It's set in an old villa, clinging to the very edge of the mountain and set above the ocean so all you can see is water behind the the performers as far as your eye can see. Also the sun was setting so the sky was filled up with all those pink and orange colors that I love!!! Surrounding the stage, there was a huge tree and lots of lush plants that made it extra gorgeous. 

In between shows we went to a cafe to get some drinks and met these super cool people from Tennessee that we hung out for a bit. Tobin and I played with some Italian kids in the square and played pass with a small bouncy ball. I accidentally tomahawked it super far and fast across the square and it hit a teenage dude in the back and he got really mad!! But I didn't understand what he was saying cuz it was in Italian, hahahahahhahaha!!!! 

Hamid Drake's performance was off the chainz!!!!! He was such a great drummer player and I loved groovy, reggae beats and vibes. Dad surprised him by coming to the show and I loved watching his face light up when he realized dad was there!!! After watching his stellar drum performance we walked back down all those stairs again and back into our village. The walk home was so magical because all the little houses were lit up and you could see the ocean from high up as we walked down the narrow cobblestone pathway with not a person in sight. It was super late when we got home and the walk home was pretty long so we went straight to bed in our house...or should I say oven? Trololol Creep it real-mimirockzzz king Julian