Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1912-09-26
MEATH ITALIAN SKIES
Mrs. ]. ". Robinson and Miss COOK
Tell Interesting Story OF Trip.

ago, we are giving below descrip- |
tive account of the European trip
enioyed by Mrs. j. w. Robinson and
Miss Helen Cook this summer In
talking with the Record representa-
tive Mrs. Robinson said, Rome was
not made in a day, can a
person tell in day of Rome, so the
following article which is confined to
their visit in Italy, only gives hint,
a mere vision, of all that is grand
and beautiful in that sunny land The
remainder OF the trip will be given
next week:
We left New York harbor June 26,
on the steamship America. Taking
the southern route we passed between
the beautiful islands of the Azores
which were covered with fields OF
ripe and unripe grains, each field be-
ing surrounded by hedge, giving the
islands the appearance of mammoth
checkerboards. The Fourth of July
was the only time we ever spent the
national holiday on the water and it
proved to be, perhaps, the most en-
joyable one we ever spent. The next
day we sighted the coast OF Spain
and Africa and obtained a good view
of the towering rock of Gibralter
Saturday and Sunday were spent on
the blue Mediterranean. Sunday,
Rev. Randall OF New York spoke on
the subject, "Be ye kind one TO an
other During the service Nearer
my God to Thee" was sung and the
speaker referred very feelingly to the
Titanic disaster The Monday fol-
lowing we landed at Naples and went
Immediately to the Royal Hotel where
our rooms overlooked the bay. Here
we found copy OF the Alma Record
which, had preceded us
Naples is beautiful for situation,
but historically and architecturally
less interesting than most of the
Italian cities, though we visited the
National Museum, the r oval Palace
and gardens and enjoyed a drive
around the city.
From Naples we went to Pompeii,
where the entrance TO the ruins is
only a few minutes walk from the
station, and where we found many in
teresting relics of that once beauti-
ful city
Next came La Cava, a city OF $4,000,
where we stayed two nights at the
Hotel de Londres, meantime visiting
the ancient ruins OF Paestum, Greek
temples built five and six hundred
years before Christ and excepting
Athens is the most admirable speci-
men of Greek architecture in exist
ence
Our next visit was at Amalfa, half
way to Sorrento Our journey to
these cities was made by livery over
a road through the widest and most
picturesque country, skirting the
Mediterranean and in some places
hundreds of feet above the sea, cut
into the side OF cliffs or supported
by walls and viaducts with ever
shifting views of vivid grandeur and
which is classed as one of the four
most beautiful drives in the world
At Amalfa we visited the cathedral
OF Saint Andrew where the head of
the revered saint lies under a golden
crown: the natives believe that an
oily substance OF miraculous power
issues from the remains of Saint An
drew which attracts many devotees.
We also ascended the mountain a
mile and a half to a small village,
Ravella, to see the cathedral Panta-
Iona sounded in 1856, and to- obtain
view of the surrounding country
At Sorrento we took trip ont to
the and Of Capri, W h e r e
we visited the famous Blue Grotto,
cave 175 100 feet and Al feet high
and illuminated only from the en-
trance (Which is so low we had to
stoop in the small boats as we ent-
ered) and by the reflection from the
bottom 60 feet below The water
looks like a lambent sheet of blue
fame, the whole presenting a grue-
some, wierd appearance.
The return TO Naples was made by
boat across the bay, which place we
left the following day for Rome, ar
irving at six p. m. The next morning
we drove to the Capitalene Hill and
to obtain the best possible view of
the city we ascended the tower in
which hang The bells which are rung
only to announce the opening of a
carnival or the death of pope. Here
we visited the Capital Museum which
contains many famous sculptures such
as the Dying Gladiator, Venus of the
Capital, and the Faun of RTaxiteles
(Which inspired Hawthorne to write
his book, "The Marble Faun,") also
a rich collection of emperors, states
men, etc, perhaps the most interest
ing picture gallery in the world.
Then came the Roman Forum and
Cathedral of ST. Paul, just outside the
city walls, the altar being over the
spot where Paul was buried. Farther
along on the Appian Way we came
to the church OF St. Sebastian and we
inspected the catacombs under the
church; we also passed protestant