After visiting Castel Gandalf, I drove directly to the Rome Metro Station. I took the metro for about 20 minutes and arrived at the Rome Railway Station. It only takes 1 and a half hours to travel 300 kilometers from Rome to Naples Central Station. I admire the Italian railway. s efficiency! When they arrived at the station, Jojo, who had come from Florence, and the young owner Guiseppe were already waiting. It took 25 minutes to drive to Sorrentino, a vineyard under Mount Vesuvius.

The mountain range in the distance is Mount Vesuvius, with an altitude of 1,277 meters. It is the most dangerous active volcano in Europe. It was this volcano that violently erupted in 79 AD, destroying 20,000 people at the time. Pompeii with many people.

First we moved our luggage into the small villa in the vineyard. The cabin was warm and unique, and had everything we needed for life. I was very excited. After all, it was the first time in my life to live in a vineyard.

Before eating, let’s get to know the city we are in. Naples, also known as Naples, is a city with a long history, beautiful scenery, numerous cultural relics and charm. It is one of the most famous scenic spots in the Mediterranean. It is praised as the "City of Sunshine and Joy", where the sun shines all year round. Naples people are cheerful, energetic and good at singing. Naples folk songs spread all over the world. Considered a jewel of Italy. There is a widely circulated saying in the local area, which when translated roughly means "It is enough to arrive in Naples in the morning and die in the evening." This shows the importance of this city in the hearts of Italians.

When we talked about the City in the Sky in the previous article, we mentioned Italy’s diverse topography and soil characteristics, which also created different urban characteristics. Naples is the most important city in southern Italy. It has a warm climate, fertile land, and beautiful scenery. It has a typical Mediterranean climate. The mild climate and Naples' geographical richness made it famous as the emperor's resort during the Roman period. Naples began in 600 BC and is known for its rich history, culture, art and gastronomy. The historic center of Naples is listed as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO. Naples also has an excellent port, which is one of the most famous scenic spots in the Mediterranean and the most beautiful port in Italy. In the past, many of our orders from Italy were transported to Xiamen via Naples.

Because it was 3:30 in the afternoon, I saw that there was only one table of customers left in the vineyard restaurant. They also left, and Jojo and I became VIP exclusives. The Sorentino restaurant has an original layout, a first-class view, and pleasant scenery. It is very comfortable to sit facing Mount Vesuvius, and subconsciously imagine what a magnificent scene it would be if Europe's most dangerous active volcano erupted at this moment. . . Well...the most beautiful scenery often contains the greatest risks, but having this moment is comfortable enough!

At this point, my stomach was ready to enjoy the food. Naples is famous for its food, and I really enjoyed it after the food was served.

This is an after-dinner dessert, and I’m pleasantly surprised. The walnuts are no longer astringent, the tomatoes are no longer sour, and the cheese is more delicious. Admire their creativity!

After a full meal, accompanied by the sunny and cheerful Jojo, the atmosphere was warm and harmonious, and we had a pleasant chat, we went to Pompeii as planned.

At 6pm, the sun was still so bright and hot, and here came an even hotter tour guide, Matia, whose explanations were humorous and made people laugh from time to time.

As early as the 8th century BC, Pompeii, a small fishing village relying on a natural harbor in the Mediterranean, gradually developed into a city. Decades later, it gathered merchants and became the second largest city after ancient Rome in Italy.

It is 300 kilometers away from Rome in the north, the famous Sicily in the west, and Greece and North Africa in the south. Pompeii's magical Sun Temple, huge Colosseum, magnificent theater, efficacious wizard's hall, novel steam baths and numerous shops and entertainment venues attracted many wealthy businessmen and nobles from the Mediterranean city-states. In addition, Vesuvius in the north of the city has brought strange magmatic soil, volcanic rocks and geothermal hot springs due to multiple eruptions over hundreds of millions of years.

On February 8, 62 AD, a strong earthquake hit this area, causing the collapse of many buildings. Many of the destroyed buildings we see in Pompeii today are from that earthquake Caused. After the earthquake, the Pompeii people rebuilt the city and pursued luxury and luxury.

On August 24, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius suddenly erupted. The volcanic ash about 5.6 meters thick wiped Pompeii from the earth without mercy. The human fossils we see now It reproduces the tragic situation of people struggling when the volcano erupts. . .

This bracelet amazes me. It is also an unearthed cultural relic. It is lucky that the magma did not melt it. It is bound to tell future generations: My fashionable Italian design inspiration has been endless since ancient times!

Because the ancient city was so big and the prosperity at that time was beyond our imagination now, I chose to record it in an impressive way.

Archaeological discovery: In 1707, while digging a well in a garden at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, three statues of gorgeously dressed women were unearthed. People thought that these were just cultural relics in ancient ruins along the Gulf of Naples. No one realized that an ancient city was now completely sealed in nearly 65 hectares of volcanic debris beneath their feet.

In 1748, human remains encased in volcanic ash were unearthed, and they realized that the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD had buried a city.

Bustling Pompeii Market: There was a food market in Pompeii in the 2nd century BC, and you can still see the remains of the time when goods were sold. There is a grain market under construction in the city. It was swallowed up by volcanic lava before it was completed. There are many large clay pots, stone mills, etc. piled inside. The Omazia Building, located on the east side of the city center, is a large comprehensive market. There are two large opposite walls at the height of the outer chamber, which are the auction markets, set up for auction hosts and bidders, while the inner chamber is a large laundry room. In addition, it is also a wool trading market. Walking in the empty public market, you can imagine the bustling commodity trading scene here. I think the stove and counter in the picture below should be the counter where bakeries bake and sell at the same time.

Colosseum: There are many theaters in Pompeii, which are amphitheaters like those in Rome. The amphitheater used for gladiators was built 51 years earlier than the famous Roman Coliseum. The main performances here include gladiatorial fights between humans and humans, humans and animals, and sometimes sports events are also held here. The wall outside the amphitheater is more than 2 meters high. There are many murals of hunting and competition painted on the wall, reflecting the living conditions of people at that time. There are two other theaters in the city, one large and one small, mostly used for drama and music performances. There is a place in the center of the theater that functions as a loudspeaker. With the encouragement of the young village owners, Jojo and Matia, I sang Teresa Teng's "I Only Care About You" a cappella. I felt the magic of this natural loudspeaker, and the whole theater echoed with the Chinese 80's sound. I am very happy to see this classic from the era, and at the same time, I am amazed at the wisdom of the ancient people of Pompeii!

Prostitution culture: Pompeii, like other Roman cities, had a prevalent prostitution culture. There are 25 brothels in the small city of Pompeii. The most formal brothel is located in a relatively dense middle- and lower-class residential area east of the city center. In the brothel, there are 10 rooms upstairs and downstairs. There is a portrait of Priapus, the god of fertility, at the door to illustrate the function of this place. There are sex murals with different contents painted on the door of each room, and the interior walls are full of various pictures and texts left by customers. When Matia was talking about the previous topic, she suddenly and mysteriously said, look at this painting, it is really a great masterpiece. , Jojo and I thought it was some masterpiece, and looked for its direction. . .

Both Jojo and I were left with complex expressions, and we were increasingly able to understand why the figures appearing in sculptures and paintings from ancient Greece and Rome to the Renaissance were almost all nude or semi-nude. It's been around since ancient times, it's just tradition.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, there are only four of us left, which can better reflect the glory of Pompeii.

The wine at noon may have some Barolo power, which will make you thirsty. Fortunately, Italy has had a drinking water system that can be used at any time since ancient times, and Pompeii is no exception. You can take a sip of volcanic mineral water. Enjoy the desolate beauty of the sunset with the ancient city and remember its past glory. . .

We came out of Pompeii at sunset, and the photo I took of Jojo became a classic.

Later I named her: One-Winged Angel in Pompeii.

Jojo didn’t want to be a single-winged angel, so he later got a pair to fly. Friendships during travel are really precious, I'm a lucky girl!

I ate at a fine restaurant in the city in the evening. For fine Italian dishes, my appetite is always as big as possible. Today In the evening, there is a Naples seafood meal, paired with Sorentino's rosé sparkling wine brewed by Piedirosso, with rich fruity and floral aromas and delicate acidity, a gluttonous enjoyment.

The young owner also prepared a limited edition of Don Paulo, named after his father. The grape variety is Aglianico. It has fragrant red fruits and fine tannins. The oak barrel brings a complex flavor and the wine is full and round. , paired with higher alcohol content, delicate frame, balanced and thick, and long aftertaste.

We sang all the way back to the vineyard that night, and continued the party on the terrace of the small museum in the vineyard. I sang a Cantonese song that I usually dare not speak, Priscilla Chan's "Love in Late Autumn", The only Cantonese song that can be sung is Jojo's disdain for the inaccurate Cantonese pronunciation, but I feel that after drinking wine at dinner, my language skills will be stronger. Whether the pronunciation is accurate is another matter, but I dare to sing, hahaha. . . Therefore, it is recommended that students who are learning a language might as well have a glass of red wine while practicing, and their efficiency will increase! I was ashamed of Jojo's singing skills. Later, the two of us sang a cappella of Teresa Teng's songs at the Florence train station, which has become the best song in Florence for thousands of years. The handsome Italian guy next to us also frequently gave us looks. The last song is because it has never been done before, and I believe there will never be another one, K&J is the golden partner for travel!

Giuseppe and Matia, the young owners of the vineyard, sang Pavarotti's "My Sun". They adjusted the scale to baritone, and the male duet floated over the vineyard. The night was gentle, quiet and romantic.

It reminds me of the golden and tranquil autumn in the movie "Legends of the Fall", and the magical and desolate vast grassland.

If I could play wind instruments, I would definitely pair them with Chinese flutes at this time. This ancient, bleak, profound instrument would definitely be combined with this Italian classic opera, and maybe it would create a different realm.

Reminds me of the wise Indian man’s summary of life in the movie: Some people hear their own inner voices with great clarity and they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy, or they become legends. Life is an exile. and wandering, but most people have surrendered themselves to the secular world, using the established trajectory of others and society to impede their progress, and the inner voice has disappeared long before they know how to flatter others; or, it will always be there. A lonely sound echoed in my ears. Some people can clearly hear the voice of their own soul and live according to this voice. Such people are either crazy or have become legends.

After drinking heavily, Jojo and I returned to the small villa in the vineyard to rest. We were about 100 meters apart, and each of us had a small villa to ourselves. Jojo asked me before if I would be scared if I had one nest per person. Haha, to be honest, I have no other emotions except joy and excitement. I live in a two-story cottage with a bedroom upstairs, a living room, a kitchen, a wooden floor and a bathroom downstairs. The wooden decoration is quiet and pastoral, comfortable and comfortable. Maybe it was because the air in the vineyard was too fresh, or maybe it was because of the pleasant a cappella singing in the forest just now, maybe it was both. I fell asleep quickly after washing myself.

After being awakened by the birds in the morning, drink a glass of mineral water first and feel refreshed!

The temperature at this time is about 21 degrees, and the comfort is overwhelming. Every cell is open, waiting to absorb grape polyphenols.

We made an appointment with Jojo to let the young owner take us to visit the vineyard, and we got to know new grape varieties: among them, the white grape varieties Falanghina, Caprettone, Catalanesca; the red grape varieties Piedirosso, Aglianico. Fortunately, we learned them before Learning Italian is not in vain. For example, when you understand Piedirosso, you will quickly understand why it is named like this. Please see the picture below:

Piedi in Italian means "foot", and Rosso is red. The stems of the bunching part of this grape variety are red, so it was simply named Piedirosso.

The young village owner introduced the soil characteristics of Sorentino. Different from Tuscany and Piedmont, the volcanic sand soil here is rich in minerals and very fertile, so the young village owner’s soil is based on the young village owner’s. When my grandparents started, they set up the grape vines into a shed, and planted other organic vegetables below, such as the tomatoes, dried tomatoes and apricot jam that I had eaten before. The owner saw that I liked it so much and gave me two small cans as a gift. I was really happy.

Then we went to the small museum in the vineyard, which contains a collection of household utensils from different eras, which has great family inheritance and historical significance.

After leaving the winery, we drove for 10 minutes to the winemaking workshop. Sorrentino still pays more attention to tradition and respects the natural harvest of the land. All products are organic products.

So what kind of wine is considered “organic wine”?

According to EU regulations, the grapes used to make organic wine must be grown using organic methods. Try to use renewable animal and plant resources and reduce the use of non-renewable resources. All medicines should be derived from nature, such as animals, plants, microorganisms or minerals. In addition, these medicines should not come into contact with fruits when used. The European Union has very strict standards for the use of these drugs. If the method of application is correct and the dosage complies with regulations, the amount of these drugs that actually enter the wine and remain is minimal, so the wine can be labeled as organic. To put it more exaggeratedly, in some heavily polluted cities today, the harmful substances inhaled through daily breathing activities may be more than those contained in a bottle of wine. Now in EU countries, only wines that use organic growing methods to obtain grapes as raw materials and are produced through a brewing process that complies with the EU's new "organic wine" regulations can be certified as "organic wine."

For wineries, choosing organic is actually very risky. For example, Chateau Pontet-Canet, a Bordeaux classified chateau, is the first classified chateau in Europe to obtain "organic grape making certification" and "biodynamic certification" (biodyvin). However, it is not easy for the first person to eat crabs. In 2007, faced with the pressure of disease in the vineyard, the manor had no choice but to use chemicals to save the vineyard, and lost its "biodynamic" certification. Vineyards without chemical support are undoubtedly at greater risk. After another effort, they finally regained the "Biodynamic Certification" three years later, and in 2011 they obtained the "Organic Grape Making" certification.

Although labor and costs are higher, listening to the whispers of the earth and respecting natural choices has become the sole purpose of the brewing masters of famous European wineries to brew organic and biodynamic wines.

For a small family winery like Sorentino, it is not easy to adhere to the organic method of growing and brewing all its products. Another thing that surprised me is that the leader of the family The person turned out to be Benny, the second younger sister in the family. She studied wine in Asti, Piedmont, and graduated with honors in 2008, becoming the youngest female winemaker in Europe. At that time, she was also the only girl in this major at school! We joked that the young owner didn't want to learn and let his second sister learn. It was too lazy. After all, winemaking is a profession that requires both mental strength, physical strength and enthusiasm. After chatting with her, we realized that this girl who loves to laugh loves her profession and spends all day doing it. It’s amazing to observe and study between steel vats and oak barrels, trying to make organic wine that matches the characteristics of the soil and grape varieties.

I think for most people who have not inherited a family business, they should actually be happy that you can choose the career you like. Family businesses, especially wineries, often face heirs who each perform their own duties and have their own strengths. The problem is that future generations choose their own direction, because your ideals and preferences may not necessarily be where you grew up and live. The second and third brothers of the previous San Marco winery family chose wine because they didn’t like the wine industry. reporters and soldiers, and important positions in the winery have to be filled by other people. The two brothers each experienced many years of experience outside the home, and finally returned to the winery to help the eldest brother. So when you are a girl and still so young, the family needs you to take on the role. The winemaker, the most important soul figure, will you accept it or avoid it? Or do you want to travel around the world first and then retreat to the countryside? I think this requires courage and the power of choice.

In the evening, with the magnificent sunset view all the way, we ended the Sorentino vineyard experience and took the Italian Railways to Florence. . .

Looking out the window on the train, the setting sun burns the sky red, and everything is so vivid. I think of the wise man’s understanding of life in the movie "The Years of Love", which is also a classic line in the movie: There are no dangers in life. There is no horror, there is no sorrow and indignation in the loneliness in life, there is no regret in the indulgence in life, the pain in life has nothing to do with being buried, the key is: even in the dark night when no one is watching, have you ever burned passionately, like that star? Like a soul that refuses to rest, in order to thank you for this short period of time?