Our guests have shown remarkable resilience in recovering from the rigors of their overseas flights yesterday. As we can attest from our own experiences over the years, the first day or so after arrival from the states is like being in a daze, with biological clocks and sleep cycles thrown out of kilter. But John and Cindy, our guests from Florida, are coping well so far. They managed to get several hours of sleep before waking up in the middle of their first night; sat for awhile on the balcony watching the "street action" below; then back in the sack for a few more hours of sleep. They awoke just in time to enjoy one of Chef Dee's robust breakfasts of eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, toast and coffee. Since there was no strict agenda set for ... read more

The weather gods must be smiling down upon us (at last!), as we enjoyed yet another day of blue skies, sunshine and mild temperatures. We only hope the streak continues, as we're expecting two special guests (a couple from Satsuma, Florida) to arrive this coming Sunday for a 9-day visit. Since they are Floridians, their thermostats (like ours) are not accustomed to the chilly temperatures we have endured since our arrival in Sorrento almost three weeks ago. Our first order of business today was to walk to the pharmacy, the same one we had visited to purchase some blood glucose test strips for me shortly after we had arrived. It is a customer-friendly environment here, and the pharmacist on-duty today was very helpful in suggesting an over-the-counter cough medication that Dee was seeking as a replacement ... read more

Once again, overcast skies greeted us this morning, but at least no rain showers (for the moment). We waited until shortly after noon to leave the apartment and search for a place to have lunch. Since our arrival in Sorrento over two weeks ago, we have passed by an old establishment on the Corso Italia with a tongue-twister of a name: Ristorante O'Parrucchiano "La Favorita". Apparently it dates back to 1868, with multiple generations operating the restaurant since that time. The photos and menu on its website looked very appealing, so we decided to give it a try today. As we walked into the front entrance of this restaurant, the ornate decor and fixtures gave us the impression of a grand hotel from the belle époque era. Marble or alabaster staircases lead up to several spacious ... read more

Rain showers moved into the area this morning, dropping temperatures into the mid-to-upper 50s, with enough of a breeze to chill our shivering Florida bodies to the bone. So we more or less laid low in the warmth of the apartment until one o'clock, when we decided to have a late lunch at Benvenuti in Casa, the family-operated restaurant across the street from our apartment. This little gem is becoming a favorite spot for us, not only for its delicious Neapolitan cuisine, but for the passion and friendliness of the energetic husband-and-wife team that do such an outstanding job in running the entire operation. Today was our fourth visit to this restaurant since we arrived in Sorrento, two lunches and two dinners. We dined here when our friend from Rome paid us a visit, and she ... read more

Today was a laid-back kind of day, with little of note to report, apart from another nice experience at the English Inn for lunch, and our quest to find a local bakery within walking distance. We are expecting our friend from Rome to arrive by train tomorrow afternoon, and she will be staying with us overnight, so Dee wanted to buy some croissants to serve for breakfast tomorrow morning. We stumbled along the Via Cesario and neighboring streets, believing there to be a bakery or pastry shop in that area. But I must have made a false mental note in my memory bank, as we could not locate any bakery. After twenty minutes or so of futile wandering and searching, we decided to take a break for lunch at the English Inn. It wasn't a total ... read more