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Published: April 5th 2023
We had hoped to do some more exploring around town today, but the weather in Sorrento has turned chilly and windy, with overcast skies and rain in the forecast for this afternoon. The temperature this afternoon dropped to 47 degrees Fahrenheit! So we decided to stay in our nest rather than struggle with the inclement conditions.
Sorrento is a small coastal town in southwestern Italy, facing the Bay of Naples on the Sorrentine Peninsula. It sits atop cliffs that separate the town from two small marinas, and is known for its scenic water views and Piazza Tasso, the cafe-lined main square. The historic center is a maze of narrow streets and alleys that are usually clogged with visitors during the tourist season. Sorrento is the jumping-off point for tours of the famed Amalfi Drive, the coastal road that winds it way tortuously along the southern coast of the peninsula. Along that scenic route are the tourist meccas of Positano, Amalfi Town and Ravello.
On a brighter note, yesterday we discovered a restaurant (or
trattoria) virtually on our doorstep, directly across the street, named
Benvenuti in Casa. We've observed the entrance to this restaurant from our balcony ever since our
arrival, and had read favorable reviews on several social media sites, so we decided to give it a try for lunch. The name translates into English as "Welcome Home", and our dining experience more than lived-up to that name.
A polite and personable young guy (probably in his 40s), whom we believed to be the waiter, greeted and seated us. We found out later he is actually the owner, and his wife the chef. He then proceeded to assist Dee in connecting with the restaurant's WiFi to view the menu, as no printed menus are available. Dee elected to have the eggplant parmesan, while I chose lasagne.
Both dishes looked and tasted absolutely delicious, as you can probably surmise from the photos (see below). After our meals, we were given complimentary shot glasses of the best limoncello either of us can ever remember tasting. Turns out it's homemade by the owner's father, and that we can order a liter of it for 12 euros with some advance notice, which we plan to do in the near future.
The remainder of this week, leading up to Easter Sunday, will be filled with religious ceremonies, including traditional street processions
here in Sorrento. So we are expecting large crowds of both locals and tourists to be out and about through this weekend.
Dee's Comments: Well, a crazy yesterday at our
Casa Vacanza! I was awake at 4 AM, so I made roasted potatoes, bacon and eggs. Also made some English tea to drink as I watched the peaceful, empty street below...none of the usual buses, cars and scooters whizzing around. Only the city street cleaners were in action. At about 8 AM the non-stop traffic and craziness began all over again.
Around 1:00 PM we went to the small, family-owned restaurant across the street, which was great (too much food!), but the wine and limoncello made me take a nap for about 1-1/2 hours after we returned. Later, Happy Hour on the balcony to watch the people, both young and old, scurry about...so many puffy coats and white sneakers. Lots of dogs being walked on leashes, lots of poop bags LOL. Wish I had packed a hat, gloves and some sweaters...it's cold!
Today is "Hump Day" here in Sorrento, and it was interesting. Got up to partial sunshine, made coffee, did make-up and hair, cooked breakfast...ready to
go, but Mother nature would not cooperate. Clouds and rain rolled in, and the temperature started to drop into the mid-40s. Oh well, when in Italy, we need to make the best of it...sure glad we had not paid for a tour to the Amalfi Coast today! Some poor tourists are not having a good day, that's for sure. I've learned after years of travel around the world that we must cope with many adversities, and adapt to the local customs, sights, languages, etc.
Still getting used to our apartment, and its quirks have posed some challenges, too. But we're starting to feel at home here. Since the weather threw us a curveball, I decided to make a gourmet lunch (chicken cordon bleu sandwich w/salad) and then made some croutons with bread that was past its prime. Also made sauce with some beautiful grape tomatoes that are so sweet here.
Later this afternoon my hubby made a run to the butcher shop/deli up the street (that was a first for him!) with a short list of items. Soon after his return we had a power surge and lost electricity for a couple minutes...uh oh, now what? Fortunately it
was restored quickly. Had a brief Happy Hour on a frigid balcony, watching the crazy scooters, buses and people...for sure it will be even crazier this weekend! Ciao for now...
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Cindy Vogt
non-member comment
Brutal
I think being indoors for another day was probably a good thing, especially with the Benvenuti in Casa find. Yay for Mitch's butcher shop excursion. Can't wait to taste that limoncello! Do you think traffic is normal or worse due to Easter? Caio