Blogs from Sorrento, Campania, Italy, Europe

Compared to the movement of discovery yesterday, today was movement at siesta pace and for only a short time too. After attending the accommodations breakfast venue for a late Italian breakfast (1 croissant, 1 café latte) we purchased 5 peaches but before being put in our place by the nonna running the small deli; she was the only one to touch and select the fruit. Back in our room we prepared for our little outing … down the damn “Steps” again to the port area to purchase the ferry tickets for tomorrows trip to Amalfi so we can get to Ravello. It may be the only place we visit and enjoy as it has much to offer. It is very small and virtually a pedestrian only village. We will find out. We continued along the coast ... read more

Travel. Travelling. It does have you learning about yourself … what you prefer … for me, it’s the wide-open spaces of red dirt, spinifex plains, corrugated tracks and white, sandy beaches of Australia … compared to the hoards of people on narrow close-up roads, noise, continual vehicular traffic and having to pay to have swim. Dragging a small suitcase each across uneven, cobble footpaths, the 10-minute walk to the Naples Central Railway Station took us through many hundreds of ‘newly arrived’ Africans, ¾ or more being men. The women were gathered separately. Police and immigration were everywhere. The station was packed on all levels and eventually after negotiating our way through the throng we found our platform with not a minute to spare. We barged our way onto a crowded carriage as the train began to ... read more

Yesterday morning, at around 8:30 AM, we said farewell to our dear friends Peter and Rosita, who departed for their visit to Napoli. As we waved good-bye to them from our balcony, it began to dawn upon us that we, too, would be leaving in just a few days. Whereas our friends carried with them a single suitcase and backpack, we would need several large trunks and a pack mule in order to bring home the many memories we've accumulated during our time in Sorrento. One of the items on our agenda for our last few days, apart from packing and tidying the apartment, was to say our good-byes to some of the special people with whom we've developed some rapport. So today we decided to pay a final visit to Nello and La Maison Douce ... read more

Yesterday, after breakfast, our friends wanted to walk back to Marina Piccolo, the small port from where ferries dock and depart, to check schedules and prices for a ferry from Sorrento to Napoli. They will be leaving us in a few days for Napoli, where they will stay for a couple days in a B&B before returning to Germany. Instead of riding a train back to Naples, they have decided to try the ferry option, which should be far more enjoyable. Meanwhile, Dee and I decided to have lunch at the Tavern Allegra, where we had enjoyed a fabulous meal just before we left for the French Riviera a couple of weeks ago. A friend of ours in Florida had recommended this place, and had raved about its food and live entertainment by the owner’s father ... read more

Wet, windy and gloomy weather returned to Sorrento throughout this past weekend, leaving us confined indoors much of the time. We finally got a break yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, when the rain stayed away for awhile. So we decided to have lunch at La Maison Douce. We had not dined here since we departed Sorrento for our interlude on the French Riviera two weeks ago, so we wanted to pay our respects to Nello, our favorite head waiter and consummate schmoozer. As we've mentioned in previous blog posts, Nello is quite adept at schmoozing his guests. In fact, he's refined his technique to such a degree that he full well deserves the sobriquet of ‘Romancer of the Stone’! He now greets Dee with kisses on her cheek, and me with hugs, while cheerfully catering to our every ... read more