Amalfi Coast

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Geo: 40.6344, 14.6026

20 May

Today we headed off in the car for Amalfi. Interesting drive. The first challenge was to reverse the wagon out of the parking lot into the narrow alley. Took a bit of maneuvering but G did it.

So off to Amalfi, the next village down the road. Scary drive! The buses are the problem again. We can't fit on the road with them. Thankfully we don't have any bingles, it's a beautiful day and we find a large parking garage.

Amalfi is nice but somewhat tacky and full of tourists. Souvenir shops get a bit boring. I did buy a great canvas with a Vespa in it, oh and a pair of shoes, so a successful day. Had a fantastic lunch, gelato and then drove back home late afternoon.

We are staying at the top of Praiano so dinner means a walk down the hill, about 20 minutes. That's fine, and the views and photo opportunities are brilliant. Seafood abounds so I try grilled squid which is Yummo. We then found a bar, Bar del Sole (a bit umm average) for lemoncello for G, baileys for Sue and frangelico for me (this is going to become a habit!). Quick drinkies and then we have to walk back up the hill home. Sure Sue is fine and leaves us for dead. G and I are a bit tipsy and chatting so don't notice the pain too much and I'm trying to hitch a ride on vespas. We eventually make it home safely after our first day.

21 May

Today we visit Positano. We decide to save G from driving today and catch the local bus. We only need to travel about 10 minutes down the road. What an experience!

The bus is chockablock full. We squeeze on and Sue is sort of stuck down in the stairwell, below others up above. Did you know heaps of Italian women don't shave their armpits. So gross! So it's hot, Sue is going to pass out down there, G is holding on for dear life and is frightened her damaged shoulder is going to pop out, and I'm up above squealing on the corners as I can't hold on to anything and the Italian girls around me are yelling to each other at the top of their voices. It was such a hoot! We loved the experience and lived like locals for a few brief moments.

Positano is so beautiful and by far our favourite Amalfi Coast village. It is classy. We spend a lovely day here browsing the shops, enjoying lunch and people watching.

We catch a taxi home.

Each time we head down the hill we pass a barber shop. The barber met us on our first day and seems to be waiting out for us every time we pass. He's a bit creepy but we chat to him about Australia (he visited Sydney) and he mentions the shop is always open if we need anything! Nice.

Another habit that is forming is stopping for "foursies" at Hotel Margarita. They know us now and we go up to the roof terrace for a bevvie each. The barman is a sweetie and we look forward to seeing him (us three old bags).

Off down the hill again for dinner. Then for the after dinner drinks at Bar del Sole. I met a guy there on the pokie machines. He tells me he has spent €500 which I think is meant to impress me. Not. He also tells me he loves me. Time to go home. He is now known as "the gambler".

22 May

Today it's wet and miserable. We decide to stay home and spend the morning reading (and me napping on the couch). G cooked us a fab pasta lunch and we had a bottle of wine. Back to sleeping and reading. We had a nice day in. G didn't even get out of her pyjamas! Sue put us to shame and went for a walk.

23 May

This morning we are struggling to get the car out of the lot. Our sweet barman from Hotel Margarita comes to the rescue and helps G maneuver the car. Swoon!!!

Off to Amalfi again today to visit a jewelry store we had spotted earlier. The shop assistant is a real cow so we aren't to keen to buy anything, however there is a pendant G loves. So before buying it the girls try on as many items as possible so the girl has to keep taking them out of the cabinets! It's fun. G does eventually buy the pendant.

We caught a bus from Amalfi to Ravello, a village set high on the hill above Amalfi. The drive is all steep hairpin bends, I think worse than we have seen, so we are thankful G doesn't have to drive. Oh and I gashed my head on the luggage rack getting into my seat so I got a bit of attention from everyone for a little while!

Ravello is quiet and lovely. I found a very hungry kitten so bought some ham at the deli for him. I hope he is going to be ok.

We spent quite a while wandering around Ravello, some of it in the rain.

Back at Praiano we keep seeing the same local folk out and about. The nonnas sit outside the church near our apartment most afternoons for a chat. If we were here any longer than a week I think we would definitely be considered local. Everyone is so happy and friendly to us.

24 May

I was keen to visit Herculaneum and G was happy to drive there. Herculaneum was a fishing village of about 4000 people, destroyed by an earthquake in 63AD and then submerged by the 79AD eruption of Mt Vesuvius. It was much closer to the volcano than Pompeii so was covered in mud rather than ash so the town was essentially fossilised. It is much smaller and less daunting than Pompeii and better preserved. As it was quite a warm day, we were happy to have chosen Herculaneum over Pompeii.

It was amazing to envisage how large the homes were with most walls painted with frescoes and with mosaic floors. It would have been very grand in its time. The site is continually being excavated although as the current town of Ercolano is built over much of the area, it is slow going.

On return to Praiano the girls are both complaining they need their hair trimmed, but they won't dare visit the barber we pass every day. We now try to sneak past his store the four or so times we pass each day. Most often he calls out though.

We ate again at Praiano tonight then G and I called into Bar del Sole for our after dinner drinks and then a few more. The gambler turned up again but this time fell of his stool and was kicked out. We were pretty tipsy for the walk home!

25 May

It's our last day on the coast so we spend it leisurely in Positano, our favourite. We visited a posh hotel for a very average lunch and spent time at the beachfront eating ice creams and watching people pass by. Such a beautiful day in a beautiful village.

We met a gentleman selling his paintings near the shore. He worked on merchant ships in his day and had sailed to Australia many times. He was sweet and we ended up buying yet more art, to somehow carry home on the plane.

Back to the Margarita for our foursies, quick change and then back again there for dinner. Whilst G is eating her spaghetti with clams she tells us that the last time she ate clams she was ill... Do I need to tell you more? Yep that night she was ill again. Not a good night! And we need to leave tomorrow.

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Photos

Herculan
For baby's arm fell off

Comments

[adrian]

You are getting quite colourful with these blogs Tan. You might have a calling as a travel writer. You would probably hate a job like that though... I hope you enjoy the last couple of days. A x

[ann & geeee]

glad you fed the hungry kitty. If they are your photos, they are gorgeous. I've booked you in for a bleach, green foils and a perm - you should have accepted that appt with the local barber. Miss you - it's time to come home soon...... XX