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| Albergo Cesari – our hotel |
We had to skip breakfast on the terrace this morning as our tour to Pompei & the Amalfi coast was due to start very early. However being ready so early gave me an opportunity to take a photo of the hotel without the usual crowd streaming past the door. You can just make out the columns of the Temple of Hadrian that’s a couple of doors down.
In our small van we were joined by Rick & Josephine from Wyoming, Derek & Judy from British Columbia, Lynn from the Sydney Northern beaches and Leonie from Canberra. A friendly , chatty group.
The drive to Amalfi took about 3 hours so we stopped along the way for a coffee, but the latter part of the drive was nothing short of spectacular. Max told us the road was called the “Mumma Mia! ” road by the locals, not just because of the amazing views along the way , but because the narrow winding road, the steep cliffs and the aggressive drivers make for many “Mumma Mia!!!” moments.
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| The beautiful Amalfi Coast |
We made several photo stops and swapped seats so that everyone had an opportunity to sit on the ocean side or in the front, but the front seat included the stress of mentally putting on the brake every mile or so, Max told us the only say to deal with the road was to just keep going and make “the other guy” think that you were going to crash!!
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| Amalfi |
Amalfi is a tiny town with a lovely cathedral that dates back to 700 AD. The specialties of the region include ceramics, lemons (and Limoncello liqueur) and Linen. The domes of all the churches are covered with colourful and glossy ceramic tiles in a rainbow of colours, so pretty! The town was very busy with tourists but not many of them paid the 3 Euro to visit the cathedral, so it was much more peaceful inside with its beautiful crypt and pretty green cloister.
Positano was another drive along the increasingly beautiful coast and when we started winding down the hill we could understand why larger bus tours don’t go there, it would be a physical impossibility to get a bus down the hill. From the parking garage we wound our way down the hill, past many little shops and caves, so striking under a lovely green canopy of vines.
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| Pretty Positano |
Neil and I decided to go with Max’s recommended restaurant for our lunch and it was a great decision, the fresh fish and squid were wonderful, and such a pretty meal served on the local ceramic plates, right by the beach.
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| Lunch on the beach at Chez Black in Positano |
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| The main square in Pompeii |
After lunch we drove back over the mountains, past Sorrento with its lovely view of Capri and down to Pompeii. What an amazing place! The town had been buried for centuries under 40 feet of volcanic ash and is so well preserved you can still see the Frescoes on the walls and the ruts in the streets made by passing carts. Our local guide, Gaitano, has been guiding people around the ruins his whole life, as had his father AND his grandfather so he knew all the best nooks and crannies for us to see. (He said he was more familiar with Pompeii than his own home, because Pompeii never changes but his wife keeps moving the furniture!)
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| The frescoes are so well preserved! |
In the late afternoon the site was cool and uncrowded so we could really enjoy the 2 hours we spent there. It was a long day as we didn’t get back to the hotel til nearly 9pm so it was nice to relax again on the roof terrace with an antipasti platter and a bottle of Prosecco to celebrate our last night in Rome .
I’m enchanted by the eternal city, I love the faded buildings and the shutters with their peeling paint. I love the cobblestones that rattle under the cars and I love the little back lanes with the vines tumbling down the walls. I love turning a corner and discovering a fountain or a little trattoria or a queue of locals outside a gelateria. The crowds of tourists around in the major piazzas in the early evening are less appealing but it’s so easy to wander a block or two away and find a pretty corner or a nice restaurant. And by popping up to Trevi and down to the Pantheon before breakfast we’ve been able to enjoy them without the hordes. Ive thrown my coin in the fountain, I hope I’ll be back one day.