The coastal trip is really spectacular with villas and vineyards hanging to the cliffs.
The trip takes less than an hour out bound with a few minutes delay in Amalfi.
In Positano, Anne took off on a shopping and church visiting trip.
I found my own view...
There is a constant danger of fires at this time of year and the response to them is rapid, they deploy helicopters right away.
There was a fire on the hills between Positano and Amalfi, on of the helicopters can be seen below picking up water from the ocean.
On the way back we had about an hour Amalfi to look around.
We found the post office and how the "Take a number" system works in Italy.
It actually works very well, there four buttons on the machine, you press the one for the service you want and it prints you a ticket with a letter and number.
They have a signal board which then tells you which desk will serve you.
Easy, once you know which service you want!
On the boat we met a really nice Irish couple we were on the same boats both ways. They told us that they brought their own kettle with them to make tea,
no Steven, they did not make tea on the boat.
Back in Maiori we were met by one of the sights you dread!
An old guy wearing Speedos!
He even rolled them up to make them look worse than they already were.
The following day we headed for Ravello, the drive is pretty hairy in both directions. hairpin turns, steep cliff drop offs and motor scooters who ignore all rules of the road, not to mention the other drivers.
I stopped at a cross walk to let some people cross and three cars went round me.
Ravello is a quiet little town with very pleasant central square.
They host a music festival every year, we had reservations for a performance when we made our first trip plans, however during the revised trip, there was nothing being performed that was to our taste.
You know me, if it was not written by dead white guys several centuries ago
I don't like it. Except for Jimmy Buffett!
This is madame ready for the safari. Believe me, it was like going on safari just to make your way up from the parking lot! Only fit tourists like ourselves need apply!!!
The cathedral, or Duomo, as it is called in Italian, is very modest on the outside, but is magnificent on the inside, with marble, oil paintings of religious scenes and gold plated fixtures on the altars, of which there were three. One is discouraged from taking photos by a formidable-looking matron at the entrance, who also checks to make sure any female visitors are appropriately covered up. Of course, only foreign visitors take any notice of her. A skimpily clad Italian girl breezed past the "guard", waving a dismissive hand, which caused an American guy behind her to say, "Well, I guess God doesn't care, after all!"
Whilst in Ravello, we found three features that would make it an ideal destination for our friend Brent!!!
Plus, Anne , paying homage to Joni, ( which is as good an excuse as any to have hard liquor before noon!) had what she pronounced as the best Cosmo she's ever had, one that would have met with even Carrie Bradshaw's approval! ( Anne told me to write that, and said, as the Harley expression goes, "If I need to explain, you won't understand!"
After returning from Ravello, we decided to celebrate surviving near death experiences at every bend on the Costiera Amalphitana for yet another day by chilling out in Maiori. Although we never availed ourselves of the beach area allocated to our hotel, we were amused to find that "Townies" from Sunderland, probably ruffian soccer supporters, must have had a hand in the naming of the facility. ( Actually, it was just a bad speller! It was really called Lido Hawaii, to which a sign further down attested).
So, tomorrow, it's "On to Sorronto, pronto, Tonto!" It's actually Sorrento, but that didn't rhyme!
Norm and Anne
AKA
Armand and Michaela Cain
Only the older Brits will get that connotation.
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