Naples to the Amalfi Coast and the Italian Riveria with summer temperatures - Friday October 18, 2014

Today we headed in our small bus with almost every seat taken (24 seats and there are 22 of us) to go up the Amalfi coast.  There are so many switchbacks that nothing longer than a minibus can manoeuvre these cliff roads.  It was quite the ride and I took my Gravol like I do every day on this bus trip.  I was fine until my stomach got empty and then it was not so good.  We visited Sorrento (beautiful) where we walked down (many stairs) and then this cobbled canyon road to get to the Mediterranean and then a steep stone path back up to the town and then through the shopping district.  One of the fellows said he walked into one store and there were photos of the owner with many Hollywood stars.  This is an upscale area and I guess they go to visit George Clooney and then go up the coast.  It was a beautiful old, well kept town.

So we travelled those cliff side roads  and sometimes the upcoming vehicle is smaller and they have to back up, and everyone knows, to the inch how much room they have.  We had an excellent driver also.  From there we had stops for the view and then stopped for lunch in Amalfi where we had a delicious trattoria lunch in the upper square which is just under a huge church and the whole town has Moorish-type architecture.  We had bream fish, grilled with broccoli greens and two of the girls had dessert also.  Then we walked around and there were all kinds of passageways, all whitewashed.  The place was beautiful.  The Mediterranean was kind of rough so I hope tomorrow is it tranquil as we are taking a hovercraft to the isle of Capri.  It was hot and sunny.

We then stopped in a small town where there is a lot of ceramic manufacturing and we looked in some shops.  We were back in Naples by 5:30 pm and  at 6|:30 pm we went out down the block for supper.  I had a great calamari salad dinner which was great AND a glass of wine which was good too.  We ate outside again and it was quite a summer experience.  The area around the hotel is kind o of gritty and we have a great view from our hotel room of the port and right now there are five huge cruise ships in port.   But it is not an area to stroll with all these sketchy looking dudes around.  Actually most of the Naples we have seen looks kind of gritty, it is a huge port city.

Now since I took five black t-shirts and one baby blue t-shirt with me on this trip ( I must have been thinking I was going on a birding trip or something) just so everyone doesn't think I am wearing the same thing day after day I wash the baby blue t-shirt often so I can wear it every second day or so. So today before we left in the morning I left a note for housekeeping to leave an iron in the room.  We returned at the end of the day and no iron.  The T-shirt looks OK  but I need an iron.  When we came back from supper I asked at the desk for an iron.  The fellow at the desk told me to go to the 21st floor (our room is on the 18th floor) and there the bell man showed me through the staff door and plugged in an iron for me  I asked please can I just take the iron into my room.  He said that it would not work in the room, so I went down and got my shirt and ironed it there on the 21 st floor and now I am happy that I have a ironed t-shirt to wear tomorrow!  Nothing is ever simple in Italy!!!

So it was just another great day to tour here and the landscapes just keep changing and they are beautiful.  I wonder why so many Italians emigrated to Canada, the. land of cold and ice and short summers when they have such a great country here with nice temperatures and buttery, fresh olives.  It really is a mystery.

So that is about it for news from Italy.  Another great day!

I called home and got a real voice from BB and then called Norm, Cassi and J and just left messages, so I was thrilled to talk with BB.  It is bedtime now here so won't call, but going to bed.

Barb & Debbie