Amalfi Coast

For the second morning in a row, we had breakfast at the Hotel. I have to say that the fruit here is out of this world. The strawberries are red ripe all the way through - Dad loves them and so do I. The other fruit: kiwi, oranges etc are equally wonderful. I'm partial to the home made wheat rolls, Parma ham, sheep or buffalo cheese and locally grown tomato sandwich (I must take after mom). Dad and I are eating very well. The weather was at least 78 to 80 degrees and no rain. Another perfect day. The sky's are blue and the water almost equally blue - you really want to do nothing other than sit and gaze out into the ocean.

We meet our tour group at 7:45 this morning and hopped on our first tour bus for a trip of the Amalfi coast. The driving was hairpin turns, and amazing views.

We drove through Postiano without stopping, and drove on to Amalfi.

There we stopped and walked into town. There was a cathedral there that combined both Moorish and Byzantine architecture. The cathedral also had some of Saint Andrews' old bones - but we passed. Figure we'll see a bunch of old bones later. We took photos but didn't walk up the stairs to go inside.

We walked up the main street and back and had a much needed bottle of water.

Next town on the coast is Ravolo. Once we got there, we got our bearings and visited the Villa Rufolo which was built in the 13th century with renovations in the 18th century. And I thought the granite counter tops in my kitchen were spectacular! At any rate, it was beautiful with views spanning the harbor. We found the exact spot where Dad, Mom, Marilyn and Dan took a picture of the coast, framed with an umbrella pine. This picture is also featured on the brochure for this tour. Dad loved it.

We have been feeling a bit jet lagged and tired, but pushed on. After lunch at a family run restaurant we were back on the bus. The lunch was very good, but a lot of food for a noon time meal. We had an appetizer of melon, prosciutto, and bruschetta. Then pasta with pesto, pasta marinara and a pasta filled with ricotta cheese and bacon. Dad finished his plate and they understood that to mean that he wanted more food! Another plate of pasta came. He ate a bit and made sure to leave food on the plate so they knew 1) he liked it and 2) it was enough. Another dish came! Chicken, and asparagus and zucchini with cheese fried. It was good, but we could only take a bite. Then dessert! Too much food!

Ravolo

We drove back to Sorrento and took a much needed break. After a wonderful nap, dad and I had a glass of wine on the balcony of my room. I really can't describe it. My balcony overlooks the Marina Picollo where our hotel is situated and we can look out to the city of Naples. It is so beautiful! We were rested and relaxed and headed out to dinner at La Lanterna.

FABULOUS FOOD!! The waiter came up and we literally just glanced at the menu. We told the waiter what we wanted and he understood completely and brought us a wonderful meal. First we had a seafood risotto - simply wonderful. It had a langostino, octopus (yes I loved it) and many mussels. Next came a whole sea bass which the waiter filleted at our table. Don - you would have appreciated the filleting. We also had locally grown tomatoes and onions in olive oil. Truthfully it was too much food but the most delicious food so far on the trip. The tomatoes were warm, and so flavorful I could have made a meal of them alone. I really wanted to try the Limoncello, so I had a small glass. It was good, but not something I would want to have too often.
Tomorrow we get up early again and head to Pompei and Rome, with a visit to the Sistine chapel in the evening - a big day. Buona Sera!

Capri

Today was a beautiful day! Today was a free day for us, as our tour officially starts this evening at a dinner at the hotel with our fellow tour travelers. The weather was really stunning. Dad and I took a large ferry boat to the Isle of Capri. After we got off the boat a guy asked us if we wanted to take a taxi ride all over Capri. We had a bit of a conversation, finally convincing him we only wanted to go to AnaCapri. The town of AnaCapri is at the top of this very steep island. From there we took a chairlift up the mountain further to Mount Solaro. The chair lift was a series of wooden chairs - one chair per person. They come down and you basically have to hop on it, pull the metal bar across and up you go. Getting off was even a bit more tricky as they don't stop the lift you have to get off fast. But it was so beautiful (wish I had more adjectives as it's hard to describe). It was steep, but not scary and the views were panoramic. Once you get up there, the views are spectacular as well, but after a bit of walking around and picture taking, we went back down the mountain on the chair lift. Dad and I did great!

Next, we decided that the taxi's are a bit pricey and managed to find a bus to the Blue Grotto. Once we got there, there were many, many steps down to the beach and from there you would have to get into a big boat with lots of people. Dad struck up a conversation with some people from Canada on the bus, and the guys weren't too excited about going, but were following their wives (such good guys). Well, we headed back to AnaCapri and ate lunch at this lovely little Trattorria we saw while walking around. The pizza was homemade, thin and really delicious. We had Margharita pizza with artichokes and lemon water. It was quite, peaceful and the garden where we ate was full of flowers.

Blue Grotto boat

Trattoria where we ate lunch

So, we ambled back to the square with the buses and ran into the same people back from the Grotto. As the gentlemen put it , the Blue Grotto was a rip off, expensive, and took only about 8 minutes total. I think Dad and I had the better day by far! Our next transportation adventure was taking a public bus to the middle of the mountain and then another bus to the Marina to catch our ferry ride back to Sorrento. Those buses are all scratched up on the sides for a reason! Wow, you are right up against the cliffs of the hills, with equally large buses passing the other way. It seems like there won't be room for both, and then you add a few pedestrians and motorcycles and it's a wonder that people aren't killed more often over here.

Gotta run as we are all dressed up and ready to meet people.

Wine...

Forgot to add the name of a great wine dad found in a little shop off the Piazzo Tasso. The name is Aglianico from the Campi Taurasini. A great smooth red wine at only 15 euros. The dinner wine was a bit more expensive at $30 euro but wonderful. The name was Cunto. Off to Capri this morning. Its a beautiful morning!

Made It!

A long but uneventful trip and we arrived in Naples around noon. Thank goodness for Business Class. Food on the plane was terrible, but we managed to sleep a bit. We met a couple of our fellow tour companions at the airport. The weather is wonderful, a warm 70 degrees and humid! Ahhh, humidity.... my hands already feel better.

Dad is great. His knee is bothering him a bit, but he is hanging in there. We arrived at our hotel, the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento and after a bit of room negotiations, we both have wonderful rooms - we both have rooms with balconies with ocean views.

The hotel has a grand entrance where you walk through a path of roses and orange trees to get to the entrance. You are walking through a path of perfumed oranges and flowers to the most lovely old hotel.



Dad walking the entrance

View of the hotel patio

Hotel lobby

This afternoon we walked quite a way down to the Grande Marina to see a different marina than where our hotel is situated. We were hungry after our bad airplane food, and had a wonderfully simple tuna and tomato sandwich on a home made roll. The ocean is beautiful and the houses literally hanging on the cliffs is so gorgeous! After our 5 mile walk down and up uneven steps t0 get to the Marina Grande, we were a bit tired.

We went back to the hotel, and sat on my rooms balcony and shared a glass of wine while looking out at the ocean.

Dad iced down his bad knee and we treated ourselves to the most wonderful meal. We went to a restaurant called Il Buco, which is an old part of an old (yes everything is old) cathedral. It is actually the wine cellar of the cathedral that is now a fabulous restaurant. So, for the gourmet Webers, here is the menu:

Lemon risotto with fresh buffalo mozzarella, shrimp tartar and a bit of mint, also drizzled with a prawn reduction sauce.
Sea Bass over a home made wheat bread, and various veggies.
A wonderful red wine from the region rounded out the meal; I ordered a wild strawberry meringue for dessert and Dad tried a bite.

The atmosphere of the old brick wine cellar and the lovely murals inside was truly so lovely, I can't begin to give it justice in my description here, but we did have a great time and I hope the picture the waiter took of us turns out.

What a trip of a life time!!

Tomorrow is the Isle of Capri if the weather cooperates, but even if it doesn't, I don't think you can have a bad day in Italy.

Leaving soon

Dad and I are meeting at the airport at 1:30 and our flight leaves at 3:45. I'm kind of tired, as my mind was racing at 3:00 this morning, thinking of the things I forgot to pack. After a great Starbucks coffee at the Barnes and Nobel bookstore this morning I'm feeling perkier!

I bought a couple of interesting books; one was a suggestion from Linda called Brunelleschi's dome. He was the architect of the first domed cathedral in Florence, Italy. It looks interesting and I think Dad will like it too. Thanks Linda!

Well, whether I packed too little (not likely), or too much - yep - I'm sure I'll survive. Hope my family will too :-)

Chris - don't forget your gym clothes tomorrow! ;-)