An entry in the TFS Travel Journal
(written on the terrace with the most brilliant moonlight on the blue sea)
Enjoyed our breakfast on their veranda (though far enough away from the loud American foursome who so violated my quietude yesterday) then hit the road for Pompeii, Italy. A lovely drive through the mountains, with some low-lying clouds clinging and creeping over the tops. As we descended into the general Naples area, the environment changed dramatically from the enchanting Amalfi coast to the depressing Neopolitan metropolis.
We persevered through the traffic and found a parking place right near the entrance to the Pompeii archeological site. Wow! A reasonably well preserved Roman city that’s bigger than New Paltz! We walked up and down several of the major avenues, visiting the old baths, laundries, homes, and seeing some beautiful masonry, mosaics and frescoes - all in astonishing condition. We waited out a violent downpour in the home of a wealthy Roman citizen, then headed out and walked up to the Villa Minestero (house of mistery) to see some paintings on the walls that look as though they’d been done yesterday. We then walked the tourist-crap-squalor area back to the car and drove off toward Sorrento on the western end of the Amalfi coast.
Nice, built-up, Italian city set along the bay of Naples. As it was Sunday (and siesta time), nothing was open, so we continued toward Positano. All along the way we kept stopping to snap pictures, as the views back along the coast with the winding steep cliffs and the coastline and large craggy rocks jutting up from the sea, and the sun breaking through the clouds to brightly illuminate spots on the water was all just too spectacular.
Arrived in Positano, Italy the commercial hub of the Amalfi coast. Since we didn’t need any more schmatas or tee-shirts, we didn’t stop. About 1km out of town we did stop, however, at the Hotel San Pietro — the renoun honeymoon spot. We can see why this is THE getaway resort! The most lovely flowers, beautiful lobby and bar area, and a setting high in the cliffs above a cove with the most aqua/turquoise water crashing below. We’ll keep it in mind . . .We then set off to find Ristorante Bar Mare, the place the 4 Australian girls we spoke with after dining at Netta’s place Friday touted so. Since we’d missed lunch time in Pompeii (by about 2,000 years, ha-ha) we were hoping that this place, since it was such a locals/fishermen place, would serve at off hours.
We actually found it (not such an easy thing) in its amazing setting: a narrow (a few hundred feet wide) cove at the base of the towering cliffs, with several little fishing boats on the beach and a pounding surf. It’s also called La Petit Ristorante; aptly so since it seats 13 inside. A party of locals was finishing up jovially, and we were seated - the only patrons in the place. Boy, just the kind of local place one dreams of finding! We devoured some bruschetta (which they brought unordered), the antipasto del mare (good calamari and the most flavorful, almost sweet, clams), grilled vegetables, (very) al-dente linguini del mare, and a plate of grilled seafood which had 2 large langostines that were so good, we ordered another 3! (better than the sweetest, meatiest lobster). Followed by a small desert sampling and a digestif of limoncello and a similar raspberry drink. We then shook hands with Clelia, the effusive, large Italian mama who cooked our feast. We then walked around the little cove area, enjoying the moonrise and the crashing turquoise waves.
Then a little jaunt home to a relaxing evening, accompanied by some gale-force winds.