Picture Perfect – Positano, Italia – 11 ottobre 2015

While Amy enjoyed a 4-star breakfast, I extended my 4-star rest.  Ahhh…

Antonio, from Albergo California, is picking us up at 10 a.m.  While waiting outside, I watched a man across the street deal with a woman patron.  When she left, he made a hand gesture to the concierge at our temporary hotel.  He put his palms together as if praying  and shook them up and down.  I’ll have to find out what that’s all about!

When Antonio arrived, I asked him about the hand gesture.  He seemed hesitant to answer.  I think he thought someone made that gesture after an encounter with us.  He told us it meant ‘patience’.  Hmmm…I don’t know about that.

We finally made it to our beautiful hotel – room #60.  Remember the movie ”Under the Tuscan Sun”?  Part of that was filmed in room #62.

Room #60

 

Let’s talk about photography.  You could put your camera upside down and behind your back  and take a great photo in Positano.  You could set the timer, throw your camera up into the air and take a great photo (provided you catch the camera).  You could hand your camera to a toddler, let them play with the buttons, and take a great photo.

The rain slowed, then stopped.  The clouds cleared.  The sun shone.  The light changed constantly.  What a magical day!

Why are fruits and vegetables more appealing when they are displayed outdoors?

 

An inviting outdoor ristorante!

 

Sea glass!  Because you can never carry too many rocks across Italy!

There was a lot of green sea glass.

This photo makes me laugh.  It looks like Amy and this man are playing leap frog!

 

I commented to Amy that picking up sea glass was addicting. This young woman overheard – and, agreed.  This is a necklace she made with sea glass.  A few moments after we went our separate ways, she called to me – and, handed me a large piece of glass.  The kindness of strangers…what a sweetie!

 

Oh, is it time for lunch?  How about this ristorante on Spiaggia Grande?

 

Ohhh, Antonio -yes, another Antonio!  First, we had the bad jokes. Amy asks where the restrooms are and he points to the ocean. We watched him repeatedly hands a plate to guests and tell them it’s a mushroom omelette – regardless of what it is.  He checked out every woman that walked into the restaurant and pointed out his favorites to the other waiters. Mamma mia!

Oh, and I don’t think that guy is picking his nose.  I think it’s another hand gesture I haven’t deciphered.

 

Il mio pranzo…(my lunch). Penne pasta, eggplant, mozzarella

 

Good looking man, right?  His name is Gianfranco Russo.  Chez Black is his family’s restaurant.  Come to find out – he’s an actor!  http://gianfrancorusso.com/

Gianfranco Russo

 

Back to kicking it through Positano…

Maybe she’s been walking all day too?

 

If we had drug disposal containers like this in the U.S., they would never make it intact through the night. 

 

We also noticed outdoor dispensing machines – which included beer!

 

 

And, now it’s time for dinner!

Ristorante Bar Bruno

 

So, back to the hand gesture…  From what I can tell this gesture is called Mani Giunte (clasped hands).  It is used to express disbelief or exasperation – the ”Mother of God” gesture.    This could come in handy!

Hope you enjoyed today’s walkabout!

Rolling with the Punches – Ischia to Positano – 10 ottobre 2015

It’s a travel day.  It’s pouring rain.  A trend is emerging.

Getting from the island of Ischia to Positano, on the Amalfi coast, could be uncomplicated, but what’s the fun in that?!  Our plan was to take a ferry to Capri and then a ferry to Positano.  We wanted as few transfers as possible because of luggage – and, we traveled light (one 46L backpack and a daypack each).

Well, Mother Nature demanded a little attention and said, “Oh no, ladies!  I’m not letting you off that easy!  Punt!”

The hydrofoil to Capri was cancelled.  Only the large ferries were sailing.  And, they were only sailing to Napoli.  So, we were going to have to do what we didn’t want to do – ferry to Napoli, taxi to Piazza Garibaldi (the scene of the crime!), train to Sorrento, and, lastly, a bus to Positano.  Ugh!

We bought our ferry ticket (17,60 euros) at Ischia Porto and were fortunate to find a sheltered place to sit and wait for the 11:45 ferry.  We thought these seats were across from where the ferry would dock.  But, no.  So, that put as at the back of the line, in the rain, waiting to board.  Oh well, last on, first off.

To say the sea was rough is an understatement.  The ferry would ride to the top of a swell and then crash down.  My travel partner turned white (well, lighter than her fair-skinned self) and starting digging for a zip lock bag in her pack.  She wasn’t the only affected person.   Fortunately, I wasn’t one of them – and, secretly thought it was kind of fun, like an amusement ride.  An Italian man on the other side of me kept saying ole’ every time the ferry jumped the sea hurdles.  He was also singing a comforting little tune (for others).  Very nice of him.  Everyone was relieved to see the shore – and, about that time one of the ferry employees starting passing out barf bags.  A little too late, sir…

When we got off the ferry, Amy turned to me and said, “No more boats!”  Eight minutes later, we were on another ferry to Sorrento!  As it turned out, the 13:00 ferry from Napoli to Sorrento was indeed sailing (12,30 euros), and, we made the very quick decision to avoid the planned taxi and train.  Amy took one for the team.  Thankfully, it was a much smoother ride without incident.  Amy confessed she was thinking about the mechanism of  vomiting on the first ferry.  Ha!

We hauled our backpacks from the shore – up!  And, up!  And, up!  We finally arrived at the stazione (train and bus station).  We bought our SITA bus tickets (1,80 euros each) and, again, found it less than obvious to find the bus stops.  There were two, and, we chose the wrong one.  Hey we had a 50/50 chance!  We enjoyed the beautiful ride to Positano (those poor drivers – it’s a bitch of a drive in a bus).

We got to our hotel,  Albergo California, looking like drowned water rats, only to find out there was a problem with our reservation for the first night of the three night stay.  I was not happy.  I had made that reservation almost 10 months ago on booking.com.  And, I had called the hotel during our travels to find out where to get off the bus – they didn’t mention a problem then. 

Antonio, at Albergo California, had arranged for us to stay the first night at a 4 star hotel – Hotel Poseidon.  He drove us himself.  (The main reason I was disgruntled was because our bags were soaked.  I really wanted to hang things out to dry – not leave them festering in a bag for another night.  Oh, well.  We are here and it is nice to be here after a long travel day.)

You climb these few stairs and step through the window to access the balcony.  (Room #45)

The balcony was huge!  Too bad it was pouring rain.  I might never have left!

This is a 4 star bathroom.  That’s a lot of white on a lot of green!

 

We decided to get a light lunch at Caffè Positano – you know, to hold us over until dinner!

 

Oh, look!  It’s time for dinner (cena) already!  And, dinner was wonderful!  We ate at da Vincenzo Positano.  Marcella, Vincenzo’s wife, took our drink order.  We told her we wanted to practice the language and asked if she would humor us by speaking only in Italiano.  A few minutes later, a young waiter (geez, they’re all adorable) came to our table and started speaking English. He said to us, “Tell me everything!”  Marcella asked him to speak Italiano to us. And, of course, he did. At one point, what seemed like a mild hurricane blew through and caused a huge ruckus with the outdoor portion of the restaurant, but, they quickly got their act together. Great place if you’re ever here!  Super family!

“Dimmi!”

 

Tomorrow’s a new day – may the sun shine brightly!