Positano, Amalfi, Ravello

20-Settembre-2011

After visiting Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, I know why Sorrento was settled.  It is the only flat spot for a long, long way.  Perhaps because of that, it is over-commercialized.  Becky and Dave say Sorrento feels much more like Mexico than they would have expected.  I’ll have to trust their opinion.

Our near-silent driver, Enzo, picked us up at the hotel and took us over the mountain to Amalfi Drive.  The road?  I could have driven it, but it would not have been pleasant.  Mary would have been a nervous wreck.  

Almalfi Drive is that horizontal line you see on the cliff just below the houses.
This is one of the lower sections.

So graze for driving to Enzo, even though he failed to even attempt to converse.  When Dave asked for “un piccolo ristorante con vista panoramico,” Enzo grunted, but basically blew off the suggestion.  No little restaurant with a view for us.  Not on his route.

A distorted 180 degree view from Positano beach.  
Please bend your monitor around your head for the proper perspective.

Positano’s beach was outstanding.  The sea rolls small rocks up to the foot of the mountains.  To the East, the blue of the sea and sky contrasted spectacularly with the bright orange beach umbrellas.  

The other way, the multicolored buildings cling to the mountainside, far up into the valley that is the reason the town is there.

Positano is a great place to go for a beach vacation if you don’t care about going anywhere else, because the drive in and out is prohibitive.  

We were in Amalfi long enough to eat lunch on the seaside, but not a lot else.  We did not get into the town very far, so perhaps I am selling it short, but I’m not sure I’d go out of my way to come back.  There was not enough time to really see the Duomo, so I passed on that and took a few pictures in the square.  

At least the fountain was entertaining.  I had to wonder which Saint was being celebrated.

Ravello has a spectacular view high above the coast.  Did the natives settle there for the view?

Villa Rufolo looked interesting, but once again, no time.  I hate tours, because you are always on someone else’s schedule.  Soon we were back in the minivan and careening down the twisting cliffside road.  Looking down at the terraces, Dave indicated he’d be afraid to farm there for fear of falling.  

There are goats in there somewhere.

“Enzo, are those wild goats?”  

“Goat? Que e goat?”  

“Over there, on the hill, where we just passed.  Uhh…Pecora.”  Enzo looked up from his texting while driving and turned around to scan for whatever Dave was describing on the hillside.  

“NO, NO, never mind!”  came the 4-part cry from the passengers.  

Back in Sorrento, Mary and I had a drink on the windy balcony of the hotel and once again drank in the fabulous view of Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples.  

Not a bad port for a cruise.

Dinner out with the Foringers included a purely factual discussion of why Becky was a bad influence on Mary while shopping.  Suprisingly enough, Becky and Mary did not give any indication that deterrence had been achieved.  


Dave, ever the sage, said nothing. 

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Bonus videos explaining why Mary would have been a nervous wreck if I drove.  And this is the video from the "safe" inside lane...