Tags
Amalfi Coast, Italy, Naples, Napoli, Pizza, Positano, San Antonino, Sorrento
Days Eleven and Twelve. July 16th and 17th
We had an organized trip to Napoli on Saturday, which was whatever. Napoli did have one of the most beautiful churches I’ve ever seen, but my goodness was it a trashy city. Literally. Obnoxiously large garbage heaps everywhere. Twenty feet long and four feet high…And those are just the ones I saw in the more trafficked areas of the city. Unreal, but unfortunately it’s what I expected. Overall it was a lovely trip and I’m glad I went. We had a great day walking around the city and I had THE BEST pizza I have ever had in my life. Bufala mozzarella, tomatoes and prosciutto. Yum. That particular restaurant claims they invented margarita pizza. I won’t argue with them.
After the pizza, churches, and castles, Keli, Cate, Pia and I took a 45 minutes train from Napoli to Sorrento where Pia’s mom and aunt were staying for about five weeks. The apartment next to theirs was open for the weekend and we took full advantage.
The apartments were in the most beautiful spot on a hill overlooking the city with a much welcomed, cool breeze. In the courtyard are lime, orange, peach, plum, apricot, and lemon trees. We walked under the trees for a bit, soaking everything in, and watched the sun set over the hills from the roof of the house while Pia’s mom and aunt graciously cooked dinner.
We ate a tomato and basil pasta dish and another pasta dish with peas, prosciutto and a cream sauce. After pasta were prosciutto and melon, bufala mozzarella, chicken, spinach, and zucchini. Desert was a beautiful little cake of gelato and rum.
San Antonino (the patron saint of Sorrento) was being celebrated that night, so after dinner we showered and changed for a night on the town.
So alive! Live music, crowded streets, street vendors, candy, and fire works! I’m not even sure what time we got home, but needless to say we made the most of our night ☺
Awake at 8:30 (most I’ve slept in since being in Italy). Shower, fresh clothes, more pictures on the roof and around the yard. Anndd, drumroll pleaseeee… A REAL AMERICAN BREAKFAST!!
Okay, so anyone who’s been to Europe knows that Europeans just don’t eat breakfast. By far it has been the most difficult thing to deal with. Tea and three stale biscuits do not a breakfast make.
We had spread of coffee, tea, fruit juice, fresh eggs from the chicken coop under the lemon trees, toast with plum jam (from the trees in the yard), prosciutto made bacon, homemade home fries, yogurt (strawberry and vanilla) and fresh peaches from the yard. We ate every morsel and asked for more.
After our delightful near two-hour breakfast we cleaned, packed, took a group photo and made our way to the pier for an afternoon in Positano.
Positano was beautiful! So picturesque, but my goodness so many tourists. I get very overwhelmed in cities like that ☹ Sad because the beach was lovely and my solo walk through the town was everything I wanted, but I can’t see myself spending an extended period of time there. Had a lovely lunch with” Mamma” Mia and Aunt Karen before we had to say goodbye to them. Another hour or so and it was our turn to leave Positano.
The boat to Salerno offered breathtaking views. Fair warning: I did not come close to capturing them with my camera. I make no exaggeration when I say at one point I actually forgot to take a breath. Incredible.
Once back in Salerno I happened upon a Catholic procession honoring La Madonna del Carmine on my way home. There were lights hanging over the streets and food vendors around La Piazza San. Francesco D’Assisi (one block from my apartment) and I had a perfect view of the Church courtyard from our balcony.
Took about 400 pictures over the weekend, tried to upload about 130 of them but I’ve reached my monthly limit on flickr!!!