After an hour and 15 minutes we finally leave Naples and head to Pompeii. We're both rather frustrated and annoyed at the tour so far as the numbers keep growing. We get to Pompeii and along with 45 other people we begin our tour. Napolitans are very unorganised people. Anything goes.
After briefly visiting a Cameo and coral Jeweller we enter the ruins. The first thing of notice we see is a large courtyard ringed by a colonnade - the Column capital details are rather interesting to me.
We then enter the amphitheater space. I really like this space. So cleverly designed and the acoustics are incredible. Apparently they do concerts here, Pink Floyd are playing in July, albeit for €300. What's interesting is the marble steps. They survived the volcano destruction.
We then walk the large stone streets up past where the bakeries and hot food stalls would've been as you can see the ovens and old benches, which would've been covered in marble and terra cotta bowls. The next space we enter is the spa and public baths. This was my highlight. The arched vaulted roofs define the different temperature pools, cool, warm and hot. The original patterned ceiling is still evident in one of them, as well as some of the mosaic floors.
She has the ass of an angel.
We are then shown the red light district, with its phallic symbols imbedded in the stone walls lighting the way. The menu on the walls is very graphic, these early Roman men were spoilt for choice of positions. The guide spends quite a lot of time explaining this part of Pompeii, going into great detail. My thoughts are that with all this banging that seemingly went on no wonder there was an eruption!
We walk up the main road of old Pompeii to the forum. One thing that impresses me is the method of street lighting they used, strategically placed white marble to catch the moonlight and reflect the light. Rather ingenious.
Overall we are slightly underwhelmed by Pompeii, not sure what we were expecting but after seeing the ruins of Ancient Rome this was somewhat similar and not what I thought. Nonetheless it was still intriguing and the surrounding hills with Vesuvius as a backdrop are beautiful.
We head back to Naples and thankfully get dropped off near our hotel. We stop for lunch at one of the restaurants along via Nazario Sauro which fronts the bay. Our Marinara pizza and aperol spritzs are going down a treat. And the buffalo mozzarella with prosciutto is awesome.
After lunch we collect our bags from Rex hotel and head for Beverello ferry terminal to catch a boat out to Sorrento.
It's a really pretty boat ride across the bay and the town of Sorrento is even more pretty, with its abundance of lemon trees and colourful streets.
We're not here long as we catch a bus up to the town bus terminal and then board another bus to Positano. It's about 12km away. All is going well until we hit the tight narrow bends along the cliff. The bus driver is an Ice Man, somehow manouvering the bus between parked cars on one side, moving traffic on the other with scooters zipping in and out, whilst narrowly missing buildings and cliff faces in the process. We lose it with laughter when he picks up his phone to take a call. This bus driver is insanely good! Somehow, he doesn't side swipe a thing, but if I were one of the many merc and bmw owners parked along the edge, who've stopped to take a photo of the view, I don't think I would park there in the future.
We get off the bus at Sponda.
"Bravo" I say to the driver. "Prego!" He replies!
It's only a short walk down to our hotel, Albergo California.
We enter up the steps and under a grape vine colonnade to be greeted by the lovely staff awaiting us. We are escorted to our room, feeling guilty as the man insists on carrying both our backpacks, and once in, WOW!!! The view from our balcony and window is heavenly. It's now 5pm and the afternoon sun is lighting up Positano below us. The sheer verticality is astonishing. Love hill towns. They are so beautiful.
We sit on our deck chairs on the balcony, drink the €1.50 nastro azzuros from the mini bar (cheap as) and take in the view!
For dinner we have a reservation at the 1 Michelin star restaurant La Sponda at Hotel Le Sirenuse. It's just 100m in front of our hotel down via cristoforo Colombo.
We go for a pre dinner drink at Franco's, negroni for me and elderflower with prosseco, mint and soda for sim. Yum!
At dinner we are greeted by some of the friendliest hospitality I have ever experienced and a dining room which looks out over the sea. It's deep arches are filled with vines climbing up the walls and hundreds of lit candles in candelabras.
The service is impeccable and the two old guys, one playing guitar the other a ukulele provide amazing atmosphere. One tune that reminds me of home is 'Pui Bella Cosa', as dad always used to sing the first lines of it around the house. We overhear from the American couple next to us at dinner who have been coming here for 18 years (must be loaded) that the two old guys have been playing here for 25 years, everyday between May and October for dinner. Not a bad gig!
The food is a great sample of Amalfi flavours with seared mackerel to start, followed by a delicious linguine with all kinds of shell fish. Fantastico! For main I have the John Dory, and dessert is a citrus and meringue extravaganza. All accompanied with some amazing wines. Brilliant. We end with a local limoncello which is insanely strong. I'm three parts pissed now and I'm pretty sure Sim is too, as she starts to make conversation about how it's weird to think that we're living in the past and her mum and dad are living in the future, seeing Sydney is 8 hrs ahead. It's a very funny thought! She can't get over it "I can't get over it, mum and dad are living in the future", very funny tipsy conversation. On that note...
What a night, what a day!
La dolce Vita!
mat + sim
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