Amalfi

Pompeii: thankfully, it's a plast

Having already introduced you to Tipoli (Trivoli), we headed further south towards the Amalfi coastline, passing through Crapoli (Napoli). You may think us harsh in our judgment but Napoli by far wins the award for the dirtiest most trash filled city we have been through on our travels. The streets are lined with feet deep rubbish along the side of the road with packs of stray dogs sifting through, broken down cars and shanty like makeshift building structures. We were pleased to be able to drive straight on through. We do admit not to have visited the old centre, we're sure there must be some redeeming features for which people choose to visit or live in this sprawling city. As we leave Napoli and cross over the hills to the Amalfi coastline the narrow roads slowing wind down along the steep hillsides and cliffs. We had heard the reputation about these stretches of road, that you must have nerves of steel to make it through without traumatic stress or vehicular damage, not an understatement. Which side of the road to drive on appears mostly optional and parking on a blind corner, no problem at all. The Italians must love challenges and obstacles and we now understand why they must have developed Grappa..

The wonderfully well-preserved large theatre at Pompeii

Arriving at our hotel we were pleased we had reserved garage parking, many of the cars parked on the roadside looked a little worse for wear, minus side mirrors etc. As mentioned the hills are steep in this area and our hotel was no exception and as luck would have it, the elevator from the street was out of order, thankfully we were only at the equivalent of the fourth floor and we only had to take up one of our 30kg+ bags ;-). Like all hills and stairs there's usually a good view at the top and this time was no exception. We had a corner room overlooking the Mediterranean sea and Amalfi coastline.

The Forum, Pompei

Pompeii

We could have spent the whole time marvelling at the beauty of the view and rubbing shoulders in town with the well-heeled (there's plenty of money around this part of the world). However, Pompeii is just over the hills in a suburb of Crapoli and we couldn't pass up the chance. Finding it was a challenge in its own right: an entirely unwanted and unenjoyable detour through a shabby, scabrous, filthy part of town and we finally got there. This being a foremost attraction, masses of others had had the same idea and were also marvelling. However it's a pretty big area (maybe a 20 minute walk across the diameter of the site if all you were to do was walk, which you just can't and shouldn't because it's all so absorbing). Not sure how to best sum up the impression of the place: the former, doomed inhabitants don't dominate one's consciousness as we might have thought though the story is sheeted home when you see the plaster casts of bodies' impressions left within mounds of volcanic ash. It's hard to imagine an entire town of this size, with all the people that includes, being wiped out.

Pompeii fresco. You'd look concerned, too, if you had no body.

Sadly we had less time there than it deserved (we only had about three hours, but in reality you could spend a whole day - just don't expect to find any decent food, so bring your own). Also sadly, we didn't make it to the Crapoli museum wherein many of the most beautiful frescoes, statues, pottery etc are kept (sorry Kev, I know you said we should but it just didn't happen).

Boating off Amalfi

Foodivore in Amalfi

Andrew, Amalfi - but no anchor

Back in Amalfi that afternoon we decided to hire a boat for a few hours and check out the view from the water (less traffic and therefore more tranquil). We found one at 60euros + petrol for three hours (that's pretty much the going rate) and off we hared. What a shame that the propeller malfunctioned after about five minutes....by which time we were well offshore. We crawled back to town at slower than walking pace (no oars on this boat!) and swapped for the hirer's own boat, the engine and propeller of which at least worked. Do you know the theory that mechanics have the dodgiest cars? Well the same may well be true of boat hirers. The perspex windshields rattled out of their fittings when any swell appeared and a quick dip in the Med was called for in an attempt to retrieve the anchor which, we were astounded to discover, hadn't been tied to the boat. Who doesn't tie the anchor to their boat?? How do they think an anchor works in the first place - throwing a piece of metal overboard doesn't seem likely to help you remain in one place. Anyway we suspect collusion between him and the local chandlery, particularly when we forked out an extra 40 euros for a replacement (and that he told us the anchor was but two days old, the previous hirers having lost it's predecessor). The view from the water was, thankfully, gorgeous and we have no regrets whatsoever. Be warned though!.

Amalfi sunset

Food was mixed, though in all fairness the service was the issue far more than the food. In a country that respects mama and nonna so much, it's amazing that waiting staff are so oblivious and rude to females. The place we dined on the first night served good food, but the staff didn't deign to acknowledge Tracey's existence - thereby undermining the good efforts of the kitchen (rather good red mullet, a seafood bisque that had far more seafood than bisque ;) and the best risotto thusfar in Italy). Far better was lunch in Positano, where we were both treated respectfully and treated to some excellent pasta (puttanesca & the house sauce that was similar to puttanesca, as well as a classic vitello con limone - veal with lemon). Much cheaper and a cheerful, family-run place. Worth a return!

Tracey at Amalfi

Having been treated to a dramatic thunderstorm on our final night the morning drive up the insane roads (Tracey's turn - as always first thing in the morning) was made even more challenging by wet roads, mist and intermittent cloud. Lingering wasn't an option though, as an unexpected trip loomed....first to Rome, and then to Lyon.