Driving the Costeria Amalfitana

Aaaahh yes, pazzi italiani drivers! Believe it or not we saw someone driving BACKWARDS down the Amalfi coast right in front of us!!! It was dark and he must have missed his turn. He was going faster in reverse than we were going forward. It was a hair raising experience that required a serious amount of wine and limoncello to calm our nerves.

Oct. 11, Sunday

It is hard to take in just how beautiful it is in Sorrento. Each church, and there are many, not just here but in every town, have their own unique character. Each one seems more rich in art than the next. Then when you walk into one that is so simple by comparison yet equally as beautiful and it just takes your breath away. Yet very few Italians go to church on a regular basis and they don't charge admission. Makes you wonder how they can afford to keep them in such good condition.

This afternoon we take the hydrofoil to Capri. We are glad we rented a boat while the weather was warm in Sicily. It is too chilly today to brave the open water in a small boat. Capri is lovely and much easier to walk around the winding paths in cooler weather. Just ask Jesse...he and Jane really enjoyed their walk up and up and up to the belvedere! NOT! But he felt it was the best way to keep Jane from running up the credit card bill in Capri. Jesse is on a quest to find the best gelato on the trip. The rest of us are trying to keep up but are falling short.

Tonight's dinner is in Marina Grande by the sea in Sorrento. We are literally inches from the beach where the fishing boats bring in each day's catch. Taverna Azzura provides us entertainment and an unbelievable seafood feast, chocolate souffle with amaretto gelato for dessert, and complimentary limoncello.

Leaving Taormina

The last few days in Toarmina have been beautiful. From our hotel you can see both the sea and Mt. Etna peeking out above the clouds. To get to the beach requires descending a gazillion steps - not for the faint of heart, or weak-kneed. Yesterday we rented a boat and Captain Neil and crew explored the Ionian Sea, including Grotto Azure. The water was cold, but refreshing on a hot, sunny day.

Also, anchovie lovers were in heaven last night. Our new-found friends at Ristorante al Giardino provided a feast of anchovie dishes, each prepared in a different way. Quite a nice touch.

Today we are on to Sorrento - a mere 8 hour drive from here.

Taormina

Taormina is a lovely tourist town perched atop a rocky hill on the eastern shores of Sicily. Yesterday we drove to Mt. Etna and found the winery where Jesse & Jane went several years ago on a cruise tour. We did not get a tour but were able to buy wine and take photos- lots and lots of photos- of the lovely vineyards and buildings.

We have eaten dinner in Ristorante Il Giardino the last 2 nights. A family run place for generations. In fact, la nonna comes in for dinner nightly around 10:30 for dinner. Her grandson runs the place and says she is in remarkably good health and plays a very active part in the operation of the restaurant. David has chatted with her at length each night. The grandson goes to the fish market every morning. He said if we promised to come back tonight he would get fresh alici (anchovies - our favorite) and prepare them in several ways for us. We have a date!

Today we are going to wander around Taormina and try to go swimming around Isola Bella, a tiny island within swimming distance from the beach.

A più tarde!