Day 19

Buongiorno,

We had an 11:00am check out this morning, so we took our time. We both could feel our calf muscles after climbing all those stairs yesterday.

We were booked into an Air BNB apartment in the village of Maiori, just 16km drive along the coast. But the Nastro Azzuro is almost like another dimension, where time simply disappears. Google Maps says it takes 49 minutes to drive those 16km. That’s an average speed of 19 km/h. In our experience on this piece of road, Google Maps is optimistic.

Due to the weather we did not get to see the Blue Grotto on the island of Capri. But, just down the road, before the village of Almalfi, there is a grotto called Grotta dello Smeraldo, or the Cave of the Emerald. Even better, they had parking, and a lift (no stairs today!).

The cost was only €5 each, a bargain compared to the €14 each for the 5 minute tour of the Blue Grotto on Capri.

The emerald green colour is due to an underwater opening in the cave. The sunlight that enters through the opening is refracted by the beautiful clear water to produce a luminous deep green colour.

There was a group of about ten of us that sat on a row boat while a

man gently rowed us around the grotto for ten minutes and showed us the various features of the grotto. The features included stalagmites that looked a nativity scene, a series that look like a crocodile and, of course, the luminous green glow of the water. You had to be there.

Each region of Italy we go to has it’s own local trade and industry that it is famous for. Around Modena and Bologna is where Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani and Ducati, have there factories, supported by suppliers who are experts in coach building, brake systems, transmissions, tyres, etc.

In Venice, it is blown glass, where the shops are full of beautiful, easily broken glass souvenirs. Firenze is leather (jackets, shoes, bags). Sorrento is inlaid wood, with every knick knack you can imagine (picture frames, coasters, ash trays) available in highly polished wood. The Amalfi Coast is ceramics.

All the houses have ceramic numbers, a lot of the street signage is made of ceramics, and as you can imagine, the souvenir shops are bursting with it. There is also an obsession with these stupid ceramic donkeys that we just do not understand.

After Koro bought a couple of ceramic souvenirs, we drove on to the village of Almalfi. Grandma located a parcheggio (parking area) and expertly navigated us to it. It was the perfect location. We were able to walk into the very, very busy village for some lunch. Amalfi looks interesting, so we will have to come back and spend a day here.

After a lunch spent watching the tourists, and a mint chocolate chip gelato, we drove in.

Once you are used to it, and if you have a navigator like Grandma, driving in Italy is actually pretty fun. You can’t drive like a pussy, otherwise the other traffic will eat you alive. You have to have the confidence to claim your piece of road and hold it. Pedestrian crossings, stop signs, speed limits, no stopping areas, these can all pretty much be ignored. What is behind you can take care of itself, so there is no need to look in the mirror. Besides, there is too much happening in front of you to worry about what is going on behind.

The Nastro Azzuro is very narrow, and shared by cars, vans, pedestrians, big tour buses, parked cars and buzzing scooters. All the drivers are surprisingly patient. Drivers will stop to let you out, or into a car park. When the traffic stops, no one shouting and tooting their horn.

At times you do get into a situation, especially with buses, where neither vehicle can move forward without hitting the other and you both just have to stop. It has happened to us.

When this happens pedestrians will stop to help the two vehicles pass by guiding them through, getting the cars behind to back up to give them space, and letting the drivers know how much space is available. Somehow it just works.

Adding to the excitement of the traffic is the fact this this road is built on the edge of a cliff. We are heading South, and driving on the right hand side of the road. Koro is driving, so he is sitting on the left hand side of the car, Grandma on the right. This means when Grandma looks to her right, often all she can see is water - a loooong way down.

Despite the slow speeds Grandma finds driving along this road quite nerve wracking. While Koro, who is driving, actually enjoys it.

The village of Praiano is a typical, ancient, beautiful Almalfi Coast village, but without the hype of the hotspots of Positano and Almalfi. Maiori is more traditional.

When we arrived at 3:00pm it felt like a ghost town. Most of the shops were closed for the mid afternoon lunch break, which is the tradition. By 4:00pm the town was slowly coming alive again. By dinner time at 7:30pm the place was bustling, shops and restaurants were open, the streets were beautifully lit.

We chose a nice little restaurant with a very progressive, slow food, local produce philosophy. In a sleepy little village, away from the tourist traps, we enjoyed a great modern Italian meal from a menu that went beyond spaghetti bolognese, lasagne and margherita pizza. The service was friendly, the décor was fresh and modern. We will be going back.

Our apartment is basic, spacious, clean, and perfect. We have already decided to stay longer, so will be here for six nights in total. This will give us time to relax, see more of the Almalfi Coast and catch our breath.

Love to you all from Grandma and Koro and Amalfi Bee. XXX OOO.