Amalfi and Ravello

Today we go to Amalfi, yes? Paolo asks. Sure, say I. So we climb aboard the Vespa for another hair-raising drive along the coast. The scenery is breathtaking, the curves very hairpin-like and Paolo tosses back interesting tidbits of knowledge over his shoulder as we ride. That Island was owned by Rudolph Nureyev. Sophia Loren spends her summers here. John Steinbeck wrote a novel while residing on this cliff....

We pull into the Port of Amalfi, park the Vespa and head to the main square. Very touristy and lots of good photo ops. The Cathedral is covered in gold but I cannot go inside because of my immodest dress.

Above: What works fine on Padre will not get you into an Italian cathedral.

Left: Amalfi

Oh well. There are other things to see. Paolo knows the town well, including the gift shops that are honest in their dealings -- so I pick up a few inexpensive trinkets. I am much taken by the ceramic style of the region and wish I had more money to spend and more room in my suitcase...

Left: Paolo - tour guide

Left: Right: DH Lawrence lived in this house for a year or two. This area seems to have attracted many famous writers.

After shooting some photos, we get back on the Vespa and head up the mountain to Ravello - the city of music. This town is very famous for the concerts it puts on all summer. Paolo waves me at what I think must be an institute of music. It costs 5,000 lire to enter (about $3) and a walk through the lovely gardens is well worth the price of entry. I happen upon a young woman playing a baby grand for a bunch of empty chairs - very enchanting.

The musical, magical gardens of Ravello. Very serene, very beautiful.

Then back on the Vespa for the ride back to Positano.

At this point Paolo is going to take Carlo to Sorrento in his car to run some errands. We walk over to the Pizzeria and I check out the internet situation there. It tums out that this is the only public internet access in Positano, and it is very expensive - twice what I paid in Rome and very difficult to use - I am unable to send mail out on hotmail as the installed browser is obsolete. Before leaving, Carlo suggests I try plugging my computer into the phone there and using his service, but he fails to give me a login name or password. So I shell out another 10.000 lire and am finally able to access EUnet where I get the correct dial up number for Salerno.

Left: Positano's only public internet connection

Come back to the house, cross my fingers and give it a shot. I am still getting that awful beeping noise and then I remember the advice the cell phone guy gave me about my modem not recognizing the foreign dial tone, so I tell my modem to ignore its lack and BINGO! I am connected - at faster speeds than I get at home. I have much e-mail but still manage to upload some pages and check to see that they are coming up. I am very relieved.

Paolo returns, cooks me another tasty meal and then we head back down to the Pizzeria so he can discuss business with Carlo. I enjoy a lemoncello creme and strike up a conversation with some honeymooners from Pennsylvania.

Dinner on Paolo's balcony