This time we first visited Ravello. Everything is vertical along the Amalfi coast. The mountains raise directly from the sea and although our hotel in Ravello, Villa Cimbrone, had lovely sea views perched on a promontory overlooking the coast, it was situated 400m above the Tyrrhenian Sea. It had a large swimming pool, which kept Mikee and Eric occupied and a star in Guide Michelin, which made Jennifer and me happy. The alleyways have lots of stairs up and down and to bring a car into the town would be impossible.
The second day we took our rented car and drove along the coast to Nerano and its famous restaurant Quattro Passi (2 stars in Guide Michelin). We were nearly the only guests this Sunday evening and were entertained by the chef himself. He has a restaurant in Mayfair too. But the car journey to Nerano was something we don’t want to repeat. The road is very narrow and winding and one one side there is a vertical slope down to the sea several hundred meters below. That would all be OK if it wasn’t for the Italian drivers! So we took the decision after this dinner to leave the car in the garage at Ravello.
And from Ravello or rather from Amalfi at the coast below we took a boat to the island of Capri, where Tiberio had a villa in Roman times and now the great and good rub shoulders with the day tourists coming from cruise ships or in boats from Naples. We stayed at Grand Hotel Quisisana. I did lots of walking (up and down and occasionally sideways too), which nowadays is quite painful due to my feet and leg (a sign of getting old i presume) and Jennifer bought linen dresses for Mikee, Eric and herself. I bought cigars for € 6 and after that the credit card was overdrawn. Must have been the cigars!
After two days in Capri we went back to the mainland and stayed another two days in Positano, the steepest town I have ever experienced, This is a two-dimensional town only! Up and down! We stayed at an old Palazzo from the 18th century very close to the church. The pool was a little squeezed, but what can you expect, when everything goes straight up or down. I was amazed they could fit a pool at all.
And we came back early Sunday morning and today, Monday, Mikee is having the first exams in a week full of exams in different subjects. I have to say I was very impressed by the diligence she showed studying every single day. And not just for a few minutes, but hours after hours she was glued to her computer and her books, which were as heavy as my camera equipment!
