Amalfi

Click here for all Amalfi photos.  

Arriving in Agerola, the village where we rented our house, we waited in the square in front of the basilica which the owner had designated our meeting spot.  Agerola is situated on a mountainside, and I garnered the impression that the town is enough off of the beaten path to allow tourists to remain something of a novelty:  the one hotel in town was in a state of disrepair.

Immediately after parking, the constable who was present in the square asked if he could help us.  J indicated that we were to meet a certain gentleman about our rental, and the constable called several people over to examine our printed out email from the owner, Rafaello (doesn't that name just roll off of your tongue?).  One of the men summoned by the constable called the number listed on the email and within minutes the caretaker arrived in the square.  

The caretaker immediately asked a question we were to hear for the remainder of the trip: Sono tutti quattro vostro?  Are all four yours?  This is a question we've grown quite accustomed to living in Germany, but when asked by the Italians, the question was accompanied by smiles and nods of approval instead of sneers or looks of disbelief we've reconciled ourselves to in Germany.  

The caretaker spoke rapid Italian and directed us to the house located at the end of an overgrown cobbled lane.  As the caretaker indicated which turns to take, J laughed aloud thinking that our van's width was too broad to make such tight pencil turns.  J parked the van unscathed, and we fell into our beds which looked out onto the indigo-colored Mediterranean.

Refreshed after an uneventful evening, we set out for Amalfi and drove a snaking road that coiled tightly upon itself along the coastline.  

A shoulder along the road allowed for a nice view, and several cyclists asked to have their picture taken with us.

I was relieved to arrive in Amalfi as my fingers and arms were tense from gripping the armrests.  At times, the road was so narrow that it was impossible to allow for two car widths.  Because of the many turns in the road, cars honked before entering the curve to give notice to cars traveling in the opposite direction; however, motorbikes offered no such warning and often appeared quite unexpectedly rounding a curve at ridiculous speeds. 

Amalfi is perhaps the coastal town that caters most to tourists.  There were droves of seaside restaurants and shop windows filled with trinkets.

Walking away from the shore and toward the town, we ventured to the Cathedral of Amalfi where the kiddos made countless trips up and down the stairs.

Just opposite the cathedral, there was a striking group of Italian gentlemen eating lunch.  Despite the heat, all were attired in suit jackets and spoke animatedly.

The kiddos enjoyed playing in the square's fountain from which potable water trickled out of nymphs and casks. 

The coast's climate lends itself beautifully to lemons, oranges, almonds and olives.  Log was in heaven as his favorite sorbet and granita flavor is lemon!

View from above

The kiddos spent the better part of the afternoon running in the surf as it lazily lapped against the shore.  Looking for rocks and crabs was the unanimous favorite aspect of Amalfi for the kiddos.