Happy Trails For Us: My Reluctant Blog

It should have been an easy transfer, train to Naples, car and driver to Sorrento. The morning started well: we had breakfast, packed, and went downstairs to wait for the taxi (la signora downstairs said buon giorno, I could live here). The taxi driver wasn’t happy; he thought we were going to FCO, not the short fare to Termini. Oh well. Train was on time, and it was a pleasant ride to Naples; at the station our driver was there with our name on a card. All good so far.

Now the fun begins. Shortly after we got on the highway, the driver had some trouble with the clutch, which then gave out. Now we are on the side of the highway; phone calls are made, he tells us another car will be here shortly, he’s very unhappy with his mechanic. So we’re waiting, and then up pulls a dusty, small Fiat, but it’s just his friend, come to sympathize, but he opens the back of the car and gives us several peaches from his tree. I decide those would make a mess all over me and the car. Finally the friend with the real car arrives, we transfer luggage and we’re off again. Not too far down the road, traffic stops short, we almost hit the two wedding card (bows tied on top) ahead of us, but the car behind us rear ends us. Allora! Out goes the driver, argues with the woman, takes her info and says she says she didn’t hit him. Oh no, we assure him, we felt hit. But finally, we’re off again and shortly thereafter, we do arrive at our hotel in Sorrento.

Sorrento is a beautifully gracious old resort town, in the manner of times past. Thankfully our room is ready, and we drop the bags, literally, and go of in search in lunch. The Pizzeria Aurora, a Slow Trav recommendation, is right next door; pizza and wine never tasted so good. Then we stroll the streets of the Centro Storico, looking at ceramics, amazed by the number of shops making and selling limoncello, and they all offer tastes.

Afterwards I try to find some wifi back in our room. It says I can connect to Meginet and pay for wifi service, but somehow I can’t log on, power is low. I hope I can find some in Sorrento.

Colleenk’s description of dinner at Trattoria da Emilia, on the water at Marina Grande, makes us decide to head there for dinner. Too bad David (who had charge of the map) decided to walk to Marina Piccolo instead; it became a very long stroll to dinner last night. But dinner, right on the water, with the sun setting and then the twinkling marina lights, was amazing. We had spaghetti and ravioli for primis, then I had grilled calamari and David had grilled prawns, we also had insalata mista. And vino bianco, too: all this for E 47. Amazing.

Next up: Pompeii