Our tour today was with a very small group of guests who also booked through American Express. About five or six times throughout this world cruise AmEx has offered us excursions which are always fantastic and FREE!! Today, there were five of us, in addition to our host couple, for the day. Our tour was a trip through the beautiful town of Sorrento followed by a drive along the famous Amalfi Coast to the picturesque village of Positano. Afterward, we visited a local farm where we had a chance to learn how they make mozzarella cheese. Then, we all made our own pizzas for lunch. It was a tremendously fun day.
Sorrento is a town of extraordinary beauty that has been a favorite resort for centuries. It is also known as a popular gateway to the breathtaking scenery of the famed Amalfi Coast which is renowned throughout the world for its natural beauty, spectacular views, colors, and character. Small picturesque fishing villages are scattered in clusters upon the front face of the mountain. Villas, churches and tiny shops have been cut out of the rock in terraces, on top of each other, climbing up the mountain from the water's edge.
As we drove through the charming flower-filled streets and residential areas of Sorrento, I was completely captivated by the care that was taken of the trees and flowers throughout the town. Lemon trees were planted everywhere along the side of the city streets with beautiful fruit hanging from them. Our guide told us they don't pick these lemons because they want their town to be charming for visitors! There were numerous types of brightly colored flowers hanging from baskets and in planters along the curbs. There were even gorgeous tiny little wildflowers growing through the cracks in the rock walls which line many of the streets. Incredibly beautiful. The shops were not yet open since they don't open until late morning. It seems they open for two or three hours, close for three hours while they eat lunch and take a siesta then open for another four hours. Not a bad schedule!!! People eat lunch around 3:00p.m. and supper no earlier than 9:00p.m. No wonder the shops open late!
As we arrived in Positano I felt like I was in a picture postcard come to life. The charming village was a patchwork of flat and domed roofs and vine covered stairways tumbling down to meet the gentle curve of beach dotted with brightly colored fishing boats. Even though we were in a small minibus our driver had to drop us off at the local garage and we walked down the hill on the delightful cobblestone street to the main part of this enchanging village. Our guide pointed out the different paths we could take and then left us to explore on our own for a couple of hours What an engaging atmosphere. Italians are so warm and friendly and the merchandise is beautiful. Lemon products seem to be the most popular. There was an entire store dedicated to lemon merchandise. There was lemon soap, candles, oil, room freshener, tablecloths, runners, and aprons all printed with lemon designs on the fabric. The store smelled heavenly. Bob quickly ushered me out before I spent the entire bankroll there! We continued our stroll down the cobblestone lane and looked at many ceramic products, also made in this area and extremely popular. There were gorgeous salad bowls bread plates, hot plates, salad tongs, ornaments, and countless other products decorated in dazzling vivid colors which were a huge temptation for me. However, Bob came up with a great strategy to keep his wallet safe. He took me for a coffee at an enticing bakery which overlooks a lemon grove, vineyard and the Amalfi coastline. Of course, I immediately followed him right in and sat down happily without purchasing even one ceramic item!!! Worked like a charm for him. We sat on the romantic patio, enjoyed the stunning view and enjoyed a cup of delicious cappuccino. Ahhh. He knows me well!
After our coffee we hiked the remainder of the way down the hill to the shoreline. There is no beach - only a pier where ferry boats pick up and drop off passengers traveling the short distance to the Isle of Capri. After resting a few minutes and lots of photos we started back up the hill. The cobblestone lane was not quite as alluring as we walked back up but we made it with relative ease. Thankfully, we started our visit earlier in the day because as we were walking back up the hill there were hordes of tourists walking down the narrow lane into the village.
We reboarded our minibus and headed up the mountain to the farming community where we visited a family-owned farm that produces mozzarella, olive oil and home-cured salami, prosciutto, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. We saw the frantoio (where the oil is made), the lemon trees, cows, and pigs. First, we sat down in a lovely outdoor cantina surrounded by lush vegetation and enjoyed a "small" plate (sure) of freshly sliced tomatoes, olives, marinated eggplant, prosciutto and mozzarella. It was all produced at this farm and was incredibly delicious. When we were finished they walked us down a narrow pathway to a small structure where they make the cheese. The same woman has been making the cheese for 30 years and her mother held the job before her! She actually made a batch of mozzarella while we were there, then it was our turn to cook!! In our group of seven, four of us volunteered to make our own pizza. The dough was already prepared for us so all we had to do was flatten it, add the homemade tomato sauce and freshly cut mozzarella. Then, we placed it on the very long handled paddle and slid it into the outside pizza oven. Once it was cooked we tore up fresh basil leaves and sprinkled them over the top, cut up the pizza and took it back to our table. Some members of our group drank the wine produced at the farm. Afterward, they served a lemon pound cake with some sort of sauce drizzled over the top. What I didn't realize was that the "drizzle" was limoncello, which is a liqueur made from lemon zest and a whole lot of alcohol!!! I took a big bite and quickly reached for the water glass. Wow!! That stuff is potent. Wasn't prepared for that one. On our way out the hosts offered us additional limoncello but I ran to the restroom to avoid having to be rude and decline their invitation. They get so worried when someone refuses to eat or drink. They immediately think something is wrong with the food.
Once we were completely stuffed (again) we walked down a beautiful lane to meet our bus. It was time for a visit to this picturesque place to end. Positano and the Amalfi Coast is definitely one of the highlights of my entire world voyage. I absolutely love it here. I could probably live here if it weren't for the 200 steps that residents have to climb every time they leave or return to their residences. Since all houses are built on a side of a mountain there is no flat land. Cars are parked on the streets below and then walk up stairs to return to their homes. Good news is that we really didn't see any overweight locals!! The tourists, like us, well, that's another story. Maybe we should all have to climb 200 stairs to enter and leave our houses.
This evening we will be sailing to Rome. However, there is a huge celebration involving the canonization of two Popes taking place in Vatican City. Not sure how we will spend our time.
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