pinkbirdflies

What an absolutely glorious morning with the sun shining on the sea and the town of Positano!

Had a great dinner with Floyd in Georges restaurant at Grand Hotel Parkers and a quick walk around Chiaia before a private transfer to Positano driving around the Bay of Naples to Sorrento and over the mountain to the Bay of Salerno and the Amalfi Coast! the winding, coastal drive into Positano was spectacular and the town itself is a true gem! Paola showed us to our apartment “Cisterna” in Torresponda which has only a separate tower apartment and one bedroom ‘piccolo’ apartment so is lovely and private. I don’t think we could have a much better position on the cliff face overlooking the Mediterranean and Positano. The apartment is just lovely and the terrace large and beautiful. We had visitors immediately after getting caught in a thunderstorm and sheltering with a little old local lady in her Lemonade ‘factory’ where she plied us with icy cold fresh lemonade. My Italian Intrepid group leader Catherina and Kisane, a friend from the Paris to Madrid Intrepid tour, met us and we had drinks on our terrace…amazing to catch up with lovely people I have met travelling!!! Floyd and I explored and got some supplies before our first dinner on the terrace! So happy to be here and it is living up to all my expectations.  

Followed my map through the area of Chiaia which is an older and fairly ‘upmarket’ trendy area of Naples with some very interesting streets and buildings…its gritty, grimy, partly decaying, busy but full of character and I like it. Had a very strong espresso at a bar and found Noi Salon where Massimo cut and coloured my hair…I want him in Port Macquarie! Explored the seafront and the ‘beach’ before having a famous Napoli pizza for lunch. Walked some more around the Castel Dell’ovo, through Piazza Del Plebiscito and along the shopping street Via Chiaia (they close from 1- 4:30pm so no wonder the economy is poor) Worked my way back to the Hotel…its hot and humid…not what I expected! Floyd flying in from London tonight so looking forward to that!

Private car transfer back to Florence…the countryside has started to change with some drying out, baling of Lucerne hay and wheat ripening. Took the Frecciarossa high speed tilt train from Santa Maria Novella station in Florence to Napoli Centrale, 2 hours and 51 minutes. Taxi ride to Hotel Grand Parkers gave me a good look at Naples…it is a large city sprawling across the flat ground back from the Bay of Naples which is a busy commercial port and ferry and cruiseship terminal. Its very gritty, chaotic traffic and busy with people and movement everywhere. The buildings appear’ newer’ but grimy and shabby. The Hotel is lovely and commands a spectacular view over the Bay of Naples to Mt Vesuvius and across to Sorrento.

Lunched with Lucy and Clare at Quatro Venti before ascending the Clock Tower presiding over the Piazza Grande of Montepulciano. Spectacular views of the town and Tuscan countryside…drinks in my apartment and dinner with Lucy at Cafe Poliziano. Farewell drinks at Lucevan Vineria and dinner at Cagnano with Lucy!

Walked along the avenue of pines in rememberence of lost soldiers to San Biagio Church and then wound up the hill on the north western side of the town….

Friday night in Montepuciano with the sun setting at Lucevan Le Stelle Vineria, Aperitivo’s, dinner and Jazz….

A quiet dinner at La Acquacheta ended up with Limoncello…Vin Santo…Franciacorta and lots of fun and chatting with the locals at Lucevan Le Stelle Vineria with Carol, Jen and Lucy.