Sorrento

Buon pomeriggio blog followers,

I HAVE ALTERED THE PERMISSION STATUS TO ALLOW COMMENTS.  SORRY FOR THAT!!!  A BIT NEW AT THIS GAME.  HOPEFULLY IT SHOULD WORK NOW.

Yesterday we left Roma in pouring rain.  And I mean RAIN!!!  Cobblestone streets turned into rivers.  A good time to travel elsewhere.  I feel for the tourists who booked tours on that day.  Ugly with a caiptal UG!!!

The Roma metro is a not safe for tourists watch your bags and trust no-one.  Naples was 10 times worse.  Italy hasnt worked out its travel system.  Trains are super crowded and pick pockets run rife.  Its just how it is, so you have to deal with it.  Every city has them and thankfully we havent had any problems post Rosys experience on day 1.  The people we have met are super friendly and I could have adopted 10 mothers and fathers so far.  Lovely people and so sincere.  Its tearful leaving them after only a few minutes, the words are hard to find.

We arrived in Sorrento around mid-day.  A beautiful seaside city under Mt Vesuvius and across the bay from Capri (the island of celebrities, the rich and famous so were where we should be !!!) .............. No, not amongst them, but looking at them from a distance.  I will pop over to have a beer with some them tomorrow, their shout!!! We scored an awesome villa on the hill above overlooking Sorrento and the bay. Its 35 today and after a walk down to the Marina Grande for a swim and climb back up the hill this morning, I need my body temperature to cool before the next adventure.  That may be a visit to Pompei this afternoon.  Its just a short train ride (20mins) from here.

Rosy and Frances have gone to town to checkout the sites and maybe some shopping. 

Our accommodation is PRIMO!!! (NZ slang not Italian).  We have this amazing spa bath come shower that has 20 different gadgets dials.  This morning I was playing with all the gadgetry.  When I finished I could nt work out how to empty the bath.  Despite push and pulling every combination of buttons, just couldnt get the water out.  Rosy called the motel attendant and she arrived with a plumber and tools.  5 seconds later she reached in and pulled the pug out of the plug hole.  WE ALL HAD A GOOD LAUGH!!!   My excuse - it didnt look like a plug - just another accessory.  Durrrr!!!

We hope you are all well at home.  I pray for our NZ family everyday.  There are magnificent churches everywhere.  Noho ora mai koutou katoa.

Ciao,  here are some pics from last night.

Marina grande village below the city centre of Sorrento.  The beach is only 100 metres long and has black sand.  We ate at a restaurant to the left of this picture.  Beautiful. 

Last night around 7pm Mt Vesusvius in the background.  The island of Capri is 20 minutes by Hydro-foil to Frances left.

The bay and Sorrento below us.  It takes 10 minutes to walk down to the city along a narrow winding road that has motorbikes and cars going both ways.  The road is lined by walls and a few times we almost had to breathe in to let them pass us.  They still travel at breakneck speed. OMG!!! ( I secretly want to have a go on a scooter but havent worked out the road rules yet)

Overlooking the Marina Grande where we had a lovely kai of fresh fish.  The small bay is crowded with fishing boats and locals were tending to their nets.  The city centre is 10 minutes walk up the hill to the left and only few tourists come dwon to this fishing village area.  The locals are friendly.  We dined on the beach front at a restaurant the owners were proud to say Sophia Loren visited 7 years ago.  They made sure we came inside to see the photos.  Our motel is on top of the hill behind and a huge climb home!!!

Ciao for now.  Got tourist things to do.