The Amalfi Coast

Experience 34. Swimming Amalfi Style. Positano. 21 June.

Today we jumped onto our private charter boat for some further exploring of the towns of Amalfi and Positano. Both of these towns clung to steep hillsides down to the sea. Buildings all painted as per the color restrictions of pinks and yellows. Enough time on Amalfi to browse a few shops, climb the steps to the local church and stroll the cobbles for a quick cappucino.

Next stop, Positano, where our mission for today of swimming in the Mediterranean was to become a reality. With no more than 2 hours at our disposal to have lunch, swim and finish with a gelato we were off.

Before we new it an hour had passed and all we had managed was a panini lunch and a drink. With one hour left we headed to the beach. Now the beaches here are very different to what we know as beaches back home. You have two choices, either free swimming in designated areas which seem to be strewn with litter or, paid swimming also in designated areas but with beach lounge chairs with umbrellas and no litter. Oh, and the other thing, neither option has sand on the shoreline, instead there are pebbles. As costly as it was, we wanted our beach experience to be quintessentially Amalfi as well as not totally frying in the heat of the mid day sun, so we paid our 25 euro and headed for our beach chair.

After dumping our gear we headed for the water wearing our sandals as we figured the pebbles would give us blisters on the bottom of our feet. At the waters edge off came the sandals and we staggered over the rocks, enduring the excruciating pain as our feet sank into the pebbles. Finally, our ultimate reward of being totally immersed in the crystal clear blue waters of the Meditteranean. It was truly something to remember and very refreshing in the 37 degree heat. Bellisimo!

Experience 35. Limoncello Tasting. Maiori. 21 June.

All the different regions in Italy have their specialties. The Amalfi Coast's specialty is their lemon liqueur, Limoncello. This is not surprising when you see lemons growing in abundance wherever you look in the area. The steep hillsides are terraced and filled with lemons growing on trellises. The hotel where we have been staying here has an arboured walkway with lemons growing in this way. It is quite amazing to see.

Anyway, back to the Limoncello. Not only did we go to a local restaurant for some tasting of this knock your socks off local liqueur we were also given a bit of a demonstration on how to make Limoncello. If only we could buy 95 percent proof pure alcohol in Australia, we could make our own. The only ingredients needed were lemon rind, alcohol, sugar and water. Following the Limoncello we also tasted Fragolini (strawberry liqueur) and Melon Creme (creamy rockmelon liqueur). All very tasty, then we were all a bit tipsy before dinner!

Experience 36. Something different about our hotel. Maiori. 21 June.

Our hotel in Maiori was unique on our tour in that it had a swimming pool. The pool closed at 6:00pm but that was of no concern to Chez and I. The first night we arrived at the hotel after 6 and the second night we returned from touring after 6, but on each night we had a refreshing dip in the pool. It was large with a jacuzzi at one end and a high diving platform at the other. Some of the members of our tour group had asked for towels at reception on the 2nd night of our stay only to be told the pool was closed, at that very time, oblivious, Chez and I were enjoying the cool waters.

The other unique part of our stay at this hotel as the final night dinner provided by the tour company. This was the dinner of exclusively local cuisine which we enjoyed on the hotel terrace. The most notable element was the main of fried pizza, cooked in large vats the dough puffed up like a balloon, subsiding to a flat shape once it cooled. The toppings, added after, were basic with the base being the star of the show, crisp and delicious.