Diverted again...we planned to anchor under the steep cliffs of Sorrento on the south side of the Bay of Naples. However, turbulent seas would have made tendering ashore impossible in those conditions, we headed for a dock in Naples.
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| Hydrofoil to Sorrento waiting behind Prinsendam |
Not the end of the world, as Prinsendam docked nose to tail to the line up of hydrofoils heading for Capri and Sorrento. I fought my way through the Neapolitan forest of insistent taxi drivers waiting for unwary tourists at the port exit gate, and five minutes later was the proud owner of a ticket (12 Euro one way) to Sorrento. A 45 minute heavy drive across the Bay of Naples I disembarked at the port, we almost missed.
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| Sorrento on her high cliffs |
Up the municipal elevator which takes pedestrians from sea level to town level a couple of hundred feet up. An elevator one finds in any modern apartment, except one moved through a turnstile after paying one Euro, and one rides up in twenty seconds and - voila! The kingdom of Limoncello welcomes the new arrival.
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| Valencia's famous citrus fruit |
Without going into a lengthy description of narrow streets and alleys, remarkable ecclesiastic architecture, seductive fashions in stylish Italian knits, appetizing market stalls offering fresh produce, here a description of 'Limoncello'.
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| Limoncello producer's sign |
The Sorrento citizenship has devised and concocted a mouthwatering beverage, made from lemon rind scrapings and fermented to delicious perfection. Ergo - the streets are lined with limoneros, where the tasty liquor is sold in a diversity of bottles from plain to touristy kitchy containers. Fabrication often takes place in plain sight at the back of the store, all sterile cleanliness. A by-product are mouthwatering bonbons, all melting in your mouth with distinct limoncello aftertaste - yummy!
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| A few examples of bottles Limoncello |
Torquato Tasso lived here, and Schettino (the infamous Costa Concordia Captain) still lives here, both beloved by all locals.
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| Fresh Olives - aromatic and tasty |
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| Torcato Tasso Cafe |
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| Scooters and motorbikes seem to be the most convenient transportation means to drive along the dizzying Amalfi Coast and find parking in the crowded and narrow streets of Sorrento |
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| Interior of Cathedral |
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| Detail of a painting on the flat cathedral ceiling |
I strolled the obligatory stroll along some of the quaint streets and back alleys, spent a few Euros on a 'must have' Italian top, admired the interior of a few churches and settled down for a parma ham, wine and Limoncello lunch under an inviting awning of a street side restaurant 'Antonio's', well beloved by the locals in terms of the thinly sliced cured 'jamon' or prosciutto. There are different grades to this piquant air dried or smoked ham - all absolutely a delight for one's taste buds.
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| WIne, Limoncello and a few 'on the house' items to set the stage for the main appetizer/course of Parma ham and local cheese |
Temperatures kept to summer warmth, an almost blue sky overhead...
Sorrento, with it's profile of Mount Vesuvius rising from Naples Bay, a view of Naples in the distance, hints of white washed buildings near Pompeii, and the Isle of Capri beckoning from the horizon, definitely deserves the accolades it elicits from visitors. Even Julius Caesar, Marc Antony and Cleopatra enjoyed the azure blue of the Tyrrhenian Sea outside the Bay of Naples.
One would like to 'abide a wee' and take the fast ferry to Capri, wander around the many inviting sea shores, climb a few volcanic slopes, explore the treasures of antiquity and enjoy the local ambiance and cuisine - especially whilst 'eternal spring' envelops the surroundings.
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| Local modern sculpture |
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| The Birth of Venus - recreated |
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| Produce vendor in Sorrento |
But back to Naples, another elevator ride and ferry crossing later, to rejoin Prinsendam and continue on to Roma.
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| Mount Vesuvius as seen from the Hydrofoil |
