16.2.12 Positano, Sorrento, and Naples, Italy

Breakfast here is some of my favorite at a hostel. I went crazy and even added fruit to the mix.

I went down to the train station and just missed the train again. So I walked down by the piers a little and then caught the same train I took yesterday to Pompeii, just to the end of the line.

When you get off in Sorrento, you walk down the stairs and you can go in a store and buy tickets. I talked to a person at an info desk and she gave me a big brochure on Sorrento. I was planning on stopping back there for a little after Positano.

The bus was waiting for us and left shortly after I got on. The ride is incredible. You wind through the hills passing Vesuvius with stunning views on the water.

We got to Positano in maybe an hour or so and they drop you off at the top of the city. It’s probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. The city is only around 3,000 people, but it’s all built up on the cliffs, with beaches at the bottom. I’d wanted to go somewhere on the Amalfi Coast and after reading this John Steinbeck essay on Positano I wanted to go there. I was glad I did.

I took the main road down to the beach. There were only a few people out. I took my boots off and walked around on the beach and went to put my feet in. It was surprisingly mild. The tide ended up coming in and basically soaking me to my knees so I rolled up my pant legs and walked around in the water. It was really awesome. The water is the bluest I’ve ever seen. And all around are the Italian homes above you. It’s quite the sight.

I tried skimming stones but the tide was too strong. After stopping in the church with the Madonna painting that is some sort of huge deal in the town, I started my hike.

I had read that the town was mostly steps and it wasn’t a lie. I got a map from the tourist center, but it was one of those maps that was drawn and are never very detailed.

I ended up working my way over to the smaller beach, going up and down stairs and through the most amazing little side streets. Even the vegetation here is gorgeous, with tons of lemon and orange trees and purple flowers all over.

The smaller beach wasn’t as impressive, but I went over to a little cove and climbed up on some rocks and watched the water for a while. From there I hiked up some stairs, pasts some wild roosters (who went crazy with their calls after I went by, I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard a rooster before) and climbed up to a point where I sort of had to off-road a little to continue the path. It reminded me of Cinque Terre. And with about the same results. I came to a locked gate. So now that I climbed basically all the way down the mountain, I went back up and came across another locked gate. The Italians are not good at signs.

I went over to the other side of town, past a big church on top of the city. I’d read about a couple restaurants Wikitravel suggested so I went out to look for them. One was called Da Constantino and when I finally found it at the very top of the town, I opened a door and it was a lady sewing. The restaurant, despite the sign saying it was open, was closed until night. This is why the Romans lost.

So covered in sweat, I decided I wasn’t going to wander around the steps anymore, sticking to the winding roads. I worked my way down and over by the bus stop and waited over an hour for the bus. But I didn’t mind, the views were incredible and it gave me a chance to finally relax and take in the views.

Positano was everything I thought it would be and probably more. It didn’t seem like a real place. I wanted to take a picture of every turn I took (and pretty much did). The roads were relatively quiet and would have been an awesome place to drive a scooter around (not that I asked anyone about it, but they stopped renting for the season). Steinbeck says something about how it doesn’t seem real until you are gone, like it was a dream. I know what he means.

When the bus finally came, the sun was setting and it was very pretty. Except I was on the wrong side of the bus and completely exhausted and fell asleep.

We got to Sorrento and I took a walk down the main road until I came to an awesome pastry place and I got profiteroles and Café nocciola so I could party with George Clooney. The profiteroles were amazing, basically cream puffs covered in chocolate. Best pastry I’d had so far. And the coffee was great too, although I still can’t get over how their coffee is basically just in a shot glass and in America we drink like 32 oz.

I walked down the main road until the end where it would have been an amazing view of the coast if it were light out, but it wasn’t. Sorrento reminds me a ton of Birmingham, MI, except in a way, way better location. The stores are all nice and clean. They’re also very desperate for tourism, with signs in both Italian and English.

I got gelato from what seemed like the biggest gelato place in town, covered with pictures of people who had ate there (who were probably famous in Italy). I got Spongebob flavor (cream and nutella I think), profiteroles (not nearly as good as a gelato) and the owener’s favorite which was sort of like putter pecan. I got the fancy cone with chocolate on top. The guy seemed happy that I was so happy with getting gelato, which makes it always better, although this was by far the most expensive cone I had, at 5 Euro.

I walked through a couple squares and down by the pier until it was time to catch my train. When I got to the station, I saw the train pull away, the fancy brochure about the city had the wrong times for the trains, so I had to wait another half hour. I found a free bathroom (rare in Europe) and went into a store on the main street having a sale. I bought a button down shirt for 5 Euro. I really wanted socks more than anything (they’re pretty gross at this point) but it’s cool to have a shirt from Italy.

The train ride back was really boring. With it being dark out, you can’t really see Vesuvius or anything else. There were a bunch of delays and the Italians were all talking about what was going on. I had no idea. People were moving around and things were beeping. But I just sat there. It was then I realized no one in the world knew where I was for the last couple hours. That’s a weird feeling.

We finally made it into Naples and walked into the old town. I finally feel comfortable with the directions in the city and love the place even more. Luca recommended Di Matteo which was by the other pizza place so I went to look for it. It’s relatively hard to find since you have to go in through a pastry place and up some stairs. But it’s been there since 1936 and was packed with Italians.

This pizza was the oliest yet. I couldn’t pick it up if I wanted to. But it was delicious. And only 3 Euro. I have no idea how it’s so cheap and good here. I’m going to be really sad to leave it.

I walked back to the hotel and chatted with Luca and a couple people in the hostel. I’m planning on going to Capri tomorrow. I’m most excited about riding the boat out there I think. Luke said they aren’t doing Venice anymore so I’m sort of on my own now. I extended my stay here a night and I’ll be probably going to Verona one of the days. I’ll figure that out tomorrow.

I’m really getting used to this Italian lifestyle. I can almost go into stores and not need to use English at all, which I’m pumped about. I’m not looking forward to leaving at all.