April 21 - 24, 2017: Porto, Port Wine & the Douro Valley

After spending all these days with Luis, we feel he is one of us on our travels.  In typical manner, Luis does not just drop us off at our Hotel in Porto, he takes the time to drive us around the old town, pointing out places of interest and how to get around.  It is difficult to leave Luis but we exchange Facebook contacts and wish his Soccer Team good luck (Luis loves his Soccer Team and I promise to only drink the beer that supports his team!!). 

Thank you Luis for watching over us and being our friend and guide to this wonderful country!

Porto is an entirely different City than Lisbon and Luis drives around the center before dropping us off at our hotel right on the big city square in the middle of the city. And the city is beautiful! We love this place right away but arriving means we must say good-buy to Luis who has been with us for the past few days. Thank you Luis - you have been a good friend and gone way beyond just a guide and driver to make our visit so special. The hotel is a special treat for us and the folks are very professional but very warm and welcoming. It feels really good to have all the comforts of a first class hotel. We cannot wait to have a look at this city so after a quick check in, we set off for the shopping district and street for a look. This is the week-end so people are out and it is fun to mix with them to check out the stores. We are a bit tired and so we decide to eat at the hotel and it is a lovely room to enjoy without having to trek about looking for a restaurant and walking back. Tomorrow we have scheduled a walking tour of the city.

Our guide Sara has brought along a young student also called Sara. The younger Sara is considering working as a guide to supplement her income as she studies business at the University. The younger Sara is sweet and helpful as we walk and learn about the sites.

Of course Porto is known as the birthplace of Port Wine and sits right by the River Douro. The City is also known for it stately bridges and the medieval district with narrow and cobbled streets. It is also known for the many churches as it was founded by a priest. The most famous of the churches is the San Francisco built in the 14th century which is something you must see to believe.

No pictures can be taken inside the San Francisco church and giving a description is impossible. Just know that everything is covered in gold and intricately carved and presented. The church is not done in the typical format of a cross but in a line with a very formal front. It is a beauty but did suffer some damage from the time of Napoleon who did not care much for churches and kept his horses in the churches. The soldiers also used some of the beautiful carved wood for a fire to keep warm.

The City is, of course, built on a hill so that the tourist get the thrill of walking up and down steep hills. Honestly I cannot imagine waking the hills in the heat of Summer! The city has earned, rightly, designation as a UNESCO World Heritage City. The city dates back to Roman times when it was an outpost for the Empire. Porto has been discovered by tourists and has been elected the best European destination in 2014 and 2017. There are some here that are worried that the City will lose some of its appeal with all the attention and tourist and some of the street art points out the fact.

Another draw for the city is the popularity of the "Harry Potter" books and movies. J.K. Rowling spent time in the city and the rumor is she was the unhappy bride of a local. Not happy at home she spent a great deal of time in the wonderful Lello & Lrmao library and in fact was inspired by the staircase and capes and clothes of the University Students for her Harry Potter books. Getting a tour inside the library takes a ticket and couple of hour wait in line so we settle for a camera shot from the entrance and move along on our tour. There is a lot to see in the city but perhaps it is enjoyed best by just strolling its streets for all the various views of the river and towers and statues. And of course the wine and Port. We are going to take a closer look tomorrow.

Jim and Tina make arrangements for Sara and a car to check out the famous Douro Valley while Krim and I opt for a change from a van to a train trip up the valley. We all had a wonderful day with different experiences.

Jim and Tina not only visited a Winery making Port, they also stopped by a small village boasting the butcher, the baker, but alas, missing the candle stick maker. They had a great time and scored some outstanding bread and meat which they shared with us.

Krim and I had our adventure and it was a great experience. We found the right train and set back to enjoy the view. All of a sudden a bunch of little kids jumped on the train - little people no more than 4 or 5 all dressed up with cute little white hats. They were so excited we thought, "Oh this could be bad" but it was not!. There were SO cute and settled right down. We were amazed by the staff and teachers as they touched their little faces, kissed them and spoke to them with such kindness. But the kids knew they had to behave. The view outside the window got better and better as winery after winery appear on the hillside and the river winds it's way up the valley. We finally arrive at our stop where we find the folks that make many of the best Ports in the world for a delightful tour and tasting. In typical fashion the Portuguese claim the Douro Valley is the most beautiful wine country in the world and they may have a valid claim as the area is just beautiful. 

Oh yeah, the Port is amazing and we are making sure we get some home with us. 

   

April 17 - 21: Goodbye Capri, Hello Lisbon

   

Without the help of a hotel, getting the bags to the ferry to Naples is most interesting. Jim, and I find the guy with the bag business hidden behind small trucks and cars with bags lying about in the open. We talk (sort of), give him our address and time and he writes it down on a scrap of paper. What, us worry? But sure enough, here they are and off they go after 5 euro a bag. We think we are set but that is not the end. Lucky we have the manager of the house to translate so we find we must meet the other folks and pay an additional 10 Euro a bag to get them to and on the boat. 

It is a bit confusing but we find the folks, they have our bags and heft them on the boat with a bunch of others. Lots of talking, lots of hands waving, lots of loud talking but somehow it works and the people are honest and our bags make it without a problem. Except we find it is up to us to grab our bags before the ferry takes off again. 

We hired a driver to take us to the airport with a stop to see the downtown shopping district in Naples. It is a weird thing but many people tell us it is much better and cheaper to hire a car than depend on a taxi. After our 5 mile drive from the airport in the smallest car for 40 Euro on our way to Positano we believe it! Just our luck, today is a holiday and our driver tells us people have no money this year and so they spend a holiday inside the City of Naples. 

The main square and street are packed with folks - it is like New Years in Times Square crowded. The City does not appeal on this day as it's dirty, the side streets look slightly scary and it's almost impossible to find a place to sit and have coffee. We are having no fun but finally we find a small restaurant and the folks there are super nice and we order some small bits to eat and a glass of wine. Something got lost in the translation as a small bit to eat turned into a banquet! We are happy to find our driver and head for the Airport. Maybe we just hit it wrong but Naples is off the list for a return visit. 

Into the air we go and Lisbon (pronounced there as Leash-boa) here we come. Our flight calls for us to make a simple plane change in Madrid. Same Iberia air line so this is no sweat. However, the time to board comes and goes and we wait and we wait. 

Finally we go through and jump on a bus to be taken to the plane so we can walk up the steps. The bus is crammed full but finally we get there - or do we? We are just sitting there when all of a sudden the driver puts it in gear and off we go to a corner of the airport where he parks it and turns off the engine and without a word of explanation we sit. You get that many people in such a small space and it soon gets hot and the sweat starts to roll down some faces and windows are being opened and people start to yell at the driver in all sorts of languages. Nothing happens. 

A couple of big guys who seem to be experiencing the most loss of sweat undo the lock and rip open the doors and that starts a yelling match with the driver but the outside air is might fine. The only problem now is that the door will not close but we drive off anyway and with each turn the door flops open wider and we almost lose a guy or two. 

We finally board and in a short time hit the ground and head for the bag claim. Funny, the only bags coming off the belt are small and we have large. And, the belt turns off. Oh hell! We have a driver waiting but no bags. We ask any and everyone and land in the lost and found. But you cannot go in. Nope - take a number please. Paperwork finally done we hope our bags arrive at our hotel someday. We arrive very late to our hotel and it is not quite what we expected. The place is old but clean and the check in lady was nice. 

Jim and Tina get a room with a musty smell and no replacement room to change so they make arrangements to move to another hotel the next day. Krim and I wind through a room, up stairs, through a small court yard with tables and up more stairs to our room. It is the old kitchen for the home of a very rich person in some years past that has been made into a hotel. The bathroom is new and nice and no smell in this room so we settle in. And out bags do arrive the next day. Note to self; pack a toothbrush in the carry on.

Jim and Tina find "Garrafeira De Santos", a wine shop the next day with the most helpful owner, Francisco Dias, and spend a lot of time with him learning about the wines and picking up some for us each day. We share the cost of the wine so our share of a bottle runs anywhere from 12 to 45 Euros and the wine is just delicious every time. The owner is a Sommelier level 3. That means there are only 200 people in the world with a higher rating. Opportunities are great with such a level of knowledge but he prefers to stay in Lisbon. A great deal of his business is setting up wine cellars for wealthy folks and shipping wine. Great guy and we meet his French wife and little girl. Not only is Francisco great at picking an interesting wine for us each day from Portugal but also helps us with dinner reservations. The first restaurant he suggests is down the street called "frade dos mares" where we were in for a treat. We each order up a meal for 2 that is cooked in a special pot that resembles a wok with a lid. Tina may include a photo. Everything is in there including Octopus, fish, peppers, potatoes, scrimp and whatever but the result is amazing. We return in a couple of nights for another round and even purchase one to try at home. Another night we are fixed up with a wonderful place called "Clubs De Jornalistas" and find the Octopus is so soft and good we return for a visit.  

Lisbon is of course the Capital of Portugal and so it deserves a tour so we hook with "Agenda Directa" for Transportation and guide services. We are assigned Mr. Luis Fontes and he is a wonderful person with knowledge of the City and a caring and thoughtful way. What a wonderful firm that is honest and Luis is one of the best drivers and guides we ever had the pleasure to meet! 

Luis takes us all around the City, explaining the history, the glory days and the current days as Portugal slowly recovers from the recession. The glory days were of course the 15th and 16 century when Portugal ruled the seas and the great explorer Vasco de Gama went round the horn to India and brought the riches back home. Portuguese explorers claimed what is now Brazil and many islands making the county rich in gold and silver and bringing new foods, animals and plants to Europe. Now there are nearly as many people speaking Portuguese in Rio de Janeiro as there are in all of Portugal!  

The thing that seems different in Lisbon is the absence of old buildings and impressive churches seen in all the great cities of Europe. Yet Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world and the oldest in Western Europe - older than London, Paris and Rome! And like other cities in Portugal and Spain it was ruled by a series of Germanic tribes, Rome and Moors and all have left their mark on the City. But perhaps the biggest influence on Lisbon was by Mother Nature. Lisbon is Earthquake country and the biggest occurred in 1755 when the city was hit with a massive earthquake and tsunami and fire that virtually destroyed the City. 

As estimated 35,000 people were killed of an estimated total population of 250,000. 85 percent of the buildings were destroyed. This event shocked all of Europe and left a scar not soon forgotten.

  The shopping fever has hit and we ask Luis to find us some things to buy from Portugal. We do not want stuff we can buy anywhere, we want stuff from Portugal. Well, that request is music to Luis but he is taken back a bit because no one has ever asked for that before! Luis calls his boss and soon delivers us to a mall with a Portuguese store selling leather goods. I mean NICE leather and the moment you step into the store it smells like the good leather stuff. The excitement is building in the ladies and Jim and when I check the price on a super nice leather coat even I get a bit interested. Are you kidding me? This fantastic looking, softest leather ever fully lined fits like a glove fancy coat costs only 190 Euros? Get out! Now the fever has hit and I had to remind Krim to take a breath and calm down and focus. Oh my, did we do some damage here. Everyone walks out with lots of beautiful stuff and everyone is happy. 

Our friend-driver-guide Luis spends 3 days with us taking us around Lisbon and the surrounding area and will even drive us the 3 hour trip to Porto for the next part of our Portugal adventure.  Today Luis picks us up and we head toward the hills and coast.  

The countryside turns to forest and it is beautiful country.  The little town of Sintra sits in the hills and is one of the most picturesque places we have ever visited.  The streets are of course cobblestone, narrow and steep as they pass small shops with goods made by the folks in the town.  Beautiful things and the people are so sweet.  Painted tile is big and so is pottery.  Jim and Tina find a great looking plate and Krim finds us some excellent linen and fine cloth made right there and the price is so reasonable!  The kind lady wrapped each item even though other tourists were in a hurry to purchase items.  We love this little jewel of a village and wish we could spend additional time here.  But, we have more to see and so off we go.

We wind around the narrow road and Luis tells us we are headed to the famous Palace and Park of Pena.  UNESCO classifies the entire area of Sintra and the Palace as a World Heritage Site ever since 1995.  King Ferdinand II from Portugal had the vision for the Palace and began work in 1839 to convert an old monastery and the surrounding grounds.  It is called the supreme expression of Romanticism in Portugal and it is a beauty.  The grounds are in the Romanic style where the grounds are turned into an idealized “Nature” with flowers everywhere, waterfalls, trees and rocks perfectly placed and to us, it works.  The garden and surroundings area presents stunning views of the valley and city below.  The Palace is like no other we have seen with its incorporation of different styles and colors.  The main entrance is through the Alhambra Gate resembling that great walled City in Southern Spain.  Other parts of the Palace have more common elements of castles and Palaces in Europe.  The Palace was used for many years by kings including King Carlos so the rooms were updated with running water in the bathrooms and modern conveniences.  And because the King was there, many Nobles and rich folks built their own masterpiece mansions to be near the King.  What an amazing and lovely area!

Luis drives us back by way of the coastline, as he wants to show us the pretty cities and a special place.  We park on a spit of land overlooking the ocean and Luis says, “This is as far West as you can go in continental Europe”.  We step to the edge and look to the horizon looking for the Statue of Liberty but no matter how hard we look the Lady is just too far away.  It mostly brings thoughts of those brave men that set off in their little ships in that big ocean with only the stars and Sun to guide them.   

The thing we learn about the Portuguese people we met is that they all show an overwhelming sense of pride in their country. Everything they do from the wine they make to the food they make to the clothes they make is the best in the world - and they may just be right. There is just something about this country and their people that says they are a great country with a great future. We are headed to Porto tomorrow and our friend Luis is driving us the 3 hours to our new destination in Portugal.

April 16, 2017: Easter in Capri

 

It's Easter Sunday and Monday is an official holiday so the locals, the day trippers and the tourists are all flooding the square. The day starts out very badly for our Tina - her sore throat has turned into a full blown strep. Jim and Tina start out early in search of a doctor and with the help of a hotel find a doctor with a big needle full of something and a prescription. Time for some sleep for Tina and catching up on stuff for the rest of us. We have a lovely house so we enjoy and work at preliminary packing as tomorrow we head to Lisbon. Tickets for the ferry - check. Porters arranged for the bags - Check. Afternoon Gelato - check. 

Another lovely dinner at our favorite place and extra wine for the healthy three as Tina has no interest in wine. However, the medicine is working and recovery is near for Tina.

April 15, 2017: Rough Seas Ahead

Enough shopping, lets get some adventure. It looks a little cloudy but every once in a while the sun peaks out so we decide to take the boat trip round the island and see the famous "blue Grotta". So we get hooked up with Lorenzo (another Lorenzo boat driver - thats weird) by our house manager and he meets us at the bottom of the funicular. Seem nice and we follow through the crowds to his boat. The dock on Capri is a mass of folks and Lorenzo tells us it is super crowded in Summer. It is a mixed crowd of tours, and party, party 20 somethings and day trippers from Naples. Nothing glorious about this scene! Lorenzo's Boat is not large, in fact kinda small but we all have a seat, or half a seat and off goes the rope tie and we set out to sea. It is nice and we see Roman ruins and watch towers and towering cliffs and the water is the most incredible blue. The sun pokes out and it is hot. The clouds cover the sun and the breeze picks up and it is cold. First stop is the Grotto and it looks like the parking lot after the big football game. It is the biggest Cluster _ you every saw but all the Italian boat guys seem comfortable shouting and gesturing. Finally it is our turn. Up pulls a little row boat that for all appearances looks like the guy put together with paper and glue the night before. We squeeze in - ladies between the gents legs and our "host" rows us to the cave entrance. "Watch your head" comes the warning and we are almost lying flat to clear the entrance. The only light is from the small entrance and it is the most incredible blue ever. It gets plenty corny as the row man sings corny Italian songs, each of the 10 other row men singing corny Italian songs and flirting with the ladies as we circle the cave. Probably not the best 14 Euros we spent and the row man wants a tip so we drop a 2 Euro in his hand and off we go in our little boat for our circle of the island.  

   
It is beautiful but we notice a black cloud dead ahead and chop in the water. Lorenzo is not worried and other Boats are out there with us. The wind picks up and lifts a rubber 10 foot mat off the deck right into Tina. No harm however the chop is now small waves but still Lorenzo shows no fear and points out homes and cliffs. The small waves are good size now and the wind is whipping sea spray all over us. Smack goes the mat to Krim's head with the next gust of wind. These waves are getting pretty impressive and this boat is looking smaller and smaller and the wind is downright chilly and the sea spray is pitting the face - still, Lorenzo shows no fear. This is getting to be a long two hour cruise and we are all hoping the dock is getting close. The waves are getting deep and the boat is rocking - still Lorenzo shows no fear. Tina dedicates her body for the welfare of the team and lays spread eagle across the offending mats. Finally we see the sea stacks just outside the harbor and the waves leave, the chop returns and port is within sight.  

Being on land is a good thing but a nice warm house, a shower and a glass of wine would be even better. We have soup as part of a wonderful dinner and laugh about the adventure and our good fortune of surviving.

April 14, 2017: It's Good Friday!

 

Time to get acquainted with Capri and Jim and Tina get out the door as Krim and Clyde take some extra time to get ready. What a wonderful day as we explore, shop, take in the beautiful walks by lovely hotels and peek through gates at beautiful gardens and stately villas. All the big name stores are here so it is a bit like Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills only much prettier and more friendly. Krim and Clyde pick up a bottle of wine and head back in the afternoon and just as the bottle is opened appear Jim and Tina with another bottle or two.  It Seems Jim and Tina walked up the road until there was no road left and saw the other side of the island. We compare notes and show off our shopping scores. We ended up going out to find a belt store Jim and Tina found where shoes and belts are hand made, and we got ourselves some beautiful crocodile belts. Nice stuff and the shop is in the third generation of the family business. They gotta the Crocodile, they gotta the snake, they gotta the cow - they gotta all - don't worry 'bot it!

Today is Good Friday and we get the word that a tradition of the village is a procession of people leaving from the church and weaving through the streets. And here they come! Each shop owner lowers the lights as the procession goes by. People with candles, a band paying, priests and a choir singing. Everyone watches quietly. 

We hit our wonderful restaurant, "La Campanella". We want to see the procession and the owner invites us to a new table by the window and serves us another complimentary Lemoncello (can you believe it!!). 

 

What a wonderful experience!

     

April 12 & 13, 2017: And It's Capri!

 

Horray, Jim's hat is found! Lorenzo, the cute guy driving our boat found the hat and turned it into the stand where we purchased the tickets. 

There are nooks and crannies everywhere and today we follow the road that hugs another hill and get some more incredible views. This is our last full day in Positano and we tell the village people, the real village people. They all tell us to please stop by to say good-by before leaving.  The Porters arrive a little late, but close enough and off they go. Man, that is some of the best money we ever spent as they throw the suitcases across their shoulders and walk down 100 steps to the cart. It is slightly strange to see your suitcases disappear and you can only hope you see them again.  Last stop at our restaurant for a little wine before the ferry arrives to take us to Capri. They treat us so good they bring out appetiters and then a very special gift. Out comes a water color poster for each of us of the beach and restaurant with the village in the background. How sweet. A special toast to you Poisitano, and especially to Amelia, Lorenzo, Casola Francesco (our tailor), Gaetano and all the people at Le Tre Sorelle!! Here comes the Ferry, on go our bags and us and we head out to sea.  

Porters are at the dock and Tina makes the deal for delivery to our new house address. The best part of Capri lies in a saddle between Capri and Ani-Capri (the high point) so up the hill you must go. A taxi can work but the Venticular Rail is best. If you can find the ticket office! Eventually we score tickets and take the short ride to the city square. The view is so incredible people bunch up to take the photos. We find our contact, Mikala, and she leads us up a narrow alley, through a big green gate up stairs and into a beautiful and tastefully decorated home. Bedrooms down and the kitchen upstairs. But out the door of the kitchen on the roof are tables, chairs to enjoy the most incredible view of the island and sea imaginable. The view at night is another beautiful sight with a sky full of stars, the lights on the island and in the distance the lights of Naples. We spend time with a nice glass of wine every night!

We have in hand a recommended restaurant from our restaurant in Positano and we look it up. What a charming place and the owner greets up and is happy to hear a previous employee of his recommended his place. This is a classy but not stuffy place with wonderful food and service. We love it and make a decision to spend dinner her every night.

April 11, 2017: Positano Days

Not a good start as Jim found a head cold and lost his hat yesterday. 

Tina goes for drugs, we wash clothes (a nice extra from renting a house!) and we watch the clouds come and go. We feel we are part of the village now as we wave to the people serving us at meals, the family that owns the boat rental, the people from the shops. None of us remember folks remembering us after the purchase is done but all of the folks here not only wave but stop, ask how we are enjoying our day and general talk of people you know. 

We have another incredible day at our favorite restaurant and Jim leaves early to grab some food for tomorrow before they close. We order a pizza half cooked and Krim, Tina and me head up the hill to our house. We pass the grocery store and of course it is closed for the day, however, we see Amelia, the owner and she waves. Amelia is a sweetheart and helps get exactly what you want in this tiny but fully stocked store. We ask if Jim has been there, "Yes she says, he got milk and orange juice": "Did he also get Yogurt" we ask, "Si, Si" says Amelia, he got Yogurt". "Grazie Amelia, Buonanotte". 

 

Jim and Amelia have a special thing going and Jim lets no one else do the shopping. Jim will miss those daily stops to see Amelia. A little glass of wine, another look at the full moon raising over the hills of Poisitano and off to bed.

April 10: Amalfi Coast

Amalfi Coast today...

 

We made a stop a day or two before to speak with the nice people (another family affair) running a day cruise business to check out our options for a cruise along the Amalfi Coast. We need to find what all this fuss is about this place being among the most beautiful places in the world. The price is a bit steep for the super deluxe all too ourselves boat but come on, we are on the Amalfi Coast! So here we are, ready to board and we meet our Captain/guide who turns our to be ideal and, according to our ladies, just about as cute as they come.

His name is Lorenzo and he is the product of a German Women that came on vacation and met an Italian guy and, well, you can guess the rest. It seems his German Mother adjusted after a bit cause he served us some of the famous Limoncello of this area, but this batch was made by his mother and it is yummy! 

 

We start the trip and already it is beautiful seeing Positano from the water - but wait, there is much more. We cruise by all the villages of the Amalfi Coast: Praiano, Ravello Salerno and many others and all so, so beautiful. We are able to pull in to see caves and waterfalls, homes and we even get a look at the former home of Sophia Loren on a point overlooking the water. 

 

There are fabulous hotels and everywhere buildings and roads hanging from the cliffs. For a small fee of 5 Euros we stop for a tour by row boat of a cave with a towering ceiling, super clear and blue water. We picked a fantastic day as the sun is shining and comfortable temperatures prevail. We pull into the village of Amalfi where sunbathers populate the beach. The big Tour buses can reach here and so there is a bit of a crowd but summer much be insane. The main shopping road is so narrow the cars rub against the shoppers. The shopping is good and shoes are purchased along with a scarf or two and some good Italian coffee brews. Back to our craft and the trip back to Poisitano. 

What a day! Another great meal at our favorite place and off to bed.

April 8 & 9, 2017: Positano Continued

We love Positano!

Lazy days as we just walk the streets and see what the shop people have to sell. The shopping is not great in Positano but there are some jewels. Positano like many villages on the coast was just a village full of fishermen. For centuries the Mediterranean has supported people with fish and, although there are some restrictions to protect some fish, a main industry is still fishing. Our ladies find some nice things but Jim makes the biggest score with a men's store run and owned by a chap that designs and manufactures the clothes - mostly linens for which Positano has a name. The stuff is nice and I plan on make a purchase or two myself. Jim and I make a daily trip to the Gelato stand - my god that stuff is good!!!

We have no problem deciding where to dine both nights - it is back to our favorite restaurant; Le Tre Sorelle (The Three Sisters) right on the beach.

 

We had the good fortune to have Gaetano de Martino as our waiter each night and each night we toss the menu and head for the fish locker to choose a different fish prepared to perfection. 

 

Gaetano works to please each and every night and he does just that! And each night we try wine from the area and from Italy.  Gaetano suggests great wines but he understands we like wine a lot and we want to know stuff so he brings in the owner. 

 

Luigi Pisacane is the Grandson of one of the three sisters that started the restaurant and he is in charge for the family. So European right?! And he knows his wine and the region and the grapes, most of which have never heard of and never tasted. He is wonderful and has a bottle of red picked out for us each night: "Did you like the wine last night? What did you like about it?" "Oh, you like a mineral finish and not too much fruit? Let me see, the one last night was from the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius and benefited from the ash and lava in the soil, so tonight I have another wine - this one from the volcano Mt. Edna on the Isle of Sicily with similar characteristics but a different grape". We have many appetizers and the main courses are to die for each night. 

Are we bored? - not a chance.

 

April 7, 2017: Simply Positano

Loving Italy...

Just kickin' it in Positano. 

It is a bit chilly and we need a day to rest, enjoy the view and work on the blog. The WiFi is a bit slow and spotty and there is a lot of muttering and near-cussing coming from Tina but we all let her be - it is just better that way. My job writing is off-line and so everything is going splendid. But Tina sorts through everyone's photos and we made some progress and it triggers memories already of what we have done. Come late afternoon it is time to strap on the shoes with built in brakes and journey down the million steps to find wine and food. 

"Let's try a different restaurant tonight just for kicks". Right off the service is not as good and we miss our "Le Tre Sorelle (The three sisters). We spot a menu item for $75 that sounds a lot like Cioppino. The waiter explains it is for 2 and gives us the speel and we get so excited we all buy in for this treat. This Italian wine is so reasonable and so good we drink so we eat great bread with oil and vinegar and get ready for the feast. Out come the bibs followed by the biggest, and I mean biggest plate/bowls ever seen and these babies are loaded with clams, and mussels and white fish and scrimp and little lobster things and on and on. We all were dipping bread in the sauce and before long we were all suffering from eating too much. Strange thing though, not full like McDonalds yuck full, but full of good, healthy and delicious food. We just love the European restaurants - you have to beg to get the bill and it is so nice to kick back with the rest of the wine, look out over Positano bay and the Mediterranean and watch the night come down and the lights on the hill come to life. Ahhh!

April 6, 2017: Vesuvius, Pompeii & Positano

Italy!

 

The drive from Naples To Positano is reported to be a pretty one but full of curves so in a fit of brilliance we booked a driver to do the work while we watch.  But there is this big 'o volcano called Vesuvius and the town it buried smack in the middle of our drive to Positano.  In fact Vesuvius just stares at you from Naples.  The volcano is impressive now at 4,203 feet but before it blew its top it was almost twice the size.  It is the only active volcano in Europe.  Between the volcano and the sea was the very prosperous and beautiful city of Pompeii with a population at its peak of some 20,000.  It would take 3 days to see all of the sites but we will take a little over 2 hours just to get a taste.  Wow, this placed is tragic and beautiful and mind blowing.  The eruption was so sudden there was no way to escape and the flow of lava covered the city and erased the memory of the city for a couple of thousand years.  Perhaps 2,000 people were killed.  The incredible part of the story is the city was frozen in time so that today we see a city exactly like it was in 79AD.  The city  was Greek and later Roman and there is a bit of each on show.  Like most ancient cities this one is built on a hill.  Not just for defense but living on a hill allows all the water and nasty stuff people do to run down to the sea or river.  The streets carry the water as well as carts and chariots.  High stepping stones are placed across the road for people to cross.  The smart thing about the stepping stones is that they prevent any size chariot or cart from passing unless the wheels are exactly the right width.  This little jewel of an idea allowed a rent a cart business to start.  There are still tracks very visible in the road.  

 

All the things you expect to see are here including a amphitheater with seating for 1,000 for opera and music and another holding 3,000 or more for gladiators.  Of course the better seats cost more and were occupied by the rich and famous while the nose bleed seats held the others.  The public baths were an incredible work of engineering.  The baths included a very hot room, a medium steam room and a cool bath.  The water was heated by fire and the steam fed beneath the floors suspended by grooved stones.  The streets are lined with shops with grooves in the stone entrance so that doors can be closed.  This being a port city there are a few houses dedicated to the pleasure seeking sailors complete with paintings to stimulate the mind.  There are even secret markers in the street to guide them along the way.  We finally enter the forum where more shops are located and pillars line the open area dedicated to public announcements and speeches.  They have been working for several years to uncover this much of the city and still there is more work to uncover the entire city.  The last thing we view are the many pottery items and other items.  But the tragic things were casts made from those that died.  There is a guard dog with the collar still visible, a man sitting holding his nose and mouth trying to prevent suffocation from the ash, another man lying down as if dying in his sleep and, the most tragic of all, a child.  It is just science and peeking into the past until we see the human tragedy of this catastrophe.  

 

Time to see some beautiful sights.

Beautiful sights await and it is not very long before we see the Bay of Naples and the beautiful buildings lining the cliffs.  More beautiful sights show in Sorento and the blue and clear water but it really gets exciting when we start the descent to Positano.  Wow, are we glad we have a driver cause this is a narrow and twisting road!  We arrived and we have help coming to carry out bags.  Positano is up and down and stairs and steps and very few flat spots.  Yes sir, we are going to get some exercise!  Up we go to the house we rented and it is 100 steps just like they said.  Whew!  We settle in a bit and head out for some chow and get a feel for this place.  First lesson - stick very close to the buildings cause the cars are only inches away!  Of course there are shops all along the route to the beach where we hear the best restaurants live and we soon arrive and pick "The three sisters" Restaurant.  We know we picked the right place when Tina says, "Is the fish fresh", and the waiter says, "Come here, let me show you", and we follow towards the kitchen where he slides open the fridge door to expose a collection of fresh fish, octopus, little tiny fish, and stuff we don't know all caught that day right off the beach.   Wow it all looks good and he pulls out a nice looking sea bass and we talk about how to prepare it and, my, my, these guys are good.  And is it ever good!  Back to our house we climb for some wine on the deck and that incredible view of Positano and the beautiful sea.  Oh yeah, this is sweet

!

April 5, 2017: Family, Flight and Naples

Today is the unfortunate day we leave this place that has been so memorable to us.  But first we must meet other members of the family.  They want us to visit their home and meet us - how wonderful! Are there any more gracious, giving, friendly and genuine people than the peoples of Spain? - I think not!!!  

Walking about we soon learn that in this small town Javier is related to just about everyone.  First stop is his Aunt who is living in a very large home that must have a million rooms and the oldest part goes back 500 years or so - no one know exactly how long!  There is a garden in the center of the "villa" with blooming trees and vines.  

 

The tour includes some out buildings where the mules lived, a yard where the chickens live making fresh eggs daily, rooms used in past to hang fruit used all winter, rooms to store olive oil and grain, and rooms for, good grief, I can't remember all the rooms!  

 

Our next stop is another Aunt and another beautiful home.  This one has a wonderful glass dome to let in light to a delightful garden in the room.  This feature is usually found in Southern Spain but here it is and it is a wonderful thing.  There is more to see and they want to show us but Javier is trying to pull us to leave for the airport for our plane.  We are truly sad to leave this charming and loving family as they tell us to return - their house is our house.  Sigh.  

 

It will be even harder to leave Javier at the airport but we plan for an October visit from Javier to our homes.  We cannot wait for his visit.

No problem with the plane this time, and we are off for Italy.  

We land in Naples and head for the car provided from our hotel.  The car from the hotel is really a taxi.  Our instructions for a car with room for lots of bags was lost in translation and we are faced with a small car and small trunk.  Somehow he gets most in the trunk but Tina, Krim and me are crammed in the back seat with a small suitcase on my lap and a very large suitcase left to go.  Look-out!  The big suitcase is coming in the back with us!  Oh my god, we are packed with Krim getting the most pain and all of us getting only small grasps of oxygen now and then.  The trip is only 5 miles or so and we survive.  We check in to find no restaurant available but the guy does his best and orders pizza.  This the birthplace of pizza so lets get some.  Actually, an order from the Pizza Dude in the states is much better than this one but we do not starve this day and off to bed we go.  

April 4, 2017: Family Farm & Toledo Again

April 4

This is the day we gather with Javier's Father for a trip through their land of olive trees, fields, vineyards and trees. But first Me and a bit later Jim open the door to find Javier's Wonderful Mother. As Javier warned us, she speaks not a word of English but that does not matter as she runs on a mile a minute with a beautiful smile and you love her right away.

Off we go for Lunch at a most awesome restaurant where we just ask Javier to order for us some traditional Tapas and the food keeps coming, as well as wine for the next two hours. And everything is delicious! We are ready for our field trip and we meet with Javier's Father who speaks a great deal less but is just as wonderful.

Javier's Father, as is he and his Grandfather - Pharmacists but invest in land. Many of Javier's family, including his Aunts and Uncles all live in the area and are major land owners in La Mancha. A part of our tour is a "ghost town" abandoned when trucks replaced the mules and the need to live on the farm land was needed no more. This land has been used by folks for a very long time - Roman coins have been found among other relics. Lastly we see pines planted by the Father some years ago not only for harvesting but as a love of the man. What a nice tour! But the day is not done.

 

We head back to Toledo to meet with a friend of Javier that knows the city well. Our latest friend shows us a few shops and then we enter an unassuming tapas bar that serves us up some more delicious food including bull's tail - left over from the bull fights a few days before and it was yummy. We are not allowed to pay whatever we do as our hosts will simply not hear of it! I want to see the famous Cathedral of Toledo but Jim, Tina and Krim have in mind some shopping. They find some great knifes and other stuff and I enjoy the Cathedral - the finest in Spain so they claim. Begun in 1226 this Cathedral is a beauty modeled after the Bourges Cathedral in France but it incorporates some features of Arabia and although gothic it has only one tall steeple. The highlight of this place is the fantastic figures of stucco, paintings, bronze castings and multiple colors of marble set beneath a "hole" in the roof allowing a shaft of light highlighting the figures that hits a beautiful gold Altar several stories below. It is a marvel. The Cathedral has other features to admire including the painted curved ceiling and gold treasure created for the parade of Corpus Christi each year. Cool Cathedral. Time to head home.

Dinner is another night to remember forever. The conversation flows and the more we talk the more we love Javier. Again the clock strikes 3:30AM and we all need some rest. We say our good by to charming Alexa and know this lady is headed to great things. And so ends another day to remember.

April 3, 2017: Off to Toledo..

Today we head to Toledo for a view of this 2,000 year old city.  This place has been the home of some of the earliest peoples in Spain, the Visigoths, the early Kings, the muslims from North Africa, the crusades, the painter El Greco and on and on.  Toledo was known as the "City of the Three Cultures" where Christians, Muslims and Jews lived in peace.  Until 1492 when the Muslims and Jews were shown the exit by the Catholics.  But the peaceful co-existence of the three great religions plus the cultural and heritage earned the city its UNESCO designation in 1986.  

Toledo gained the reputation of the best sword makers in Europe in the 17th and 18th century.  The City sits atop a high hill surrounded by the river and three sets of walls.  The only access to the city was over one roman bridge and over three sets of walls.  It would be quite a chore to conquer this city!  Spain was spared the destruction of World Wars I and II and so Toledo is in great condition.  We walk up and down and all around and the feet and legs need some rest so we will save a closer look at the City for tomorrow.  To Javier's home we go following a stop at the food store.  Javier proves again he is a great cook so we gather in the kitchen and help when we can until another great meal is before us.  Out comes more beautiful Spanish Wine.  

We bring gifts for Javier and he is touched by our thoughtfulness.  Jim and Tina give a very special wine - the Wine Spector "Wine of the Year" from Paso Robles - Saxum.  Javier is speechless.  Clyde and Krim offer a special whiskey - one of only 5 left from an award winning small batch producer friend. Javier is again speechless.  But here is the special thing.  Javier thinks for a bit and says, "I would like to share these special gifts with you, because this is a special visit and it would mean a lot to enjoy them with you".  He does, however, wish to reserve a bit of whiskey to share with a whiskey loving friend together with a special cigar.  I want a picture of that event!  

  

The conversation is so easy with Javier and Alexa and we talk and laugh until Tina says, "Holy cow, it is 3:40AM!  Javier and Alexa work in a few hours so we head to bed.  

April 2, 2017: Spain and the man from La Mancha!

First stop is Madrid to meet our new friend Javier.  We met Javier last year in Seville and we hit it off right away.  Seville was the site of a festival and Javier invited us so we hopped a horse drawn carriage to a festival lighting up the sky worthy of Disneyland and had a great time drinking and watching the locals dancing the Spanish dance.  

Our new friend Javier (Seville 2016)

Javier lives outsideToledo; an ancient city that is beautiful and full of history.  Toledo is the capital of the region of Castile-La Mancha and so we are hoping to see some sights that gave the inspiration to Cervantes for the tales of Don Quixote.  

Javier is glad to see us but he takes a look at our eight pieces of luggage and     

Says "Oh, I think there is a problem", and we soon see why as we see his nice Audi 4 door with a small trunk.  The best solution is to grab a cab so Jim and Tina go with the cab and Clyde and Krim join Javier for the ride south to his home in Villacana . The hilly country side around Madrid and Toledo flattens out to the plains of La Mancha, home base for our next days.  Javier has a beautiful big house where we spread out and feel right at home.  

Javier is friends with Alexa, a student taking a year off to teach english in the area.    Following graduation from Stanford she heads to law school at Yale.  Alexa is a delight and helps translate for us non-Spanish speaking folks.  Javier has a nice surprise for us this afternoon and evening so we gather food and drink and head out in a four wheel jeep off road to the top of a hill where lies a 250 year old house they own and use only for parties and hunting rabbits and such.  

We are joined by 2 couples and as they bring in wood and prepare food, we tour the home.  Electricity is only available when they bring along a generator and running water is out of the question.  The house is a jewel and rings bells of recognition with the missions in California with thick white adobe walls and tile roof.  The main room has a good sized  fireplace and it is soon roaring and it feels good as the sun is headed for China and the temperature drops.  The weather is very similar to inland California with big temperature changes from day to night.  We watch the sun go down with a beautiful view of the La Mancha farmland below.

       

Key to the 250 year old White House

 

 

At Javier's 250 year old family home  

Time to head inside where our new friends lay out typical Spanish bites to eat that are delicious.  Now for the main event as Javier brings out the paella cast iron pot and puts it over the hot coals of the fire.  In goes all the stuff of paella except the rice and soon we have the best smell ever!  The Spanish wine hits the spot, the food is delicious, the new friends are wonderful and all is well.  

Party at the White HouseTime to head for home.  We are worn out and sleep like babies.  And sleep and sleep.  It is nearly noon before we face the day.