Tuesday – Amalfi and Ravello

I think I have mentioned how we have been a bit surprised at how many tourists are around. The season seems to get longer each year I travel here. Today they were a problem. We organised ourselves to be at the bus stop herein Sorrento in good time to catch the bus to Amalfi. Trouble was, so had quite a few other people. We got onto the bus without too much difficulty ( and got a seat) , but it was not an orderly queue! Everyone knows that Italians donot queue orderly but neither, it seems, do other nationalities when in Italy. The ride was very picturesque and long. About half way along the route the bus filled to capacity and we past quite a few disgruntled people at bus stops.

We wandered around Amalfi for awhile. The duomo dominates the main square. The best part was the cloisters – vaguely Arabic in feel with whitewashed arches and palms growing in the middle. Then we caught a bus to Ravello. The main reason for coming here was to see the Villa Cimbrone’s gardens – a short walk from the centre of Ravello. They were lovely – well- maintained and very picturesque with beautiful views.

Back in Amalfi, we wandered along the waterfront to the hotel where John and I had stayed in 2003. We had a drink and then joined the tired, milling throng waiting for a bus back to Sorrento. Apparently the ferries which normally take many of the tourists along the coast were not working. There was no organisation. It was quite unpleasant. We pushed and shoved with everyone else and got onto a bus. After about ½ hour we finally all got a seat.