Day 2 in Amalfi - Friday 13 September

I had a pretty good sleep last night, but everyone else was complaining about the hardness of the beds, and thinking they may as well have been sleeping on hard planks! Breakfast on the Terrace of the Hotel Residence was magic - overlooking the beach, warm temperatures, gorgeous fruit salad and great company. We did finish in a bit of a rush though, as we decided to hurry to catch the local bus along the coast to Atrani, and then up the steep winding road to Ravello.

As we reached Atrani, a big downpour of rain came out of nowhere (and we'd left our jackets behind because of the sunny outlook and forecast). Onwards and upwards, BUT half way up the hill, on the wet, slippery, narrow road, the bus suddenly skidded to a dramatic stop, with gasps from all the passengers on the left side. A motor cyclist had been coming downhill and around the corner, he slipped on the wet road, skidded along the side of the bus, and MIRACULOUSLY ended up just past the bus and in the middle of the road. The bus driver rushed out and helped him up. The rider rubbed his elbow but seemed unscathed, picked up his bike, and moved to the side of the road. And without further ado, the bus continued straight on up the hill! I looked back and could see the rider was being talked to by a following van driver, and I'd say he would go into shock after that experience, even if physically uninjured (having seen a similar event outside Burnside High a few years ago and calling an ambulance). Certainly these roads are very narrow and treacherous at the best of times!

We're not sure where we went wrong, but the bus went past the turnoff to Ravello, and ended up further up in Scala. We got off, then attempted to ask the bus driver what we needed to do. He didn't understand English and even though we'd literally just stepped off, he wouldn't let us back on without new tickets, and it turned out he WAS going to Ravello on the way down, but no luck for us without rushing off to buy new tickets. I really didn't want to spend time wandering around in Scala, when I knew the main things I wanted to do on the Amalfi Coast, if nothing else, was to visit the Villa Rufolo Gardens, and the Villa Cimbrone Gardens, as well as revisiting the beautiful Piazza in Ravello. Jan asked a shuttle driver if he understood English, and he had seen the problem and offered to drop us there, slightly out of his way back down the road, and it was just another E$4.80 for all of us. So, a few minutes later, we were in Ravello and strolling into the beautiful Piazza Duomo that I remembered and loved from our 2009 visit. Time for a photo stop and reminiscing... Bliss!

We had a quick look in the Cathedral (every town here seems to have one), and then popped into the Tourist Information office for maps of the area and how to get to the Villas Rufolo and Cimbrane. Villa Rufolo's entrance was right on the Piazza, and I took lots of photos because at every turn there was an amazing sight, whether it be architectural (Moorish, Sicilian and Norman influences), scenic, historic, or horticultural - a fascinating and beautiful place. It was amazing to see the venue here for annual concerts playing Wagner's music, with the coastline as a backdrop - stunning and inspirational to so many who have visited this place for around 800 years.

Next, we followed the varied and beautiful pathways/passageways meandering past churches, villas, gardens, schools, hotels, and cafes. Before long we were at the Villa Cimbrone. This area was known in late Roman times as an enormous estate of luxurious vegetation which produced fine timber for naval use. It eventually fell into disrepair until discovered and purchased by an English Lord in the early 1900s. He had it restored, employing a Ravello resident (and former waiter) to take charge and follow his heart with the design, and the gardens were brought to life. The stunning (and vertigo-inducing) views of the coastline from the Terrace of Infinity were amazing, and a main reason for visiting the Villa.
















We returned to the Piazza for lunch (rolls or paninis for the others, and a salad for me), and then David headed off with Jan and Steve to walk a track across to Pontone, then up and along the hills before the steep descent back down the Valley and into the upper reaches of Amalfi (approximately 2 and a half hours of very steep walking). They had well-deserved cool drinks after that!

In the meantime, I hunted out the bus stop and caught the bus back down to Amalfi. I visited the Tourist Information Centre, strolled along the esplanade, and walked out along a pier to get photos looking back at Amalfi. I booked dinner for Sunday night at the same restaurant as we lunched at yesterday, then went and sat at the same wine bar/cafe as yesterday, to await the arrival of the others. Sadly, every place I ask in Amalfi tells me that none of the gelato is gluten free, so the diet continues! I worked on this blog post, and read a book with information about the Amalfi Coast. After I'd had a cappuccino and a long glass of orange juice, the walkers arrived.

We had a break to freshen up, before heading out to dinner at the same restaurant as last night. The waitresses are real characters, and very helpful. I dined on steak with grilled vegetables, while David ordered Fish of the Day, which turned out to be a whole sea bass, served with a lovely dressing.

Before returning to our hotel we all strolled along the waterfront and esplanade, and looked at the sights along the way. It was a glorious, balmy evening and families were out together, children playing, couples strolling. Steve was intrigued with the many buildings perched right on the edges of the rocky cliffs. The view back towards Amalfi, with all the lights on, was very memorable.