camanoescape – The Wagnerson's Travel Adventures

We woke up this morning and decided it was time to do laundry.  Finding that the Italian washing machines seem to have a minimum of a three hour cycle time, I chose to do our laundry by hand.  Not so much like taking the clothes to the stream and washing them on the rocks, but sort of.  With the clothes finally all washed and hung out to dry in two different rooms and along the shutters to the veranda, it was time for a little relaxation. 

Soon there could be heard occasional musings about being hungry.  When the musings of being hungry turned into a steady deafening roar, Doug and I figured it was time to set off in search of a new restaurant.  Apparently I was not moving fast enough because Lynda and Barb moved out and sat in the car waiting……to be driven…….to food!

We set off and reached a fork in the road.  We had never been to the right and so took a right.  Cruising along with whimpers from the back seat of feeling faint for lack of food we drove to a town called Chianciano Terme.  As we climbed to the top of this little town, Doug found himself maneuvering the old family truckster down through very narrow streets.  These streets were so narrow we had to pull our mirrors in to keep from scraping the sides.

Finding a place to park can sometimes be tricky in these little towns, but with Lynda pointing the way that mission was accomplished.  Onto a little cafe at the very top of the village and we were soon seated and enjoyed another delicious Tuscan lunch.  After lunch we had a leisurely stroll back to the car and home to rest up for dinner!

Although there is no defense for stupidity, I will point out that my Italian lessons did not cover the term Zanzariera.  As I walked out to the car and met Doug with my “Cheshire cat grin” (see Ahhh…shopping in Italy post) I did tell him that I was pretty sure this box was “either a bread maker or a heater!”  Here is a picture of Doug and me sitting around at 11:30 pm tonight sipping

on tequila, enjoying the warmth of our new bug zapper heater!!!!!

Well, you’ve no doubt read several posts about our shopping experiences (expeditions?) in a number of Italian cities on this blog.  Today we took on the task of shopping for dinner ingredients among other things at the “supermarket” just down the road from our villa outside Chiusi.  The supermarket here is more what we would term a mall, with clothing, luggage and leather stores, a Tabbacheria (smokeshop) and several electronics and appliance stores.  After finishing our grocery shopping, Dale remembered he wanted to pick up a cheap electric heater for the villa, so after loading the car back in he went.  We had already checked a couple of the electronics shops to no avail.

A very short time later out Dale comes, with a Cheshire cat grin and a relatively large box proudly proclaiming it’s 25 watt contents.  Hmmm…having dealt with small heaters most of my life, I found it odd that you could get a heater that output  only 25 watts when they are normally 1500 watts.  Well, European power is a little different from what we are used to in the US, so I figured they must be rated differently.  

After returning home, we put away the groceries and were putzing around while Dale unpacked his new heater.  I think I was still in the kitchen when I heard the uproarious laughter begin. No unusual occurrence with this group, but when it kept up I wandered out to the living room to investigate.  This is the scene I stumbled upon:

The 25 watt heater was not putting out any heat.  We checked the box and found there were many languages represented:

That’s right, Dale’s new electric heater is in reality a bug zapper.  Fortunately, Lynda had the foresight to pick up a couple bottles of premium Italian vino, priced at 1.99 and 2.49, so we will have some inexpensive refreshment to enjoy while Dale entertains us trying to stay warm under the cheerful glow of his new bug zapper!

Leaving Sorrento Saturday morning early, we had to catch a shuttle to take us to Naples.  Everyone voted and all decided that a repeat of the Circumvesuviana train (the pickpocket train) was an experience that we did not necessarily have to repeat.  (Oh so NOW they listen to me)  We were supposed to wait in the main piazza, Piazza Tasso for the shuttle.  So there we were with all of our possessions loaded into our carryons, like a group of homeless Americans standing around waiting for a handout.

Our driver picked us up and delivered us to the Naples train station without incident.  We caught our Frecciarossa (really fast train) north to Rome.  Finding our way to the Rome shuttle that would take us to the Rome Airport where we planned to pick up and at the end of our trip drop off our rental car, was a bit challenging.  We were on the hunt for that and probably looking confused.  A young lady stepped up and asked us if she could help.  I told her what where we wanted to go and she promptly led us over to some ticket machines.  She punched in everything we needed and told me to pay the machine.  I did so and four tickets for the 30 minute nonstop train ride to the Rome airport were now in our possession.  She then grabbed Lynda’s suitcase and said to follow her.  We walked through the terminal and past many platforms.  She stopped at a validation machine and ran our four tickets through that and then continued on until we arrived at the correct platform.  She told us our train will be here soon.  I thanked her and offered her 10 euros for her trouble.  She thanked me but looked at Doug and Barb and Lynda and indicated she didn’t just help me but she helped them too.  I reached into my pocket for change and pulled another 4-5 euros out and as I was counting it out, she said to just give it all to her.  I did and she left us to wait for our train.  Doug asked how it felt to be shaken down.  I thought, well that was certainly cheaper than getting on a wrong train or wandering lost for another hour or so.  I would have paid 25 euros for her information.  Barb remarked well at least she’s not on the street begging, but performing a service.  We caught the shuttle and arrived at Hertz car rental office.  This time they gave us a Ford Focus station wagon.  Apparently they had heard some reports of us flying around Italy in a BMW and wanted to change our image a little.  Works for us.  We set off to drive out of Rome and successfully exited the city without incident.  We arrived last evening to our Chiusi autostrada exit about 7:30 pm.  Our new landlady was communicating with us by phone on our way from Rome and she met us at our exit to lead us to the villa.  We followed her in through a gate and down a long drive.  There before us was an amazing looking villa.  She showed us inside and we were again floored at the beauty and size of this place.  Flamiana had prepared a plate of antipasta for us, complete with salami, cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto, olives, sundried tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh Tuscan bread and a bottle of very good local wine.  It was a massive plate and we finished it all.  She had also made us a cherry pastry for breakfast, but we broke into that last night and finished it off today when we got up.  We explored our new villa and the surrounding countryside.  Lynda spotted a herd of pigs roaming around.

Off to explore the town of Chiusi….there are two parts (one is old town and the other is newer with the train station.  We chose the old town.

We found a church built in the 1400’s and went inside to see.

Now all of us love Marcella back home, but we didn’t realize the impact that she is having on everyday people here in Italy……until now.

As you’ve seen in previous posts, we made some new friends in Sorrento.  My usual M.O. is to make jokes and stretch the truth whenever possible, but now its time to be a little serious.  I came to Italy with very few expectations of the Italian people.  Having traveled to Mexico a LOT, I know the Mexicans to be extremely hospitable.  We have many wonderful friends there.  

At this point I can say we’ve made a number of wonderful friends in Italy.  As previously noted, we’ve semi officially adopted Irene Gren from Tuscany (she will forever more be Irene the Pasta Dancer in my memory).  Over the last few days we met Giovanni and Miriam, two of the nicest people on the planet, not to mention just Italy.  Giovanni’s passion for wine and the whole wine business is impressive, but his passion for people is more so.  Miriam is his perfect match, quiet to his outgoing, beautiful and oh so kind.  Thanks to the two of them, we found everything we were looking for in Sorrento and now Barbarina and Lynda know how to tie a scarf with Italian style!  By the way, those fancy ear rings the girls are sporting were made by Miriam for Barbarina and Lynda, beautiful work!  Thank you  Giovanni and Miriam for who you are.  

These people are what really makes travelling fun.  All the ancient history, art and monuments are fun to see in Italy, but it is getting to know the Italians that has been the best part of this trip for me.  Who ‘da thought…

I held out for 24 days but Lynda is so, so very persistent.

We decided to forego the continental breakfast offered by our little hotel here in Sorrento this morning, because we had seen a restaurant off the beaten path last night that offered for colazione (breakfast) bacon and eggs.  That sounded pretty good to us as we’ve been gone from that kind of traditional breakfast for 24 days now.  I ordered the mixed omelette.  Lo and behold, when the omelette arrived it included a plate of french fries with it.  Who knew that french fries were a breakfast food?  It was actually not too bad although I’m sure the fries would have been even better if they were smothered in country sausage gravy ala Elger Bay Cafe and

their hashbrowns.

After breakfast we headed out to the Corner Shop, our new go to place for wine where we’ve spent several hours over the past two days getting to know Giovanni and his fiance, Miriam.  Here are some photos of our new friends and a photo inside the wood inlay shop.

MY stepmom, Pauline, taught me a word. Serendipity, Her definition was an unexpected surprise or unexpected pleasure. She found life to be full of these. We have found this whole trip to be serendipitous (Lynda’s word). We can definitely say we have had a serendipity experience here in Sorrento, After several days here We headed out to dinner last night to a restaurant we had read about. When we got there we really didn’t feel drawn to the place so Dale suggested we just walk and maybe go to a wine shop he had wanted to check out. We found the shop several blocks off the main drag and were instantly welcomed in by Miriam. As she showed us several of the wines we were looking for we immediately warmed to her friendly manner. When Dale asked her something she didn’t know she called Giovanni over and a new friendship began. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable and passionate about his subject, we just really hit it off with him, with both of them. As the guys were doing a little wine tasting, Lynda and I walked across the street to check out a store that looked promising for onion jam (we’re still looking Ruby) but they din’t have it. Come to find out it is Giovanni’s father’s store. After we had talked to Giovanni for a long time we asked him for a restaurant recommendation and he walked us around the corner where his friend had opened a new restaurant only a week ago. The setting and the meal were amazing. Sorrento is quite famous for the art of wood inlay. We had seen a lot of it in the tourist shops but I had not bought any, I went on-line to read about it and found the names of several of the premier artists. Guess whose shop was just around the corner from Giovanni? Also a good friend of his. When we went back to Giovanni’s today to place an order we again spent a long time just visiting. We’ve invited him to come visit us. While we were there his sister came over from the store across the street to tell me she had been doing much research and had tracked down onion jam and they could just add it to our shipment. Doug and Dale bought refreshments from Giovanni’s dad in the same shop. We met Giovanni’s mother also, she was wearing a pair of earings that Miriam had made. Lynda and I will now be receiving our own pair. After hugs we went to the wood shop and made new friends with the Stinga brothers. WE will be receiving a shipment from them too. It’s just our little corner of Sorrento. Serendipity. I think Pauline is smiling.

After our boat trip up the Amalfi coast we came back and rested and took off in search of dinner.  Thunderstorms yesterday evening and the heaviest rainstorm we’ve ever been in were the order of the evening. Fortunately we had just purchased a couple of big umbrellas.  Arriving at the restaurant (they sent a car for us) we had only a few meters to walk to enter the restaurant.  Three seconds out from under the umbrella and you were soaked.  A few of us had that invigorating experience.  When we entered the restaurant we were instructed to leave our umbrellas in a stand by the door and we did so, our two umbrellas being the first in the stand.  The meal was good.  During our meal we lost power in the restaurant after some of the lightning strikes but it came back on quickly.  After dinner it was still raining.  Arriving at the umbrella stand I recovered ours and Barb searched for hers but it was not there.  There were however were about 10 others in there now.  Apparently this little umbrella holder is a community umbrella exchange location because Barb proceeded to search through the available umbrellas, trying several out and then deciding on one that seemed to strike her fancy.  Now it was back home to our hotel with the HOT umbrella in Barb’s possession.  I just hope I don’t see her in a pawn shop around here trying to hock it for money!

This morning found the weather sunny, cloudy, rainy and sunny.  It was pretty much how that cycle went all day.  We explored more of Sorrento on our feet rather than riding around on a tour. 

In the middle of Sorrento with all of the people and civilization going on, we found a lemon and orange grove.  We walked into this hidden and quiet hideaway and were amazed at the size of the lemons.  In the middle of the grove there was a little stand set up where you could taste limoncello…a wonderful concoction beverage made of lemon peels……and you guessed it, alcohol.  Mmmm, mmmm, good!  A delightful after dinner aperitif….it’s supposed to help digestion and given the amazing taste, I am a believer in aiding digestion.  We purchased a couple of bottles and off we went.

We have found Sorrento to be a welcome change from the hustle and bustle and crowds of Rome.  Our little hotel is tucked away down a narrow street only a few meters from the main plaza in town, Piazza Tasso. Here are a couple of shots from our room.

It is quite entertaining to grab a bite to eat with a little wine and sit and watch the people pass through the piazza.

The four of us were picked up near our hotel and driven to the marina where we boarded the 36 foot beauty, the Big Biaggio.  Augustino, the head honcho met us out of our cab and welcomed us, noting that we had booked so many months in advance and yet the weather today was unsettled.  He said that it will be very stormy tomorrow and the next day and impossible to go out.  Since the weather was calling for 81 degrees with a chance of thundershowers, we said let’s go for it.

Since Barb is the only one of the Camanoescapers who does not consider getting on boats as one of the things she enjoys in life, as she climbed aboard she admitted that the Big Biaggio looked safe enough.  We left the harbor in Sorrento (the name is derived from the latin term, home of the sirens……see Homer and the Odyssey) and were treated to storybook views of an amazing coastline.  We stopped for a couple of hours in Positano and more amazing views.  Leaving Positano we stopped along the Amalfi Coast to go swimming at our own private beach.  With mask, fins and snorkel donned, Doug and I went over the side of the boat and had a great time swimming in the Mediterranean.  This actually fulfilled a long time dream of mine of really swimming in the Mediterranean.  The water was a little cool but much warmer than Puget Sound.

I am happy to report that Barbarina was AMAZING and was quite the deckhand.  Actually the only casualty in this entire Amalfi Coast trip was my iphone 4S which had an untimely meeting with the Mediterranean sea shortly after the following photo.  Lynda is holding out hope that after the phone dries out, she is sure it is going to spring back to life!  I just love her!!!  At dinner tonight, Doug remarked that I shouldn’t feel bad, because for the money we’re spending on this trip…..a new iphone is a drop in the bucket.

It is 11 pm here (2 in the afternoon at home) and we just returned from dinner.  It’s been a long day in the sun and everyone is all in.  I think tomorrow we will lay low and rest!  Ciao!!