Doing absolutely nothing - May 14th

Doing absolutely nothing

Rise to a windy, clear day – head in separate directions – Bernie in search of Italian fabrics – Mike to walk down to the Port – steep down – even steeper back up – perhaps physically impossible but true to the heart of this human!

Pass the cake store.

Set off down towards the port – negotiate the footpath that is all of 600mm wide – listen intently for the tell-tale noises of petrol energised scooters and vans approaching from behind on the narrow cobble-stoned pavement – occasionally be startled by the fat-tyred electric bikes that silently stalk the unwary.

Walking down towards the port the slope seems gentle – the road swings passed yet another stunning view of the Bay of Napoli.

Onwards – this is easy! – short cut the ravine via a multitude of downward steps – the Port is achieved faster than expected – I look back at the steps – I look up at the hotels perched on the cliff top from whence I had come – will I honour my resolution to return on the same path or shall I succumb to the lure of the lift?

I sit by the ticket windows – I watch the queues wax and wane – I watch the inexperienced and I watch the experienced as they chose their queue – Positano – Amalfi – Capri – Naples – so many choices – they charge their partner with baggage supervision duties and assume a position in the queue – they move slowly and almost calmly as they progress– their partner sits watching from a distance – suddenly they have their tickets and their movement becomes deliberate and rapid – a few quick words to their partner and the pair are off towards the pier their case wheels again reminding all and sundry of the passing of the Roman Legion on its way to a skirmish.

I return to the café at the entrance to the ferry terminal – café latte – this time there is no sign of the comedians that a few days early were masquerading as wait-staff – nevertheless enjoyable.

I look up at the clifftop – I firm up my resolve to scale the mountain rather than avail myself of the lift – the resolve seems to get challenged ever 10 metres of upwards progress – I push on – the gentle  downward slope that I experienced on my way to the port has naturally changed its incline from negative to positive but unnaturally seems to have increased in severity – again my resolve is tested – onwards – a heart rate of significance at least to this traveller – I remind myself of the basic laws of physics – keep the cadence constant but make the steps as short as possible to minimise the power output – I progress well with the new strategy – I approach the steep set of steps that short cut the route to the top – again I rationalise that a shorter distances with higher steps must demand greater power output so I bypass the stair and continue on the longer but less steeply inclined shared roadway – I conquer the climb!

Into the St Michael’s Square – I sit and watch people all with camera or phone in hand – seemingly all intent on ensuring that they or their partner or indeed both of them share the photograph with the natural beauty of the Bay of Naples.

Bernie and I meet again - we lunch at Davids just near the suite on Caprise salad and bottled water - the tomatoes of the new season - the mozzarella fresh - the lettuce appropriate - we retire for the compulsory siesta.

Bernie special shoe has collapsed - we go in search of repair person - we are referred from one to another to another to another to another - at last we reach a business that is centred on shoe repair - we ask - we quickly come to realisation that there are business in Sorrento that are interested in the service of tourists and there are business that simply wish such people did not exists! ; no - no - no - too busy  - we send a Whats App message to Nico - he has no luck either - he sends a map for the location of a small hardware store - glue is obtained - on-the-run repairs effected - the shoe planted into the window latch to ensure  intimate mating of the sole and upper!

We dine at the Taverrna de'800 - linguine marinara - canneloni - bread and still water - 33 euro - nice - busy - listen to American college students - like college students everywhere the express their views on the solution to the problems of the world in terms which older minds may consider to be naive.