Wandering - 10th May

Rise and wander the lane ways of Sorrento .

Visit a photographic exhibition in a church – 20th century Italian analogue photographer – impressive – less impressed by the 90 Euro cost of small print copies.

Stop to assist young French boys – have to meet friends at the ice creamery – there are hundred ice creameries – we do our best!

Admire the limoncello vendors.

The cruise ship has disgorged it’s land  starved human inventory into the hands of decidedly jaded guides  - they form multiple and practically unstoppable human caravans containing a mixture of agile and not so agile humans of every imaginable ethnicity – the agile hurry the guides along – the not so agile struggle and struggle some more – weary feet – weary hips – their decision to take this land tour questioned - eventually the guide succumbs to their protestations and temporarily ceases the forward motion of the caravan.

The various caravans take alternate routes that result in head on meetings of the groups – 50 people all in a line run into 50 other people also in a line – the caravans then turn into the narrow alley ways that masquerade as the streets of old Sorrento – they seem to demand right of way and absolutely demand priority of position at any point of interest designated by the tour guide – the shopper – the self guides tourist – the locals pushed aside – a blight! – there must be a better way!

We book a bus tour  around the town – "you come back in an hour" says the girl - we walk – careful here come tour guide and caravan! – they threaten to run us over – we retire hurt and leave the caravans to assert their dominance over the town.

Sit in the square -  coffee.

We watch people - people everywhere – old people suffering the pains of international travel – young people excited – the middle aged taking it in their stride – all coping with the guides caravans with good will and with a pleasant demeanour.

I behave like an idiot – place my wallet in an exposed pocket – reach for my camera – take some shots – then a tap on my shoulder – you dropped your wallet! – think of the ramifications – resolve to relieve myself of my complacency

Traffic proceeds past us with organised chaos – drivers manoeuver – scooter riders dodge  – electric bike riders weave – pedestrians wander along all in a world of their own!

Back to the delightful Erkani suites to rejuvenate!

Rejuvenation is complete – off in the spirit of Vasco de Garma for further exploration of Sorrento – to St Michael's square – glorious view of the Bay of Naples with the most famous of volcanoes in the background.

We search for the restaurant recommended by Merie and John – have a drink and look for the rabbits – we achieve the first but initially fail at the second  - not a rabbit in sight – then we look at the dinner menu – “coniglio brasato in limoncello” – so that is where all the rabbits have gone!

Onwards through the lanes and alley ways doing battle with preoccupied tourists who stop in their tracks without any trace of visual clue to admire some trinket that catches their eye or their imagination.

Past European tourists so anxious to replenish their bodily supplies of solar induced vitamins that they expose their shoulders and sometimes more of their mammary glands that would normally be deemed acceptable to the rays of the new spring sun – their excessive intake already apparent – I fear they will have an interrupted sleep this night!

The guides and their pedestrian tourist caravans have returned to the port, boarded their tenders and returned to their cruise ships – in our imagination we have pictured Sorrento returning to a lesser state of chaos – not the case for this is now the afternoon and the multitudes of school excursions to Pompeii have assigned free time to their participants in Sorrento – the excited thirteen year olds proceed to impose their presence on Sorrento in a way that not even their cruise ship counterparts could hope to match!

Yet another adjournment to the Erkani Suites and yet another exploration of Sorrento – we love this place – we will dine tonight at L'Antica Trattoria not five metres from our front door!


Emerge from our accommodations - walk 5 metres - access the inside of the L'Antica Trattoria equiped with a distinctly aging Michelin sign - she is pleasant if not a little dated - her service appropriate - her food excellent - calamari - lemon tagliolini - pork loins - gelarto - her costs significant - again parity between dollar and euro reigns - value in A$ - pay in Euro! - a nice experience!