7/24/2022 Amalfi, Italy. No tour selected. Tender to shore.
Having passed through the Strait of Messina, we're now in the Med again (actually the Tyrrhenian Sea). O spent lots of time in the Med on his Polaris submarine, but they never surfaced.
Actually, the whole Amalfi coast looks like that to the right. The whole coastline has a narrow shelf with businesses and steep inclines thereafter.
Several fortresses. Since Capri and the whole coastline are near at hand, there are boats doing tours all over the place.
We waited till after the tour groups had left, then took the tender ashore. The duomo (cathedral) was directly ahead so we walked there. But as we approached the 1300's-era structure, a bunch of steps came to view. No way.
So we continued the little street, now getting narrower. Looked in many stores, saw lots of 10-foot wide stores. Cars and scooters passed us by, forcing us to move to the side. The big deal here is the lemon. We saw all sorts of things made with lemons and lemon-colored shirts.
O-Photos
We got as far as we could go, with the street down to 1 car width. Then we turned around and shopped the other side. We got down to the pier, and boarded the tender. The ride to the ship was a little bumpy due to the wakes of other ships. Get off the tender and into the ship was also choppy.
We returned in time for a hamburger & coke in the Patio. A nap came after that, then Trivia.
The first Trivia was on Movies - the six of us did ok, but…. The second one was on Movie Theme Songs. A lady who had joined us was a wizard at this, with her husband's help, so we (she) scored 17. Another group beat us out. O only knew two, one of which was Pink Panther.
After that, we changed clothes into something better than shorts and went to Prime C, the prime dinner room. We had our favorite cocktails and a bottle of Cabernet with D's lobster and O's NY Strip. Excellent food and service, except O had to tell them how to make D's Stinger (five parts Brandy & one part clear Creme de Menth, if you're curious, served up).
Back to the cabin to take it easy for a bit. Instead, we did notes and went to bed.
Today was the Pompeii excursion day. But after several days of HOT, we changed to a Panoramic Sorrento. It advertised a bus ride and classified the tour as "mild".
We went ashore and started the tour from just above the pier. The bus (about 14 of us) headed up a narrow man-made canyon, doing 180* turns as it gained altitude. It finally got to the level of the coastal road. The coastal road wasn't much better than the road up the canyon. It curved in and out and over bridges where a road could not be placed. At last we reached our goal - a scenic overlook of Positano, which included a couple of fruit stands (lots of lemons around here).
I noticed at this stop that the bus was from Star Lines and the stand at the overlook was named Star Frutti. Coincidence, I suppose. We took many pictures of Positano from the overlook.
We blocked traffic as we turned around and came back on the same road, mainly because it's the only road. Entering Sorrento, the bus stopped so that we could walk a short way to a hotel for cold drinks and cookies. The short walk was nearly a mile, mostly downhill, and hot. The hotel, we were told by our guide, is the second most expensive hotel in town - a room can go for 10,000 Euro a night. Royalty and famous authors have stayed in Hotel del Tasso.
After the relaxing period we hiked back uphill to the bus. It took us down to the pier area. D walked into a souvenir store and found her pin for the area. Then to the pier and the tender and then the ship. We dumped stuff in the cabin and went to lunch in Windows because all the outdoor areas were hot and muggy. The pictures of Mt Vesuvius won't be very good - lots of haze with the heat.
Another guest and I jockeyed to get around each other in Windows. He said "shall we dance?" so I had to reply "The King and I" to keep the movie thing going.
Then we returned to the cabin for a bit of rest.
O-Photos
After dinner in the dining room served by Rajeev, we took a break. Then up to the show, theme Broadway. The singers and dancers are talented and very enthusiastic. Good show.
We had a nightcap in the Den with Dave & Mary Kay. Chatted about the day and what's next. Then to bed.
The tour started from the dock at 1030, so we had a late breakfast and did notes until then. Fourteen of us hopped into a mini-bus and were transported 20 minutes NE of town to a beautiful place on a hill called Casale Poggio Nebbia in Tarquinia (handout picture above, website www.poggionebbia.it ). We had a great time under the tutelage of the family, including grandmother.
The place is a B&B with 6 double bedrooms, pool, bar, and a restaurant in the evening. At midday, they sometimes do these pasta things. They have olive trees, vines, and garden so they're pretty much self-sufficient. The whole place is an oasis of green in the dry summer landscape.
We gathered in the restaurant, now formed into a teaching room. We had all the ingredients for a creme puff in front of us. We peeled apples and cut them into small pieces for the filling. We made the creme for the puff using milk, sugar, and flour. We added the egg, making a mess in doing so. The creme went off in one pot and the apples left in another pot with cherry liqueur and cinnamon to cook. We laid out chilled puff pastry sheets and put into a sheet the creme and the apple-cinnamon mixture - then shaped it.
While that was cooking, we chopped carrots, celery and onions, sautéed that, added the oil and meat & browned it, added a cup of white wine and simmered that. Add salt and pepper only after the mix shows a circle of oil in the center.
Then we made the egg and flour pasta, well pounded and shaped into a ball. Then we rolled it out thin, laid it back and forth on itself in layers. We rolled the thin sheet onto the roller then rolled it off layering it. Cut through the layers and you have long noodles. They went off to the pot.
Azamara put a segment from this place into their October 2022 newsletter.
We expressed our thanks. O bought a bottle of white. The bus got us back to the ship about 1530. While boarding we met the operatic entertainers for tonight - to be held on the pool deck at 2045.
D & O then went to the Living Room for cokes and chilling the wine. When the group assembled we had the wine pouted around and participated in Trivia. We won both sessions!! Incredible. D & I returned to the cabin to relax until dinner.
We ate, then loafed until the special entertainment for the evening, operatic stars David Righeschi & Maria Salvini. They sang for about 45 minutes then talked with people. The guy beside me in the front row fancied himself an opera buff. He rated David as Fantastic, the lady less so.
O-Photos
Then to the den for conversation and booze. Then bed.
I heard Pisa described as Italy's most over-rated city. Could be true. Eighteen of us made use of our Italian lady guide and the bus. It seemed to take forever to drive the local roads in heavy traffic to reach Pisa. There, the bus must park in a certain lot; the people walk almost a mile through the outskirts of the city to get to the compound wherein is the tower. Again it was hot and sunny. We walked in our group the mile till we reached the grassy rectangle containing a hospital on the right and a mausoleum on the left. In the center is a big tall circular structure where baptisms are done, behind that the very large church and behind that the bell tower that leaned and was never used.
There were about five hundred people in groups around the buildings. The guide pointed out interesting features and facts about the site. The church was originally shaped as a Greek cross but later was enlarged to a traditional shape. We didn't enter any of the buildings.
We were invited to enter a place called "Il Turista". We did for use of the toilets. We stayed for a period in a nice little garden area. Then we entered the tourist-supplies part. D found her pin and a few grandson things.
We hiked the mile to the bus by a different route, partly shaded by the north city wall. The driver then took us back to the ship, slowly in traffic again. The guide was good; she gave us all sorts of facts to be forgotten.
We showered and re-dressed to go to Trivia. We won the Geology trivia and were bad at music (21 vs 33 for the winners).
Then we prepared for White Night.
White Night is an Azamara Thing. The tables are set on the pool deck and the walking track above, set with white linen. Decorations are put out. The cooking crew sets up in what is usually the Patio. The BBQ filled with charcoal, is lit. The bandstand is set up for heavy entertaining.
People fill the tables, start drinking wine or cocktails and talk. Then some start toward the buffet, which sets off a rush of people doing the same.
More talk and wine (the six of us went through three bottles of various whites).
The Captain came out to wish everyone a happy evening and the band started. Then it got loud. Speakers surround the pool deck, so there are no quiet spots. Dancing begins and everyone gets into it.
We stayed a respectable time, danced, and grew tired of the noise. So we left around 2130; we're told the party shut down around 2230.
So that's another successful White Night.
O-Photos
We're here for an overnight stay, departing tomorrow morning early for the transit to Barcelona. We've booked a short tour of the city and surrounding scenes.
We were here with the Jacksons nine years ago. That was a fun trip.
We started early. The ship had anchored off Monoco so we tendered ashore to find Seabourn Sojourn where we though we might tie up. A bus was waiting for us; larger than needed. The lady guide started describing Monoco and its people.
While she spoke the driver took off, headed east. At every Y, he chose the side that ascended. He did a couple of 180* turns. Suddenly we were about 500 meters high, looking down at Menton.
At the top we turned around and headed west. We slowed for pictures a couple of times. Incredible display of wealth. At the overlook for Nice, France, we took pictures then descended to the waterfront. We drove along the nice beach both ways and drove through a bit of the downtown area while we were at it.
The tour continued with the drive along the shore back to Monaco. She had the driver pause at a parking area so that those who wanted could climb to the top of a drive to take pictures. We declined, then walked to a souvenir shop where D found her pin. Then we attended an ice-cream shop.
We walked back to the bus and found the fellow travelers on the way. The bus driver took us back to the ship. In passing we saw the bluish building in the center of the right-hand photo. We were told that the top five floors are a single unit, for sale at $300 million. I didn't happened to have that much on me, so it's still for sale.
O-Photos
We ate lunch and are now doing these notes and examining the shore excursions offered for the new trip we purchased.
A day at sea. Loaf, pack, enjoy.
But actually it was fairly busy. We chose to pack our carry-on suitcases after breakfast. We put all the little purchases into an Azamara bag and zipped it shut. The clothing and shoes fit fairly easily into the carry-ons. We went off to lunch.
In the early afternoon we did an Airport Code quiz. Dave & Mary Kay's team won it. More two-point cards issued. Then a beanbag toss contest came up. O did miserably, D did well. We wandered away trying to get information on the cruise we selected for next year but couldn't find anyone with knowledge of the ports on that cruise. We returned for Trivia.
The others had formed a team of six, so we joined three young men and their grandmother from Indiana. We didn't do very well, but the others won. That ended at 1705; we returned to the cabin to change.
Sophie & Larry had us in their suite 603 for champagne, shrimp, cheeses, and talk. Attending were we two, Dave & Mary Kay, Dawn & Andy, and another couple from the Cruise Critic site who drifted in and out of our group activities but we never learned their names. Lots of talk on voyages and places, a good time. Had to open the second bottle, a lambrusco. We took some pictures and Sophie said she would compile the list & send it to us.
Then dinner and the show with the singers and dancers. All in all, a nice evening.
We set out our clothing for tomorrow and put the carry-ons in the passageway for crew handling. Then to bed to compensate for our early departure tomorrow.
O-Photos (few)