Day 42 Naples

What a lovely day. Day 42 Naples, Italy

We docked an hour later than scheduled due to; One; the engine that has not worked since virtually leaving Sydney, is still under repair. News from the Captain is it is under repair and should be ready to trail by Gibraltar; we will keep our fingers crossed. Two; one of the other blew a head in the piston?...and we don't know when that will be repaired.

Well, we are still sailing and enjoying ourselves, and there is little we can do to remedy the problem.

We are still pinching ourselves on this wonderful holiday. We are meeting some truly lovely people. The weather has been perfect so far. The temperature in Dubai had been expected, however the rest of our ports have been warm and dry. Today was another perfect day to explore Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast.

We went on another private tour with our 'Croweater' friends. The eight of us hired a private guide to explain and show us around Pompeii. He gave us an insight into the life of this city before the eruption of Mt Vesuvius and the results of the lapilli burying the city and its inhabitants or the poisonous gas given off by Mt Vesuvius.

After exploring the remains of Pompeii we headed off to the Amalfi Coast. The coast stretches 50km along the southern side of the Sorrento Peninsula. Shimmering blue backdrop of the Mediterranean, white washed buildings and terraces of lemon and olive groves growing on extremely steep cliffs. This is where the delicious lemon cello originates.  

Our guide and driver took us to one of the best restaurants I have ever been to. We had driven through Positano and turned off onto one of the narrowest two way roads I have ever been on. The road wound around and up the hills behind Positano. Unexpectedly we stopped and were told we were there at the restaurant. …..? Where? The driver took us over to a gate and down several steps to a narrow landing consisting of a paved walkway and herb garden, to another stairway. We continued on down three tiers of herb or vegetable gardens till we walked onto a landing virtually suspended on the side of this steep mountain. From the balcony we had an uninterrupted view to the blue Mediterranean and the neighbouring hills. We ate a banquet of fresh, home cooked Italian food, cooked by Momma and accompanied by White or red wine made by the owner's uncle. We finished off the luncheon with Lemon cello. All for Euro 25 each! We sat in the van and sang beautiful Italian songs as the tour continued to Positano. Positano is considered to be the coast's most glamorous town. This little town consists of colourful, steeply stacked houses packed onto near-vertical green slopes, almost toppling into the sea.