Any port in a storm

We woke up and had the B&B Italian breakfast of cold cuts, cheese and bread over looking the magnificent view of Sorrento with a brewed caffe to start the day. Our B&B owner, Pasquale taxied us into town so we could go for a day trip to a nearby coastal town called Positano. We went to the bus stop, saw the ridiculously long line and thought well we may as well just pay the extra and get a ferry. The docks are about 50m down a cliff from the main town of Sorrento, which there's stairs if you want to walk or if you're fatties like us you just take the lift for the low low price of 1.80 of the euros return.

Screw breakfast at Tiffany's, breakfast at Pasquale's is where it's at.

So we got to the docks and the nice ticket seller lady told us the only ferry for the day had already left, oh well, lucky we bought the return lift ticket back to the main town which saved us 0.20 of the euros. When we got back to the bus stop the line had died down so we got a bus to Positano.

The bus ride was pretty fun and there were a lot of parts of the road which were just shear cliffs, but this really does provide some spectacular views if you don't start wondering how many vehicles have gone over the side before you.

We arrived in Positano and then began the descent to the main town down many steps from the bus stop which drops you off at the top. I told Heidi we had better find out what time the ferry goes back and get on it as I don't think I'll make it back up all those stairs as my legs were still suffering from the Capri hikes. Hikes are all well and good as long as you're prepared and not in thongs.

Positano is really amazing, the buildings are all set into the cliffs, similar to some of the Cinque Terre towns. By the time we descended through the beautiful township of Positano we were starving and needed restoring in the shape of Dark Wine House. I think there was something lost in translation for the name but the food was really great. Heidi had some fresh anchovies and I had another pasta with shellfish. (yes, for a change, every one I've had just gets better and it seems in the south they include roasted cherry tomatoes with it).

Positano is the next best thing to Cinque Terre.

We walked down to the beach and were surprised to find the Aussie flag flying there, I think one of the boat rental places might have been owned by an Australian. I am secretly hoping there's an Australian principality there and we can go to Europe for as long as we like without visas next time. Anyway we had a drink by a bar on the beach then I left Heidi at the table while I had a bit of a swim. The water was amazing and clear.

Free EU visas for all Aussies on this beach surely?

After the swim we had another drink and went to the ferry stop and I purchased a dock beer from a nearby shop as opposed to a street beer. (Street beers are what you have when waiting for something in other countries because you can just buy beer from a local shop).

We got back into town and had dinner at RE-food. It was pretty delicious, more seafood and the tasting platter for entree was amazing with smoked tuna, a massive octopie tentacle and some other sliver of raw fish. Then thick fresh egg pasta and vongole, but this time with mussels because that is a nice change from spaghetti with vongoles. Heidi had mussels and clams in a tomato broth.

Mmmmm frutti di mare indeed.

The next day the weather was looking a bit shady so we just decided to hang out in the town and do a bit of shopping and walk around to see that everything was in order. We got the Pasquale express down to the town but soon after we were getting a bit of rain, we ducked into an English pub and got some drinks, however the rain, turned into torrential rain, which turned into a thunder storm so we had to ride it out in the pub for a few hours.

When the waters finally subsided, we went back out to meet Pasquale for a lift back home and asked him to book this restaurant he had recommended for dinner, which was about halfway down the hill between the main town and the B&B.

We got a lift down to the restaurant and got seated by the window with a spectacular view across the water to another town. Heidi ordered some more mussels and clams and I had this fresh pasta with fish. This was awesome as the chefs brought out a bowl, spooned in the fresh pasta from one saucepan then with a massive spoon, deboned the full fish and placed the fillets on top of the pasta. They then cut the head and tail off and placed it on either end of the fillets and spooned in the juice and tomatoes from the pan the fish had been cooking in. Anyway it was freaking awesome and the fish got to look on as I devoured him and his yummy pasta.

He's got Betty Davis yummy pasta eyes.

View from our table

After dinner I ordered some limoncello, this is one potent Italian drink which is typical of the region of Sorrento. This packs quite a punch, I was feeling pretty happy after it though. I must have been looking happy as well because when we asked the staff to call Pasquale to pick us up the waiter said we can wait and have a nap on the couch if we want near the entrance and he will wake us when Pasquale was here.