Mercato

We traveled the road from Naples to Praiano following the Amalfi coast with Eugene, our driver, or dare I call him an artful dodger. There were times when it seemed safer to simply not see. Looking at a map or getting ready for a photo was a convenience of perceived safety.

Zigging and zagging along the coastline in what would be, or should be, a narrow one-way road, but is, in fact, two lanes of quick traffic, dodging parked cars, pedestrians, scooters, darting motor cyclists and of course oncoming traffic, including buses seeming much too large for the road.

Twas a beautiful road adventure with so many wonderful views. The obvious shot would be any view of the drive looking over the cliffside and out onto the sea. But my 'Lovely' spied the upward angle. Looking up the cliffside. The houses, shops, restaurants and hotels built on the verticle. Structures built in what were caves or alcoves. Manicured with drills and chisels. An arrangement that is hard for us 'flatgrounders' to understand. Beautiful.

The entrance to our hotel is not much more than a hut on the side of the road. Just large enough to house an elevator and a staircase that descends down into the cliffside. A hotel built in reverse. The lobby the highest floor. Our room a floor and a half below. A section of cliff Inside the hallway and our room perched out from there. The beach is nine stories below, via two elevator rides, a few steps and a short section of tunnel. Breathtaking.

The Tyrrhenian sea is saltier than any we have encountered. I was a human bobber. We agreed that it was the most beautiful setting in which either of us had ever swum. The sea a glorious green hue. Waves gently, and occasionally not so gently, splashing upon the rocks. God blessing us with a pleasant sun, and the wonder of how man built in this way. The views up and down the coast...the cliffs, and the towns clinging to them...Read more