Alamfi and the Coast Road

I pick up my car but unfortunately there are no maps of Italy roads available so my instructions are to leave the airport, go straight and right (I think that is the international response when asked for directions, straight and right) and head for Napoli.  Miraculously I find the highway and my way very easy.  Italy roads seems to be very well signed with the signs indicating the town and direction at most intersections and roundabouts.   I soon learn to appreciate the local recommendation of make a u-turn wherever possible as I quickly discover that although the signage appears very good, it on occasion goes awry, as do I.

I find that I can get lost very easily and astounding as it may seem, it is easier for me to find my way back to lost than to find than the place I am looking for.  I swear that I do on occasion drive around in an Italian parallel universe looking for a particular place just over there, but I keep finding my way back to lost.

it is easier to find my way back to lost than to find than the place I am looking for

I quickly pull into the first service station and purchase a map of Italy.  Much better!  I make my way to Salerno and then I zip Mario-like along the Amalfi coast road which hugs the rock sliding mountain on one side and the coastal cliff on the other.  I score free parking at the direction of my Hostel Owner at A'Scalintella saving myself 25 Euro.  Which is the cost of a night at the hostel.  For my 25 Euro I get a room to myself with a shared bathroom.  I call my room "the cave" as it seems to be devoid of direct sunlight and is sandwiched inbetween two other rooms which have windows.

Amalfi is a quiet little town and as I head to see the local Duomo there is a band in the town square who to the amusement of the locals and tourists play a few songs and then head out of town and down the road.  After the Duomo I too head down the road and find the band has not gotten very far and I become part of the parade of religious and townspeople for the Sant'Antonio prega per noi.  The parade is to officially move this statue from the church in Amalfi (on a egyptian-like wooden bed transported on their shoulders) to Atrani's church.  I see the statue safely to it's new home and off I go to relax on the beach.

Later that night, I meet up with a few American students and an Australian girl who are staying at the same hostel.  They invite me to join them at the local square for happy hour and to watch the football.  We are treated to 1.50 Euro wine, snacks and complimentary Lemoncello (since Amalfi is the home of lemoncello it flows freely as the local complimentary shooter - not my favorite, but hey it's free).

The next few days are amazingly groundhog like and I repeat the process of strolling around the city and lounging on the beach.  Enough of that and I am ready to head off to the Mt. Vesuvius ruins in Pompeii!