A Bus Trip to Amalfi

We had a rough start on today’s trip to Amalfi on market day. The bus we intended to take came 10 minutes early just as we were descending the last of the 200+ stairs. Who ever heard of a bus coming early in Italy? As we sat sipping a latte and waiting for the next bus 2 hours later the sky grew darker.

By the time we arrived in Amalfi the rain drops were falling on our heads because only one of us had packed an umbrella. As disappointing as the rain was, the market was a greater disappointment because it mostly featured ugly clothes and cheap underwear. There were a few veggies and flowers, but the real challenge was not to be under the edge of an awning when a vendor cleared it of rainwater.

Amalfi is known for the fact that it was the first city in Europe to make paper, starting in the 13th century. We visited a paper-making museum while we waited for the rain to let up. They had beautiful papers, some with flowers embedded, and lots of calligraphy supplies.

The real trick in stopping the rain is for everyone to carry an umbrella. By the time we had purchased 3 umbrellas for a total of 8 Euros, the sun peaked through the clouds and the rain stopped.

We spent some time exploring Amalfi in the sun, treated ourselves to a gelato, and hopped back on the bus.

Unfortunately my husband and I fell asleep on the ride back to Praiano and missed our stop, so we got another free look at Positano that we hadn’t counted on.

By the time we leave, we will certainly know how to get around this piece of Italy.

Tonight we’re cooking veal scaloppini, zucchini with mint, and pasta with homemade Putanesca sauce. Of course there will be olives and good Italian bread.