Aug 25 - ugh then grows on you

When we first arrived at our hotel in Monte Porzio our reaction was ugh.  Perhaps it was the three flights of stairs carrying luggage.  Perhaps it was the small dark room.  Perhaps it was the air "freshener" plugged into the wall emitting clouds (well, not really) of scent ?  We fixed all that, other than the room size.  Opening the shutters brightened the room.  Unplugging and putting the freshener outside gradually, over time, improved the air quality. The location grew on us.  Lovely gardens, kids running around, great food in said gardens, ok, this place is worth a good review. 

Our stay was short, however.  After breckie the next a.m. we headed south and west to the Amalfi Coast.  On that journey we passed through what I think was my Mom's homeland -- Abruzzo -- although she never actually visited there.  West through the mountains, we picked a route that was south of the earthquake, rightly judging that it wasn't the way to go. 

We had a hard time finding our villa, looking for a road that didn't exist, simply a re-name of the main road.  Down a steep drive, we found it and were escorted to another building where our room was located.  Finding that we had no wifi in that building, we swapped for a room in the main villa. 

Dinner was calling -- our reservation further down the hillside.  We walked.  Sandy's choice.  Since we were about 200-300' over sea level, it was a good, long, switchback walk down.  I was grouchy but Sandy told me not to be.  We found ourselves at the beach, not having seen the restaurant.  Sandy called the hotel, cancelled our reservation, and we had a pleasant dinner right there at one of the many restaurants, families playing all around us, close to 10pm.  We walked back up, easily working off the 1/2 liter of wine, sweating it out, passing the restaurant on the way as we found out later.  Who'd have thunk that Villanella wasn't another villa but the restaurant ? I'd asked a couple of times for directions but had been told to walk down, you can't miss it.  Well we did. Perhaps we'll eat there tonight.

I did leave the grouch at the beach.  We'd had a good meal and some wine.  This a.m. we strolled through some of the grounds of this villa, many hectares of olives, lemons, renovated and not renovated buildings, alleyways, pathways, etc. etc.  It looks like they do weddings here, big time.  It's a lovely location.  We are here three nights.

We've booked Pompeii tickets for tomorrow.  Today hasn't been planned yet but Sandy is looking at ferry rides to Capri.

At breakfast, I had a piece of crusty brown bread.  It had a hint of aniseed ... Sue take note ... interesting ... I've only used it in Easter Bread but could use it in my regular bread as well; never thought of that.  I do have one piece of bread each a.m.

The Fiat 500 has lane-assist ... David take note ... it's kind of weird when it tugs you back to the middle of the lane.  If you try and change lanes without using the blinker, it doesn't stop you but you can certainly notice it.  It has many other standard electronic features or at least standard in new cars.  I guess when we finally upgrade it will be to a driverless car ... I can sit and snooze in the back.

Backing up a second -- when we couldn't find the villa, we stopped and talked to  policeman.  After he gave us directions, he was talking to someone else -- seems that tour guide is a standard function of the local police.  The Carabinieri are another thing all together.  We've seen a lot of them as well. 

Onward ?