Amalfi Coast, Italy

It is a bit difficult to appreciate the spectacular beauty of the Amalfi Coast when every muscle is taught, knuckles are white, eyes are wide in terror and you realize that the unholy moan you hear is coming out of your own grimly compressed lips. Just when you think that your frazzled nerves can’t take another blind turn or narrow miss from a tour bus, you see it – the pull off for the scenic overlook. I actually thought I heard angels singing. And yes, the scenic overlook with its panoramic vistas make it all worth while. Soon you are making a cliff side descent into an idyllic town. There are several of these oasis dotting the coast. It’s easy to see why the Amalfi Coast is such a popular tourist destination. We relaxed at a seaside trattoria over pizza and beer. Then feeling recovered for the most part we poked around a few ceramic shops before continuing our journey to Positano. We had booked a room with a view and were anxious to get settled before dinner. We found our hotel and miracle of miracles nearby parking where we were fairly confident we wouldn’t be ticketed or towed. The Amalfi Coast is famous for its lemons and you see them everywhere. So our next order of business was to sample a limoncello, which is a lemon flavored shot of fire water. I’m told that it is an acquired taste, so I’ll have to give it another try when I return. Care to meet me in Positano for a limoncello?