Just came back from Italy a few days ago, and I'm still jet-lagged ugh I've been going to bed at like 3 in the morning the past few nights, and waking up at around 12 noon. Anyway, I think I enjoyed myself during the trip c: It's the first trip we've had in a long time as a family - or well, what's most of the family and some extra: my parents, sister and her fiance, and my second brother with his girlfriend. (My first bro just got his job not too long ago, so I guess he didn't want to impose and go on holiday after being there for about a month.)
Day 0: The Flights from Hell; Saturday Night Fever
Just a week before we were leaving, I fell sick. I don't know what with, but my nose was pretty stuffed, and it was evident to the people I spoke to on the day of my last paper. On the day we were leaving, at least I could breathe through my nose unassisted, and you'd think that I'd be fine on the plane, right? No. Please don't fly when your nose is blocked. Usually my ears don't get blocked when I fly, but for some reason it did during the descents. And what made it worse was that we had a transfer flight, so my ear had a fun time suffering.
Also, since the flights were going to be so long (8 hours to Doha, 5 hours from Doha to Rome), I was trying to look for some scientific articles I could write about, for the AsianScienctist writing competition. Sadly, I came up with nothing ono Then I thought about bringing my Indo stuff along so that I could revise them. I thought erasing all the stuff inside and redoing them would be great, but trying to erase everything the night before you leave is not a good idea lol orz In the end, I managed to find two books at the bookstore at the airport: A Little History of Science, which talks about Western science as it develops, and Lab Girl, a memoir of a female scientist. Knowing my recent history with books (never read to completion lol) I didn't expect myself to actually read them - on the plane even! - but I did. I even read when I had some free time during the trip, if I wasn't trying to finish my watch later queue on youtube lol So yeah, it's pretty easy to read, which I appreciate c:
Even though the flights were 8 and 5 hours long, I think time went by quite quickly. I didn't watch that many movies, just the live-action film of Your Lie in April, and In This Corner of the World - and omg did the second one kill me. (Please watch In This Corner of the World it's really good and I like the music and I like Shusaku and there's this one moment where you can audibly hear my heart break it's a good movie) Otherwise, I was watching Flight of the Conchords, or The Amazing World of Gumball lol
By the time we reached the airport near Rome, it was later than we expected, since our first flight was delayed and we were rushed to the second. My sister booked us an apartment-like hotel in central Rome, where there were so many small lanes lined with restaurant tables. I don't know how our driver managed to send us to our place without hitting anything. Apparently you need a special licence to drive in those lanes, so I guess he earned it!
My sister got herself her own room, so the rest of us stayed in the apartment. Our place had a living room and only two rooms, one upstairs, and one in the basement - with no doors. Like the stairs just led to the bed upstairs, and downstairs, the shower area had no door. (The toilet did, but not the shower like wat.) With two people in each room, the last person was to be delegated to the foldable sofa bed about 1.5 times the size of mine. I was supposed to be that person, but my dad offered to sacrifice himself and take my place. (Although to be honest, after I discovered that the basement room didn't have a very good wi-fi connection, I would've switched with him LOL)
I pity father, because the first night was a Saturday night, when people filled the restaurants right at our doorstep, drinking and singing. Needless to say, he didn't sleep too good. Being downstairs might have offered a little more respite, but you could still hear people and cars that drove past on the cobbled roads. (sorry, dad ;w;)
Day 1: Rome-ing Around
It was a Sunday, so after breakfast on our own, our first stop was church lol I know I've already been on two European church pilgrimages, but I didn't expect the smaller, "normal" churches to have the same sort of grandeur and decorations on the inside. We went to Chiesa Nuova (according to google it's also known as Santa maria in Vallicella), and that was the first time I attended mass in Italian. We could still follow along since all the readings and mass structure are standardised, but I feel bad because I forgot the English version of some parts ;w; orz
It was really pretty inside though, you could see the sunlight streaming in from one of the windows up top, and it filtered just in front of the altar. And for the first time in awhile, I felt at peace and somehow energised. I felt very present, which is a nice, comforting feeling to know that I still exist, I can consciously experience things, and I'm not just living day to day (although I actually am right now sshhhh)
We were supposed to go on a walking tour, but because we couldn't get there in time after mass, we couldn't go. Luckily, the place that we stayed at was pretty central, so we managed to visit most things. Just in the first day, we went to Piazza Navona, where we saw the church of St Agnes, and two fountains (with some nicely sculpted butts), Trevi fountain, the Pantheon (we didn't go in because the lines were crazy omg), and the Spanish steps. While there, we went to visit the Da Vinci museum, because why not. (And at least I was familiar with some things since they were mentioned in the book I was reading lel) Then we moved on to Piazza di Popolo, and walked along the river Tiber, and saw Castel Sant'Angelo, but again, the lines were pretty long and we weren't gonna stay in line in the sun. We did see the St Peter's Basilica from afar, though lol Along the way home, my mum saw a sign that pointed to a church that held the relics of Padre Pio, so we went there too lol
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| Church of St Agnes |
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| Apparently there are a lot of obelisks around the city, because they signify landmarks nearby. I learned that in the Rome Museum lol |
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| Trevi Fountain |
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| Spanish steps, which was horrendously crowded with tourists :/ |
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| If my dad's router internet was more stable, I could've hatched an egg with all that walking omg |
Day 2: Only Here for the Pizza
(side note before going on with the day: I don't know if it's like this all over Italy, but during breakfast, I asked for hot chocolate (since I don't drink coffee) and what I got? was not? hot chocolate? Like it was so thick, it felt so fudgy, like I was drinking batter.)
We had most of the day free to ourselves, since our food tour was only at night, so we did more sightseeing. We went to see Vittorio Emanuele II's monument, the old Roman market place opposite it (it's not functional, they're just a historical site lol) and finally to the Colosseum, in the hot hot sun. Even though it was a Monday and not a holiday, we still had to queue pretty long for tickets and an video guide of the place. There was an exhibition that displayed some of the stuff excavated from the site, before we got the chance to see the actual arena from the inside. It was okay I guess lol I mean I like history and all, but ancient history was always kinda boring for me. Also it was pretty hot and too many people around, after awhile it got on my nerves. Little did I know that I would be annoyed pretty soon...
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| Vittorio Emanuele II is that you |
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| I actually thought when my dad said we were going to an ancient market, that people would still be using it, but I guess not ono |
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| ah yes, my attempt at an artistic shot |
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| did u kno that they would cover the arena floor with sand to absorb the blood from the brutal shows? ouo |
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While on our way out, we decided to get some water, and technically it wasn't hard to find it, since there are people like, literally holding out bottles of iced water right in your face everywhere outside lol Since we overheard that most of them were selling for 1 euro, my mum took out a 2 euro coin - and I knew that wasn't a good idea, but I didn't say anything because I thought she knew what was doing. Anyway, when she held it out for the dude, he straight up took it and just handed us a bottle, and my mum was like "what!! I thought it was one euro?" and the dude is like "no, it's 2." I should've known :/ Anyway, she got pretty annoyed by that, and by extension, I got pretty upset too lol orz
After that, when my mum (and I) were a little more settled after having lunch, we went to Basilica of St. Mary Maggiore, at the request of my mum, and also to show Sam's fiance what a basilica is like lol And let me tell you, the inside is huge. My neck hurt just trying to look at the ceiling long enough to see all the details in the frescoes. Even the separate chapels by the side have their own paintings, and at the altar, the ceiling seemed to stretch on forever, with the dome so high up.
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| Basilica of St Mary Maggiore |
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| Honestly I wish I had a better picture to capture everything inside, but really old churches don't have the best lighting lol orz |
I don't remember exactly where we went to during the food tour, but we went most places by foot, so they were all pretty close to each other. And since it wasn't a private tour with a local tour guide (you had to book for it first) we were joined by a retired Australian couple. I think it was a little awkward for them, since there's seven of us and only two of them. When they were seated opposite my parents, things are still okay, but when they were seated with me, don't expect me to say anything first lol (I'd love to talk though, just that I never have any formed thoughts with strangers around and I'm not involved)
The first place we ate at was the meeting place, where we kinda served appetiser stuff, like cheese with honey, cheesy polenta, ham, and either red or white wine. (I didn't drink any wine, so I just had water lel orz) Then we walked to the Jewish ghetto, where were given double-fried artichoke (my vegetables for the night LOL), which is traditional in the area. It kinda felt like eating very thin chips that didn't taste starchy. Surprisingly, eating a whole artichoke is quite filling lol
The Jewish ghetto was quite interesting, since I didn't really expect it here. The ghetto had specific entrance points (I can't remember why), and if Jews were outside, they had to reach these gates before the curfew. I think the most interesting thing was, in memory of the Jews post-World War II, these golden "cobble stones" were embedded in the street, outside people's doorways, and they had the names of the original people living in the house. These stones were known as stumbling stones because they were slightly higher than the street itself, so when people walked over them, they'd look down and see the name of those who lived there.
We were brought to a bakery that sold pizza!! (Too bad the tour guide didn't notice my "only here for the pizza" shirt ono) Like most of the pizzas in Rome, it was thin crust, cheesy, and so easy to eat omg Everyone had a beer, so the tour guide offered me Italian soda instead, which is surprisingly not very gassy, so I could finish it pretty quickly.
After that, we headed to a pretty old restaurant, which was built on the ruins of Theater of Pompey - where Caesar was killed. We sat underground, where the walls and column were original - and you could tell it was pretty ancient, 'cos sometimes the lights would flicker and go out, and then come back on again lol It was here where we had too much food: baked eggplant, pasta, two types of soup, clams and mussels, and of course even more wine lol I don't know how, but we managed to finish almost everything - and we had three more stops to go!
Now was time for desserts! There was a dessert place that specialised in tiramisu nearby, and their original has only three ingredients: mascarpone, sugar, and eggs. Like??? How??? But they sold variations of it, like those with some alcohol, strawberries, or extra chocolate. I got the strawberries one, and they were so generous with it. (I was trying to fit a whole strawberry into my mouth, and as I did, I suddenly locked eyes with the tour guide. Paiseh, but he smiled back, taking it as me enjoying myself LOL)
As we were nearing the end, we were headed back towards Piazza Navona. Here, our tour guide talked to us about the piazza itself. It actually has another name, because it was built to be a running track to encourage sports during that period of time. As for the fountains, there are rumours that the rivalry between two sculptors, Bernini and Borromi, can be seen in them too, like how one of the sculpted men turns away from it. Supposedly, St Agnes on top of the church doesn't look directly at it either, looking away from it out of disgust too lol
Nearby, was a cafe, where they only make coffee in a percolator, and insist that people don't add sugar to their cups since they already add the right amount while boiling. Apparently in Italy, their cafe culture isn't the same like in France or other countries, where people can sit down for hours. Over here, they stand by the counter, down their coffee, and then they're off. If they wanted to sit down and chit chat, they have to pay extra. Last stop was gelato, at a place that specialised in chocolate and chocolate flavours. By this point, everyone had eaten so much, that my siblings had the audacity to throw unfinished gelato away?? If only I had the ability to finish it for them, but even I was getting full too ono But at least I slept pretty well that night c:
The first place we ate at was the meeting place, where we kinda served appetiser stuff, like cheese with honey, cheesy polenta, ham, and either red or white wine. (I didn't drink any wine, so I just had water lel orz) Then we walked to the Jewish ghetto, where were given double-fried artichoke (my vegetables for the night LOL), which is traditional in the area. It kinda felt like eating very thin chips that didn't taste starchy. Surprisingly, eating a whole artichoke is quite filling lol
The Jewish ghetto was quite interesting, since I didn't really expect it here. The ghetto had specific entrance points (I can't remember why), and if Jews were outside, they had to reach these gates before the curfew. I think the most interesting thing was, in memory of the Jews post-World War II, these golden "cobble stones" were embedded in the street, outside people's doorways, and they had the names of the original people living in the house. These stones were known as stumbling stones because they were slightly higher than the street itself, so when people walked over them, they'd look down and see the name of those who lived there.
We were brought to a bakery that sold pizza!! (Too bad the tour guide didn't notice my "only here for the pizza" shirt ono) Like most of the pizzas in Rome, it was thin crust, cheesy, and so easy to eat omg Everyone had a beer, so the tour guide offered me Italian soda instead, which is surprisingly not very gassy, so I could finish it pretty quickly.
After that, we headed to a pretty old restaurant, which was built on the ruins of Theater of Pompey - where Caesar was killed. We sat underground, where the walls and column were original - and you could tell it was pretty ancient, 'cos sometimes the lights would flicker and go out, and then come back on again lol It was here where we had too much food: baked eggplant, pasta, two types of soup, clams and mussels, and of course even more wine lol I don't know how, but we managed to finish almost everything - and we had three more stops to go!
Now was time for desserts! There was a dessert place that specialised in tiramisu nearby, and their original has only three ingredients: mascarpone, sugar, and eggs. Like??? How??? But they sold variations of it, like those with some alcohol, strawberries, or extra chocolate. I got the strawberries one, and they were so generous with it. (I was trying to fit a whole strawberry into my mouth, and as I did, I suddenly locked eyes with the tour guide. Paiseh, but he smiled back, taking it as me enjoying myself LOL)
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| When our tour guide served mine to me, I took out my phone and he was like, oh, you want a picture for instagram? And he happily obliged to keep it still so I could take a pic lol (unfortunately that shot wasn't good, my bad lol orz) |
Nearby, was a cafe, where they only make coffee in a percolator, and insist that people don't add sugar to their cups since they already add the right amount while boiling. Apparently in Italy, their cafe culture isn't the same like in France or other countries, where people can sit down for hours. Over here, they stand by the counter, down their coffee, and then they're off. If they wanted to sit down and chit chat, they have to pay extra. Last stop was gelato, at a place that specialised in chocolate and chocolate flavours. By this point, everyone had eaten so much, that my siblings had the audacity to throw unfinished gelato away?? If only I had the ability to finish it for them, but even I was getting full too ono But at least I slept pretty well that night c:
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| I don't think this is the exact route that we took, but close enough lol |
Day 3: I'm Blue Da Ba Dee
We were going to Positano in the later half of the day, so we had the morning to ourselves. My dad didn't want to go out, so my mum and I headed to the Rome Museum, since we didn't really have anything else to do lol I think it would've been more interesting if he came along though, my mum and I went around kinda aimlessly :/ But it was either that or walking around places we've already been to, or shopping, so lol
Anyway, we had a taxi to fit all seven of us (and the luggage), and drove for three hours on the road. The roads along the Amalfi coast are really long and windy, and the cars go pretty close to the cliff edge. I guess it was a good thing that our driver grew up in one of the towns along the coast, so he knew what he was doing. There are even people who park along the road - when it's already either one lane or two lane - just because parking is expensive in the towns. According to our driver, it's because the towns are so small and space is limited, parking is really expensive, so most just park along the road and then walk lol
Our driver seems to have um, gotten around a lot (pun intended). He's driven actors and actresses, like Jennifer Aniston, Sacha Baron Cohen - and according to another driver later in the trip who works in the same taxi company, he's told everyone the same stories, his customers, the rest of the drivers, to the point that even they are tired of it lol And sometimes he would be scrolling through his phone to find photos he's taken with people, while he's driving around corners, and almost into other cars, like boi pls.
We were dropped off at a car park, where they have lifts to send luggage bags down, straight to each hotel. That may seem fancy and all, but really, when you have to climb up and down hundreds of steps just to reach the main road or the beach, no one's gonna be dumb enough to carry a heavy suitcase. The lift was only for the bags and the porter guys, so we took the stairs lol And omg even from up above, you could see how deep blue and shimmery the water was!! We also met a little cat hiding in the grass along the way! (Later I learned that it belonged to the old man running the hotel my bro + gf were staying at! Sigh)
Our hotel was like a separate little beach, away from the main one that had all the souvenir stores, restaurants, and more expensive hotels lol So it was nice to have a small area away from where most people were. Unfortunately, my bro and his girlfriend were staying in a different hotel - one which was further up and actually along the way when we were walking down - but all the bags were sent to our hotel. So, they had to carry their stuff up. Apart from that, it was nice to be able to hear the sea form our room c: But that also meant we could hear most things that happen on the beach, like there was some guy who played Latin dance music from downstairs, and my parents were so annoyed by it? I'm like lol chill it's not like it's gonna play forever, and I actually quite liked it, but I don't know man, maybe they were just being old :/
That night, my dad, sister, her fiancee, and I went to walk around. There was a path that led to the main beach, so we went to explore there for a bit. There were quite a lot of restaurants, some of which seem pretty popular and famous. There was one in particular, Chez Black, which apparently has been visited by so many famous people, they even have a wall full of photo frames of them. I suppose it is their pride and joy lol There were also plenty of stores, and some boat services that offered trips to Capri, other towns along the coast, or just going around the coast. My dad wanted to try and find out how to get up to the main road, 'cos we were going to have wine tasting and dinner at one of the restaurants up above, but we had no idea how to even get up there.
We had dinner at the hotel restaurant since my mum wasn't feeling very good, and I don't think my bro + gf were feeling up to the challenge of walking all the way to the main beach, and then walking back up to their hotel after they had to carry their bags. But even so, once we were filled, we went down to the main beach anyway lol
Day 4: Wine-y Child
We headed down to the main beach, since my mum and I were tasked with booking a boat to go to Capri. We managed to find a company that did a small group (12 people) for a guided trip around Capri, for about 70 euros per person. They would show us around the island's grottos, and natural landmarks, and even let us land on the island to walk around (and do more shopping lol) All we had to do was put in a deposit of part of the cost, and we were set c: After that, my dad came down walk around with us - and the shopping begins lol
There were stores at the beach itself, but most things were along the uphill path that led to the main street. From there, there were still some touristy stores, but they mostly sold specialty items, rather than mass produced kind of stuff.
So first, the beach itself mostly had clothing stores with white, airy clothes, shoe shops selling plenty of sandals, and a store with beach essentials. Further up, there was a store in a corner that sold ceramic tables and chairs, and apparently they shipped internationally. My mum actually sat down with the lady to talk about it. She didn't buy anything, but she was asking more for my sis in case she wanted anything for her new house lol.
Just a few steps away, was the church of the town, I think. It wasn't grand at all (as expected of a local church lol), and it seemed like they were doing some renovations or construction work outside. Inside, it was pretty small too, with appliances lining the sides collecting dust, and some paintings covered with cloths. Even though it seemed like it was in mid-clean up, it still had its own beauty c: It, with its domed top, appears quite frequently in people's paintings and artwork of Positano, so it still is a landmark of its own.
Along the climb up, there were some makeshift "stalls" (well they weren't really stalls, more like foldable tables with the sellers sitting by the side lol) filled with jewelry, small art pieces, and some knick-knacks. (There was one with postcards and little prints that I liked, buy whoever was selling them wasn't around, so we left that for later.) Surprisingly, there were also many art galleries. Like, in all places, why would people buy art here lol One of the galleries had realistic paintings of carnations, and also had a huge piece made from what I think is painted glass shards, but done like a mosaic. I have no idea what the material was, but it was such a rich purple and teal that you can't help but be drawn into it. The gallery even had a rooftop where they had even more artwork.
Also, for some reason, there were plenty of people getting their wedding photos done here. Like you see brides carrying their trains in their arms, walking past people in what is essentially a one-way path used two ways, going downhill in heels. Like damn gurl, you get those pictures.
So the uphill stretch was like where most of the touristy shopping happened, so many stores sold things like ceramic ware, ocean-themed things, clothes, and lemons. Lots. Of. Lemons. Like, if it wasn't lemon-scented soaps or candles, it would be limoncello, or even lemon-themed ceramics. There was one store that sold everything lemon: they had lemon soaps of varying sizes and shapes (either in bars, lemon slices, or literal lemon shapes), lemon-themed tablecloths and table runners, and even lemon jam and lemon honey. There was a hugeass burning lemon-scented candle at the entrance, like just one look and you know what you're in for. I bought soaps for some people, and my mum bought jam and honey for my bro, since he likes eating that kind of stuff with his yoghurt.
At one point, we reached a little grocery store that sold fresh fruits and vegetables (with hugeass lemons!!), and cured meats inside, and other food necessities. At this corner, there was a staircase that led upwards, so we assumed it would lead to the main road. We went up, and were greeted with even more shops lol but they looked less touristy, and sold a greater variety of things. While my dad went down the road to try and find the restaurant we were to go later that evening, my mum and I looked at more ceramic lol There was one store that sold plates, mugs, little dish bowls, utensils, house numbers, and decorations, all out of ceramic. Like you could buy a ceramic octopus and stick it on your wall lol
The actual main street was nicer to walk along, 'cos there were fewer people, and you could buy products that were actual specialties of the region, and not just made to cater to tourists. My dad managed to find the restaurant, so after that was settled, we headed down and rested up for a couple of hours, before heading back up for dinner lol orz
We had to climb all the way back up to the main road, and even further uphill, just to get to the restaurant orz And even though the view of the sea from high up above was really clear and breathtaking, I have learned, that if you get me riled up, antsy, and annoyed by doing a steep climb, I ain't gonna appreciate shiz lol (Refer to Sabah: we went to climb a steep hill with no paths, just mud from the rain that happened the night before, to see the sunrise or something like that, and I did not enjoy myself once we were up there lol)
Anyway, it was going to be only five of us tasting wine, my parents, my bro, his girlfriend, and me. Well, technically I shouldn't be included, since I don't like the taste of alcohol at all, but since I had nowhere else to go and we were going to have dinner there too, I had to tag along anyway.
The sommelier dude prepared three wines for us, one white and two reds, from the local vineyards in the Amalfi region. He talked us through the things that we should look for when tasting wine. You swirl by holding the stem of the glass (holding the bulb bit will just heat up the wine), and you watch how the wine trickles down the inner side. If the drops are more and close together, it means a higher alcohol content. Then you stick your nose in and smell lol And then you taste, and let it aerate in your mouth a little before swallowing. Even then it can be different: is it acidic/tannic; is it fruity, oaky, floral, mineral-y; aftertaste, and where you feel it in your mouth. Sometimes what you smell is what you taste, but since taste includes the acidity and how smoothly it goes down, you don't always taste what you smell.
I know, listening to all of that sounds really obscure and pulled out of thin air, but that's what tasting is like lol Like no duh you can taste what's sweet, sour, salty, but different foods have specific tastes, and you won't know until you've tasted it. Like when I was brushing my teeth and gargling, I noticed that the water tasted kinda salty, but not quite like the sea. And my dad agreed, thinking that it might be calcium up in the mountains or something, and said that now I know what mineral tastes like LOL
Most of the time, the tastes you get from the wine correlates with what goes on the vineyard. If the grapes are grown in volcanic soil (like in Positano), then the wine has some minerality; if you taste oak or wood, it's because the vineyard used oak barrels or oak chips during fermentation; even the grape varieties produce different shades (not just stark red and white), acidity, and viscosity.
Apart from that, sometimes the qualities of the wine changes when you eat something with it, thanks to chemistry lol It's also the reason why wines pair with certain foods. Reds are more acidic and tannic, so you always eat it with something fatty or meaty, to balance and neutralise the strength of the red; whites are lighter, so in order to balance, you don't eat it with something overpowering, otherwise you can't taste the wine.
All that being said, I did end up trying some of it, just not whole glasses. The sommelier brought me a baby wine glass to try the white, and I did feel some of the things he described, like how you taste it more in the back than at the front. Then I tried the red, but that shiz too acidic for me man, and that's how red should taste like LOL But I think they were pretty smooth, because I didn't feel as much of a burn in my throat. But yeah, even from the baby glass, I only had one sip, I didn't dare go back for more LOL
While we're on alcohol: one day, my mum and I tried this thing called a baba, which is like cake soaked in syrup and rum, and omg it was so strong, that whenever I burped I could taste it. Later that night during dinner, we had dessert, and again, it had rum in it. No doubt, I know what rum tastes like now - and it's horrible.
Day 5: I'm Walking With Gods, Ooooh Nooooo
Haha oh boy, the day of reckoning has come. My dad booked us a hiking trip with a guide, and I thought I would be fine with it, as long as it wasn't like Chiang Mai all over again lol (cue war flashbacks) And since it's a trail that many tourists can do on their own, it seemed easy enough to do.
Out guide was pretty chill, but she wasn't going to be too lax about the hike: she made sure that all of us had proper walking shoes (she even told my mum and my bro to go change), she asked us if anyone has vertigo, and reminded us to always watch where we're going. But knowing her, and how she's grown up in the hills, hiking for most of her life, I trust her to know best. (She even joked that she was a goat in a past life, since hiking and being in the mountains was so natural for her lol)
She's told us stories of accidents, like an 80-year-old lady, who went hiking with her with broken ribs. She had a nasty fall during her hiking trip the previous day, but her hiking guide (who blatantly disregarded her health and safety) said that she would be fine and could go for her hike the next day, with our guide. Halfway through her second hike, she started vomiting and feeling unwell, so she and our guide spent half a day, getting through a hike which should have taken 3 hours, to reach the end where she could get medical attention. She later discovered that she broke her ribs the day before, and she never worked with that hiking guide ever again.
Anyway, there was an hour-long ride towards the other end of the Amalfi coast, where the start point is. It wasn't very high up, but our journey was going to mostly be heading downwards. That sounds okay, like let gravity do the work, right? No. If you've been hiking before, getting up is a choice, getting down is a must, and boy, is it harder.
The initial part was okay, walking through some fields, still on concrete and asphalt, some uphill and downhill parts, no biggie. We could still stroll, as our guide shared with us some wildflowers and plants native to Italy, like wild rosemary and thyme, and really tiny orchids (the naked men!! and angels), which were like, 2 cm in length. You can see other people standing on terraced land with their guide, telling them about the buildings and secret hideouts that people had made in the past. We walked past what was supposed to be a monastery, made completely out of stone, and little rooms made from caves and cliff walls.
We did reach one part though, which was pretty overwhelming for me. It was a steep climb up a rock cliff, like climbing up stairs, but with no railings, all the steps are uneven at about knee height, and when people tell you not to be the last one at the back, like haha boi that pressures you into trying to get up quickly, but my brain can't work that fast trying to find the next step when you can't see the people in front of you. By the time I reached the top, I was crying lol and shit man, I don't want to go through something that stressful again. Even typing it out is making me panic omg whymustthishappentome
I was put in front with our guide, so that she could help me, and since she knows where's the best place to put your footing, I would have an easier time following her instead. So things were going okay, there wasn't anything particularly as hard as that stupid wall. There were a few paths with soft, dusty soil which is harder to grip, some more stony steps up and down, but at least I wasn't as anxious anymore. Some other things that happened along the way, was a herd of mountain goats, with their bells ringing as we walked past, amountain lion a sunbathing cat in the middle of nowhere lol, and walking through rainforests lol
Soon, we reached the end in one of the smaller towns, where we ate some fresh local food that our guide had packed for us, like tomatoes on the vine, fresh cheese and bread, salami, all the good stuff. We were supposed to eat it like a picnic halfway through the trip, but the one park bench that they had, apparently got destroyed by someone throwing a huge boulder on top of it, so um, that was ruined. Our guide left us there because she was tasked with checking out another hiking path before her actual hike the next day, so she led us to the bus stop which would take us back down to Positano.
Now the bus trip is a totally different story. If you think the NUS shuttle buses are bad, wait until you get onto the buses in Amalfi lol With the roads being practically one lane for two-way traffic, the buses get packed real quickly, because unless you have a car or willing to walk, there is no other way to get from one town or the other. While passing through one of the towns, oncoming traffic couldn't get through, so our bus driver left and went out to shift the parked motorcycle that was blocking the way, before coming back in and carrying on like it was normal business lol Which, I suppose it was, considering how narrow the streets are. Somehow, we managed to get off at our stop, (with the doors almost closing on us) and took the stairs down to our hotel.
Later at night, we went to eat dinner at Chez Black, since my sister was treating. It was pretty good, I had a huge plate of seafood risotto, which was so easy to eat, that I finished the whole thing by myself. Usually, risottos can start to feel heavy after like ten spoons, and then I get sick of it. I'll still eat it though, 'cos cannot waste food, but even so, I still really like risotto lol During dinner, there was a local music group that started playing and taking requests, with a guy coming round collecting donations. Apparently they were trying to raise funds to either rebuild or buy a new fishing boat, so they could go out to sea again. I guess you could call them, a Band of Fishermen.
Day 6: No Capri Sun
On the day we were supposed to go to Capri, the seas did not permit us to, which was pretty disappointing for my mum, because the previous time she went to Italy on a church pilgrimage, the seas were also bad, so they couldn't go out to the island. It was expected though, since the seas were already crazy since the day before. Like when my mum and I went back to the main beach (to do more shopping lel), waves were crashing heavily against the cliffs, huge sprays of seawater would reach the uphill path we took, and people at the dock were drenched. No one could go out to sea. Even though the waters at the coast looked pretty calm and better than the previous night, the waters at Capri were not, so we weren't allowed to go.
However, the boating company said that if the coastal waters calmed down a little more, they could give us a ride around, so we did c: And since it was only us, we had the whole boat to ourselves!!
Being on a boat reminded me how much I really love being on the water. Even though getting onto the boat was the tricky bit, once you feel the breeze in your hair as the boat zooms away, like yes this is what I live for. You could actually sit in the front, where there are thin mattresses to lounge on, but I stayed at the back for the first half of the trip though, 'cos I didn't dare stand up and walk to the front while the boat was moving lol orz (Also there was a p cute guy who was training under our boat captain heheh)
Unfortunately, it was kinda hazy that day, so I couldn't take great shots, but what I did see, was pretty amazing. You could actually see the rock formation of the cliffs, like some walls were obviously stratified, the layers almost parallel to each other. Most of the time, I had to remind myself that I was actually there, looking at the coast in person, feeling the breeze on my skin, being sprayed with ocean water. (Can you tell I really enjoy being out on the water lol)
They showed us the various small towns that lined the coastline, and some landmarks, like a centuries-old watch tower that was used to look out for pirates, a gaping cave in the cliff wall, a natural arch that formed due to years and years of erosion, and various small grottos that we couldn't visit because the tide wasn't low enough for us to enter. And they broke out the complementary prosecco for us to drink lol Since I didn't have a glass of my own to cheers with, our boat captain just asked me to fist bump his cup? I guess it was nice he didn't want to leave me out lol
After a couple of hours, we reached the end of the coast, so we turned back to one of the towns where they had a small beach restaurant, hidden away among fishing boats, with only a narrow flight of steps that led up to some semblance of civilisation. The boat had to be parked quite a way from the shore, since it was too big, before a smaller, simpler motorboat came round to pick us up and send us to the small makeshift dock.
Lunch was so good. I think they had the best calamari I've ever had: the batter was so light, and the squid was small and so fresh that it was easy to eat omg They also fed us really well with complementary sardines, bruschetta, all the good stuff. It's fascinating though, to eat at a restaurant that is pretty much only accessible by boat, makes it feel more exclusive and magical lol
But soon we had to head back, unfortunately ono This time, pretty much all of us sat in front (except my dad, who apparently did so 'cos all of our belongings are there lol) and enjoyed the breeze and the waves. It was kinda sad that the ride back was shorter, I wish I had a chance to enjoy the breeze longer.
When we got back, my mum wanted to look for a new pair of shoes, and my dad wanted to too, so we all headed to one of the shoe stores we walked past one of the previous days. To be honest, just thinking about the place makes me feel disappointed all over again lol They had a pair of flats with thick soles that I really liked (and they were in dark blue!) so I asked if they had it in my size. Well, they did, but not the same colour. I tried it on anyway, and was so heartbroken 'cos it fit but it beige like who wears beige shoes and look barefoot I'm cry
They had other flats in a similar style and colour, but unfortunately they were still a size too big. By this point, I was really upset, that even the shop owner could tell. Although, what really upset me was when I could hear my mum whisper to him to bring me a pair of shoes - that I specifically did not want!! - and that I'll "like it when I try it on". When I heard her, I clearly told her no, but the dude was kind enough to do so anyway. And man, I feel bad for him to have to deal with me lol The shoes fit, but damn man, that made me feel so disappointed that they had to be the ones I didn't want.
I don't know why I felt that way, though. Maybe in reality I really wanted the original pair of shoes, when I thought I didn't and was fine without them. But yeah I'm sad, could have gotten the perfect shoes, and I didn't want to settle LOL (tbh even the cat shoes I recently got was sort of me settling, since I got shoes that fit and looked cute, but not necessarily ones I were hoping for. I still like them though, don't get me wrong lol)
Day 7: How Am I Gonna Be An Optimist About This
On the last day, we booked out early and went to find lunch on our own. It is a little hard to find lunch at 11.00 am though, since most restaurant kitchens start service at 11.30. But since we needed to catch our booked taxi and head over to Pompeii, we just ate at one of the restaurants along the steep main road and ate their appetisers lol After that, we headed to where the luggage lift was, to wait for the taxi with our bags.
This time, we had a different driver, but the same company - so he knew who our previous driver was. He told us how the dude wold tell everyone in the company his stories - and how he thinks that they're absolute bullpoop lol Even though he didn't appear to be as talkative, he certainly was a lot more entertaining, like how he once drove a Spanish family around, but spoke to them in Italian since they still understood each other perfectly, or how he drove a bus full of old Catholic ladies, who drove him insane with their chanting to the point he wanted to drive the bus off the road, or his experience with bad Indian food in England.
My dad booked for a guided tour in the Pompeii ruins, since it was along the way to the airport. Over there, we met up with our tour guide, who studied artifact preservation and had to go through arduous testing before becoming an official tour guide. Like he didn't just need to know about Pompeii, he had to know almost everything historical in Italy, like the churches and cathedrals, or other ancient ruins and places of interest.
Anyway, he showed us most of the interesting places, on the Eastern side I think, the wall that used to separate the city from the sea. We visited the square that held the bank and market, the public baths (that had cold, lukewarm, and hot) with their mosaic floors and walls, and sometimes coloured frescoes, ye olde fast food restaurants, the modern fast food restaurant, bakeries, rich people's estates, and lupenare, the brothels.
He shared with us little bits of history, like how there was a public sink in the bath made with gold, that was given as a gift from some political candidates in an effort to win the people over, or the double walls with space in between that allowed water pipes to run through the baths unseen, and 3-dimensional paintings when there was little understanding of geometry and perspective.
Some other notable things were like the plaster casts from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the stones that were kinda like road crossings, but were really there to prevent carriages from entering certain sections, the water fountains that had individual symbols and carvings so people could identify them. One of the fountains were still functional - with new pipes, of course. (If it wasn't the dust from the explosion that killed the people, it would've been lead poisoning from their water pipes.) Most interesting of all, were the dicks in walls and on the ground that - surprise, surprise - pointed to the brothel. (Probably was a missed opportunity to not take pictures of them, but hey, I don't want no dick pics in my phone.)
After that, we headed back to the airport to fly back home :/ It was little disappointing that our trip was only six, seven days long. If you want to go to Italy, you really need to spend longer there to fully explore the place. But my dad said we can go there again one day and explore more of the north, like Milan. I think what I miss the most is how fresh the food is and how enjoyable and easy it is to eat. I also like the breeze, even though it did get chilly at times.
Also it took me like a month on and off to try and finish writing this so I hope you enjoyed reading 8000+ words of my ramblings lol time for me to sleep goodnight
We were going to Positano in the later half of the day, so we had the morning to ourselves. My dad didn't want to go out, so my mum and I headed to the Rome Museum, since we didn't really have anything else to do lol I think it would've been more interesting if he came along though, my mum and I went around kinda aimlessly :/ But it was either that or walking around places we've already been to, or shopping, so lol
Anyway, we had a taxi to fit all seven of us (and the luggage), and drove for three hours on the road. The roads along the Amalfi coast are really long and windy, and the cars go pretty close to the cliff edge. I guess it was a good thing that our driver grew up in one of the towns along the coast, so he knew what he was doing. There are even people who park along the road - when it's already either one lane or two lane - just because parking is expensive in the towns. According to our driver, it's because the towns are so small and space is limited, parking is really expensive, so most just park along the road and then walk lol
Our driver seems to have um, gotten around a lot (pun intended). He's driven actors and actresses, like Jennifer Aniston, Sacha Baron Cohen - and according to another driver later in the trip who works in the same taxi company, he's told everyone the same stories, his customers, the rest of the drivers, to the point that even they are tired of it lol And sometimes he would be scrolling through his phone to find photos he's taken with people, while he's driving around corners, and almost into other cars, like boi pls.
We were dropped off at a car park, where they have lifts to send luggage bags down, straight to each hotel. That may seem fancy and all, but really, when you have to climb up and down hundreds of steps just to reach the main road or the beach, no one's gonna be dumb enough to carry a heavy suitcase. The lift was only for the bags and the porter guys, so we took the stairs lol And omg even from up above, you could see how deep blue and shimmery the water was!! We also met a little cat hiding in the grass along the way! (Later I learned that it belonged to the old man running the hotel my bro + gf were staying at! Sigh)
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| we were staying right at the beach! I never actually went all the way out though lol orz wasted |
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| taking these stairs actually leads straight to the beach. |
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| There was a path along the way to the main beach which follows the curve of the cliffs, so you could look down and see the sea! |
That night, my dad, sister, her fiancee, and I went to walk around. There was a path that led to the main beach, so we went to explore there for a bit. There were quite a lot of restaurants, some of which seem pretty popular and famous. There was one in particular, Chez Black, which apparently has been visited by so many famous people, they even have a wall full of photo frames of them. I suppose it is their pride and joy lol There were also plenty of stores, and some boat services that offered trips to Capri, other towns along the coast, or just going around the coast. My dad wanted to try and find out how to get up to the main road, 'cos we were going to have wine tasting and dinner at one of the restaurants up above, but we had no idea how to even get up there.
We had dinner at the hotel restaurant since my mum wasn't feeling very good, and I don't think my bro + gf were feeling up to the challenge of walking all the way to the main beach, and then walking back up to their hotel after they had to carry their bags. But even so, once we were filled, we went down to the main beach anyway lol
Day 4: Wine-y Child
We headed down to the main beach, since my mum and I were tasked with booking a boat to go to Capri. We managed to find a company that did a small group (12 people) for a guided trip around Capri, for about 70 euros per person. They would show us around the island's grottos, and natural landmarks, and even let us land on the island to walk around (and do more shopping lol) All we had to do was put in a deposit of part of the cost, and we were set c: After that, my dad came down walk around with us - and the shopping begins lol
There were stores at the beach itself, but most things were along the uphill path that led to the main street. From there, there were still some touristy stores, but they mostly sold specialty items, rather than mass produced kind of stuff.
So first, the beach itself mostly had clothing stores with white, airy clothes, shoe shops selling plenty of sandals, and a store with beach essentials. Further up, there was a store in a corner that sold ceramic tables and chairs, and apparently they shipped internationally. My mum actually sat down with the lady to talk about it. She didn't buy anything, but she was asking more for my sis in case she wanted anything for her new house lol.
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| met this little cute doggo while walking up heheh |
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| Church of Santa Maria Assunta |
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| how do they keep them when it rains??? |
So the uphill stretch was like where most of the touristy shopping happened, so many stores sold things like ceramic ware, ocean-themed things, clothes, and lemons. Lots. Of. Lemons. Like, if it wasn't lemon-scented soaps or candles, it would be limoncello, or even lemon-themed ceramics. There was one store that sold everything lemon: they had lemon soaps of varying sizes and shapes (either in bars, lemon slices, or literal lemon shapes), lemon-themed tablecloths and table runners, and even lemon jam and lemon honey. There was a hugeass burning lemon-scented candle at the entrance, like just one look and you know what you're in for. I bought soaps for some people, and my mum bought jam and honey for my bro, since he likes eating that kind of stuff with his yoghurt.
At one point, we reached a little grocery store that sold fresh fruits and vegetables (with hugeass lemons!!), and cured meats inside, and other food necessities. At this corner, there was a staircase that led upwards, so we assumed it would lead to the main road. We went up, and were greeted with even more shops lol but they looked less touristy, and sold a greater variety of things. While my dad went down the road to try and find the restaurant we were to go later that evening, my mum and I looked at more ceramic lol There was one store that sold plates, mugs, little dish bowls, utensils, house numbers, and decorations, all out of ceramic. Like you could buy a ceramic octopus and stick it on your wall lol
The actual main street was nicer to walk along, 'cos there were fewer people, and you could buy products that were actual specialties of the region, and not just made to cater to tourists. My dad managed to find the restaurant, so after that was settled, we headed down and rested up for a couple of hours, before heading back up for dinner lol orz
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| kitty we saw while passing through the main beach to get back!! |
Anyway, it was going to be only five of us tasting wine, my parents, my bro, his girlfriend, and me. Well, technically I shouldn't be included, since I don't like the taste of alcohol at all, but since I had nowhere else to go and we were going to have dinner there too, I had to tag along anyway.
The sommelier dude prepared three wines for us, one white and two reds, from the local vineyards in the Amalfi region. He talked us through the things that we should look for when tasting wine. You swirl by holding the stem of the glass (holding the bulb bit will just heat up the wine), and you watch how the wine trickles down the inner side. If the drops are more and close together, it means a higher alcohol content. Then you stick your nose in and smell lol And then you taste, and let it aerate in your mouth a little before swallowing. Even then it can be different: is it acidic/tannic; is it fruity, oaky, floral, mineral-y; aftertaste, and where you feel it in your mouth. Sometimes what you smell is what you taste, but since taste includes the acidity and how smoothly it goes down, you don't always taste what you smell.
I know, listening to all of that sounds really obscure and pulled out of thin air, but that's what tasting is like lol Like no duh you can taste what's sweet, sour, salty, but different foods have specific tastes, and you won't know until you've tasted it. Like when I was brushing my teeth and gargling, I noticed that the water tasted kinda salty, but not quite like the sea. And my dad agreed, thinking that it might be calcium up in the mountains or something, and said that now I know what mineral tastes like LOL
Most of the time, the tastes you get from the wine correlates with what goes on the vineyard. If the grapes are grown in volcanic soil (like in Positano), then the wine has some minerality; if you taste oak or wood, it's because the vineyard used oak barrels or oak chips during fermentation; even the grape varieties produce different shades (not just stark red and white), acidity, and viscosity.
Apart from that, sometimes the qualities of the wine changes when you eat something with it, thanks to chemistry lol It's also the reason why wines pair with certain foods. Reds are more acidic and tannic, so you always eat it with something fatty or meaty, to balance and neutralise the strength of the red; whites are lighter, so in order to balance, you don't eat it with something overpowering, otherwise you can't taste the wine.
All that being said, I did end up trying some of it, just not whole glasses. The sommelier brought me a baby wine glass to try the white, and I did feel some of the things he described, like how you taste it more in the back than at the front. Then I tried the red, but that shiz too acidic for me man, and that's how red should taste like LOL But I think they were pretty smooth, because I didn't feel as much of a burn in my throat. But yeah, even from the baby glass, I only had one sip, I didn't dare go back for more LOL
While we're on alcohol: one day, my mum and I tried this thing called a baba, which is like cake soaked in syrup and rum, and omg it was so strong, that whenever I burped I could taste it. Later that night during dinner, we had dessert, and again, it had rum in it. No doubt, I know what rum tastes like now - and it's horrible.
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| This isn't the baba thing, it's chocolate lava cake lol I would've taken more pictures of dinner, but I didn't have any good shots :/ |
Haha oh boy, the day of reckoning has come. My dad booked us a hiking trip with a guide, and I thought I would be fine with it, as long as it wasn't like Chiang Mai all over again lol (cue war flashbacks) And since it's a trail that many tourists can do on their own, it seemed easy enough to do.
Out guide was pretty chill, but she wasn't going to be too lax about the hike: she made sure that all of us had proper walking shoes (she even told my mum and my bro to go change), she asked us if anyone has vertigo, and reminded us to always watch where we're going. But knowing her, and how she's grown up in the hills, hiking for most of her life, I trust her to know best. (She even joked that she was a goat in a past life, since hiking and being in the mountains was so natural for her lol)
She's told us stories of accidents, like an 80-year-old lady, who went hiking with her with broken ribs. She had a nasty fall during her hiking trip the previous day, but her hiking guide (who blatantly disregarded her health and safety) said that she would be fine and could go for her hike the next day, with our guide. Halfway through her second hike, she started vomiting and feeling unwell, so she and our guide spent half a day, getting through a hike which should have taken 3 hours, to reach the end where she could get medical attention. She later discovered that she broke her ribs the day before, and she never worked with that hiking guide ever again.
Anyway, there was an hour-long ride towards the other end of the Amalfi coast, where the start point is. It wasn't very high up, but our journey was going to mostly be heading downwards. That sounds okay, like let gravity do the work, right? No. If you've been hiking before, getting up is a choice, getting down is a must, and boy, is it harder.
The initial part was okay, walking through some fields, still on concrete and asphalt, some uphill and downhill parts, no biggie. We could still stroll, as our guide shared with us some wildflowers and plants native to Italy, like wild rosemary and thyme, and really tiny orchids (the naked men!! and angels), which were like, 2 cm in length. You can see other people standing on terraced land with their guide, telling them about the buildings and secret hideouts that people had made in the past. We walked past what was supposed to be a monastery, made completely out of stone, and little rooms made from caves and cliff walls.
We did reach one part though, which was pretty overwhelming for me. It was a steep climb up a rock cliff, like climbing up stairs, but with no railings, all the steps are uneven at about knee height, and when people tell you not to be the last one at the back, like haha boi that pressures you into trying to get up quickly, but my brain can't work that fast trying to find the next step when you can't see the people in front of you. By the time I reached the top, I was crying lol and shit man, I don't want to go through something that stressful again. Even typing it out is making me panic omg whymustthishappentome
I was put in front with our guide, so that she could help me, and since she knows where's the best place to put your footing, I would have an easier time following her instead. So things were going okay, there wasn't anything particularly as hard as that stupid wall. There were a few paths with soft, dusty soil which is harder to grip, some more stony steps up and down, but at least I wasn't as anxious anymore. Some other things that happened along the way, was a herd of mountain goats, with their bells ringing as we walked past, a
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| I swear, this cat was the only thing during the whole trip that gave me some respite from my anxiety |
Now the bus trip is a totally different story. If you think the NUS shuttle buses are bad, wait until you get onto the buses in Amalfi lol With the roads being practically one lane for two-way traffic, the buses get packed real quickly, because unless you have a car or willing to walk, there is no other way to get from one town or the other. While passing through one of the towns, oncoming traffic couldn't get through, so our bus driver left and went out to shift the parked motorcycle that was blocking the way, before coming back in and carrying on like it was normal business lol Which, I suppose it was, considering how narrow the streets are. Somehow, we managed to get off at our stop, (with the doors almost closing on us) and took the stairs down to our hotel.
Later at night, we went to eat dinner at Chez Black, since my sister was treating. It was pretty good, I had a huge plate of seafood risotto, which was so easy to eat, that I finished the whole thing by myself. Usually, risottos can start to feel heavy after like ten spoons, and then I get sick of it. I'll still eat it though, 'cos cannot waste food, but even so, I still really like risotto lol During dinner, there was a local music group that started playing and taking requests, with a guy coming round collecting donations. Apparently they were trying to raise funds to either rebuild or buy a new fishing boat, so they could go out to sea again. I guess you could call them, a Band of Fishermen.
Day 6: No Capri Sun
On the day we were supposed to go to Capri, the seas did not permit us to, which was pretty disappointing for my mum, because the previous time she went to Italy on a church pilgrimage, the seas were also bad, so they couldn't go out to the island. It was expected though, since the seas were already crazy since the day before. Like when my mum and I went back to the main beach (to do more shopping lel), waves were crashing heavily against the cliffs, huge sprays of seawater would reach the uphill path we took, and people at the dock were drenched. No one could go out to sea. Even though the waters at the coast looked pretty calm and better than the previous night, the waters at Capri were not, so we weren't allowed to go.
However, the boating company said that if the coastal waters calmed down a little more, they could give us a ride around, so we did c: And since it was only us, we had the whole boat to ourselves!!
Being on a boat reminded me how much I really love being on the water. Even though getting onto the boat was the tricky bit, once you feel the breeze in your hair as the boat zooms away, like yes this is what I live for. You could actually sit in the front, where there are thin mattresses to lounge on, but I stayed at the back for the first half of the trip though, 'cos I didn't dare stand up and walk to the front while the boat was moving lol orz (Also there was a p cute guy who was training under our boat captain heheh)
Unfortunately, it was kinda hazy that day, so I couldn't take great shots, but what I did see, was pretty amazing. You could actually see the rock formation of the cliffs, like some walls were obviously stratified, the layers almost parallel to each other. Most of the time, I had to remind myself that I was actually there, looking at the coast in person, feeling the breeze on my skin, being sprayed with ocean water. (Can you tell I really enjoy being out on the water lol)
They showed us the various small towns that lined the coastline, and some landmarks, like a centuries-old watch tower that was used to look out for pirates, a gaping cave in the cliff wall, a natural arch that formed due to years and years of erosion, and various small grottos that we couldn't visit because the tide wasn't low enough for us to enter. And they broke out the complementary prosecco for us to drink lol Since I didn't have a glass of my own to cheers with, our boat captain just asked me to fist bump his cup? I guess it was nice he didn't want to leave me out lol
After a couple of hours, we reached the end of the coast, so we turned back to one of the towns where they had a small beach restaurant, hidden away among fishing boats, with only a narrow flight of steps that led up to some semblance of civilisation. The boat had to be parked quite a way from the shore, since it was too big, before a smaller, simpler motorboat came round to pick us up and send us to the small makeshift dock.
Lunch was so good. I think they had the best calamari I've ever had: the batter was so light, and the squid was small and so fresh that it was easy to eat omg They also fed us really well with complementary sardines, bruschetta, all the good stuff. It's fascinating though, to eat at a restaurant that is pretty much only accessible by boat, makes it feel more exclusive and magical lol
But soon we had to head back, unfortunately ono This time, pretty much all of us sat in front (except my dad, who apparently did so 'cos all of our belongings are there lol) and enjoyed the breeze and the waves. It was kinda sad that the ride back was shorter, I wish I had a chance to enjoy the breeze longer.
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| Enjoy my hazy Positano landscape photo lol |
They had other flats in a similar style and colour, but unfortunately they were still a size too big. By this point, I was really upset, that even the shop owner could tell. Although, what really upset me was when I could hear my mum whisper to him to bring me a pair of shoes - that I specifically did not want!! - and that I'll "like it when I try it on". When I heard her, I clearly told her no, but the dude was kind enough to do so anyway. And man, I feel bad for him to have to deal with me lol The shoes fit, but damn man, that made me feel so disappointed that they had to be the ones I didn't want.
I don't know why I felt that way, though. Maybe in reality I really wanted the original pair of shoes, when I thought I didn't and was fine without them. But yeah I'm sad, could have gotten the perfect shoes, and I didn't want to settle LOL (tbh even the cat shoes I recently got was sort of me settling, since I got shoes that fit and looked cute, but not necessarily ones I were hoping for. I still like them though, don't get me wrong lol)
Day 7: How Am I Gonna Be An Optimist About This
On the last day, we booked out early and went to find lunch on our own. It is a little hard to find lunch at 11.00 am though, since most restaurant kitchens start service at 11.30. But since we needed to catch our booked taxi and head over to Pompeii, we just ate at one of the restaurants along the steep main road and ate their appetisers lol After that, we headed to where the luggage lift was, to wait for the taxi with our bags.
This time, we had a different driver, but the same company - so he knew who our previous driver was. He told us how the dude wold tell everyone in the company his stories - and how he thinks that they're absolute bullpoop lol Even though he didn't appear to be as talkative, he certainly was a lot more entertaining, like how he once drove a Spanish family around, but spoke to them in Italian since they still understood each other perfectly, or how he drove a bus full of old Catholic ladies, who drove him insane with their chanting to the point he wanted to drive the bus off the road, or his experience with bad Indian food in England.
My dad booked for a guided tour in the Pompeii ruins, since it was along the way to the airport. Over there, we met up with our tour guide, who studied artifact preservation and had to go through arduous testing before becoming an official tour guide. Like he didn't just need to know about Pompeii, he had to know almost everything historical in Italy, like the churches and cathedrals, or other ancient ruins and places of interest.
Anyway, he showed us most of the interesting places, on the Eastern side I think, the wall that used to separate the city from the sea. We visited the square that held the bank and market, the public baths (that had cold, lukewarm, and hot) with their mosaic floors and walls, and sometimes coloured frescoes, ye olde fast food restaurants, the modern fast food restaurant, bakeries, rich people's estates, and lupenare, the brothels.
He shared with us little bits of history, like how there was a public sink in the bath made with gold, that was given as a gift from some political candidates in an effort to win the people over, or the double walls with space in between that allowed water pipes to run through the baths unseen, and 3-dimensional paintings when there was little understanding of geometry and perspective.
Some other notable things were like the plaster casts from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the stones that were kinda like road crossings, but were really there to prevent carriages from entering certain sections, the water fountains that had individual symbols and carvings so people could identify them. One of the fountains were still functional - with new pipes, of course. (If it wasn't the dust from the explosion that killed the people, it would've been lead poisoning from their water pipes.) Most interesting of all, were the dicks in walls and on the ground that - surprise, surprise - pointed to the brothel. (Probably was a missed opportunity to not take pictures of them, but hey, I don't want no dick pics in my phone.)
After that, we headed back to the airport to fly back home :/ It was little disappointing that our trip was only six, seven days long. If you want to go to Italy, you really need to spend longer there to fully explore the place. But my dad said we can go there again one day and explore more of the north, like Milan. I think what I miss the most is how fresh the food is and how enjoyable and easy it is to eat. I also like the breeze, even though it did get chilly at times.
Also it took me like a month on and off to try and finish writing this so I hope you enjoyed reading 8000+ words of my ramblings lol time for me to sleep goodnight
