Chapter 683

Dec 18, 2024

Italy

airline benefits

This chapter is dedicated to friends who are going on a trip to Italy this spring.

Kathy and I were fortunate to have the Italian state airline Alitalia offer airline employee discount tour packages fifty years ago. In 1973 for a mere few hundred dollars we took an all inclusive flight, lodging, meals and guided tour through Italy for a week. We went with airline friends, Dianne and Gary seated behind us.

After visiting some overwhelming museums and churches, art, architecture, and ancient historical artifacts in Rome we proceeded by bus south near one of the oldest roads in the the world, the Appian Way 300 BC. We made stops in Pompei, Vesuvius, Naples, Amalfi before overnighting in Sorrento and Capri before returning to Rome. Programmed packaged tour trips are NOT my thing. Much prefer individual choices.

I had taken 300 photo slides on the whole trip so this chapter represents only 5% of the journey; but it was perhaps the more enjoyable part of the trip.

I usually had the front seat so I could see well and snapped photos as best I could. The Amalfi coast was awesome as the big bus powered around the narrow road's switchbacks, rock walls and steep drop offs air horn bleeting while speeding around blind curves to warn sightseeing lookielous in their small foreign cars as our driver gesticulated with arm and hand signals swearing in Italian.

The best shot I could get was on the fly near sunset over the Mediterranean toward the end of the peninsula before we entered Sorrento.

The Sorrento harbor was beautiful. Recognizable lettering on the lower left are lodge rentals La Grotta Azzurra and Villa Maresca behind. Seems like we stayed overnight in Sorrento. Took a boat ride from here to the Isle of Capri for a stayover. 

We visited the Scalia Fencia (the Phonecian Steps) overlooking the breakwater to Capri Harbor, Italy mainland behind in distance. The construction below is for the Stadium San Costanzo being built. Had forgotten and not identified this slide until now as it matched up exactly with photos from Scalia web site. It's part of the fun of looking at a slide 50 years later and determining it's origin through the magical internet. Wiki however thinks the steps were not made by Phoencians but by Greeeks.

Had a simple lunch or dinner somewhere on Capri. I see a balcony so there must be an overlook. Closest I could find was Da Paolino with the lemon colored tablecloths. The island is quite steep. Remember Roman Emperor Commodus in 188 banished his presumedly adultrous wife Crispina to Capri where she could not escape down the steep cliffs. Perhaps as Villa Jovis.

This was one of my favorite pictures from the trip and I have it on my dining room wall. I always believed it to be from the Isle of Capri but started to doubt my memory. Then I googled the same scene revealed itself from a web site of the Capri Overlook . It's part of the Augustus botanical gardens where I also have many pictures. The rock islands are famous Faraglioni with one on left part of popular water cave excursions that pass through the rock.

Right next to the botanical gardens is the beautiful Hotel Luna.  Probaby didn't stay there but some of the tours give lunch at a fancy hotel to encourage a future visit. Romantic video commercial.

From the gardens a walkway goes down the steep banks to the shore. We had a great time walking down to the Sea shore along this walk. Just learned it's called the Krupp Way as a plaque explains (mounted 35 years  after we were there). But closed most of the time since 1976 due to falling rocks. We coulda been killed.

Evening sun somewhere, am guessing we were having cocktails on another balcony with friends.

After spending many hours with Gino our bus driver, we felt like friends. He sang a beautiful Italian rendition of "Come Back to Sorrento" as we first arrived in the harbor town. It still brings a tear to my eye as I grew up with the popular Dean Martin version. I also learned to play it on the piano. Ironically some feel the song was meant to reinforce the promise of building a much needed sewer system for the city.

Italy outside of the cities, has a romantic feel to it. I know my friends do not have Capri on their itinerary but perhaps they will at least make it to Sorrento. I did advise them to see the wonderful 30 part series: Stanley Tucci , Searching for Italy  on CNN.