As I find myself on the terrace content just to soak up the sites and sounds around me while reading occasionally from my book, I feel compelled to believe I'm not a typical tourist. I don't enjoy tours, visiting museum after museum, or a planned schedule of events that maximizes the tourist sites. Now, for example, I did go to the Vatican museum in Rome and St. Peter's – wouldn't have missed it for the world, even though it was my second time! But it was on my terms and at my pace. On the other hand, I also feel that relaxing at a cafe in the afternoon with an iced coffee (in Europe that usually means with ice cream! Yummy!) is as much about the culture as visiting sites. I love people watching and drinking in the pace of life.
We are on the Amalfi coast now for 2 weeks. So far we've done only one excursion to Sorrento. We took a boat there, making a stop at the island of Capri, and rode the bus back over the mountains. Each mode of transportation giving a unique experience and showing us different views. Sorrento is probably the biggest city on this piece of land that juts out into the Mediterranean. We enjoyed the shopping and energy of the bigger city.
Otherwise we have just explored on foot our little village of Praiano and enjoyed our wonderful terrace. While lounging on the terrace, about mid hill from the sea, I overlook the Mediterranean, watch some windsurfers and see the fishing boats and transportation boats come and go. I look at the houses around and see how they've decorated their patios, marvel at the vast differences in construction techniques and listen to scooters (the preferred mode of travel – easier to park!), delivery trucks (miniscule in comparison to ours) and the foreshortened buses as they go by periodically. Of course, I can't forget the church bells that peel their happy song (in my opinion) at indeterminate times! Even with the occasional rumblings and/or clanging bells it is peaceful and relaxing.
There are a few more places we will venture out to but there is no rush. Pompeii, water caves by Amalfi and Positano are on the list of possibilities and maybe some others. This is an awesome trip and as my mother would say, “Whatever you do, it's all gravy!” Praiano, I think, is designed to slow the pace down. So I'm embracing that! I'm even letting go in regard to the vanity I have about my hair!! :) I'm on vacation, after all!
