So we left Bologna last week and have had an eventful few days since. On the way to Positano, we decided to stop in Pompeii. I had read online you can spend a whole day exploring it, since the ruin site is the entire town, but we didn't have that luxury and did the whirlwind version. In our haste to get in there, we didn't pick up the map, so actually spent extra time walking around just trying to find the way out. Very interesting though, to see things so well preserved (including unfortunately several people who had been covered in ash). The rest of the trip to Positano was expected to be tiring, taking a sketchy Naples commuter train and from there trying to catch a bus that gets completely clogged up with pushy tourists. While we were waiting in line, a couple and their daughter from Malta approached us to split a cab to Positano. And thus began our relaxation for the next 3 days, enjoying the drive in and getting driven to the door of our B&B.

Our B&B there is run by a 4 foot, 90-something year old italian nonna called Celeste, who seems to be a local celebrity, and her husband Ferdinando runs (or now lets his sons run) one of the beach bars. At breakfast we met Celeste and actually managed to follow her speaking in italian (and getting by with the replies si, bene, and grazie). After Matt enquired about her sons' names, she sent us off with the italian version of "have fun at the beach" and a whap to Matt's butt.

That first day we spent a lot of time swimmimg in the beautiful mediterranean water, reading, eating, and walking up and down 100s of steps. Matt encouraged me not to skip seafood on his account, so I tried sea urchin, octopus, and clams. We also had caprese salad, which I never linked to nearby Capri til now. On our second full day, we went on a boat tour that took us to Capri, and stopped on the way back for some interesting grottos and swimming offshore in clear aqua coloured water. We were a little disappointed with Capri, which was overrun with tourists and overpriced... but the time on the boat was really nice. Though Positano seemed like a paradise,  I do have to mention the bizarre presence of tiny little ants overrunning many railings and exterior walls. Basically Matt's worst nightmare. We did witness Ferdinando taking care of business, standing outside the house squishing ants with the tip of his cane.

We took pictures of Positano, as it is built into the side of a cliff and incredibly striking to see. Even now though it seems unreal and a bit of a dream. Contrast that with scummy Naples, which Is where we headed to next, to get a flight. Hopefully Matt will soon write a post about THAT experience.