Have car, will travel

Erik is due to head back to the US tomorrow, so the past couple of days have been a great whirlwind. It’s been a fun three weeks, and we’re done some traveling and eaten some great meals. We’ve seen some of the most beautiful places on earth, like the Grotta della Poesia, the Vatican Museum and the Amalfi Coast. We’ve also relaxed by the sea for hours.

Sunday night was Erik’s last in Campomarino for 2016, so we made the most of it. We had a great visit from friends of the family, Dainiele and Felicina Monaco, followed by a night out in Termoli. Most of the day was rainy, but the evening was clear and refreshing. Mom’s wheelchair broke this week, so she is basically immobile. So Erik’s last trip to Termoli is likely my last trip to Termoli. We had dinner at Ristorante Federico II, drinks at BiGo, and gelato at YoGo. Then we went back to Campomarino for an evening passiagiatta (walk).

Yesterday, we had a great frittata breakfast, followed by a trip to Sorrento. Driving near the Amalfi Coast town is daring, especially since getting there involves driving through some small, Napolitan towns, and they drive crazy. At any moment, a scooter, a biker, a walker, or a truck might just pop out in front of you. Nerves of steel are needed to drive these roads. Sorrento was as beautiful as ever. We walked the steps to the port, and all over the center of town. Last night we had dinner right on the main piazza at Fauna. It is the perfect spot for people watching, and delicious food. I love how they ended the meal by offering us a shot of limoncello with our check.

When in Sorrento, which is one of the few beautiful places that make up the Amalfi Coast, one thing to do is take a day cruise to the Island of Capri, as well as Positano and Amalfi. The day cruises do not run everyday, and there is little control of your time and what you can actually see. So if you’re planning on a trip to the Amalfi Coast, stay in Sorrento, but give yourself a few days to see it all. We were heading up to Rome today, so we didn’t have a ton of time to hand to a boat captain. Last night, Mom, Erik and I decided that it might be best to drive the Amalfi Coast. This is one of National Geographic’s Drives of a Lifetime, and they’re right. For the passengers, driving the coast from Sorrento is filled with breathtaking panoramas. For the driver, it’s a day filled with breathtaking turns and small prayers that we do not get clipped off the cliff by a local motorist or tour bus. We passed through many towns, including Massa Lubrense, Termini, Sant’Agata, Positano, Praiano, Amalfi, Minori, and Maioni. It was a beautiful ride. The coast is just stunning, and I completely recommend taking this ride to everyone. It was a whole new way to experience the Amalfi Coast, and one that I will always remember. There are spots to stop to take photos, or people can act like the Italians and just stop anywhere to get out and take photos.

After death-gripping the steering wheel for the entire coast, we hopped on an autostrade and took a jaunt up to Rome. Security is way more of a presence today so something is definitely up in Rome. Tomorrow, Erik has his flight back to America, and Mom and I head back to Campomarino for the final week and a half. 

Foodtopia Moments

Normally my posts just focus on the food, but today it’ll also focus on the view. We initially parked the car in Positano and wanted to find a restaurant with a view. However, we were far from the spot with lots of restaurants so we headed back to the car and continued on. We were looking for a place that had parking close and a great view. In Positano, we never quite found it, so we continued down the coast toward Amalfi. In between the two major Amalfi Coast towns lies the little city of Praiano. While driving down the road, I noticed a place that was a hotel and restaurant, with parking. So we took the chance and what a great one it was. The view from our veranda table was of Positano and Capri. It was just stunning. Luck for us, the food was delicious as well. Erik had a great locally-inspired ravioli dish with a lemon cream sauce. Mom had chicken scaloppini. I started with a dish of alici ripieno fritti (fried stuffed anchovies), then had a local gnocchi with a fondue of cheese and walnuts. It was delicious. We all had the house made, to perfection, tiramisu for dessert. 

Foodtopia Moments

Zia came over for lunch today, and her reaction to what I made was priceless. She asked, “What is it?” I took the leftover meat and sauce from Monday, a mix of pollo (chicken), brasiola, and salsiccia (sausage), and teamed it with Friday’s leftover roasted veggies, which included melanzane (eggplant), pattate (potatoes), pomodorini (little tomatoes), cipolle (onions), pepperoni gialli e rossi (yellow and red peppers), and zucchini. I took out any chicken bones and the toothpick from the brasiole, and let the two distinctly separate meals blend together. Then I mixed in some pasta, and voila, a delicious meal.

At the Ristobar tonight, I made sure to get an order of fresh insalata di polipo (octopus salad). As I suspected it would be, the octopus was tender and full of flavor. 

Back to the beach...then rain

Since returning home from Lecce, Mom, Erik and I have been lying low in Campomarino. We’ve been busy with the beach, and having great meals with wonderful people. On Thursday, My cousin Renato and his wife Dorrette took us out to Ristorante Netti. I hadn’t eaten much because we were on the road Thursday, so I made sure to have a whole pizza that night.

Erik is heading back to the States soon, so we took advantage of the time we had and went to Termoli on Friday. It was the end of the San Basso festival, and there was a free concert in the main piazza. The place was mobbed with people to the point that we had to walk around the crowd, not through it. The streets were even closed to accommodate such a crowd.

Rain was in the forecast for today, so we made the most of every ray of sunshine. Early this morning we went for a long walk, getting in more than half of our step goal. It was sunny, but lots of clouds were rolling in. We took the chance and hit the beach, but the water was too rough. After about an hour and a half, we called it a day and returned home. It’s been raining off and on ever since. We invited Zia over for lunch, and we all took naps here. The breeze was a welcome reprieve from the recent heat and humidity. After relaxing and reading a bit, and starting my latest script, Mom, Zia, Erik and I met up with some family friends for a great night out at the Ristobar. It is a great place for fresh seafood.

Should have sent a poet

When in Lecce, there is only so much to see in the actual city. That’s why when searching the place on Google images, these magnificent photos of places outside of, but not far from, Lecce appear. One such place about 35 minutes from the city caught Erik’s and my eyes, Grotta della poesie.

The place did not disappoint. It was one of, if not the most beautiful places that I’ve ever seen, and it was filled with onlookers, swimmers, and people taking photos. It was also a great spot for sunbathers. The blue sea, with the clear, sunny sky made for a perfect backdrop. The slight wind provided enough force for the kite surfers, and allowed people to tan without feeling the burn to intensely. It was worth the 35 minutes of driving and then some. Erik took a jump over the edge, and he reported that the water was magnificent. 

Foodtopia Moments

When Mom, Erik and I arrived today in Lecce, we wanted to get something to eat. We settled on a little, side street café named Joyce. There I had spaghetti al pesto Leccese. What set this apart from other pesto sauce pasta that I’ve had is that it was made with arugula and almonds instead of basil and pine nuts. It was a refreshing dish that I would definitely have again.

Lighting up Lecce

Lecce is a town that I always wanted to visit since I saw that a train I took originated there. I looked online that night about the city, and thought that someday I’d like to visit. Well today was the day. Mom, Erik and I headed down the coast for three and half hours, pulling into the Tre Stelle (three star) Hotel Aloisi. This is the kind of place where we have to leave the key with reception when we exit the hotel.

The city of Lecce is renowned for its Baroque style of art and architecture, and to call the city’s sights ornate is really underselling it. Now, there is not a lot to do here, and we pretty much saw everything in half of a day, but the art and architecture are really worth the time to see.