Happy birthday Jen!!!
Oh dear, well that was FUN!!!! Jennifer and her 6 best gal pals decided to take a trip to Italy for their 50th B’day. Not all 6 ladies were turning 50 and not all 6 joined us… (next time Carolyn) but all of us spent 10 days in Italy celebrating what was more than a birthday, it was a dream!
All of the ladies arrived in Napoli, that’s Italian for Naples, where it was hot and humid and the setting was just right for the start to our Amalfi coast wining and boating trip!
Day one was already electric with the introduction of the Aperol Spritz into our beverage menu. Bright shiny orange and fizzy drinks… yep, I’ll take another, per piacere!
Day 2 – We were off early on a boat since we were so well organized, with small suitcases and even a clothes washing machine aboard (grazie Janice)! The trip to Capri was smooth and easy with a wonderful welcome at the Villa Ceselle, our own Villa in Anacapri! We were hungry, so Pietro took us in the mini ‘pullmino’ up to Da Gelsomina, the most reputed seafood restaurant on the Isle of Capri! What else do we have to do today? Drink spritzes and “Wendy’s” by the pool? Non che problema… Who does not want to experiment with a little bit of Amaretto when in Italia…? And then….? ‘Andiamo in il pullmino!’
On Capri we boated around the island with Marco, and he invited us to swim in the Green Grotto. There were little blue fish everywhere!! What an exhilarating experience to be in the cave…maybe a bit of salt in the mouth but this is the Tyrrhenian Sea, after all!
We had a look at the Faraglione and the Grotta dell Amore from the top, and then went home for some Jacuzzi time.
What next, and what to do on our free day in Anacapri except for make friends with gorgeous Italian shopkeeps, buy clothing, shoes and lemon scented everything, and of course most of us mustered the courage to go up the Monte Solaro chairlift, despite Dawn’s exclamation, since she didn’t know that THIS WAS HAPPENING TODAY!!!???. Blue skies, blue sea and beautiful ladies, nuff said.
On no! We have to leave. For where you say? The reputable and stunning Amalfi coast with Lorenzo who picked us up in Sorrento, certo! Pasta and salad in an artsy garden that I got to enjoy with Pat, then we were off !
Lorenzo had us hopping out of the van and posing for so many pictures of Isole de Galli on the ‘wild side, and then the famous traffic infected town of Positano. We stopped for a refresher in Amalfi then were back on the incredibly windy roads to the clifftop town of Ravello. Solo una 'notte here' in Ravello but Wendy went home with a fantastic bottle of Falanghina, the best from the region. Thanks to the enchanting woman at the ‘Wine and Drugs’ store. No fibbing. Look it up. J
Ok, that was the teaser.
We moved on to stay at the Vecchia Quercia our dear friend and fellow hustler in the tourism industry’s private home. Anna Imparato welcomed us with open arms and her Napolitano ideals, and along with that came her recipes, her garden secrets as well as her sentiment about being from Italy’s south. She expresses herself so firmly yet delicately, that you can’t not let her teach you how to make squishy and bouncy gnocchi from dry old bread crumbs. Home made Ravioli followed as a lesson, and then it was time to eat! The terrace lit up at night was made spectacular and we would all like to give a thankful Grazie to Giovanni, Valeria and the other Vecchia Querica family members.
We moved on to stay at the Vecchia Quercia our dear friend and fellow hustler in the tourism industry’s private home. Anna Imparato welcomed us with open arms and her Napolitano ideals, and along with that came her recipes, her garden secrets as well as her sentiment about being from Italy’s south. She expresses herself so firmly yet delicately, that you can’t not let her teach you how to make squishy and bouncy gnocchi from dry old bread crumbs. Home made Ravioli followed as a lesson, and then it was time to eat! The terrace lit up at night was made spectacular and we would all like to give a thankful Grazie to Giovanni, Valeria and the other Vecchia Querica family members.
L’ultima note had us drinking the last spritz and then the Transatlantico fed us insalata caprese with mixed seafood pasta, polpo, calamari, vongole and the fresh treasures that come in every morning to the wharf. Oops, sorry to wake you, sir with the giant yacht… I have a fresh catch coming in.
Allora. Hugs and felicità upon the dark parting under the shadow of the Castel dell’ Ovo.
These ladies were never holding back their gregarious ways...and so we became fast friends after even a few minutes. I am honoured to be part of this past 10 days in bella Italia and grazie mille Jennifer for inviting us to be a part of it. Buon compleanno!
Ci vediamo la prossima volta le belle donne!!
Baci,
Natascha
1 comment:
Fabuloso!!!! Sounds like a blast! How can turning 50 be so much fun?
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