Italy: Sorrento and Amalfi Coast: 2 of 12
Just for visual starters... this is the second shot I took on the trip. It's looking out over the balcony of our room, over the Gulf of Naples. We hadn't even unpacked our bags yet.
The very first shot was this exact framing, a minute or two earlier, but without the boat, and wake. Photography is sometimes about preparation, but I think more about luck.
From the Grand Hotel La Favorita in Sorrento at 2:39 pm. "The Favorite" indeed.
My immediate sense was "omg this can't be real".
And yet, here we are. We were met at the airport, at the baggage carousel, by a Tauk guide (naturally) and were whisked from NAP (Naples-Capodichino International Airport) to a waiting, black, Mercedes limo driven by Luigi... cue The Godfather theme music.
La Masseria Farm Tour
We arrived in Italy a day before the official tour began, but Tauk is such an extraordinary company, they offered, and we took, a tour of a Sorrento lemon farm.
We met a small bus and somehow survived a heart-stopping trek into the countryside, with motorcycles passing cars on a narrow mountain road, and larger vehicles sounding their horns to announce their presence on hairpin turns where northbound couldn't see southbound, and vise versa, where vertical drops were hundreds of feet and sometimes there were guardrails... yikes!
We arrived safely, though, and here is some context at the farm:
This frame was shot from the farm and it conveys the hilly terrain, and the rural nature of the area surrounding the La Masseria Farm ... click the link, they do a much better job of covering themselves than I ever could. Or, even better if you have two minutes, check out the YouTube. Our tour guide, Eugenio (one of the sons) is featured there.
The lemons can grow quite large, as Linda demonstrates:
But we were here for the story of lemons, of the grafting of lemon tree cuttings onto mature orange trees, of the generational and sustainable farming tales, and of course for the food and wine. Following the tour and explanation of the farm we were seated for lunch with two Egyptian ladies. They both work in the US and yes, we all disparaged Trump and the state of our political scene.
Back to the lemons, the stars of the show, here's a depiction of several in their natural habitat... and no, I did not need camo nor did I have to sneak up on them:
For the harvest, they must be hand-picked, and twisted off (only!). They need to be covered from cooler temps, and the trees are often supported by framing structures... easier to show than explain:
All on the tour opted to pose here for portraits, and we were no exception:
And here's that protective cover over the trees. The mesh allows for incoming sunlight, and reduces outgoing heat:
Yes, it is quite a labor-intensive crop. Recall that harvesting is by hand...
So, leave the farm we must, but one last look at the antique outdoor sink and olive press at the farmhouse entrance, now pleasantly decorated:
Just a side trip, right? Delightful. Thank you Tauk.
Back to Sorrento
Walking through narrow "streets", with buildings close and tall, I glimpsed this beauty in the distance. The sun hit it perfectly:
But, what was it? Church? Government building? Hotel? Private residence? Turns out, all that and more.
Residenza iI Campanile takes its name from the nearby bell tower of the Sorrento Cathedral (the church of Saints Philip and James). (quote from the link)
This picture, above, is the bell tower, and there's a hotel attached... well, six rooms. Here's a listing of some of its previous lives, and upgrades:
1. Place where pre-Roman structures in African opus were discovered - II century B.C.
2. Bell-tower of the Cathedral Church (XII century) with Roman e high-medieval marbles
3. Veniero's house in Norman-Romanesque style with polychrome tarsie - XII century
4. Medieval doorway - XII century
5. Renaissance doorway in Tuscan style - XV/XVI century
6. Renaissance doorway in Tuscan style - XV/XVI century
7. Renaissance doorway in Catalan style - XV/XVI century
8. Correale Mansion in late-Gothic and Catalan tradition - XV/XVI century
9. Private house in Tuscan style - XV century
10. Renaissance hall
11-12. XVII century windows with moulded tufa frames
13. Large XVIII century Correale Mansion with majolica wall in the court
14. New XVIII century Correale House
15. Small XVIII century Correale House
16. XVII century Piety Church
17. Archbishop's XVI century palace
Amalfi Coast (and Ravello)
As was the case with the trip to La Masseria, the coach ride is not for the faint of heart. Moreso this sortie, as a) it was longer and b) it went further into the vertical drop zone known as the "coast".
First up, enroute, the obligatory "intrepid travelers" portrait, shot by Laura, our guide, high above Positano:
Note her compositional skills - I sure did. And, she knows things... special lady.
At the same rest stop as the photo above, this was our view as the portrait was taken:
And behind us, the city of Positano:
Inner courtyard columns:
This panoramic image shows Amalfi with the church dead center. Credit Jensens... click for Wikipedia version.
And a second interpretation, same spot, essentially:
Stunning views.
Italy Posts (click to navigate):
Context, intro, meandrie avertimentis
Sorrento and Amalfi Coast
Comments