#6 Adventures on the Amalfi Coast Part 1

Last summer I was half a century old. I decided to properly embrace this fact and do fifty things to celebrate #50@50.

My husband, Jason, and I went on holiday to southern Italy to a place called Salerno. He loves to make plans for things to do while we are away and for my birthday present he arranged for us to go on a boat trip for a day. There were five other couples, us and the driver and hostess. I love the sun although when we were there in August it was ferocious – 30 degrees by 9 am – so sitting on the back of the boat in the breeze was wonderfully refreshing. The first stop we made was to have a swim. I couldn’t wait to climb down the rope ladder. Jase just dived straight in. The water was aquamarine and so clear. We were fairly near the shoreline and I could see some caves so I swam over to explore; Jase followed and climbed out to stand on the rocks thinking he was King of the Cave. I wasn’t sure at the time why he did this but he seemed very happy so I didn’t say anything. Back on board I suggested we sit at the front on the sunbathing deck to dry off and get a bit of a tan. It was properly luxurious. The whole deck was covered with cream leather cushions – fabulous I thought as I lay there for one second and noticed that Jase was bleeding all over the cushion he was on. While conquering the cave he managed to cut his foot to pieces so we quickly went back in the shade after I mopped up all the mess and apologised profusely.

The hostess, Allessandra, was lovely and helped with plasters and things although none of them would stick and Jase had to keep using tissues to stem the flow. She said, ‘I know what will help!’ and pulled out an ice cold bottle of Prossecco and some chunks of honeydew melon which I had to feed to Jase as he wouldn’t stop bleeding.

The rest of the trip consisted of going to various places along the Amalfi Coast so beautiful they hardly seem real. We sailed past stunning lemon groves on the side of the cliff and small ports packed with people.

We stopped off for coffees and cocktails at various spots where we wandered around with the other million tourists. It was quite an experience. There were lemons everywhere which made me smile.

We also swam off the boat again with snorkels. The turquoise sea was full of silver, yellow and black fish darting one way then the other – a synchronised shoal dancing as one – surrounding us. Arriving in Amalfi was an experience – the pretty houses, like little boxes, hewn from stone jut out above the sea – a rainbow pallet of pastel shades clinging to the cliff. I was trying to imagine what it would be like to live there. The view would be sensational but all those people! The air was filled with Italians chattering excitedly and gesticulating wildly, other European accents drifted in and out too. The sun was searing. Pale British people were huddling together in a tiny patch of shade. I could smell coffee, sunblock and cigarette smoke. The sea looked incredibly inviting but there wasn’t a spare inch on the beach which was covered in stripy parasols shading nut brown bodies lying on loungers. We became part of the throng of visitors wanting to explore. I found it fascinating and exhilarating and unnerving as it was just so intense.

The cathedral, like most of the churches in Italy, was ostentatious with sweeping steps that led into tiny cobbled streets like something out of a fairy tale. Everything is built up so high it’s shocking when you look up as you don’t expect to see towering walls above you. I longed to discover what was behind thick wooden doors set into the stone walls and taste the Gelato. And as I am nosy I wondered who lived here in this strange and incredible place and if they hate the tourists who make walking impossible and clutter up every nook and cranny.

After following the crowd we found ourselves in a tiny narrow street full of shops. I bought a powder blue linen dress which I changed into as I was so hot. I began to get into the flow of Amalfi and enjoy being part of the intensity because I love shopping, although Jason doesn’t so that didn’t last long. Suddenly I turned round and everyone was flattening themselves to the walls as a car was driving up there; careless of any obstacles in his way, the young Italian driver casually leaning on his horn. After that there were a few mopeds weaving in and out. Looking up at the apartments above the shops I saw lines of washing fluttering in the boiling breeze like coloured flags.

It was a relief to board the boat and feel the wind in my hair. We were expecting to just head back but Allessandra said they had a surprise for us. The Captain, who I don’t think spoke once during the whole trip, started heading for the shoreline but not to habitation. ‘We are going to a special place only accessible by boat. It is called Pandora’s Cave and everyone who enters must make a wish.’ she told us. The boat seemed to be travelling fairly fast towards a small gap. The captain obviously knew what he was doing and expertly manouvered us inside where it was deceptively large. It felt odd going from brilliant sunshine into the gloom of the cave the walls were sharp stone and a rainbow of shades from purple, orange, green, yellow and grey.

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As we entered there was an eerie silence and stillness. It was full of secrets. Everyone who enters makes a wish so it felt pregnant with each person’s hopes, desires and dreams.

Of course I was caught up in the moment but as I ate the lemon biscuit I was offered washed down with icy Limoncello, something stirred inside me, a longing to write again. On the way back we passed two enormous rocks jutting from the water side by side. Allessandra informed us they are called The Two Brothers. They both fell in love with a mermaid and fought over her so much that Poseidon turned them into eternal stone. Back at the apartment I started doing some research into the Pandora myth. I already pretty much knew the story – that she let the Seven Deadly Sins out of the box. What I didn’t know was that what was left inside was Hope. Hence making a wish when entering Pandora’s Cave. This is now the title of my new novel. Next blog post I’ll share some snippets.