Sorrento to Orvieto

Sunday 14 Feb Valentines Day. We skipped our breakfast in the hostel for better fare in Sorrento. We have made friends with Dominico and his wife Maria, the proprietors of Mimi´s. Sheila wanted something special from Dominico´s bakery. She asked him what it should be. In a rather dramatic fashion, Dominico asked, What would you like? What experience would you like to have in your mouth? In just as dramatic fashion, Sheila described just what she was after: something substantial but not too sweet and not too heavy. She described her desired experience in more detail than I am giving here, but it suprised me to learn that there were all these combinations of gastric experiences. Dominico brought out three confections and they were fit perfectly what Sheila described. It was great. Sporting heavy packs (remind me to pack lighter next time) umbrellas in hand we headed for Orvieto, one of the towns north of Rome described as hill country. We caught our train to Naples but missed our connection by minutes. We had a two hour wait so we started to go into Naples for a coffee, but Naples has a terrible reputation, and I can see why. The unemployment rate here is 30% among the young. There are beggars, panhandlers, and theives all over. Everyone including Italians had warned us to be careful. After a brief foray into the city, we returned to thr train station to wait it out. We ate a bite at McDonald´s That´s right, McDonald´s. It has a bathroom for God´s sake seemingly the only bathroom in Naples. It took .50 euro to use it. (always carry change). Finally, we caught the 13:07 to Orvieto. Again we watched the Italian country roll past from our first class train window. Now, lest you think we´re ugly Americans flaunting our wealth and riding first class, we are required, when we get a eurail pass to purchase first class. We made the most of it. In our private little compartment, we opened a bttle of wine and sipped it as we went. European train travel is truely civilized. We had to change trains which we did with no problem. While waiting, we met a couple of old ladies from the USA, talked to them awhile, then met another couple from Isreal who were on their honeymoon. They were in the travel industry, and they took every opportunity to convince us to travel to Jerusalem. They told us how well the Israelies and the Palastinians were getting along, how safe we would be, and how much fun we would have. They were nice and pleasent, but after they left, I told Sheila there was no way, If I cannot feel secure in Naples, there is not a chance, I would feel safe in the most hotly contested real estate on the planet. Finally ,we were in Orvieto, the new section that is, because old Orvieto sits on a hill, a mesa really, and we had to take a funicular. I know, it sound like some skin growth you´d have removed, but it´s a tram up to the old city. All of a sudden, we were in an ancient walled Etruscan city. It felt every bit of two thousand years old: tile roofs, weathered paint and doors hinged with cast iron ancient rings hanging on the weathered stone for teathering horses, very few vehicles. We found our hotel not always an easy task. In fact, it´s sometimes the most difficult part of getting to a new town. There are no neon lights or signs except for some little brass thing hanging flush to the wall along with an address numbering system that is not sequential. Nevertheless, we found our place: La Magnolia B&B, rang the bell, we identified ourselves through the speaker and we were greated by a charming young lady, Serrina, who made us feel we were family immediately. She took us up to our little room overlooking the street, filled us in on places to see and restaurants. Sheila and I went out to look around. We were already regretting that we had not booked this place for longer. We walked the cobble stone streets and watched the people out for the evening passagiorno- the daily walk. People we´ve seen all over do this: they go out for a walk to be with their friends and family in good weather and bad. It´s a wonderful custom. It gives you a feeling that all of Italy is a big family. More later. Love to you all.