Experiencing Positano

This beautiful little burg by the sea......Positano, Italy

I am truly enchanted with this little village.  

And I'm so pleased that we have several days here, so that we can wander at will, just soaking up the sights and sounds and smells.

This area is well-known for it's colorful pottery and painted tiles.  Since I'm traveling in one small carry-on sized bag for 5 weeks, I did not pick up any of this to bring home.      I regret that.

Just up these stairs we find the local "grocery store" ~ 

This is what their produce section looks like, which is in the corridor right outside the front door.   While I'm watching Giada's cooking show in Italy, she tells us that they all have bundles of fresh tomatoes hanging in their kitchen like this.

~And they'll have a big wheel of Parmesan cheese on their counter.  

Well, maybe not quite this big.   So I guess the idea here is that you whack off a hunk, whatever size you want, and pay for it by the pound.  

Ooops, I mean by the Kilo.

The "streets" are all cobblestone, which is quite charming, but also  makes rolling your bags is quite a job.  

I'm always worried about what might happen if I lose a wheel!

We did finally spot a luggage porter, though.  

At least I think that's what it is.

Because people don't have "yards" or "gardens" like we're used to in the US;  and, because in hillside towns like this there's no place for "parks";  we found that, all over Italy, fresh flowers are of paramount importance to it's residents.

Or beautiful potted flowers like these ~ 

We explore some of the narrow little streets, which are lined with shops of all kinds.  

Cars are mostly left at the top of the hill; people who rented a car to come here are disappointed to find that it's not only not necessary, it's not allowed; plus they now have to pay a hefty parking fee in a lot at the top of the hill ~ and yup, they are schlepping their bag just like the rest of us.  Should have read up on all this in Trip Advisor.....   This one's cute though, yes?

We sat on our balcony and watched them pull their boat out of the water.  The old-fashioned way.

But it works just fine.

The ferry to & from Naples, Sorrento, and Capri picks up from this cement landing.  Luggage, as you can see, can be hand-trucked from your hotel....

The local fishermen come and go from here, too.

(I can tell I'm in Italy by this guys shoes!)

This was today's catch.  Yum.  
I would follow this bucket to a local restaurant, wouldn't you?

Some of their boats are just so tiny!   It looks like a toy to me.  There's a story about this one later......



So if the road is up here, and you live down there, just think ~~ everything has to be hand carried both in and out.  

But then,  I guess that's all part of the charm of living in a cliffside village....