,
The winding,
curving treacherous roads of the Amalfi Coast were beyond perilous and dangerous,
seductively beckoning one to venture a little closer and experience an “up close and personal” view of the spectacular 1,000 foot cliff drop seaside
panorama below.
Having come within a hair’s width of being
broad sided by a tour bus crammed full of camera toting picture happy tourists
- whilst foolishly pink-sneaker traipsing along the cliff-lined coastal highway
- I was beyond thrilled to be back on stable territory, meandering along the
cobblestoned pathways of “cute as a
picturesque postcard” Positano.
Nestled amongst the jagged vertical cliffs
overlooking sparkling aquamarine water, this seaside village is truly one of
the most spectacularly mesmerizing places on earth, a visual kaleidoscope of
vibrant rainbow colours, an artist’s canvas magically come to life. Dotted with brightly hued splatters of cheer,
from colourfully splashed orange stucco rooftops to vibrant fuchsia
bougainvillea artfully weaving its cascading blossoms along lattice framed
trellises, Positano is a picture perfect vision of what paradise might be.
Situated in
the Campania region of southern Italy, “the
pearl of the Amalfi Coast” sits precariously on the edge of vertical jagged
cliffs overlooking the sparkling turquoise water of the Tyrrhenian Sea below.
Dominated by the Lattari mountain range, the geographical topography of this
Mediterranean coastal town has forced its inhabitants to ingeniously invent
alternative housing, incorporating the seemingly impenetrable rock facades into
hospitable and liveable structures. White-washed stucco roofed houses appear to
cling precariously to the cliffs, stacked as if on a Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” ascent to celestial
paradise.
Positano was quite prosperous in the 17th
and 18th centuries, accumulating prestige, power and wealth as a
successful maritime trader. By the early
20th century, this seaside town had fallen on hard times, its
fortunes reversed, subsiding primarily as a fishing village - only gaining
international fame in the mid 1950’s after American writer John Steinbeck’s
1953 “Harper’s Bazaar” article exalted
the mesmerizing beauty of this picturesque coastal enclave. Attracting writers, artists and
globetrotting tourists - from the bling-bling moneyed jet setters to
backpacking students on a sleeping bag budget – Positano has a relaxed holiday
resort ambiance catering to both penny pinchers as well as those with caviar
and champagne tastes. Did you know that The Rolling Stones wrote the song “Midnight Rambler”, whilst languishing
in the trattorias of this seaside charm?
Featured in the film “Under the
Tuscan Sun”, Positano is a shining star in its own right, possessing an
allure and timeless beauty that has captivated Hollywood, rock stars and just
regular everyday folk.
Lemons, the size of grapefruits, dot the
landscape and are fittingly incorporated as a staple ingredient in anything and
everything from soaps to pasta dishes to alcoholic beverages. Limoncello, a lemon liqueur drink which is
unique to this southern tip of the Italian peninsula, is a popular beverage
with both locals and tourists alike. Who
knew that this vibrant sun drenched fruit could be so versatile, enabling the
inhabitants of the Amalfi region to etch out a living by discovering inventive
ways in which to harvest and utilize the abundant and plentiful limone?
Open-air
cafés, mouth watering seafood, quaint and kitschy designer boutiques showcasing
“one of a kind” locally made linens,
handmade leather-crafted shoes and sandals - just a fraction of the temptations
this seaside charm has to offer. Whether
your vision of an idyllic holiday is to shop till you drop, or people watch
whilst leisurely languishing in a century old trattoria or playfully splashing
in the teal blue sea, there is something for everyone in this delightful
Italian gem of a town.
Pink Sneakers
on the Go recommends one to travel either in May or September, when the
temperature is reasonably moderate, or, if you choose to instead discover this
seaside resort during the lazy, hazy days of summer, bring a hat, sunscreen and
light layered clothing, as you will swelter and be “hot, hot, hot” as the mercury often soars into the triple digit
zone.
Ambling along
the cobblestoned paths, placing one pink sneaker ahead of the other, I couldn’t
help but marvel at the ingeniousness and creativity of nature, artistically and
whimsically arranging jagged cliffs, sparkling turquoise water and rainbow hued
bouquets along this Mediterranean coast, gifting mankind a glimpse of what can
only be described as a little bit of heaven on earth.
Come sip
on Limoncello, indulge in freshly caught calamari and languish in the
trattorias with me…come discover Positano, one of the sparkling gems of the
Amalfi Coast….
Next week
– what new adventures await?
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