Today we set an alarm for 8:00 AM and caught the 9:30 bus to Amalfi. At 10:10, the Museo Arsenale wasn’t open yet, so we tried to go to the Museo Civico and couldn’t find it. We asked someone, went through an unmarked doorway and up a flight of stairs. We were buzzed in, then told the museo was closed until later. Supposedly it closes at 1:00 PM, when we were told it would be open. We left. Didn’t look like we’d be missing much anyway.

We went to the Duomo, then back to the Arsenale Art exhabit. It seemed like a lot of local artists’ works. We went to the Pansa Bakery and had snacks. Then we wandered off, looking for a place for lunch.We ordered pizza—smoked salmon for me and seafood for Marc. It had squid, mussells, and things we didn’t know. He said it was the best pizza he’d had so far. We went to the paper mill museum and had a guided tour for 3.50 pp. It ended up being very interesting.

 

After that, we headed back towards the square and ran into the couple we met who were going to Paestum. We chatted for a bit and then separated. Marc and I wanted to see more stuff in Amalfi but decided to head back home for a siesta. Went to the bus stop and met the couple again! They invited us to meet back in town later for dinner and we agreed.

The 3:35 bus showed up at 4:00 pm… A crowd of people surged toward it, and people pushed their way through the exit and people were trying to get off. Marc and I and two other people didn’t get on, because we waited patiently in line! An hour later, the next bus came and by then, it was the four of us and another crowd of people. Again, people “rushed” the bus as it arrived, and we barely made it on as people squeezed through the exit door. Although we’d been waiting the longest, we had to stand in the aisle. I commented to the group of young men who had pushed their way through the exit door. They turned out to be Aussies. I think I said something like “And they say Americans are greedy and pushy!” They ignored me.

Back at the apartment, we took showers and headed up to meet Ron and Peggy at Ristorante Vittoria in Ravello. I had thick noodles with clams in a walnut-zucchini sauce and potatoes with porcini mushrooms. Marc finally had chicken that he said tasted like fish because of the sauce. He also had eggplant parmesan. Ron picked out a good wine from Ischia. They each had risotto and fish. At the end of the meal they told us they were buying dinner despite our protestations. I didn’t know what to say, I wasn’t expecting that. It was awfully nice of them to buy our dinner! After dinner, they went to a classical music concert. Marc and I split a gelato, but it was too cool out for gelato eating. We walked back home and went to bed.

9/29. Our last day in Amalfi was spent napping, packing, journal-ing, and relaxing. We had a lovely dinner on the terrace with lots of beer. For some reason, fireworks went off in town. It was a fitting sendoff. Ciao Amalfi!