Breakfast at Aubergo Savoia is a subset of that at Hotel Columbus. Less meat, only gruyere cheese wedges, fewer cereal choices. Nothing special, but the coffee is very good.

We stroll down to the dock with the rest of the group, and Robin springs the "name game" on us, while we await the boat to Amalfi. Asked to arrange ourselves in a ring, Brigid parks herself solidly at Robin's right. Robin then starts the game and passes it to the person on her LEFT! Brigid is crestfallen. 28 names to recite? About halfway through, Robin switches the game to start from her right, so Brigid is saved...

Positano from dockside

A view of Positano from the boat to Amalfi

Perched on the Amalfi coast, this town is built above a large grotto

The boat arrives and we get some excellent views of the coast between Positano and Amalfi. There are some amazing structures clamped to the sides of these sheer cliffs, not to mention all the tunnels at various levels.

Approaching Amalfi

Amalfi's cathedral

Above the cathedral's entrance

The basilica

At Amalfi, we visit the church of San Andrea (St. Andrew), which supposedly houses the tomb of this "fisher of men". Apparently, Amalfi was one of the major seafaring nations, right up there with Venice. Some of the Crusades were launched from here. Remember seeing those equal-sided crosses on crusade flags and uniforms in the movies? That's the Amalfi cross, later dubbed the Maltese cross. At least, that's the way the story is told here. Not that the Crusades were all that virtuous an exercise -- I'm sure that mujehadeen feel every bit as noble about killing infidels, these days...

The beach at Atrani

A button-down BMW scooter!

Exploring Atrani

After the church, we walk down the road about 15 minutes (just around the next bend on the coastline) to Atrani. Okay, we overshoot Atrani and get most of the way to the next town before turning back and finding the stairway to the beach and town square. We stop in a sandwich shop and pick up a mozzarella, tomato, and marinated artichoke sandwich on good crusty bread. Plus a Coke, and we're out €5, for lunch for 2. Okay, so we finish it off with a nice Granny Smith apple stolen from Hotel Columnbus' breakfast room! We share the sandwich at the water's edge, and then walk back to Amalfi, where we catch the bus back to Positano. The bus ride is approximately the same duration as the boat ride, around 40 minutes. There's not as much to see -- mostly some exciting road action as busses interact with motor scooters, cars, and other huge busses! And pedestrians dodge 'em all!

Brigid catching some rays in front of the moss-covered fountain in Amalfi

In Positano, we return to our room for a much-needed shower (after several hours of walking in the sun with sunblock on).

The Aubergo Savoia showers are much nicer than Hotel Columbus'. There's an actual shower stall, but with a shower curtain for walls. It works very nicely.

After reading a little more of Les Miserables (no, not in the original French!), we go do a little shopping.

We've arranged to meet for "happy hour" on the terrace of a fellow tour member's room. We're bringing limoncello, a local lemon liqueur, best served chilled.

Deli snacks: grilled, marinated artichoke and eggplant; stuffed pickled cherry peppers

We find the market on the way to the beach, and pick up 1 bottle of "cream" limoncello (supposedly a more mellow variety). I can't resist the 85% cocoa solids Lindt bar, as well as a (!) 99% solids Lindt chocolate bar. And we purchase an assortiment of antipasto goodies: marinated grilled artichoke hearts; cherry peppers filled with some kind of savory paste (tuna? anchovy? I don't know, but it's pretty good.); and marinated, grilled eggplant slices.

The chocolate is just too strong at 99%. It's almost like eating "baker's chocolate". No sweetness to it, though the package says there's a smidgeon sugar in there. [Note: As I write this, it's 3 weeks since the tour ended, and I'm still nibbling a little chip of this stuff every day or two. You put it in your cheek, and slowly savor it. Darn if it's not growing on me!]

Before the happy hour, we devour the antipasto items. The cherry peppers are interesting, but the artichokes and eggplant are stupendous. I really have to learn how to prepare eggplant this way!

The "happy hour" formed at the room 210 balcony, where nearly everyone showed up, bringing bottles of wine, limoncello, and snacks.

I tried the limoncello -- I think it's vile stuff, though it might have its use with soda, or in some kind of dessert. Brigid seems to like the "cream" style stuff. There are also various kinds of snacks, including "bruschetti", which are essentially croutons flavored with olive oil; potato chips; cheese and crackers; tuna in olive oil; and anchovies.

After the party, we have dinner at a recommended restaurant, something-or-other Da Vincenzo. We have an all-seafood dinner:

smoked swordfish

seafood pasta (I was NOT drunk! The camera moved!)

beautifully grilled fish

• We start with smoked swordfish (too salty, with too little smoke flavor -- although the texture is very good, similar to lox;
• We then share a seafood pasta plate, with pasta rings, baby clams, and mussels in an olive oil and garlic sauce;
• We finish with a "grilled local fish" in Da Vincenzo's special dressing. It consists of two nice-sized chunks of fish, grilled perfectly, and lightly drizzled with lemon juice. This was the best of three good dishes. Delicious.

With a small bottle of sparkling water, €40.