Day 5 Salerno and the Amalfi Coast

We were supposed to be in Positano today, a "cliff-side village with a pebble beach and narrow alleyways with quaint shops".  Our tour was a 45 minute boat-ride down the Amalfi coast to a small fishing village Cetera, where we would have about a 30-minute tour before coming back to Positano.  Unfortunately, weather rolled in and with the expected wind/waves at Positano and Amalfi, our cruiseline determined that it was not safe for us to go to Positano, which is a tender port.  So, they re-arranged everything and put us in at Salerno, a larger city about 27 miles (43 km) south of Positano. Our tour to Cetera still happened…but, it was a short 10 minute jaunt across the Salerno bay and 2 hours to wander through the city.  Not quite as nice as expected, but we’re still on vacation, so it can’t be that bad!

Watch tower for the town, watching for pirates (not us).

The town of Cetera

Nice apartment on top of the watch tower!

A village View

St. .Peter's Church in Cetera.

Cetera has a Church to St Peter the Apostle, patron of fisherman, since it was a fishing village.  It also had a watch tower that was erected to watch for pirates and warn the villagers when the pirates were coming, so they could retreat into the neighboring hillside until the Pirates left their town.  We went to the church and climbed around the hillside.  Then, rode back across the bay to Salerno.  

Overview of Cetera

A bit of the Amalfi Coast

Snow men???

Home!

Afternoon thunderstorms kept us on the ship – so it included a talk on Euro-Skepticism (yes – we know how to vacation!!) and trivia.  Evening was dinner and a comedian.

Ruby and Tawny Ports.

For dinner, we went to the main dinning room (Compass Rose).  Back up a moment.  At lunch, Theresa ordered a burger and fries from the pool grill, but we were at the buffet.  We waited.  And waited.  And...then left.  We stopped by the poll grill about 20+ minutes later and the head waiter was exceedingly apologetic.  They had some printer malfunction.  Anyway, he hastened it out to her while we waited.  Well, he was then also in the main dining room, so we got some special attention.  Nothing big, just several check ins.  But for dessert, Bill got a Tawny Port.  Long story, but short version, the Head Waiter stopped by, and we chatted a bit, and there was a discussion about whether we had a "red Tawny port" or a "Ruby port".  So, he brought the Ruby to compare side by side.  Theresa assures they are VERY different colors.  Bill avers they are both "dark".  But the taste is completely different.  The Ruby is very sweet, almost like a candied wine, and the tawny is slightly dry and much stronger.   It gave us a strong send off for the show which was good.  Comedic Magic.  With a Macallan.  :-)