Saturday....UPDATED

So we have elected to make this a "relax" day in Salerno. We had talked last night about a drive over to Amalfi to do more sightseeing, but our host at the B&B told us that today was a big day for a town celebration in Salerno. She said that vehicle traffic this afternoon would be a mess, so we have opted to hangout, watch the parade and fireworks, and generally take in the city. After two days of walking...a lot...a day sitting seems like a good choice.




This is a shot from our park bench looking out into the bay.




And here is 2 reading her book. We're definitely not over-doing it today.
2 pointed out to me last night that the restaurant fare is more seafood oriented here than in our stays in Verona and Turin. Geography related as obviously, we are on the ocean here, whereas the Northern cities have more pasta on the menu. Hadn't put that math together myself. Anyway, I. Had a seafood combo last night, and she went with the only pure pasta entree on the menu. She rated here's as average, while mine was definitely above average.

The highlight (lowlight actually) of the IofC trip yesterday was a waiter trying to scam us out of €24 at our small lunch, 2 not being able to finish a questionable-looking pannini not with standing. Anyway, I tried to pay with a credit card, and the guy came back with an obviously troubled-looking computer tape, saying that the machine wasn't working. So I paid him in cash. But before we could leave, the Mama-san (Korean-speak for the head gal of the place) came over and said for me to wait, motioning for me to come to the pay station. Long story short, the machine DID work, she had me sign a very clearly-readable tape, and had the waiter pay me back my cash. I wonder how many times that that waiter had used the "broken machine" schtick to scam a tourist? Thank you, Mama-san.

We ended up sitting with our hosts for at least half an hour for breakfast this AM. Coffee, fruit, quiche and home-made croissants. The 30-year old daughter is the communicator...pretty good English. Mother is the operator, but has little English. And there is a Spanish maid who does much of the house-keeping work. They rent out a total of just 3 rooms. In the account of this trip that 2 and I vow we will put together about this trip, I'll describe a little more about their operation and some of the facts we learned about their lives.

So just to spark-up this travelogue, here's a Top Ten list of factoids since our departure from the QCA Tuesday morning:

1. The Google Maps app has been an adequate GPS alternative. We got right to our hotel in Salerno, and to Pompeii without any trouble.
2. Tourist shops at Pompeii and IofC are carbon copies of shops at every mega attraction in the world. Lemoncello on IofC compared to holy water at Lourdes or Lincoln heads in Springfield.
3. Italian street markings still rate a Worst in my ratings system.
4. Smart phones have taken over the world. And people can rudely talk loudly on them in public places in Italian/German/Pick-em.
5. The promenade here in Salerno is heavily saturated with shoes/bags/make-up/lingerie/apparel shops for women. I think the guys show up to girl-watch and carry bags. Like at the mall in the USA.
6. Seems like 3 days is the number for my jet lag reversal. Today seems like a normal day.
7. Biaggi's in Davenport does an excellent imitation of authentic Italian Margarita pizza.
8. Every place we go, they know we're tourists when we walk in.
9. We haven't turned the TV on in our room since arrival. Pretty sure I could live without one on Maplecrest.
10. Great to have Twitter to stay up with the fam. PLD and CJ are stars!!!

OK. 2 tells me it is time for lunch. If we see anything worth reporting later, I'll add some pics.

Have a great Saturday in your part of the world!

BCOT

Evening pic's.

This first one is just looking up the street at the parade around 6:30 PM local. This was kinda at the start of things. Big crowds throughout the downtown area.




Now we have walked about a mile, ahead of the parade, to a restaurant district that we visited a couple of nights ago. We just chose this place because there was at least one other couple at a table. None of the other adjacent places had anyone sitting at their tables. We wondered if it was bad form or something to dine while the parade was still in progress. I snapped this pic to illustrate an empty dining area with literally a throng of people stood just a few feet away.












Dinner. Both very good.




This pic just doesn't do justice in representing the thousands of people out and about as we made our way home at 8:00PM local. Streets were still blocked off for the parade that had started over two hours previously. All ages were represented. We both celebrated that we weren't in a car in this mess!!! It was a cluster!!!!

All for tonight.

BCOT