Costa d'Amalfi ...weddings, walks in the heavens and wading in the sea

It has been a crazy few days here in the Amalfi. We have sought refuge here in Atrani whilst the neighboring Amalfi gears itself up for the Festa di San Andrea and Paul and Tracy's wedding. The scenery is spectacular with cliffs soaring more than 800 meters above sea level and the rocky Amalfi Coastline curving it's way around the cliffs. The weather has not been kind to us with 38 degree days and hardly a breath of air. The clouds are in hibernation but the sun is in full swing. People search for shady respite as there is little relief in full sun. I do recall my time here on the Amalfi Coast when I was 21 year old. It was sweltering back then also and I vowed that I would never return to Italy and experience the scorching summers. Well here I am again! ;-) Paul and Tracy's wedding which brought us here was lovely. The ceremony was in the Princepessa (Municipal) gardens in Ravello. The views of Maiori and Minori, seaside towns below were stunning. Old buildings clawing their way on to rock faces. Winding roads with barely enough rough for one way traffic. Deep pink bougainvillea growing over pagolas, walls or wherever it can stretch itself out. It is such a vivid co our, amazing me of the works of mother nature. If bougainvillea could smell, it would be sheer perfection. The small, intimate wedding guests made their way on a charter bus to Torre Normana, a Norman tower perched on a rocky outcrop. Pino, our lovely host here at La Scogliera Rooms, Atrani, told me that it used to be an open air disco when he was young. As he reminisced, the smile spread across his face. The views from Torre Normanna were fab but the heat was unrelenting. There was no letting up. Less than a km down the road, the locals were watching Italia play Germany in the Euro Cup semi finals. The sirens were blaring, the odd cracker released. Mid way through Paul's speech, it was evident that Italy had won. Explosive crackers were fired and roars could be heard. How wondful it would have been to join in the revelry. We are so excited To be watching the finals in Sicily. Fingers and toes crossed that Italy wins as the energy will be electric. As crazy as it sounds, we work up at 7am with only 4 and a bit hours of sleep under our belt. We wanted to set off early to experience the Walk of the Gods, a walk from Bomerano to Positano. I have heard about the walk on a travel show and was captivated. We wound our way up the hillside to the Commune of Agerola. We climbed and and up growing more fearful of the frightful drop below. God only knows how these bus drivers negotiate the narrow, winding roads. We missed the stop at Bomerano and got the sense that we were moving over the mountain pass. When we asked the bus driver, he opened the doors, figuring out that we were there to do the walk. We backtracked to the small but quaint town of Bomerano,stocked up on supplies of water and fruit and then set off. I now know why they call it the Setieri Deglie Dei (Walk of the Gods) ...we were walking in line with the clouds, looming above the crystal,azure water of the sea below.we could have been in heaven with not a sound to be heard apart from the work horses in the distance were being led up the path by their masters. I felt so high up and the towns below looked far. In parts, the narrow, dusty dirt path with loose stones was so precarious. As charming as it is in these parts to feel one with the earth and to be experiencing the track in it's simplest form, I couldn't help but think about the chance of a fall. Just one trip on a stone and you would plunge below. I thought of Deb's cousin who died a few weeks ago, falling 60 meters to her death in the Australian. In just a flash, we can leave this world behind. Frightening! The remainder of the walk was stunning as we wound our way through forest, shaded by the sun above by rock faces, vegetable patches, olive trees hanging onto the sides of the cliff. We 8 people. With so many tourists visiting the coastline and only a few taking the magical opportunity to do this walk. I felt very blessed to be experiencing this slice of heaven for myself. We arrived in Positano at midday stopping at an alimentari ( small grocery shop) to buy a custom made panini. The lady serving us was lovely and suggested that we try a cheese which is a combination of buffalo mozzarella and buffalo ricotta. We found a spot away from the busy tourist retail lane way and sat on a step in the shade. We plonked ourselves down and devoured our panini. Such a simple, tasty pleasure :)