We’ve been home from Italy for just over a month. Time for us to settle back into home life, sort through all the photographs we’ve taken, and load a selection into a holiday gallery on SmugMug.
If you’d like to see some shots from the blog and some new ones you won’t have seen, click here.
All the photos were taken using iPhones – as opposed to the usual Nikon camera back and lenses I have lugged to Europe in the past. All in all, apart from not having any real control over the depth of field, they look pretty good.
We left Rome on a high note – from a culinary viewpoint. Our two last nights were dining out – at Aroma next to the colosseum and then at La Pergola in Hotel Cavalieri.
Aroma has one Michelin star and La Pergola has three – so we were expecting fireworks. And we got them.
Aroma offers a range of degustation menus to choose from, excellent service and a view from your table that is quite spectacular. La Pergola offers both degustation and al la carte menus, immaculate service and views across Rome.
The staff at Hotel Barocco were interested in our comparison between the two as one of the front desk staff is the cousin of the chef at Aroma.
it’s fair to say that both provide exquisite food and a fine wine list. And both delight with small surprises as the meal progresses.
There is a formality at La Pergola which comes with three Michelin stars – there’s someone to escort you to the toilets, just to make sure you don’t get lost and while you’re gone a fresh napkin is provided at the table for no reason other than your old one was wrinkled. Their mineral water list is longer than almost any other restaurant’s wine list and your meal is timed to perfection – they know how long to leave between courses – so all you need to do is concentrate on the food.
Aroma feels younger and slightly edgier. There is a fraction less precision but that comes across as less formality. Given their menu approach, food and wines are matched which is a real treat and we lingered longer there to chat with the staff.
Which one is better – we couldn’t call it. So the question we posed ourselves was – if we were taking someone out to dinner in Rome and wanted to surprise and delight them which would we choose?
It would be Aroma, but only by a wafer thin margin.
The view from AromaChef’s start at AromaWatermelon, oyster and sea lettuceRaw red prawn veils, warm Provolone del Monaco cheese and truffleMezzi naccheri pasta, marinated scorpion fish, lemon gel and black garlicSweet surprisesApricot, caramel and elderberryCheers AromaThe terrace at La PergolaTurbot, marinated sweet pepper and Mediterranean flavoursFillet of veal on tomato and basil texturesA filing cabinet of sweet treats
After 7 weeks away, we landed in Wellington a few days ago. As you get older the jet lag becomes harder to recover from. I’ve been waking early in the morning with an overwhelming desire for dinner and then falling asleep again mid afternoon. Quite normal some might say.
On the way home we stopped in Dubai for 10 hours. Our lovely travel agent Petra, had organised a room at the Dubai International Hotel so we could shower and grab a few hours sleep. It was brilliant. Because the hotel was air-side we were met at our arrival gate and taken to the hotel with no need to enter Dubai. The hotel operates 24/7 – so we were able to have dinner at 1am before grabbing some much needed sleep.
In the room was an electric massage chair which one of us couldn’t resist trying – even when jet lagged and tired.
It was our first night in Rome. Big decision – where to eat dinner? We sat at the bar outside the hotel and were discussing this weighty problem when we saw someone walking past carrying a doggie bag from the Hard Rock Cafe. We had gone there in 1999 when we were in Rome – not sure why – and we still have the branded glasses and t shirt in the attic at home.
A few minutes later we saw another bag go by. This got us to thinking.
To be honest I thought Hard Rock place didn’t exist any more. In my mind it was an icon of the 90s which went broke along with Planet Hollywood and other themed restaurants of the era.
A quick google proved me wrong – it was alive and well and about 200 metres up the road on Via Veneto. At that point the Prosecco and Aperol Spritz kicked in and we found ourselves heading there for dinner – a blast from the past.
I was amazed, the place was thumping. And after a diet of fine Italian food we were looking forward to burgers and fries. And yes Josh, buffalo wings so hot they meant I couldn’t taste anything much after the starter.
We had a blast and ended up in the souvenir shop – and have another Hard Rock t-shirt.
Today we had our last breakfast at Eden Roc before we leave tomorrow hosted by the lovely Tony. It involved everything from Prosecco to poached eggs with Tiramisu and sweet treats added in there as well.
No visit to Positano would be complete without some mention of superyachts.
When we arrived the bay was peppered wth these toys of the rich and famous but in the last few days the numbers have dwindled. Apparently they aren’t fans of rainy weather.
However, one turned up today which looked pretty special. It had wonderful retro lines reminiscent of the 50s and 60s.
Its name is Nero, it is 90m long and it can accommodate 12 guests in 6 cabins looked after by 20 crew. It is available for charter for 525,000 Euro a week – which is quite a lot of money.
But if you can find 12 people to split the cost it’s only 43,750 Euro per person or 6,250 Euro per day – which is still quite a lot.
Today the rain stopped and the sun came out. The bonus was the temperature was lower than last week. So we set off at midday for the village to do some final shopping and have lunch at Casa e Bottega.
Casa e Bottega is a small cafe that also sells homewares made by local artists. Jugs, pots, bowls, table cloths, prints. We had lunch there last week and were keen to visit again before we leave this coming weekend.
The food was great and the staff were friendly, recognising us from our previous visit. This time we had the chance to talk to the owner – who also owns Palazzo Murat hotel and another restaurant in Positano. It was interesting that all the issues we have with tourism and hospitality in New Zealand they are grappling with here as well.
Our visit also gave Jean the chance to buy some things for the house as well as both of us having a great pranzo (lunch) – helped by the bottle of wine we managed to consume.
Casa e BottegaSalmon SaladChicken CutletsCasa e Bottega storeCasa e Bottega fresh produce
After two weeks of sun and heat the weather in Positano has changed. It’s rained since Monday. Yesterday on and off and today pretty much continually so far.
The temperature has also dropped from mid to late 30s to mid 20s. And the humidity has gone.
Life is more comfortable but also, there’s less to do. We made a trip to the village yesterday for provisions, dodging the showers. On the way home we called into Galli Bar for a drink (sitting inside). There was a discussion with the staff about the weather and the fact that their business effectively stops when it rains – but also that in Positano there is little to do on wet days except stay inside, drink and watch Netflix.
Which they were doing yesterday and we will be doing today.
Saturday’s dinner at the hotel was a big night out. Sunday was a really quiet day – spent largely in bed recovering from matching his and hers hangovers.
Jean has discovered that her nemesis is Limoncello. Last night it was in the form of a Limoncello Spritz. Two of them after dinner made for a rowdy ride home (thank you Pascal for organising this) and a quiet day to follow.
We managed to get out of bed and to the local store for supplies around 7:30 – that evening.
It reminded me of something similar from our stay in 2011. It was late in the year – around the end of November – and the hotel was shutting. We had gone along for dinner but after that the lovely Carlo explained that all the opened wine stock had to be either drunk or thrown away. You can guess how that went – it was epic.
The next day no one felt great – hence the family photo taken mid-afternoon.
Positano – November 2011. Jean recovering from the hotel closing – Daisy and Poppy in support.
On our regular walk from Casetta Arienzo to Positano we see some spectacular views. This one is a bit different – it’s the Positano cemetery which you can see at the top of the picture – located on a hill high above the village.
Yesterday we visited Fornillo Beach and the Pupetto Beach Club. Fornillo Beach is one bay around from the main Positano beach and, as a result, a lot quieter. It’s quite a hike to get there as you walk around the coast on a path that rises and falls with the terrain and in today’s 39 degrees it tested our stamina but we made it and settled in for the day.
Beach clubs are common in Italy – a relaxed restaurant at the back of the beach and rows of umbrellas and loungers in front going right to the waters edge. There are staff constantly patrolling the loungers taking orders for drink and food – or lunch can be had in the restaurant if desired.
The Pupetto Beach Club is part of the Pupetto Hotel which is partly set in the cliff and partly hanging off the cliff above Fornillo Beach. The hotel looks great – we got an unofficial tour as we walked through it to get to the beach club looking at bit out of place in our beach attire.
Lunch was the least Italian meal we have had – cheeseburger and fries and a chicken salad. It tasted great and we needed that.
Casetta Arienzo is about 800m from Eden Roc hotel and the intersection where the road through Positano village meets the main road to Amalfi. From here we can walk down to the village or stop at the hotel for breakfast, a day by the pool or dinner – or all three.
We do this walk pretty much every day so we forget how spectacular it is – with cliffs on both sides, the ones above us reaching skyward and the ones on the other side falling down to the sea. This afternoon I grabbed a shot of the cliff above the road as we walked back to Casetta Arienzo. Behind Jean the view to the ocean is equally spectacular.
Italy – and other parts of Europe – have had a warm summer. Each day this week the temperature in Positano is reaching around 39 degrees. That is warm.
It means that life has to adjust accordingly with more time spent doing very little and more time spent in the shade or in air conditioning.
Yesterday was a case in point. We were planning to have lunch at Casa Bottega in the village. It was a walk of about 1km down hill to get there so we geared up with water and hats and the minimum amount of clothing we could wear without being arrested. Casa Bottega is a small cafe with great food and air conditioning. But it is shut Mondays, something we only found out when we arrived at the front door. It was about 1pm and it was hot, really hot.
New plan – Jean has spotted another cafe on the walk which we returned to called Ohimà. It had both an inside and outside area. The kind waiter asked us “inside or outside” with a wry smile already shepherding us towards the inside with its cool air conditioning.
It took us 10 minutes to recover from the heat – to take in water and for our clothes to dry off.
Lunch was great and an excellent way to wile away an hour or two with great authentic cuisine and wine – before we head out to take on the heat again – walking up hill to our place.
Luckily mid way between the restaurant and home there is Li Galli Bar. It has spectacular views across the bay and friendly staff we have come to know. It straddles the main road through the village with the kitchen on one side and the tables on the other. So every drink or meal or chair or umbrella has to run the gauntlet of the road. This is expertly managed by the staff and we have yet to see a casualty of any sort.
It is the ideal place to break the walk home – but yesterday the heat meant a short stop – just sitting still in the shade was exhausting. The staff even suggested we head somewhere cooler after our drink, no “altro giro” today.
With the same weather forecast for the rest of the week it will mean more days by the hotel pool and less exploring the area. No great sacrifice there.
Hot!Delightfully cool Ohimà restaurantRavioliBeef and onion jam pastaGelatoKilling time in the air conLi Galli BarLi Galli Bar
It’s Sunday evening. We have spent the day around the hotel pool relaxing. Back at our place we are sitting enjoying the view – and having some Prickly Pears that Tony from the hotel gave us this afternoon, and a drink or two.
In one direction it’s the beautiful view we all know, in the other it’s laundry day.
La dolce far niente 