September 15-16, 2018
First weekend trip: Salerno, embarking point for the Amalfi Coast. A natural first choice!
It’s a joint trip with several new friends, and the early morning bus ride from Tiburtina station was sleepy and satisfying. I catch a glimpse of Vesuvius as we pass Naples, and am greeted by an amazing seascape.
After settling into the Air BnB, the cruise ride to the Amalfi Coast is as spectacular as you’d expect!
Lunch was super satisfying: scialatelli alle vongole.
First time swimming in the Mediterranean (fuck those sharp-ass pebbles tho, seriously).
Went back a bit early that night (so sorry I fell asleep and I didn’t get those texts to open the door till morning 🙈)
Anecdote time:
I was shopping with my friends Charlie and Monse in Salerno, couple hours before heading back to Rome, and while we were waiting for the others a kid on the street asked me if I could buy him something at a nearby Burger King. I tried my best to ask him where his parents were, but he didn’t really respond. I got him the sandwich and tried to talk more to him in Italian, but he responded only when I was confirming what he wanted, and he left pretty quickly after.
I saw him a couple of minutes later sitting down next to an older lady. I wish I could say otherwise, but if I’m gonna be completely honest, I didn’t really feel all too happy about it. When I did ask him if that was his mother—if I’m remembering it correctly—neither of them acknowledged me. I probably was also at least a little self-conscious about looking like a dumb rich tourist, too. But I mean, I did have a Gutteridge shopping bag out and all. I figure now of course that whatever his situation was, if he was asking a random tourist for lunch, it probably wasn’t a good one...
An excellent and insightful first trip, and glimpse into Campania and Southern Italy in general. (Thanks for that last photo, Vanesa!!)
