Sorrento 2014 - Day 3

Day 3? What happened to days 1 & 2? To be honest this is such a chilled place I couldn't be bothered. It was a FB post from Mrs B that reminded me of such things.

So here goes with a précis of the past few days.

• Had argument with security at Birmingham due to rudeness and jobsworth. Had to call supervisor in the end.


• Spent enjoyable hour or so in No.1 Travellers Lounge at aforementioned airport. Very nice way to start the holidays away from the great unwashed. See picture of rosemary in entrance lobby.


• Flew for 2.5 hours on a plane that was first launched by Boeing in 1983. No individual air vents and certainly no AV. Thomsons please note that your comment in your magazine that you have one of the most modern fleets in the UK is bordering on lies. Yes your Dreamliners and 737-800 are quite up to date but whilst you are still flying the 757s and 767s your claim is scandalous.


• Got to Naples - now here is what they don't tell you in the brochures. From the terminal to the coach park is a good 10-15 minute walk, for a fit person with luggage. Some of the old dears flying at this time of year positively struggled including the old fart with an arthritic knee!


• After a 1 hour ride of death through the very narrow streets and mountainous terrain of the Sorrento peninsular, we arrived at GRAND HOTEL NASTRO AZZURRO. So good they named it after a beer. (Not sure about that last bit).

Weather a little hit and miss for the first couple of days, so we headed down the mountain into Sorrento itself. What a marvellous historical yet sophisticated place. Wonderful little back streets and intriguing squares, you could explore for ages. Restaurants all looked good as did all the leather and wood for sale. (Leather belts etc not whips or trousers etc).

The one obvious downside to all this - people! Thousands and thousands of em. Mostly emanating from the following picture and either speaking very loudly in a yank accent or having enough camera gear hanging around their necks to ensure no return to Japan.

At one stage there were 3 of these floating gin palaces moored up. I calculate that to be around 6,000 extra tourists clogging up the streets. What's is even more embarrassing, for them, is the stickers they have to wear proclaiming what number group they belong to. As one man once said "I am not a number, I am a free man". You wouldn't have thought so looking at these poor souls. Hope I haven't put anyone I know, off cruising around the Med anytime soon.

One of the things that they are famous around here is lemons and bloody great giant ones! Crushed, added sugar and fermented they are turned into the local hooch - Limoncello. Mix it with lemonade, soda or tonic it makes for a very refreshing drink. Guests to our house over this summer will be treated to some of this. Probably tastes great in Italy but like dishwater by the time you get it home to the UK.

Food, food, food. On of my favourite subjects whilst on hols. Sorrento and our hotel are most excellent at it. Lunch the other day down town was at a small eatery named after a shopping centre but boy the squids and mussels were good.

Anyway, dinner is calling and Mrs CT should be joining me soon after her nightly preparations. Picture of the bar, which is all inclusive. The drinks list contains over 50 cocktails, all of them free! Laters.