My last day in Sorrento was cold, rainy, but somehow okay. The mercants seemed less rushed, more friendly, and in general happier somehow...I had a great time actually going in the scary boutiques and browsing and talking to the merchants.
To cap off my last day, I had a picnic on Marina Grande. This marina is actually a separate town from Sorrento even though it's just down the hill. I went to the local supermercato and picked up some salume, provolone cheese, cherry tomatoes, a local orange, and some vino rosso and headed down the long hill to the water.
I love Marina Grande. The people aren't as directly involved with the tourists in Sorrento (basically, the fish they catch are the fish the tourists eat), but they're warm and friendly. I sat on a little bench eating my picnic lunch - convinced that the locals thought I was a nut for eating in the cold and sprinkles - until other people started showing up and hanging out. Pretty damn cool.
I had dinner that night at a typical tourist restaurant in an orange-lemon grove. It was delicious, but the hilights of the evening were the troubadour roaming through the restaurant singing cheesy 'Italian' songs like 'That's Amore' and needling a few euros out of the patrons. It was great. My waiter was one of the most beautiful men I've ever seen in my life. Tall, dark, stereotypically Italian - but with an aristocratic British accent. I overheard hot-British-waiter-guy telling the people at the next table (Americans or Canadians clearly on a first date - how did that happen?) that his father is Italian, but his mother is British - explained a lot!
The strange thing is that Italians keep mistaking me for an Italian. I don't think I look all that Italian - although with my newly minted dark hair and tan from the sunshine, I guess it could be. In an alternate universe where I'm actually Italian. I can't figure out whether this is an attempt to con me or if I really look Italian. Kind of flattering, but scary when people come up to me and rattle something off in Italian that I can't possibly follow. I wish the dumbfounded look on my face gave it away more...
Another thing - what the hell is up with the SMOKING?!?! People smoke absolutely everywhere. Everybody smokes! Seriously, how do Europeans not know that it's unhealthy and totally unattractive? Okay, that's my little rant for the day.
Anyhoo, I love the lovely oranges. And lemons. And limoncello and wine. I could retire here in Sorrento. Or Positano. Aw hell, in Southern Italy! It's so beautiful and laid back and everything you expect. Off to Siena. Can't wait to see what that brings.
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