The First Pearl

For a short weekend getaway, we traveled with new friends to the Amalfi coast.  Vietri sul Mare, or just Vietri, is the 'first pearl' of the coast.  Many more towns dot this beautiful part of Italy.

Bucket list check point: staying in one of those hotels that hugs the cliffside.

This was our first view of the town and the water from the hotel, upon our arrival just as dusk was closing in.

Good morning!

Obligatory panorama

This guy needed a break from the workweek.  He looks...anticipatory. 

The walk into town is mostly downhill.  

I don't know why, but a lot of these Amalfi coast towns have little miniature vignettes of themselves somewhere.

When it became apparent that the bus into the upper part of town was not going to appear for some time, we hoofed it.  Note the local resident, in her 4 inch wedge heels, walking with no apparent effort up the long slog to the main thoroughfare. She'd already bypassed us, and quickly overtook our friends up ahead.
Show-off.

Once in town, we poked around. Every one of the Amalfi coast towns is known for locally made ceramics.  You can buy plenty of it for yourself, and you can see how the town itself incorporates it into buildings, here and there.

The local church.

It has a ceramic tiled dome.  Beautiful.

He finally looks relaxed.

'Yeah, seafood for dinner would be nice. Whenever.'

A tiny church closer to the hotel - with a beautifully tiled floor.

And, I'm sorry to say, a slightly cross-eyed Madonna.

So maybe I liked the view a lot. Sue me.

The return to the hotel.  Steps down to terraced landings.  

Nisa Blackmon alert:  what is this?

Will this help with identification? 

The primary building of the hotel.  

Which even has tiled steps.

Rain rolled in...sadly.

So that meant that we had to have breakfast from a tray on our balcony.  Shucks.
Do you think the The Spouse looks torn up about this?

Even paradise needs rain.