Adventures in Hervey Bay: Sunday, June 16, 2019

Sunday, June 16th

After our ship docked, we took a ferry from Salerno to Amalfi along the Amalfi coast. The scenery was beautiful and there were pretty little towns all along the coast. Amalfi itself is a really cute town with lots of little stores and a large church. When we went into this beautiful church, mass was being given, so we sat and watched. There was a lovely choir singing as part of the mass which was nice to sit and listen to. After checking out the whole town, we took the ferry back to the ship. The entertainment tonight was another 'Comedy Showtime', this time starring George Casey - he was very funny and good, clean comedy.

Steps for the day: 11,215

Beautiful architecture in Salerno

We took a Travelmar ferry from Salerno to Amalfi along the Amalfi Coast - Stazione Marittima di Salerno (Salerno Marina)

A Travelmar ferry like the one we travelled on to Amalfi (our ship, the Emerald Princess, is in the background

Check out the mountains near Salerno

Arechi Castle - a medieval castle situated at a height of 300 metres above sea level, overlooking the Gulf of Salerno - began to be built in the 6th century - it assumed a great military importance in the 18th century - it was the cornerstone of the defense system of the city

Our ship, the Emerald Princess docked in Salerno - near to the top of the mountain (Monte San Liberatore) is the Monastero di San Liberatore (a monastery) - this church was already documented there in 980 - it was a religious retreat dedicated to martyr and bishop San Liberatore - a nun named Susanna was granted the use of the church as a monastery and a female religious retreat - the nuns left in 1300 and the church was enlarged several times over the centuries and remained active until 1600 - afterwards, it was abandoned or guarded only by some hermit - in 1955, a benefactor, out of devotion, erected an iron cross with a trapezoidal structure, 18 metres high, illuminated at night - in 2008, a restoration of the old religious retreat began and was completed in 2009

Sites along the way from Salerno to Amalfi along the Amalfi Coast

Villages along the Amalfi Coast

Rugged coastline along the Amalfi Coast

More villages along the Amalfi Coast

Coming into Amalfi

Torre di Pogerola (Pogerola Tower) - Pogerola is a hamlet of the town of Amalfi - it is a delightful village famous for its quiet atmosphere and fresh, healthy air - the tower has been described as an ancient watchtower of Pogerola - a ruin worthy of tourists, but is currently on private property and so is off-limits to others

Fountain of Lovers - The fountain of love depicting a young couple embracing in the rain under an umbrella

Duomo di Amalfi / Cattedrale di Sant'Andrea - a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral in the Piazza del Duomo - dedicated to the Apostle Saint Andrew whose relics are kept there - building began in the 10th century - it has been added to and redecorated several times, overlaying Arab-Norman, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque elements - finally a new 19th century Norman-Arab-Byzantine facade was added - the cathedral includes the adjoining 9th century Basilica of the Crucifix - leading from the basilica are steps into the Crypt of St. Andrew - sixty two steps, wide and steep, lead up to the bronze doors of the cathedral - the Romanesque style bell tower is topped by a cluster of four small towers around a larger one, all decorated with brightly coloured majolica tiles forming interlaced Gothic arches in an Arab-Norman style - the bell tower was begun in 1180, and completed over 100 years later

Outdoors cafe in the Piazza del Duomo

Fontana di Sant'Andrea - St. Andrew's Fountain - a marble Baroque-style fountain representing the apostle with four cherubs and a nymph at his feet - this 18th century art piece once stood in front of the cathedral's monumental staircase before it was moved to its current location at the end of the last century - during the Feast of St. Andrew, the procession that runs through the town to the beach, starts from the fountain

Mike standing on the main street of Amalfi which is Via Lorenzo d'Amalfi - the street is barely wide enough for one car - cars are allowed to run one way at a time for several minutes - as the cars drive up or down the street, the pedestrians part and hug the stores on either side of the street

Lemons are lemon products are everywhere in Amalfi

Via Lorenzo d'Amalfi

Mike checking out a store window display

Pottery store

La Fontana de Cape E Ciucci - located just off Amalfi's main street in Piazza dello Spirito Santo - built in the 18th century - takes its colourful name from the donkeys (ciucci) that used to stop and drink there after carrying a heavy load down from the village of Pogerola high above Amalfi - since 1974, it has been home to a 'presepe (nativity scene), which now you can see throughout the year since it usually isn't taken down - this elaborate nativity scene is both above and below the water in the fountain

Can you see the live goldfish in the fountain?

Sue standing on a staircase which leads to someone's front door

Looking down a long staircase leading to the main street of Amalfi

Looking down to the Piazza del Duomo from the Cathedral

Looking up at the Torre di Pogerola (Pogerola Tower) from Amalfi

Restaurants on the beach front of Amalfi

Statue di Flavio Gioia (Flavio Gioia statue) - Flavio Gioia is reputed to have been an Italian mariner and inventor - he was supposedly a marine pilot and has traditionally been credited with perfecting the sailor's compass - his statue in in the centre of a round-about in front of the turning of the main road up to the cathedral in Amalfi

Sue and Mike enjoying ANOTHER gelato - yum yum!!!

View from the dock of Amalfi - on the hill above the town is a long arched building called the Belvedere Cimitero Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery viewpoint) - on the top of the hill behind the viewpoint is the Torre dello Ziro (Ziro Tower) - the tower was built as an outpost and watchtower used to spot the approach of Saracen ships and to guard against attack by Saracen pirates