Live from Azamara Quest: La Dolce Far Niente, Limoncello and Connecting in Sorrento

Thanks to a tip from my waiter at lunch, found my perfect limoncello with very little sampling today, so not too tipsy but just chatty enough to write another blog entry for you.

It was a wonderful, peaceful day in Sorrento today. Since this was our second day in port, didn't have to feel rushed or harried to get ashore first thing this morning, but still could get there earlier than the groups coming in from Princess or Royal Caribbean docked in Naples. After the best cappuccino I've ever had (at Mona Lisa Bar in a small square at the corner of Via Cesareo (the main shopping alley) and Via Giuliani, recommended by who else but a limoncello shop owner), I wandered with no itinerary or plan the streets and alleys of old town in the relative cool of the morning, with just enough breeze and shade to keep it pleasant, but still aware that this is Southern Italy.

Yes, I could have had a perfectly wonderful cappuccino onboard at the Mosaic Cafe, but why would I when I could be ashore in Italy in just 10 minutes?

After exploring, window shopping and generally wandering to get a feel of the old town, I headed down to a municipal park on the cliffs (from where I took the first pictures posted yesterday in my twitter series at www.twitter.com/cruiseresource). There I asked an older Italian couple if I could join them on their bench, which started an hour of wonderful "conversation" between the three of us using my very basic Italian, even less English on their part, and a bit of French between us.

With much laughter, it was an experience such as I'd hoped for when planning this trip with this itinerary. I wanted to take time to spend with locals, not in the tourist or retail sectors, and truly enjoy getting to know one another just a bit. I did prepare myself with a touch of Rosetta Stone lessons which helped more than I realized, but there is a universal language when all parties are willing.

We discussed Naples vs. Sorrento, their family, my lack of family (I think he was trying to convince me to meet one of their nephews, but that wasn't clear enough for me to accept, darn it), Poland where she was originally from, and just generally enjoyed each other. It wasn't what we talked about, but that we all shared which created the memory. If I had just been here for one day on a typical cruise, I would have had too many things on my "to do" list to take that kind of time and be in the frame of mind to experience "la dolche far niente" (the joy of doing nothing, a specialty of the region). I wasn't seeking to chat, merely to sit awhile and watch the sea and people, so the conversation was an unexpected bonus. However, you have to have the time and be open to that kind of experience for it to happen.

A wonderful lunch at L'Antiqua Trattoria (recommended again by Rick Steves), with a great waiter who has worked all around the world and companions at the next table from Northern England staying here for the week on holiday, then it was off to Limonoro, the limoncello store recommended by the waiter.

I'd passed the store earlier in the day and noted I wanted to go back, as it looked less commercial with hand decorated bottles, only one brand, though several different types, and most importantly, vats in the back.

Since it was still during lunch time, and the early tour groups were either eating or had moved on down the coast, the shop was quiet, with only another couple inside. When they left, I told the owner that I was looking for local, family-created limoncello, and why, and we had a great conversation. His family has been making and bottling limoncello for 6 generations, and it's still entirely in the family, only selling in their own store. In addition to the traditional type, they had the best crema limoncello I've tried (smooth, not medicinal tasting as they can sometimes become), and a wonderful melon as well. Add in limoncello-filled candies and drops and I was in limoncello heaven.

Since I left there laden with heavy bottles, along with a small gift from the owner I've yet to figure out (I think it's a bread-like confection bottled in limoncello, but if anyone can tell me what "Limonoro Baba' described as mini baba' artigianali con liquore limonoro is, I'd appreciate it!), it was time I headed back to the ship where I will enjoy a quick nap, sailaway with a lovely drink on the aft deck a bit later, and the knowledge that I didn't just see Sorrento and the Amalfi coast, but got to experience it just a little, thanks to this wonderful itinerary.

The biggest decision remaining after these wonderful two days is what shall I do for dinner. A pretty wonderful way to travel, this Deluxe cruising, isn't it?