My Summer Vacation.....Diarrhea, Distress and Denzel Washington

     

     During the month of August most italians flock to the sea to escape the heat of the city and the tourists.  Many shopkeepers close their stores for the entire month of August.  The stores that remain open are closed most afternoons, so that those that cannot go away for a month can at least take day trips to the beach.  My friend Alanna and I decided to live like the italians and escape to Positano for a few days.  We were very excited when an italian friend of mine kindly offered us her car to use.  The excitement poured out of our bodies when as she handed over the keys to us she casually mentioned that the air conditioning was not working.  Italians are not big on details.  Alanna and I looked at each other with slight panic as we knew the 6 hour drive to the sea without air conditioning was going to be a challenge to say the least.
     Just driving along side italians is a challenge as "rules of the road" is a concept that they just don't seem to have grasped.  Italians tend to completely ignore a stop sign, they feel free to drive anywhere on the road even if it means taking up two lanes, they drive at lightning speed, and rather than passing you they get so close to your rear end that they are almost touching your bumper as an indication to get out of their way.  Worst of all, when driving around a bend they without fear will come into your lane and just when you are sure that you are going to have a head on collision they dart back over to their side of the road.  The highways are not monitored by the police.  Instead they have speed cameras, but in big flashing lights your are warned when one is coming up.  Italian drivers slow down for the camera and then quickly accelerate back to what seems like their normal 150 km an hour speed on the autostrada.  I, going 130 km an hour, was driving at what was very apparent an irritatingly slow speed to the italians.  I am not sure what was worse; having to be so alert every minute, or the sweat that was pouring down my body from the lack of air conditioning.

Libby, happy on my lap at the beginning of the drive.

     We did have the windows part way down, but not all the way in an attempt to control the noise which was giving me a headache.  The noise was so loud that I felt like I was standing in front of a speaker at a concert.  For hours all I heard was this pounding bass like sound.  I didn't realize at first that the windows only part way down meant that Libby was not getting air down on her as she laid across my lap.  As she got hotter and hotter we tried to get water into her.  Then she looked at me like she was feeling really sick and that we needed to stop, but there was no place to pull over on the side of the autostrada.  Over to Alanna's lap she went, I think hoping to convince her that we needed to stop immediately.  I became very concerned as I could see in her eyes that she was not feeling well and then it started....diarrhea on Alanna's shorts.  She quickly grabbed a plastic bag and put Libby in the bag so that the mess could be contained.  I was of no help as I could not take my eyes off the road and the crazy italian drivers speeding past me darting in and out.  I just kept thinking that I had to get as fast as I could to the next rest stop.  Alanna seemed surprisingly calm during the diarrhea crisis, but then all of a sudden she turned tomato red.  I have never seen anyone get as red as her.  Just when I thought things could not get any worse, they did.  Alanna started to heave.  I thought that for sure she was going to be sick and if she did the vomit was for sure going to head my way with the wind.  I could not help but burst out into laughter.   Neither of us planned on this kind of moment being part of our adventure.

Libby looking a little queazy.

     Finally at a rest stop I took Libby into the bathroom, and with shampoo from my suitcase, I gave her a bath in the sink.  Poor Libby looked at me like what the hell are you doing to me now.  But then she seemed to quickly feel better as the cold water cooled her body.  Libby cleaned, and having drank a lot of water, off we went again.  I wet a shirt with cold water for her to lay on for the rest of the trip.  While Libby is loved by my many friends here in Italy, I have officially appointed Alanna as her godmother after this drive.  We laughed about our driving nightmare the rest of the way to Positano.  Alanna said that if she was sick her plan was to vomit in the bag with Libby in it.  Poor Libby would have for sure been traumatized if that had happened.  

My poor baby in a plastic bag.  

     Positano is breathtakingly beautiful.  There is just something about being by the sea that makes me instantly relax.  At the sea is the only place that I am quite happy doing absolutely nothing all day.  Libby was an angel down at the beach.  While she was very happy laying in the cool sand under the lounge chair, every once in a while she would insist on switching to the lay on well lets just say a more cushiony surface.  

Alanna and Libby

       The sea at Positano is refreshingly cool and the most amazing turquoise colour.  As I floated in the water it took my breath away as I looked at the beauty of the coast.  

  

           

     About an hour by water is the island of Capri.  On the way one cannot help but look in awe at the many yachts.  Positano and Capri are known to attract the rich and famous because for the most part celebrities have anonymity there.  When your mouth is not dropping by the sheer size of the yachts, it is dropping in awe at the beauty of the many grottos.

Coast of Capri

                                                                                         

                                          

 

     As our boat came to a stop the captain announced that he was giving us time to jump off the boat and enjoy a swim in the sea by a grotto.  While I wanted to go for a swim, I immediately thought about how was I going to get into the water because there was no way that I was jumping off the side of the boat.  I have such a fear of heights that I do not get up on a chair.  I could feel panic start to sneak in, but I did not want to miss this experience.  So up on the rail of the boat I climbed.  As I stood there I told myself not to panic as I looked down.  This was a very large boat so it was quite a jump down; a treacherous jump overboard in my fear of heights mind.  (Alanna later said it was about 6ft.)  I just kept telling myself that I could not miss out of this life experience.  After a deep breath, and a count to three, I jumped.  It felt so exhilarating.  As I surfaced I was so proud of myself.  I did it!!

      

     I did not know when I was up at 7am to straighten my hair, and put on make-up, for a day trip to Capri that I would end up challenging myself to face one of my fears.  Instead, I envisioned casually looking in shops and admiring beautiful architecture.  As I stood on the railing of the boat my hair and make-up no longer mattered.   Instead what became important was living life to the fullest and seizing this opportunity to experience something that I had never experienced before.  With that came the courage to jump. 

     After our day on the island of Capri, and at sea, we celebrated our adventure with prosecco and a panini on the terrace of our bed and breakfast.  A simple celebration seemed more fitting than getting out the hair straightener and make-up once again to go out for dinner.  Sometimes it is good to just be. 

Prosecco, a panini and jammies.
What more does a girl need for a good celebration?

Enjoying the view from the top of Capri.

Strolling through Capri.

When Libby gets tired in my bag she happily goes.

     Positano is built into the side of a very steep mountain.  You don't have to worry about what you eat while there because you burn off every calorie climbing up and down the steep roads and the many steps to the beach; so many steps that you can actually feel it in your thighs as you climb them.  One evening we decided to eat up near the top of the town so that we could experience the view, and we had heard of a restaurant where the food was well worth the trek up.  I decided to leave Libby in our room because she seemed so tired.  I mistakenly didn't think about that while I leave her at home alone without any problems, I had never left her in a hotel room before on her own.  Just as we entered the restaurant, huffing and puffing a bit, I was told that the owner of the B & B where we were staying had called because Libby was so distressed being left alone that he was worried and we had to go back.  Down the hill we went to get her.  Alanna up until this point had always affectionately called Libby by the nickname "little girl" or "little princess", but as we trekked up the hill a second time to return to the restaurant for dinner Libby's nickname became "little bitch".  She slept on my lap for the entire dinner very content, and the next morning all was forgotten and Alanna was back to calling her "little girl". 

         

Dinner out.  Libby is asleep on my lap.

Each day a restaurant, with pleasure, cooked Libby grilled chicken breast.
Nothing but the best for my little princess.

Alanna enjoyed the fresh seafood.  I, on the other hand,
don't eat food that is staring back at me.

     Every day we enjoyed laying at the beach.  I felt like I was in heaven basking in the sun and listening to the sound of the sea hitting the coast as I dozed off and on.  Just when I didn't think that life could get any better it happened; I heard the voice of the most beautiful black god from above - Denzel Washington.  I opened my eyes and there he was walking past me as I lay in my lounge chair.  I truly was in heaven.  I was told that Denzel comes to Positano every year with his family.  We were lucky enough to see him other times in town and each time his handsome looks made my heart skip a beat.  

     On our last day in Positano I went into the most wonderful little shop where everything in it is related to lemons.  Positano is well known for its limoncello.  The delightful shopkeeper said that she had seen Libby and I walking around town and she could not help but notice how many people stopped me to take pictures of Libby.  We chatted for quite a while about Libby and our visit to Positano.  She then went on to say, "Denzel Washington may be in town, but the real celebrity here is Libby".  We chuckled how a dog was getting more attention than him.  Italians don't seem to be starstruck, but they are sure struck by my sweet little Libby.
     Just before leaving Positano I spun a sailor's wheel of fortune, of sorts.  It said that I was going to get married next summer.  I immediately uttered, "No way".  The gentleman looked at me with surprise at my adamance and said, "Yes, it is very possible".  Alanna then spun the wheel and it said that she was going to be very touchy next summer.  She figures that she will be helping me plan the details of my wedding and I will drive her crazy with my OCD attention to detail.   I don't know what the future holds for me ladies, but those of you who would like to lose a few pounds before my wedding pictures I am giving you fair warning that you may only have until next summer.  I figure if the friendship between Alanna and I survived this trip to Positano, it can survive planning a wedding.  

Lemons in Positano are like no other lemons.  Look at the size!

Libby enjoying her day on the boat.
She seems to prefer boats to hot cars.

A day at sea is exhausting.

Alanna told me at 7 am that there was no point in
straightening my hair and putting on make-up.
Clearly she was right!!