Acciaroli to Sapri

Tuesday 9th February
Acciaroli to Sapri
The views of Acciaroli were stunning from our ‘eyrie’ 140 metres above sea level. We were dropped back outside the fish shop to fetch the bikes and off we went again. It is a very attractive old harbour village and apparently in the summer months is fit to burst with Neapolitans taking their holidays. The buildings were mostly conversions of old medieval houses and a lot of second homes. We had a good run along the coast, through villages, one called Poppia which stated that they were the centre for the best Mediterranean diet, so we stopped to buy a picnic there. Out of season there was only some excellent salami and ciabatta. They stocked lots of delicious looking bottles and jars of oil and peppers, artichokes etc. No room for those of course. We by-passed Castello a Mare for Ascea where we had decided to catch the train. The next stretch of road was perpendicular with a lot of long tunnels which are horrid on bikes. We were pleased we did this as we had arrived in Sapri within 40 minutes, having seen nothing of the coast line, as the train went through one long tunnel to get there.
On arriving anywhere you don’t exactly get a very friendly feeling. There were lots of people watching all the time while we asked a railway attendant where to find a hotel. I am not sure what the Italian equivalent of the Gallic shrug is but they have perfected the art here. We were just pedalling off when the same man suddenly caught up and told us where to go. (in a good way!) Perhaps it is my Italian/English accent or maybe it just takes a while to think of a response. Anyway 10 minutes later we had checked into the hotel. We wandered around the town and sea front and found a rather trendy bar with wifi so sat in there surrounded by men. I counted 14 who were all of working age, just hanging around. Every bar and betting shop is full of them too so think unemployment must be high here, although there are lots of new houses/hotels being built on the sea front and unlike Spain, every second house or business is not for sale. We are now on the Gulf of Policastro which is littered with old torres, castles and Greek and Roman ruins. However, most are on the top of hills so we are just admiring them from afar.
Sapri had a handsome statue of the first Italian fascist from the late 1800s which had been put up in 1933. They seem very proud of him. (sorry, we can’t remember his name)