Sunny Days

A hot scirocco wind has been blowing for days, making the entire Amalfi coast feel more like Casablanca than the Italian region of La Campania. Cats and dogs hide in the shade and seek relief in the cool mosaic tiles that make up much of the shop floors and private terraces of Positano. The hum of scooters and vespas have been silenced during the peak hours of the sun, their owners preferring to laze the time in a cafe or at la spiaggia. Essential errands have been relegated to early morning hours or until after the sun has begun its daily descent behind the mountains of Punta Reginella. Human traffic is even slower than usual, and it is practically impossible to spend more than a dozen minutes outside unless one is basking in the sea or a pool, such as the one at my hotel, Le Sirenuse. In Church or in the piazzas, the ladies have launched an armada of fans against the stifling heat. The colors of the fabrics and the intricate patterns of the lace are incredibly beautiful.