John Meyer Books
Back in Amalfi
For the past couple of weeks, it’s become quite apparent how you just can’t go back again. The Rome and Siena of 2012 just can’t quite compare with the Rome and Siena of 2005 when “Bullets, Butterflies, and Italy” takes place.
As I’ve already mentioned, Rome’s Supperclub is closed, as is the Maudit Music Pub and the Havana Club in Siena. And Torre wasn’t even competing in this July’s Palio!
But surely good old Amalfi was the same? It’s the place where Zack offended Mr. Magic. It’s the place where Zack fell in love with Antonella. It’s the place where Franco turned Zack’s dream trip into a lethal nightmare. Sleepy Amalfi had to be the same, right? Right?
Right! The Hotel Lidomare still welcomes its tired guests while Bowtie and Hawaiian Shirt still serve limoncellos at the Bar Francese. The Cafe Royal still serves cappuccino. And the Torre Saracena still stands neglected on the Atrani highway while the Duomo di Sant’Andrea still caters to its lost souls.
Otherwise the changes were quite small. The Antichi Arsenali now charges a fee to peruse its maritime heritage (while the rowboat no longer sits in the lobby). The passageway to Via dei Dogi is less abandoned and would have proven too busy for Zack to secretly store a weapon. And Bruno’s butcher shop has been replaced by a newer meat establishment run by someone else.
But Rococo is still there, although the mermaid and dolphin motif on the walls have been painted over. (And the dancing cage has been removed.) And there now is a late night internet store on Via Lorenzo d’Amalfi – which would have come in very handy for Zack back in 2005.
However, there were big changes in nearby Atrani. Because of this:
On September 9, 2010, heavy rains caused the Dragone River to flood over creating a massive mudslide which completely destroyed Atrani’s piazza and beach area. Amazingly enough, not even two years later, you can’t even detect that Via dei Dogi was once a destructive muddy river.
However, there have been all sorts of major changes. All the bars in the piazza have been rebuilt and renamed (no more Risacca American Bar, Way Out Wine Bar & Bistro, and American Bar). And cars are no longer permitted to park on Via dei Dogi. And a new parking lot has been built – inside the mountain! – between Amalfi and Atrani. And the town, seizing a new opportunity, has completely transformed its beach area too. Now beach chairs and waiter service are added to the sandy experience.
The other major change occurred at the Zaccaria Cafe. Because of this:
Unrelated to the September mudslide, on January 2, 2010, the Zaccaria Cafe collapsed under the heavy rains from a winter storm. Today, it’s been rebuilt. But the glass door restaurant has been replaced by an easily accessible terrace.
So with no cars on the Via dei Dogi, and an easily accessible Zaccaria Cafe, more changes would have to be made to the final frantic moments of Bullets, Butterflies, and Italy. If I wrote it today…
So good thing I didn’t!
But they were there. And they still exist… on paper… and on your e-book device… and in your imagination.
For more posts about my return trip to Italy, check out: