I don't think the Italian internet likes us

I am on my fourth attempt to upload photos. I have a lovely little video of the church bells ringing on Sunday evening. No luck.
I need to show you Paola's cake and K's boat and my favorite car.
How can I tell you about the little dock without a picture?
I'm not here that long (though longer than last time!) and am thinking that I may spend a few hours in the airport uploading pictures.

We went to Ravello to see the villas. Just as it started to rain, just as I was asking Paola to find out from Fabio (by phone) how long the storm would last, he called! It was raining hard in Positano, he warned - but it wasn't too bad where we were. Ravello was gorgeous in the rain too - everything smelled of pine and cedar and the gardens were, well, breathtaking. And the views...there is no place like it. There is no place like any of this and I can squeeze my eyes shut tight and open them again and still not believe we are in such a place.

I am 78% complete on a flickr upload - but every picture has a little fail sign next to it so I will just have to tell you that I am sitting on balcony (where there is one tiny dot of internet signal) and that the sun is setting behind a soft blue sky over the ocean. The beach below (black sand, turquoise sea) is closed and the waves are pretty strong looking. Some of them are really crashing into the rocks near the shore.
At the hotel next-door I can hear dishes clinking gently as the service gets ready for dinner and some Sting is playing quietly.

The town below looks like a complicated train set and I can see cars moving through the narrow twisted streets like little toys.

When we got back from Ravello we went to Paola's parents house. Today is their 54th wedding anniversary and we had lunch with them. We had: proscuitto like silk, cheese - soft and slightly tangy, pasta stuffed with meat and veg, homemade dried sausage that K fell in love with, wine and bread. We laughed and talked and watched Brizio be spoiled and hugged by his grandmother. And then, after Brizio went off to do some homework, Paola's dad brought out the really REALLY good stuff: homemade lemoncello, homemade citrus-cello and The Secret Weapon. The citrus-cello was so beautiful. Lightly perfumed with no color at all, it was superb.
The limoncello (sp?) was divine and had a mighty kick. All the while Italian was babbling around us and we are practically shouting in English in excitement (it was all SO good). We talked about how lucky we all are and toasted the celebrating couple - I had a little cry...but the men were laughing. They gave K The Secret Weapon. Liquid Fire, Paola called it. In a small bottle with a plastic cap. Fabio told me to taste it very carefully and chuckled and gestured to show me what it would do to our bodies. HOTHOTHOT, Papa made it with peperoncini! Unbelievable.

Paola's mom got two old books of photos. Black and whites of their wedding day and pictures of them when they were very young. K was busy cooling his insides and I...well I could not have been more touched. Beautiful old pictures: her dress (all handmade lace), his expression, all the guests. We told stories, they told stories...just a gorgeous time. I have run out of adjectives. Truly.

And now, it is drizzling. Dinner is in one hour - in Montepertuso (sp?) at yet another cousin's restaurant.

I have so much more to show you and tell you - but I'm off to fix myself up and get ready for another amazing evening.