A Narrow Scrape?

Jeremy and I walked a different way than usual down to the market this morning.  As we walked down the narrow stairs and alleys we suddenly came to a small piazza.  Very cute, very small, and containing two cars.

I was very surprised to see those two cars, as I knew the way I had entered the piazza and could easily see the other way out.  Fine for a scooter, perhaps, but a car?  The sides of one of the cars told the story:

Let's see.  One way to get into the piazza is to turn off the one-car-and-a-pedestrian width road above and come through this arch:

Drive over the pedestrian steps:

Make the jog at this corner:

Down the last little stretch (viewed from the piazza):

And viola!  You are in the piazza.

Do you see the narrow way straight ahead in the picture above?  That's the other option.  I'll take you out that way.  First you squeeze down that alley (fold in the mirrors!).  When you get to the end you have to make a sharp turn out onto an only slightly wider via:

That via, too, is steep enough to have steps down the middle, not to mention step up to the door directly ahead.

This is the view down after you negotiate that very tight turn.  Notice that I say down.  Coming up the grade would make your SUV proud, but these people do it in cars with a little 3 or 4 cylinder engine.

Did you think that turn at the bottom was out onto the main street?  Guess again!  It is another flight of steps, viewed here from below.

You have to really want to park your car in front of your house to make this drive.  Me?  I'd rather just carry the groceries.  Or maybe I'd park in the piazza just to say I could do it.

Michael