The Best Things in Capri are Free!
Trip Start
Mar 07, 2010
1
26
48
Trip End
Aug 01, 2012
Capri, Campania, Italy
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Well, Luigi convinced us that it wouldn't be that bad and that there are many views that we could enjoy and pay no extra fee. Armed with yet another hand drawn map we decided to believe him. He gave us a ride to the pier and we hopped on a ferry over to Capri. Once we arrived at the pier in Capri we bought tickets back for later that day and a ticket for the funicular (remember kids, the first part of funicular is FUN!) up to the peak of Capri.
We walked through the shopping district populated by Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel and continued to a place that interests us more - a park. The small park had three or four children running around and playing on bikes. There was a little stage in the centre that had wooden steps that they probably put down for performers to get on the stage. There were two kids rocking back and forth on it almost like a half seesaw. We both loved seeing children spending time in one of the more expensive locations of the world playing with a piece of wood.
After our break from the sun we continued to walk along the striking coastline. One of the places that Luigi told us we needed to go was a garden off the path called Giardini di Augusto. We almost missed it but then we saw someone sitting off to the side collecting €1 and giving tickets. The sight was worth it. The day was clear and the water was BLUE. We looked over the side of a cliff and watched the sailboats. There were a few artists sketching. The bees were enjoying their lunch of flowers. We had an orange slushy thingimajiger (technical term) and just sat and watched people for a good thirty minutes. Then we continued on our way in hopes of finding a decently priced lunch.
The switchbacks are the norm, so it seems, all over the island and rather entertaining for jokes such as, "It feels like we are meeting ourselves coming and going." Well, we kept going and ended up finding Marina Piccola, but didn't know it was that at the time. All we saw were two restaurants next to each other facing water. We looked at the menu in one of the restaurants had marghrita pizza for €7. Yum yum yum. We also ended up talking with a lady who was having lunch with her three year old and her parents who were from Capri. Enjoying the wealth of local information.
Then we heard the sound of the Roman Muses calling us towards the water. Steve and I remembered how cold the water was the day before so we didn't bring our suits, but we could at least put our feet in. This time the water was gorgeous. We played around and splashed the water at each other. It was just fun. Quite a few people were sitting and relaxing on the rocky beach, but not uncomfortably so. It was wonderful.
The beach made up for the fact that we missed the gondola ride Anacapri by ten minutes. Oh well, I think we took advantage of the best in Capri.
When we got back to Sorrento we found out that our new friends from the previous day, Greta and Larry, were on the same ferry. They offered us a ride back to the B&B and wanted to know if we wanted to join them for dinner. It would be at the same restaurant as the night before, so we said of course.
When we got back to Casa Mazzola we freshened up a little and shared a bottle of wine with Greta and Larry. In the background we continued to hear the donkey and the peacock, but then there was something different - Ava Maria. I guess it was something that had been going on all week but we had missed it before. For the week of Mother's Day the children of the town gather in churches and sing in tribute to Mary. It was beautiful.
Dinner at the restaurant was amazing yet again. I got Linguini ala Cabanara. I figured it was the best of both worlds - pork and creme. I can't get either very easily in Turkey. Steve got an amazing plate of muscles with pasta and grilled calamari. Delicious! The fun part about this night was that it was Saturday night. We had heard that we needed to go early due to the fact that it is popular for the locals. When we got there it was mostly empty, but after about ten minutes it was packed. There was a local race that everyone was watching right outside the restaurant and then many of the participants came in with their families afterward. Delightful end to a charming trip :)
