Capri and Anacapri!

After spending time in Rome, Civitevecchia, Pompeii, Sorrento and Naples, we spent our last day in Italy visiting the Island CAPRI!  Kate, Becca and I were in the same group so spent the day together, and we couldn’t have asked for a better trip! It was seriously SO amazing! A playground for the rich and famous, it was a sight to see.

I cannot express how happy I am that I kept this trip! I would have been very sad if I sold it, which I almost did after hearing a scary story from my EU Professor about his journey on the narrow, twisting roads to Anacapri. Three people offered to buy it from me, but for a cheaper price, so I said no. Sometimes I am just too much of a worrywart…
Our tour guide was a younger fellow named Sasha. He was crazy, but is good at what he does. He was knowledgeable about the Island and was very funny (my only complaint was he said Hellllloooo way too many times!). He wanted us to have a good time, and we definitely did…

To get from Capri to Naples, we took the hydrofoil, which is the fastest ferry. We left at 8:35, and it took about 45 minutes (I dozed off a little on the way, so it seemed shorter). Upon arrival to the island, we immediately drove up to Anacapri. For the ride, our group was split up into two tiny buses, crammed tight with about 25 people each. It took about 20 minutes…and was one of the most ridiculous drives I have ever been on! The roads are extremely narrow and HUG the cliffs all the way up (which of course boasts spectacular views!) There were lots of twists and turns, and I’m not going to lie I was a little scared (but I was before thanks to my Mr. Wilkerson, my EU Prof.). But, I conquered my fear and it was well worth it!

While in Anacapri, we took a chair-lift ride up to the highest point. The chairlift alone made the whole trip to Capri worthwhile! The sights were INCREDIBLE; breathtaking. I could go on and on but I feel no adjective would do it justice! It was a little scary at first, as we were extremely high up! And the chairs just held one person, so we had to go in singles. It reminded me of the Aladdin ride at The Great Escape, except it kept increasing in height. It was extremely relaxing, and I was able to capture great video clips as well as pictures. It was a round-trip lift, but we were able to get off at the top and take in more amazing views. Looking down from this angle, we could see a different side of the island, which was much more private. The teal water glistened, and huge yachts freckled the sea. I desperately want to meet the people in those things! I guess that area has many private beaches and restaurants that can be accessed by private boats only. The rich and famous party hardy there over the summer, and often end the night with firework displays. Um… Yea…. That would be the life.

Everything is Lemon in the towns surrounding Naples! Sorrento grows giant Lemons, and so does Capri. Lemonchello is everywhere; in all the shops and restaurants. I was also able to try melonchello on the island – which I liked much more. I wish I could have brought some home with me. I am just too scared to try and sneak it on the ship. Anthony apparently snuck some on… and I think it would be really easy to get past security… but you know me… I worry…In addition to the liqueur tasting; we were able to try milk, white and dark chocolate infused with a lemon flavoring. You wouldn’t think its good… but WOW. It was good. The dark one was my favorite. We all wanted to buy some, but figured it would melt by the time we got back to the ship because it was HOT outside.

Lunch was included in our tour and I was extremely impressed! It was much better than the one included with the Pompeii and Sorrento tour. To drink, everyone received his or her own carafe of white wine. And to start, they had had amazing rolls. Then a huge bowl of penne pasta with tomato sauce and basil came (like the size of an Olive Garden dish!), followed by chicken parm (2 slices) and french fries. I didn’t want to eat the french fries. I didn’t. But she put them in front of me and then they disappeared!  Then, of course there was a dessert; a slice of chocolate cake covered with powdered sugar and a small scoop of vanilla gelato. I ate everything…and I just cannot believe how much food I ate!

Since where on the topic of food, I just want to say that I DO NOT THINK I HAVE EVER BEEN THIS FULL! Italy has destroyed me… I have ate more in these past 5 days than I do in weeks… and write now, as I am writing this, I am SO uncomfortably full. But I’m not the only one, as everyone is in accordance. The food is just that good. And yesterday, when I ate dinner on the ship trying to save money… nope, I just went out and bought a second dinner. I had a whole margarita pizza with some beer and wine. About six hours later, at breakfast, I had cereal with milk, 2 fried eggs and mixed fruit. For snack, we had those chocolates and melonchello. Lunch, which was part of our Capri tour, was described above. For dinner…well… dinner was THE 4th of JULY BBQ!! The ship went all out for it…and there was so much food I didn’t know where to begin. I wasn’t even hungry but still managed to wolf down a Cheeseburger, huge slice of cake, ice cream and ribs.  I’ve never been a fan of ribs before, but boy they looked good and tasted even better. They had a huge fruit display so I managed to grab some apples for tomorrow. Hopefully I’m done overstuffing my self.

It was a perfect day, with blue skies and the sun shining (like most of the days have been!). Alas, instead of shopping around Capri during the afternoon… most of the SAS kids and I (along with Sasha) rented a boat at the harbor and took it out for a cruise around the island! Ahh it was so awesome! It was a small private boat, and we were able to pull right into some caves. We saw amazing red and pink coral, hidden statues, expensive yachts, gorgeous homes, and gigantic, stunning cliffs. We even sailed under the arch of a famous rock near Porto di Tragar (the rich, quiet part of Capri), and then the boat stopped so everyone could jump off the sides into the sea and go swimming! It was so refreshing, and a surreal experience! The water was amazingly clear… We could perfectly see our feet as we swam in the warm, salty water. It is a great memory to have of Italy, & I hope one day to be back there! Anthony loved the island just as much as I did, although he explored it alone today. I was sad he was not with the group, but so happy he got to experience it! And when we saw each other later on the ship, he came into my room and said, “I knew how much you must have loved Capri, so I bought a little something for you.” – while handing me a small photo holder of a ships anchor with CAPRI written across it (I LOVE IT). I am so fortunate to be able to share this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with such an amazing friend and caring person.

It is sad to leave Italy, but I think I am ready. I was not impressed with the city of Naples, and our port is not only confusing, but also located in a sketchy part of town. The beauty of Capri and the idea of lounging around the beach have attracted me to our next port of call, Croatia. I eagerly await our arrival, and am more than excited! We will be there the day after tomorrow!

Until then, I will be trying to catch up on some much needed rest (and of course back to classes tomorrow). Hope all is well with everyone! XOXO

Love,
Erika