Secondo Giorno a Capri - Seconda Parte

After we left the belvedere at Certosa di San Giacomo we walked over to the Giardino di Augusto. From what I had read I expected an elegant garden but it the giardino turned out to be a city park. It was nice but awfully crowded.


The views from the giardino were spectacular. We could look back into the cloister at the monastary.



To the south we could see the faraglioni--two of the large rocks that emerge from the sea around Capri.



This lovely statue was the centerpiece of part of the gardens. It was a quiet spot away from the magnificent views. The landscaping was actually quite nice but it seemed secondary to the views.



From the garden we discovered the path built into the side of the cliffs that links Capri town and Marina Piccola. From the plaque we read it seems it was impossible to get directly from one to the other until the early years of the 20th century when this path was finished.



We decided to walk down the switchback path and find lunch at Marina Piccola. Our decision was made after we were assured there was a bus we could take back up from Marina Piccola.



Many of the buildings on Capri have a distinctly Greek look to them. Often the roofs are barrel shaped as can be seen on this building in Marina Piccola.



When we got down to Marina Piccola we found a bar at the bus turnaround and ate panini in the sunshine. Afterwards we walked down to the water's edge. It was rocky in spots but there was also a fairly large sandy beach. It turned out there were two or three bars right there with decks over the water.



There were actually quite a few people in the water swimming. The next time I am on Capri I want to eat down here and dip my toes in the water.



After lunch we took the bus back to Capri town where we transfered to a bus for Anacapri. When we got back to the hotel we went out on the upstairs terrace and looked for the sheep we thought we had heard our first night there as we arrived. In the field next to the hotel we discovered two large sheep taking their ease in the shade. They had a stone hut in which to get out of the weather and lots of green grass. This is a great example of the classic Italian mix of town and country. It is often hard to tell where one ends and the other begins.

Secondo Giorno a Capri - Prima Parte

Our second day on Capri dawned clear and cold. We bundled up after breakfast and walked into Anacapri to catch the bus to the town of Capri.

In the piazzetta in Anacapri there were always a number of taxis waiting. The standard Capri taxi seats six or seven and is a convertable. I don't think I saw one with the top down while we were there but I could just imagine the tourists zipping around the island in the summer with the wind blowing in their hair.

On an island where one of the main forms of transportation are scooters and motorcycles, this is what one of the parking lots near the town center looks like.

This clock tower is in the center of Capri with the main piazza just beyond it. There were lots of tourists and shop windows to look at so I forgot to take many more pictures.

I do not find the shoes in Italy very appealing this fall. Here is a pair of Dolce e Gabbana pumps that seem particularly ugly. Patent leather seems to be all the rage but 95% of the shoes are black. Shop windows are supposed to label everything with the price but this law is often ignored. The pricier the store the more likely there are not prices displayed. However, I am willing to bet these shoes cost more than I am willing to pay.

From the center of town we walked down to the Certosa di San Giacomo (St. James' Cloister). You can see the top of the bell tower and part of the old monastary complex beyond the gardens.

The church was closed to visitors but the doors were open. We could see inside to the newly restored frescoes. It looked like they were setting up for a photo shoot.

Inside part of the old monastary is an exhibit of paintings by a German artist who lived on the island for many years around 1900. The pictures were huge and not terribly appealing. No photos were allowed so you will have to go check them out for yourself.

As we entered the monastary this cat walked up and asked to be petted. After we obliged it followed us around as we explored.

The interior of the monastary was generally plain but it has some interesting features. This heavy wooden door has a beautiful stone surround.

Part of the monastary is now used as a high school. While we were there the students took a break and gathered in the old cloister to relax.

I took this photo of the clouds moving in through one of the arched openings leading to the cloister.

After we explored the old monastary we saw this path that led to the gardens behind it.

We followed the path through the trees and shrubbery and found this beautiful "belvedere" overlooking the water. There are many of these spots on Capri. The last time we were on the island we visited one that was about twice as high up. I could not stand to get near the railing there but this one was not as bad.

From the belvedere we could look across the west side of the island. The rugged topography of Capri is apparent from here. There are only a handful of places along the shore where it is possible to land a boat. That helps explain why it has been settled since ancient times. It would have been easily defensible. Nonetheless, it was attacked time and again including by the pirate Barbarossa.

Looking straight down from the belvedere one could look straight into the clear, clear water.

There was a stone bench at the belvedere and it was protected from the chilly breeze so we lingered there for a while. The friendly cat had followed us out to the edge and wanted more petting. It hopped up next to Dom and he obliged while I took a picture.

When I sat down the cat crawled right up on my lap. It was nice to get a good kitty fix. None of our Partigliano cats will sit on my lab.

Primo Giorno a Capri - Terza Parte

We ate lunch at a very busy spot where we had a lot of fun watching the tour groups come and go. German, French, English and American--they all came and went, eager for lunch and then stressed about missing the bus to the next sight. The food was nothing special but we enjoyed a nice local white wine from the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius.

Afterwards, we rode the chairlift to the top of Monte Solara.


Since they do not have to worry about snow underneath the chair it really is not that far off the ground. Going up was easy, just like going skiing.



At the top the attendants pretty much pull you out of the chair and off to one side.



Even at the top of Capri there were cats waiting for a handout.



The views were well worth the price of the ride.




There was quite an extensive network of paths and terraces at the top. In spots, the cliffs dropped straight down into the sea. In the above photo, the town of Capri can be seen at the other end of the island.

A small bar was there that served drinks, gelato and light meals. It looked like it was possible to arrange parties up there as there was a large room with a pizza oven underneath the bar.



Even at the top of Capri there was evidence of the ancient Romans.

In the distance we could see all of Naples and Vesuvius.

And in another direction the town of Capri and the Amalfi Coast.

For some reason right next to the bar was a goldfish pond. It had a lot of algae in it.

The fish would cluster near a shadow obviously hoping to be fed.



This video will show you some of the panoramic view from the top of Capri, Dom and some of the many tourists.

The ride back down was not as scary as I thought it might be. Here you can see the town of Anacapri and the island of Ischia in the background.

Our hotel was somewhere in the cluster of buildings on the far left in the middle.

Going down it was fun to look into the gardens below the lift. This one had a lot of "interesting" objects in it but looks like it has been neglected for some time.

This hovel looks like a good restoration project for someone.

After the chairlift ride we walked back to our hotel to relax before dinner. It was warm enough to read on the patio.

Primo Giorno a Capri - Seconda Parte

One of the most interesting things we saw in Anacapri was the church of San Michele.







This is what the floor looks like from ground level. You can see the wooden walkways that line the room so one can walk around and see the tiles up close.




This is what the floor looks like from the choir loft. They charge E2 to enter the church but it is well worth the price.



The main part of the picture depicts Adam and Eve being expelled from the Garden of Eden.






Here is the Tree of Knowledge with the serpent wrapped around its trunk. A variety of animals and birds are shown in minute detail.






Here is a closer shot of Adam and Eve.

Part of the background including and elephant.

This putti is actually part of the alter floor decoration.

In the main part of the floor there is even a cinghiale (wild boar) shown.

The church's alter, although ornate, seems almost plain compared to the floor. It is all done in different colors of marble.

In a small room off to one side was a display of presepio (nativity scene) accessories. These creations are a traditional Neapolitan craft. It is common to see the traditional nativity scene surrounded by these vignettes of Italian town and village life. There were about 50 of them all together. Above is a pescheria (fish seller).

Here is a vignette of someone selling all sorts of autumn fruits--chestnuts, mushrooms and nuts.

I really like maiolica work so the church of San Michele was an especially interesting find for me.