Today we went into Sorrento for lunch, which was decent pizza and lasagna right on the harbor. Very fun. Then we took the 2:30 ferry to Capri island. We haven't downloaded any photos from today yet and I want to go to bed, so unfortunately it will have to be all words for now. It was dreary and gray so I don't think the pictures are spectacular anyway.
The Capri ferry takes only 25 minutes, which is a good thing because our boat wasn't that nice. We couldn't go outside at all, it smelled funny, and the seats were stained and rather grotty-looking. But it was generally clean and they did ventilate it when we were at sea.
The last ferry back to Sorrento was at 6:15pm so we had limited time to explore, but it was enough to enjoy a good wander. The harbor area looked like any other southern Italian town but once you take the funicular up to Capri town, things get a lot better. There were lots of lovely streets lined with fancy and interesting shops. Prada, Bulgari, Versace and the rest were all covered, along with independent boutiques selling handmade sandals, jewelry, gourmet food, swimsuits, etc. Most restaurants and ice cream shops posted photos of the owners with various celebrities. We kept our eyes peeled for a famous face, but didn't see a one.
We walked out to the edge of the island for some lovely views out to sea. The viewpoint was next to a five-star hotel, which was the villa in which Winston Churchill and Eisenhower planned how to win World War II. From there you can hike along a paved path to see a beautiful natural arch over the blue water, but it takes 45 minutes so there wasn't time for that.
With a half-hour to spare, we stopped for a cappuccino (for David) and strawberries with ice cream (for me) at a cafe on Piazza Umberto, the main square. The total for those two items was 15 euros, or about $22! Ah, Capri. We enjoyed some good people-watching, then got back on the funicular to meet our ferry.
We then had a very nice dinner in Sorrento. We sat at outdoor tables on a narrow old street, across from a nice little shop selling various local crafts. But it wasn't too authentic - our waiter spoke good English, our menu was in English, and our fellow diners were all Americans or Brits. Oh well, it was good food in a good atmosphere and not overpriced for once.
I had Gnocchi alla Sorrentina, which was served in a dish with lots of tomato sauce and stringy mozzarella cheese. Delish. David had
Tomorrow we'll drive 2.5 hours north (hooray!) to stay one night in a small hotel next to the Abbey of Fossanova. We'll also visit the Abbey of Casamari (40 minutes away) while we're there. Then we'll spend two nights in Anagni to see its cathedral and probably make a day trip to a monastery. Then comes a revisit to Rome, for only three nights. I don't expect our hotel tomorrow night to have an internet connection, but I think the one in Anagni will. If not, I'll catch up with you in Rome. Ciao until then!