A daytrip to Capri - April 2005

Another early start for a very special day. First, up to the Mayflower Bar in nearby Parco Lauro for cappuccino and delectable brioche con marmellata. Then we walked past Piazza Tasso to the steps that lead down to the harbor. It's a long walk down and I wouldn't want to walk back up again. At 7.45 a.m. we caught the Caramar car ferry to Capri followed by the funicular up to Capri's main square.

After a relaxed cappuccino and another round of pastries in Piazza Umberto we began to window shop along the exclusive dress and jewelry stores that lined the narrow roads. Dolce e Gabbana, Hermes, Pucci and Gucci, Yves St Laurent, Louis Vuitton - we could have had our choice today of designer shoes, handbags or watches. We both know ‘tis better to have window shopped than never to have shopped at all.

We continued our walk upwards, passing the Certosa and the perfumery. We followed a wisteria trail. The scent and the sunlight combined to make it an unforgettable day.

The views were well worth the walk when we reached the lookout. Small yachts with white sails glided across the ocean, seagulls circled and wheeled in the azure sky. The flowers in the lookout garden blazed with color.

Capri in April is such a special time. It was our first visit there in spring time. Our past visits have been in the fall. The garden on the way to the lookout was full of flowers. Hot pink bougainvillea draped the already pretty hotel entrances.

Each trip to Capri we have been drawn to a beautiful ceramic store owned by Adele and Silvia, on Via Fuorlovado. We spent a delightful hour there choosing delicate hand crafted ceramic bowls in shades of lilac and deep, velvety violet. We weren't sure how they'd take it, so didn't let on who the bowls were for - pampered pussy cats.

In the same narrow street was the artist Massimo Federico, with an exhibit in Galleria d'Arte Personale. One painting in particular of the spectacular Faraglioni Rocks called to me. From Capri to my home in Canberra, this yachting scene is a daily reminder of the view from the lookout high above the town.



I Faraglioni Rocks, Capri


Back down the funicular, we returned to Sorrento on the ferry. The taxi ride up to our cliff side hotel was an experience as our driver attempted to make it in record breaking time. To calm our jangled nerves, Dean Martin sang soothing Italian songs on the car’s cassette player.

Once more that evening, as we sat on our balcony overlooking the Bay of Naples in the lemon scented air, we saluted each other with our Amaretto glasses and said at the same time, "We should do more of this."