Isle de Capri

Isle de Capri, the island shaped like a crocodile, appearing faintly on the horizon, from the port of Naples, was another adventure for us. Today was the month anniversary of our trip in Italy. I was very happy.

Capri was a stark mass of limestone that rose sheerly through impossibly turquoise water. Breathtaking. The island was a smooth cocktail of chichi piazzas and cool cafes, Roman ruins and rugged cliffs. On a minibus, we headed up to Anacapri, the higher of the two villages on the island of Capri. It was four hundred metres above sea level, and here was a chairlift that took you up to the highest level of Capri, 598 metres above sea level. We decided to take it before our lunch. The ride up was scenic and breezy. I could see the villages of Capri and Anacapri, which looked like Greek villages with all the whitewashed houses. The sea was calm and tranquil, and because the water was sky blue, it looked like part of the sky, and that boats were sailing on the sky. It was so pretty.

The view from the top was SPECTACULAR. I mean, so beautiful. I could see all of Capri. Even a very faint view of the bay of Naples was visible. The clouds were lazily floating around, and boats were speeding around on the water. The boats left their paths on the water, so light blue paths were visible on the calm water. So beautiful...

We had lunch at Anacapri. I had pasta for first course, then calamari for main. Pasta was always good in Italy but calamari...I guess I will learn to like it in the future. Dessert was vanilla gelato. Yum yum!

We took the bus down to Capri after lunch. This village sat 200 metres above sea level and had the Piazzetta. It was a small square with shops and cafes around it, along with the Funicular, a cable car leading down to the Marina Grande, the port of Capri. After exploring Capri village, we took the funicular down ready to embark on our journey to the blue grotto, the most famous part of Capri.

The trip to the cove of Grotta Azzura, the blue grotto, was long but comfortable on the cushioned seats of the speedboat. The entrance to the grotto was only one metre high, on low tide, so we had to board a rowboat, and an oarsman rowed us into the tiny entrance of the grotto.

The entrance to the cave was so low, that in the tiny wooden rowboat, we all had to lie flat on our backs. The rower abandoned his oar and grabbed a chain on the side of the entrance. He pulled us in, bending back further and further to get in. Then he snapped back up, and we were in the grotto.

It was magical. Pure magic. The stunning sea cave was illuminated by an other worldly blue. Most of the light that came in through the entrance was filtered by the sea water, so only the blue light could get in. It truly was blue. Electric blue. The illuminated water was just beautifully blue. Amazing. Unforgettable. I was shellshocked. I mean, this was incredible. Sixty metres long and twenty metres deep, the water was just so BLUE! It glowed, it was fluorescent. I was truly amazed.

After the amazing experience in the grotto, we headed back to Capri to explore further. We walked down the fashion street where we saw a nice pasticceria. We stopped for an afternoon tea with some cookies and pastries. They were soooooooooo nice...

On the boat back, I dozed off to the rhythm of the boat bouncing on the waves. It had been an utterly fantastic day.


Arriving at Isle de Capri



Fantabuluos chair lift with amazing view



Beautiful view during the chair lift



Sky and water just merged...



The tiny entrance into Grotta Azzura



Electrifying blue water...



The fluorescent blue water is very clear too



Just so unbelievably blue, with shiny silver specs on it...



Happy family snap in the Blue Grotto



Capri village



Super yummy chocolate cookies from Capri Island



Hazelnut cookies were to die for...



Neopolitan specialties, Sfogliatella - pleated pastry with custard/ricotta cream inside



I had to buy more cookies back to hotel for leisure snacks!




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Pompeii

Arielle swiftly dodged the lords wine glass, muttering to herself, "Well, Lord Tiveus is drunk again, ah well, a servants life for me..."

Pompeii was home to Arielle, a servant of Lord Tiveus. Tiveus was cruel, and had many wives. But he did give her her wages, and a bed to sleep on. A bed of hay. And minuscule wages. She had been beaten hundreds of times, abused even more, and cursed thousands of times. The third wife, however was kind and gentle, especially to Arielle. Arielle couldn't understand how such a pretty, lovely woman could fall in love with such a cruel man. But there were lots of things Arielle didn't understand. Thinking about all this as she served wine to Tiveus, she bowed down low and and poured his wine. All of a sudden, the ground started shaking and Arielle lost her grip on the jar. Her eyes widening in fear, she looked up at Tiveus, whose face was now getting purple.

"How dare you spill wine in the house of my grace! " Tiveus thundered at Arielle. Reaching into his robes, he pulled out a cat o nine tails whip, with glass shards within it. Arielle's face was streaming with tears, praying for forgiveness as she eyed the whip. But Tiveus was not one for forgiveness. Tying her to a column, he started whipping her with all his might. Arielle screamed and sobbed, writhing in pain. Tiveus's cruel, beady eyes gleamed with greed to cause pain and suffering to Arielle. Blood was pouring down Arielle's back, soaking her simple robes. The third wife, Helena, heard Arielle's screams and came rushing into the room. She started pleading with her husband to stop, but came to no avail. Tiveus was unstoppable.

Suddenly, the ground started shaking violently and a deafening "BOOM" filled the whole town. Tiveus collapsed on the floor, unconscious, and Helena ran to free Arielle of the ropes. They rushed out to investigate.

Helena screamed and Arielle went pale as they saw the sight outside. Mount Vesuvius, the volcano they had thought a mountain, was spewing molten lava. Ash was starting to faintly shroud the town, and the air had become sulphurous. They started running as fast as they could. The house had been on the outskirts of town, so it was easy to run out. A lot of other townsfolk had started running too. They found a horse and chariot at the stables, which they quickly boarded, before anyone else could get it. Arielle whipped the horse as hard as she could, so that they were going very fast. They were soon far away from Pompeii. About two hours later of solid riding,they finally looked back, to faintly see a huge ash and sulphur cloud enveloping their hometown. Pompeii was gone, buried under ash.

"Trin! Trin! TRIN! Come on! The tour is leaving! Move along! TRIN!!!" my mum's yells yanked me out of my reverie. The ancient ruins of Pompeii that sat atop volcanic rock were filled with ancient wonders, unsolved mysteries. Ruined walls formed buildings, buildings that had once housed Pompeiians. I ran along to catch up with my mum and the tour group, marveling at the ruins.

Pompeii was amazing. Incredible. Laneways led off the cobbled main street, and collapsed houses lined the streets. There were a couple of theaters, for the poor and the rich. They had scattered marble decorations, patterned with leaves and flowers. It was very historical.

The main square of Pompeii was large and busy. Ancient statues and columns were scattered around, and the temple of Jupiter was a large, ruined platform in the centre. Off to the side was the wool market, a large, green square where merchants would sell their wool. On the other side were some cages with skeletons of dead Pompeiians, covered with clay. It was very imposing.

The temples, I could tell, used to be very large and grand. Columns rose out of the ground like stone fingers, embellished with decorations. Sacrificial altars were in each one of them, and marble decorations were on the walls. Yes, the temples had been grand.

Houses of the rich were large and luxurious. They had fountains in the entrance room, and then gardens at the back. They were often two stories, the main floor being the first one, because the second one usually only had two or three rooms. They would've been beautiful houses.

On the bus ride back from Pompeii, I realized just how amazing it was. I thought about what life would've been like, and the social hierarchy. The rich on the main street, the poor on the laneways. The size of the houses, the cobbled stone street. It was a lot to take in. It would never leave me.


Teatro Grande of Pompeii - Entertainment was free for all pompeiians






We have traveled back in time to become pompeiians






Our entertaining tour guide telling us all the intriguing stories






The Forum used for meetings by all the pompeiians






One of the streets in Pompeii






Artifacts from Pompeii ruins







I bought a book called "Pompeii Reconstructed" and I would like to share some of the before/after photos with you.

One of the Pompeii streets - Before






One of the Pompeii streets - After






The temple of Apollo - Before






The temple of Apollo - After






The Forum - Before






The Forum - After






The temple of Vespasian - Before






The temple of Vespasian - After






The temple of August Fortune - Before






The temple of August Fortune - After






The house of the tragic poet - Before






The house of tragic poet - After






House of the faun - Before






House of the faun - After






The house of the Vettii - Before






The house of the Vettii - After






Modestum's Bakery - Before (This is my favorite out of all the properties we visited in Pompeii!)






Modestum's Bakery - After







Thermopolium of the Lararium - Before






Thermopolium of the Lararium - After






The College of the Augustali - Before






The College of the Augustali - After








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Assisi

Assisi, a town not far from Perugia sat atop the hill, overlooking the Umbrian countryside. It was the birthplace of St. Francis, who founded the Franciscan religious order in the town in 1208, and St. Clare, the founder of the Poor Sisters, which later became the Order of Poor Clares after her death. This spiritual haven, was also home to many churches and basilicas. We parked our car and headed up.

Wow. Jaw drop. It was incredible. All the marble that made up the architectural wonders were tinted with pink, and the view was spectacular. Green, yellow and brown fields dotted the countryside, and cars were speeding along the highway. We walked into the cathedral of St Clare, awaiting magical experiences.

The cathedral of St Clare was truly beautiful. The glaring sun illuminated the abundant stained glass windows, and the statues were flawlessly carved. Paintings and tapestries adorned the walls, and the marble floor was multicoloured. Plenty of benches were lined up, and lots of people were in silent prayer. We decided to head downstairs, into the tomb of St Clare.

St Clare had been a follower of St Francis, a following that her family strongly resisted. She ran away from her family and became a hermit, like St Frances. Her sister Agatha, ran away to follow Clare, but was caught and dragged back to the house. However, when Agatha asked Clare for help, she became so heavy, that people could not drag her. This was Clare's first miracle. Her other miracles were that of making bread multiply when baking for the poor, making olive oil multiply and her body not decaying after she died. Over time, more and more people joined her in hermitage. They became the Poor Clares.

Downstairs in the tomb was a silent prayer, full of solemnity. St Clare's body was kept in a golden sarcophagus, adorned with sculptures and decorations. Along the walls was kept the story of her life, from being given the olive leaf, to her death. She had been a hermit, like St Francis, living alone with no one but her sisters. It was a lovely story.

After that cathedral, we went to the fort, a thousand year old castle that had housed many important people over the centuries. Three towers rose out of it, all of which you could climb, therefore looking out onto region of Umbria. Climbing up the mountain to get to it, the sun only began to get hotter. Ah well, it would be cool in the stone fort.

It was breathtaking. Ruined walls formed shapes here and there, the courtyards being the most deformed. The towers with tiny windows were perfectly intact though, and so was the tunnel that connected them. Exploring it was so much fun. I almost skipped down the dimly lighted tunnel to the first tower. Once I got to the top though, I couldn't move. The view was so... too good for words. Fields growing plants stretched out towards the horizon, and trees swayed in the breeze. Cars zoomed along, completely ignorant of my piercing gaze. The mountains loomed out of the ground, casting faint shadows on the ground. Beautiful.

The second and third towers both offered similar spectacular sights. I could see everything. This fort was so cool. It would've been so amazing to live here.

After the fort, we returned to explore the town of Assisi. We saw the house where St. Francis lived before he adopted the life of a hermit. We also saw the church where both St. Francis and St. Clare were baptized. We spent some time at Piazza Del Commune before we proceeded to the almighty basilica of St. Francis.

St Francis was born in Assisi in 1181 to a wealthy cloth merchant family and he lived the high-spirited life typical of a wealthy young man, even fighting as a soldier for Assisi. While going off to war in 1204, Francis had a vision that directed him back to Assisi, where he lost his taste for his worldly life. On a pilgrimage to Rome, Francis begged with the beggars at various public places. The experience moved him to live in poverty. Francis returned home, began preaching on the streets, and soon amassed a following. In 1224, Francis received the stigmata, making him the first person to bear the wounds of Christ's Passion. He died in 1226 and two years later, Francis was pronounced a saint. St Francis' first miracle, that of taming a wolf, became famous throughout the world.

We arrived at St Francis basilica. It was HUGE! It had two levels, a lower cathedral and upper cathedral. We went to the lower level first, because it has a crypt that held St Francis's tomb. Immaculately carved statues held abundance in the huge, tavernous room. Stained glass windows lit up the room with bright colours. Candles also illuminated the cathedral. The tomb was also amazing. The tomb was in a golden and glass sarcophagus, surrounded by benches for people to do prayers and reflections. It was dead silent, not a noise. You could hear a pin drop. Really.

The upper level of the cathedral was magical. Detailed frescoes adorned the ceilings and walls. Stained glass windows lit the room with colour. Tours gave a little noise, but not much as they wandered around the church. Wooden benches in the centre of the cathedral were full of people. A truly amazing scene.

The last agenda of the day was the hike up to the sanctuary of St Francis. It was two kilometers to the gate of Assisi and then four kilometres up the mountain to the sanctuary. All uphill. I couldn't wait.

Huff, puff, h-huff, p-puff. We were at the sanctuary. In the sun, it had been tough. But good. It had been a lot of fun. Walking into the sanctuary, I felt as if walking from a noisy, busy square, then into a holy place. Well, this sanctuary WAS holy. But the dynamic instantly changed at the first step onto the ground of the sanctuary. It became more solemn. More peaceful.

The tame flowers, shrubs and trees grew prettily to make the place just beautiful. Inside the little house, I saw some nuns talking. I think they must've been Franciscan nuns. We went down a tiny set of stairs, which led to a miniature alcove, which led to another set of minuscule stairs, and then we were out of the house. We walked down a path, looking at statues and plants. Then we were at the end, at a place with an altar and marble seats. His meditation place. The holy place.

On the way back down, I thought about what I just had seen. I felt, new. Like I had just been refreshed. it was a nice feeling. I would never forget it.

That evening we went to a famous Umbrian restaurant in Assisi. I ordered a Penne all'Arrabbiata. It was so YUMMY! Spicy. Tick! Tomatoey. Tick! Great? TICK! It was awesome.

That night, I dreamt that I was flying over the mountains, through the air. Over Assisi. It was a nice dream. Assisi had been lovely. Really lovely.



Beautiful arches of St. Claire Church




In front of the pink & white St. Claire Church




Statues of St. Francis and St. Clare




The fortress of the Rocca Maggiore




The battlement of the fortress




Long connector corridor between towers




Climbing up the tower




My 'window seat' in the tower - a Rapunzel moment! : )




View from the top of tower




Yay! I love this fort!




Temple of Minerva built 1st century BC!




House of St. Francis before he adopted a life as a hermit




Church of San Rufino where Francis & Claire were baptized




The protected original floor of San Rufino Church




Basilica of San Francesca



My superman look coz singlet is not allowed in the basilica




I made it to the Sanctuary of St. Francis!




My yummy dinner




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