Chan Weng Kit's Blogspot: DAY 626

May 20th

1) Today was essentially the final day of touring - and what better way to spend it than by visiting Capri - the exact same location where Wilson from the short story "The Lotus Eater" (if you did Form 4 English about ten years back this should sound familiar) died, overlooking the beautiful bay of Naples. So to start things off, we went to the Port of Naples, where we had breakfast at Lavazza, before taking the ferry to Marina Grande, Capri! From there, we took a short bus ride to Anacapri (Capri's slightly elevated cousin), and then the Monte Solaro chair lift, which brought us right to the top of the 589-m Monte Solaro - the highest point in Capri.

2) From the peak, we could see the three famous "faraglioni" (sea stacks). Part of the Campanian archipelago, they are named: Stella (109m), Mezzo (82m), and Scopolo/ Fuori (106m). We took a break at a cafe to let the views sink in, and to grab some shots of the statue of Emperor Augustus. We also explored the Villa San Michele, whose gardens are adorned with many relics and works of art dating from ancient Egypt and other periods of classical antiquity. Next, we went down the mountain, before taking a slight detour from the main street Via G. Orlandi to the lovely piazza - where the modest-looking Church of San Michele is located. While its facade is unpretentious, the handpainted tiled-ceramic (majolica) floor depicting the expulsion of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is extraordinary!

3) We then continued on to the heart of Capri - Piazza Umberto I, known to everyone as the Piazzeta ("little piazza"). We kept on along this path until we reached the Gardens of Augustus (originally known as the Krupp Gardens). From here it was possible to get a 180-degree panoramic view of the island of Capri, with Mount Solaro, the bay of Marina Piccola, and the "faraglioni" all visible. It is a shame that Via Krupp was not open on that day (due to the danger of falling rocks). Via Krupp is a historic swithback (hairpin turn) paved footpath that connects the Charterhouse of San Giacomo and the Gardens of Augustus area with Marina Piccola, with an elevation difference of about 100m. Regardless, we still managed to take some ridiculous photos. :)

4) With noon fast approaching, we returned to Capri for lunch. We tried their special - swordfish, and squid-ink pasta. A unique experience indeed! Right after, we took the ferry back to Naples, where further sight-seeing was mandatory XD First off was Castel dell'Ovo ("Egg Castle") - a seaside castle located on the former island of Megaride, now a peninsula. A fun fact to know is that this castle is the oldest standing fortification in Naples! We were quite tired after the walk, so we sat down in a cafe - to take refuge from the Sun and indulge in some snacks. Afterwards, we continued walking past Piazza Plebiscito and Galleria Umberto I once more, before making our way back to our apartment.

5) In the evening, we decided to have dinner at Osteria da Antonio, which was (thankfully) very close to our AirBnB. We were indeed very lucky that we went early - there were no other available tables than the one we got! Anyway, the restaurant has a 4.5 rating on TripAdvisor, and the lasagna is the main go-to dish. To quote the waiter who served us - the best lasagna in the world! I don't profess to having good taste buds, but it was absolutely delicious! We also tried the spaghetti and tuna steak - which were both delectable in their own right.

6) After a heavy meal, it was time to return home - or was it? We wondered around the streets -looking for souvenirs to buy, before deciding on our favourite snack - gelato from Il Gelato! It was a fitting end to what has been a surreal experience, and we have been unbelievably lucky for the good weather throughout the journey. Tomorrow would be our last day here in Italy, so until then, take care and enjoy the beautiful pics. Cheers! :)

Enjoying a glass of orange juice at Monte Solaro

Via Krupp (with it's many hairpin turns)

Church of San Michele

(with it's majolica floor)

Ascending the spiral staircase of the church to get the complete view of the beautiful floor

At the Gardens of Augustus

With the three "faraglioni" by the distance

By the marina

Taking the chair-lift up Monte Solaro

Statue of Emperor Augustus who first arrived here (in Capri)

The handpainted floor depicting the expulsion of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden

What a view! :)

The spiral staircase

All aboard who's going aboard ^^

In the Gardens of Augustus

Helping a lady take a photo :)

Statue of Emperor Augustus :D

The entire view of the majolica floor

Huge ice block!

(perfect for a hot day - just look at my sunburnt left hand!)

Piazza San Nicola

Enjoying "roti aiskrim" (brioche con gelato)

We opted for the more traditional 2 scoop with whipped cream. Heavenly!

Osteria da Antonio - we were so lucky to get a table!

Tuna steak with wedge of lemon

Spaghetti

Their famed lasagna - the best in the world (!)

Galleria Umberto I

Piazza Plebiscito

Chilling at "GUD" after our trudge up to see Castel dell'Ovo

Two scoops of chocolate gelato - delish! ^^

Castel dell'Ovo

Lunch before leaving Capri :)

The swordfish with marinated potatoes was absolutely stunning :)

Lasagna was great ^^

It's full name is "Pesce all'acqua pazza con patate" or fish poached in "crazy water" (a Neapolitan method of poaching fish) with potatoes and cherry tomatoes