Capri...

Finally arriving at the Marina Grande located on the north side of the island, I was immediately struck by the surrounding steep cliffs. I felt so tiny. Then I wondered where is the town? As I found out, this area was simply a marina. After asking a friendly local in my less than perfect Italian, I was instructed to take a funicular to the town of Capri.

To give you a taste of the long and storied history of Capri, I have picked out a few tidbits…

~Modern excavations have shown that human presence on the island can be dated back to the Neolithic and the Bronze Ages.

~In 27 AD, Emperor Tiberius built the Villa Jovis, considered one of the best preserved Roman villas in Italy. Tiberius permanently moved to Capri, running the Roman Empire from there until his death in 37 AD.

~After the end of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, Capri returned to the status of a dominion of Naples, and suffered various attacks and ravages by pirates.

~In 866 AD, Emperor Louis II gave the island to the town of Amalfi.

~In 1496 AD, Frederick established legal and administrative equality the two settlements of Capri and Anacapri in 1496 AD.

~In 1806, the French and then the British troops occupied the island for control. Capri was turned into a powerful naval base nicknamed the “Second Gibraltar.”

~In the latter half of the 19th century, Capri became a popular resort for European artists, writers and other celebrities. This trend continues today.

Ok, now back to my adventure…the funicular. If you never saw or rode in one before, you should. After purchasing a ticket for € 1, 30, I stepped inside the station and boarded a small tram (funicular) full of windows. Moving was a strange sensation. You are seated with your backside to the mountain and travel upwards and backwards at the same time. You are able to see breathtaking views as you travel towards the top. The entire ride took only 3 minutes. Good for the locals who use it as daily transportation, bad for those of us “tourists” that tried snapping a bazillion pictures on the way up. Did I mention how spectacular the views were?

Upon my arrival to the actual town of Capri, I could now see all the restaurants and shopping I saw advertised in the brochures. It was like being in the center of everything and still being able to walk to your 5 star hotel. Notice I didn't say my 5 star hotel. The best part of the town was the lack of vehicle traffic. Capri (town) is perched upon a cliff overlooking the water. There is only so much room to build and when the structures were originally built, modern vehicles didn’t exist. The streets are narrow, twisty and steep, very few could have accommodated even the smallest vehicle. I can’t imagine being a DHL or UPS delivery driver there.

After walking around town, I decided it was time to actually visit some of the more historical sights on my list. I purchased a ticket for the local bus. As I have mentioned before, Italy is a land of chaotic, schizophrenic driving peppered with near misses. The ride across the island and then back down to the marina was by far the most exciting and scary any kind of ride I have ever experienced. As you leave Capri and head west towards Anacapri, the island continues in its' mountainous and hair pin nature. Being the consummate photographer, I had to sit at the front of the bus next to the driver to have the best, unobstructed view of all things that I might need a photo of. Little did I know that I was going to be tossed about and needed both hands just to hang on. The roadway, similar to all roads in Europe was tight. One car fits comfortably, two; someone has to pull into a driveway to pass. As I mentioned before, I was on the bus! Granted it was smaller than those stateside but it was still a huge vehicle in comparison to anything else on the road. Evidently, the rule of thumb was the largest vehicle always had the right of way. If another oncoming vehicle dared tried to pass, our driver would stop, honk, shout out the window and make the other driver back up into a driveway so that we could pass. The shouting only occurred if the other driver forgot about the "rule." By the way, this all occurred on roadways without shoulders and low guardrails. Good God, don’t look out the side window if your afraid of heights.

Finally reaching Anacapri, I thanked our driver and began to explore the town. If Capri is a metropolitan city, Anacapri is like a small town that time forgot. After the frenetic pace of Capri with all the restaurants, shops and luxury hotels, Anacapri was like a breath of fresh air. The narrow, steep and twisty streets continued but instead of tourists clogging the streets, local townspeople hung laundry on the line and gardened. Noisy kids played in the square and people scrubbed their front windows and steps. There were few shops by comparison and small trattorias for coffee. As I strolled around the town, I noticed that all houses had several things in common. Everyone’s house had lovely flowers; yes I was very jealous, painted ceramic tiles on their steps and/or around their doorways and wrought iron detailing on their homes. The flowers on the island were a botanists dream. I wanted to move there immediately.

In my travels, I found a chairlift that connected the center of Anacapri with the peak of Mount Solaro, the highest point on the island at 1933 feet above sea level. It was just like it sounds where you sit on a chair with your feet dangling and a small bar to hold you in. The side of the mountain is only about 30 feet below you at all times. You travel above houses, backyards, people, etc. The experience was fun but I had this fear that my shoes were going to fall off and knock out some poor old grandma working on her garden. Other than worrying about that, I spent a majority of the time snapping pictures. It was hard to believe but the view was even better than on the funicular. On the chairlift, you had a full 360° view.

When I arrived at the top, I could see both sides of the island at the same time. I also spotted in the distance, the “Faraglioni Rocks.” Legend has it that when Odysseus made the journey home to Ithaca, Circe warned him of the dangers of the singing creatures (Sirens) that lured men to their death on the rocks around their island. In order to have safe passage, he should have his men plug their ears with beeswax and tie him to the mast to keep him from escaping. Odysseus had his men do so. As they passed the island, the three Sirens began to sing beautifully, promising him wisdom and knowledge of past and future. Enchanted by their song, he struggled and tried to break free, but two of his men bound him even more tightly until they passed beyond the island. In Greek mythology, the “Sirenum scopuli” were three small rocky islands where the Sirens lived and lured sailors to their deaths. According to Homer, those rocks are what is now known as the “Faraglioni Rocks.”

View from Mt. Solaro, starting from the left/land side, Stella (Star) is the first rock, the second, separated by water is Faraglione di Mezzo (middle) and the third, Faraglione di Fuori (outside). Small blue lizards matching the sea live on top where the elevation is about 328 feet.

Next up, a visit with my friend Tiberius at the Villa Jovis...

Cliffside along the Amalfi Coast…

One day, I took the Circumvesuviana train from Napoli to Sorrento. This particular train system was closer to a glorified metro train with the "squeeze in where you can/no assigned seating" mentality; much different from the Eurostar trains I had grown accustomed to lately. Up until this point, the comfortable seats and scenic beauty spoiled me. After paying the nominal fee, I sat on my suitcase (as no seats were available) and prepared myself for my 1 1/2 hour ride along the coast to Sorrento. This sounds like it would be a scenic journey but the traintracks are inland just enough to block any view of the water.

Upon my arrival in Sorrento, I walked thru the narrow streets, past the Piazza Tasso to a small bed and breakfast located on the Corso Italia. The bed and breakfast was well disguised from the street and I walked right past it the first time. After checking the address again, I found it located near a pharmacy. My flat was was on the 2nd floor and consisted of a living room/ dining room area with a tiny kitchenette, bedroom and private bathroom. Perfect. The best part were the floor to ceiling windows with a railing creating a makeshift balcony overlooking the main street (Corso Italia). Each day, I enjoyed drinking my morning coffee and watching all of the school children walk past on the street below.

Every evening at 1900 hours, the area around the Piazza Tasso turned into a pedestrian zone encompassing a portion of the Corso Italia as well. For many locals and visitors alike, it was the place to be and be seen. Parents, children, dogs, tourists, everyone was outside visiting with one another, enjoying the many restaurants in the mild climate.

One morning, I awoke to a beautiful, sunny day, standard fare in this part of Italy. The temperature was in the mid 70’s and the sky was crystal clear with just a few wispy clouds. A sky that I believe can only be seen around the Mediterranean Sea. The blue water reflects and the area has a certain luminous quality. Feeling full of vim and vigor, I decided to explore the Island of Capri, located a few miles off the Amalfi coast.

Up until this point, I had explored the local area visiting the Basilica di Sant'Antonino and browsing the small shopping streets overflowing with hand-made painted ceramics and wood inlay (marquetry) boxes. I spent the evenings enjoying the restaurants lining the piazza, people watching and sampling the semi-sweet local Limoncello accompanying the fantastic cuisine. After the frantic pace of exploring every museum and gallery in Firenze the previous week, visiting the Amalfi coast was like being on vacation during my vacation. It was utterly relaxing.

Anyways, I decided that it was a perfect day to walk down to the marina and catch one of the many boats that cross daily from Sorrento to Capri. If I haven’t mentioned it before, Sorrento, like many small towns that dot the Amalfi coast, was built on a cliff that overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea. The view from the main town area overlooking the marina is amazing. However, ladies beware, walking down to the marina does not mean, putting on your cute, strappy sandals, a sundress and easily strolling towards the water. After my initial attempt, in strappy sandals, I discovered, there are a couple of ways to get to the marina on foot. The first is walking along the roadway and its hairpin turns. Walking along any roadway in Italy is a foolish endeavor. (The absolute disregard of signs, turn signals, suicidal vespas, etc, reinforce the reasons why I never drive in country.) Also, I am not that big of a thrill seeker to tempt fate and wind up in the hospital. The second and safer method is to follow the pedestrian path that connects using a series of steps and landings. By the way, both methods are not recommended after partaking in a glass or two or three of Limoncello, and that's a whole other story...

Anyways, onwards to lovely Capri. Because Sorrento is centrally located along the Amalfi coast, it boasts several daily ferries and hydrofoils to Capri as well as Ischia. After looking at all the choices, I decided to live on the edge, skip the “plain old ferry”, and go for the “hydrofoil.” I was not sure what to expect initially but I figured with a name like that, it would probably be fast and fun. When the hydrofoil arrived, it was smaller then the ferry and much quicker. It reminded me of a large powerboat on steroids. The ride itself was only about 30 minutes and cost about 12 euros. Next stop…Capri.

Happy New Year to Everyone!

The last few weeks around the holidays have been crazy but I will be posting my travel tidbits again very soon.

Thanks for checking :)

Ancient lie detector?

At the foot of the Aventine hills in an area close to the Tiber River is the tallest medieval bell tower in Rome. Constructed in the 6th century, the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin was built atop the Forum Boarium, famous for being the site of the first gladiatorial contest in Rome in 264 BC.

Around 782 BC, Greek monks escaping persecution decorated the church and called it, “de Schola la Graeca.” Because of its incredible beauty, “Cosmedin” (from Greek kosmidion), was added to its name.

Nevertheless, what does this have to do with an ancient lie detector? In Rome, that ancient lie detector is called the “Bocca Della Verità,” or the “Mouth of Truth.” I set off in search for this “mouth” on a rainy mid-September morning. After wandering around nearby streets in the pouring rain, I sought shelter in a telephone booth and decided to finally check my “trusty tourist map.” Up until this point, I was looking for this mask to be located on the side of a building or in a park like a monument. This should explain the wandering around in the general area. My map failed to indicate that the “mouth” was located inside a building.

Across the street, I saw a tour bus full of noisy teenagers stop in front of Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, excitedly clutching their cameras and wondered what they were looking at.

Housed in a small, narrow portico to the left side of the church’s entrance resides the “Bocca Della Verità”, a man-like face with an open mouth depicting an image of the river god. The piece was placed in the portico of the Santa Maria in Cosmedin in 1632. to give you an idea of the face, and its size, here are some facts I learned about it:

1. This stone medallion is about 5 feet 9 inches (1.75m) in diameter with a width of about 7 inches (19cm).

2. It weighs approximately 26,400 lbs (1200 Kg).

3. The material used is called “Pavonazzetto” marble quarried from Docimium in Frigia, which is now modern day Turkey.

4. The estimated age of the piece is about 2200 years old.

5. Trying to get a picture without 57 kids sticking their hands in the “mouth” was slightly easier than trying to perform open-heart surgery on myself. Fortunately, my best friend is taller than me and delicately moved people out of the way to take a photo. (See slideshow).

My first question was, “How does it stay attached to the portico’s wall?” followed by, “What a scary face” and “Who’s nightmare was this an image of?” I still do not know who the artist was. Some versions of its original purpose, pre-lie detector days are: part of a fountain, a manhole cover, or unusual art (just kidding on the third one). However, the most widely accepted version of its second career was its role as a lie detector.

According to popular belief, when taking an oath, Romans would place their right hand into the mouth of the face. If they perjured themselves, the mouth would close and their hand would be stuck for all to see. Other similar versions say a liar would loose his hands if he placed them in the mouth, or the mouth would bite off his hands.

A famous story…

It is said that the wife of a roman noble was accused of adultery. The wife denied the accusations, but her husband wanted to put her to the test by making place her hand inside the stone mouth. The wife knew she was lying, feared losing her hand, and decided to trick her husband. In front of a crowd that had gathered around the “Mouth of Truth,” she had a man, her actual lover, to run up to her and kiss her. She pretended she did not know who he was, and accused him of being a “madman”, and had the crowd chase him away.

When she put her hand into the mouth, the woman said she had never kissed any other man apart from her husband except for the “madman” who had just kissed her. This trick showed she had not lied and therefore her hand was saved. After that, the “Mouth of Truth” lost its credibility and since that day, it no longer carries out its function as a moral judge.

The beginning of a love affair…

Jetlag is a great equalizer. I often find myself out an about exploring my new environs during odd times of the day, also known as regular population going to work hours, and non tourist hours.

For example, one morning I woke up very early, sunrise early, decided to take a walk. It was my first visit to Rome and I wanted to take in the sights. The weather was perfect that morning, with a cool start and would later warm up to shorts and t-shirt weather. Looking at my map, I decided to head for the Coliseum. I figured, it was one of the most recognizable structures in the world, how could I make it to Rome and not see it. I got on the Red line of the Metro, sat down in a seat and headed for the Coliseum. Little did I know how rare it was to get a seat on the Metro, but as I mentioned before it was early and the Metro, well that is a whole other story. When I arrived at my stop, Colosseo, and exited, I knew that the Coliseum was nearby but I had no idea how close. I guess the name of the metro stop should have been a hint.

As I exited the Metro, there it was. Huge, gigantic, enormous, I cannot begin to describe it. Now, I was familiar with the Coliseum, the history behind it and what it looked like from watching specials on television and reading books but I was not prepared for the sheer enormity of the structure. WOW! It was at that moment that I knew I came to the right place. That this vacation was going to be amazing and I was going to learn a lot whether I wanted to or not. I was so astounded by the sheer size of it that I snapped a picture, looking like a goofy tourist, right next to the Metro’s exit. Now keep in mind, it was barely dawn and the only tourists outside besides me were…well, nobody, just me.

As I stood there for a few minutes, taking in the grandeur and visualizing how it once looked, according to the history channel, I wondered how many people over the centuries watched the sun rise over the Coliseum. I found a nice, low wall along the Piazza del Colosseo and decided to relax and people watch. I stayed there for about 45 minutes, planning my day. As walked over towards the Roman Forum, I realized that sometimes first impressions really do make lasting impressions. I have been there countless times over the years but I find that my favorite time of day to visit is in the early hours, before the throngs of tourists, charter busses, and groups. I realize that I too am a tourist but I feel like I belong there.

Welcome!

Why start a blog out of the clear blue?

Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to travel extensively both in the United States and internationally. Each time I return, friends and family always asked me similar questions about where I have been, what was my favorite place I visited and do I have pictures? After noticing a disinct pattern, I decided to get my act together and step into the 21st century by developing a blog that would show nice pictures with a little history about each and my experiences in each place.

I have attempted to keep a written journal, (yes, old fashioned) but for reasons unknown to me, I would write in it for a month, misplace it, etc... I hope you enjoy this blog as much as I enjoy creating it. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to drop in and leave a post. I don't claim to be an expert traveller but I have picked up some tricks along the way.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION