Capri

Early in the morning we take the boat from Sorrento to Capri. Just like yesterday the view is not clear. We see dark clouds growing in the sky above Sorrento. We have to wait a long time before our boat leaves, you know how it goes: hurry, hurry, the woman that sold us our tickets warns us the boat can leave any minute, so we run but once we are on the boat nothing happens any more. Except for the clouds, that look more threatening every time we look up. I certainly don't hope it will start to rain again exactly when we are on a boat without shelter? I look at Jac, who has a bad influence on rain, but he looks very neutral. No, the clouds grow darker and darker but it doesn't start to rain yet and at last our boat starts for Capri. We sail close to the coast and pass our camping, hidden in a orchard on a steep slope, we just see the top of our caravan. On sea a little wind starts, very refreshing after days and nights of temperatures above 30 degrees. The island of Capri suddenly seems very close, almost a hallucination the way its steep rocks raise abruptly from the water. The sky above Capri is clear blue, no clouds to be seen. It is not difficult to imagine some sirens on one of the smaller rocks.

For me not the sirens lure, but Capri itself. Capri is an incredible beautiful island. The harbor is full of tourists and I am disappointed when we find that the 'Grotta Azzurra' is not open because of the heavy sea. Other caves can be visited, but this blue cave must be the most beautiful cave. Jac and I don't understand the problem, the sea seems totally quiet to our eyes. But OK, now we have much more time to visit the island and afterwards we certainly don't regret that! Except maybe for Jac the climbing from the harbor up to the central city of Capri - we could have taken a tourist tram or, even worse, an open taxi, but what can be nicer than following the small stairs and finding our own way up? We arrive in the Piazza Umberto, feeling very hot. A friendly waiter guesses all our wishes and supplies us with seats in the shadow, cold water and an enormous coupe granita lemon - smashed ice cubes mixed with lemon. Delicious! The only drawback was we had to pay 15 dollars, even compared to other touristic-Italian-square-prices a bit much!

We follow a small street out of the center - just broad enough to enable two donkeys or fat tourists to pass each other, stumbling on the round street stones. On both sides of the street walls are made of loosely stacked stones, front doors are surrounded by flowers in pots, intricately formed metal gates close entrances to flower gardens, blue and pink ceramic name plates are fixed to the walls, next to niches with a small statue of Maria. I'm just a little taller than the walls and on the other side I see disorderly gardens with rocking chairs, ivy-grown white houses, small vine yards, far ahead the blue sea and even further the utmost end of the Sorrento peninsula.

It gets more quiet when we walk on. The center of Capri is crowded with tourists, but only some tourist walk around, most stay close to the center. Notwithstanding the tourists the character of the island is unchanged, it is not difficult to imagine the island hundreds of years ago. The view becomes wider and after a sharp curve in the road we stand in front of a terrace of a restaurant, from which the view on the sea is perfect. We find a free table in the shade and enjoy the wide view, it is almost as if we are sitting on a high deck on a boat, the sea seems to be very close, as if we can take a dive from here! We enjoy a local wine, which combines well with the home made ravioli, filled with goat cheese - also home made.

We take our time to relax on the terrace. Afterwards we follow the path further to the 'Arco Naturale', a naturally formed enormous arch curved hole in the rock. Through the arch we can see the sea, far below us, difficult to see how far below us, the tiny dimensions of the boats below give some indication. There are a lot of boats close to the coast, rounding the island, mooring in one of the bays, visiting the caves. Far away the sea looks azure blue, close to the rocks the water colors turquoise and directly below us we can easily see the bottom through the crystal clear very light blue water. We catch some wind here, high on the rocks sitting on a stone bench in the shadow of a tree. The wind carries the fragrance of pine trees and flowers.

While we walk back to the harbor, passing the cloister and popular shopping streets, I imagine I'm living here. OK, maybe not in August, but spring and autumn will be beautiful. Autumn in Holland can also be beautiful, but this year it drizzles for weeks and I can't help remembering Capri. Don't do that to often, or you start to think about moving for serious !

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