Hello Young Adventurers!

Locations Visited: Capri, Italy. Almalfi, Italy. Sorrento, Italy
Languages Spoken: Italian
Words Learned: Oceano– Ocean. Mare- Sea. Capra-goat

What did you guys think about Pompeii and Vesuvius?  I still can’t believe I was standing on top of a volcano.  The next day was the complete opposite almost.  Were you able to figure out where I went next based on my clues?  The Island is off the coast of Sorrento named Capri, which is similar to the word Capra, or goat.  That also shares it’s name with the goat constellation in the sky, Capricorn.  This post is going to be a bit different- I didn’t learn many new things over these few days, but I got to see some incredible new places I always dreamt of.  Ready to see some beautiful islands, grottos, and water?  Let’s dive in!

I was looking forward to this day for quite a while.  Capri was large on my list for many reasons- but mostly because it is well known for beautiful, crystal clear waters and a wonderful tropical feel.  There’s also a famous grotto, or a small flooded cave, called the Blue Grotto which I was hoping to see.  Unfortunately, it was closed that day due to the waters being too rough to enter, but check it out when you have some time online!  Anyways, I got on my boat early in the morning, and we headed our way to Capri to do some exploring before taking a tour around the island by sea!

It took longer than I thought it would to get to Capri, but it was an amazing ride.  We learned all about the Roman walls along the Sorrento Coast, and got a quick history lesson on Capri. We got off the boat and had about 3 hours to explore the island before we got back.  That sounded like it would be a lot of time… but getting around Capri proved to be way harder than I thought! 

I wanted to see the Blue Grotto, but since it was closed I decided to go to Anacapri, the city on the other side of the island, and go to the top of the mountain.  The ride to Anacapri was a little scary, though.  We were in this tiny little bus because the roads are so small and have a ton of turns right over the edge of some crazy cliffs.  It was pretty fun, though!  We made it to Anacapri, and headed to climb the mountain.

I didn’t realize “climbing” the mountain meant taking a really crazy chairlift up to the top!  I’m not the biggest fan of heights, but sometimes we have to do things that we aren’t comfortable with in order to do something we want to do.  So I jumped on my chairlift and rode to the top.  Honestly…? I had SO MUCH FUN.  It was amazing seeing the island shrink beneath me while being able to see all around.

From the top of the mountain you could see the entire island and surrounding area.  Even Vesuvius could be seen in the background across the bay.  I couldn’t stay long, though, so after walking around a bit, I made my way back down on the chairlift and caught the bus back to the harbor for my boat.  I made it back with less than a minute to spare!  We got back on the boat and began our trip around the island.

This was by far my favorite part.  The ocean was so rich and blue around the boat, and I could see some jellyfish swimming around!  We went halfway around the island, looking at some of the grottos that we could get inside, until we stopped for a break.  The captain of the boat let us all go swimming in the ocean, so naturally I was the first to jump off the boat and swim.  The water was almost 40 meters deep, and yet I could see all the way to the bottom!  I had never been in water that clear before in my life, and it was like a dream come true.

After about an hour of swimming, we got back on the boat and had an Italian meal including a fresh pasta with tomatoes, corn, and such, an eggplant parmesan, and a chocolate almond cake to finish it all up.  It was so good!  We finished our tour, passing by the stone arches and back along the Sorrento coast. We got back pretty late, so I was ready to grab some dinner and head to bed, thankful for the beautiful memories of the day.

The next day I headed to Amalfi.  I was so excited to see the colorful city by the sea nestled into the hills, but was not ready for a crazy, 2 hour bus ride along the coast.  It was worth every second, though, when I finally got off the bus and saw Amalfi for myself. 

There isn’t a ton to really do or see there, but I did get some amazing lemon gelato, and just sat along the shore enjoying the beautiful views.  I really needed to have a low-key day, so I’m not going to pretend I did anything else while here.

After just relaxing for a few hours, I got back on the bus and made my way back to Sorrento where I got dinner and headed to bed.  I have a big 16-hour bus ride coming up to get to my next location.  I have to go back up the boot of Italy so I can get to the country across the Adriatic Sea.  This country is known for its stunning shoreline, a sea-organ, beautiful national parks, and where Game of Thrones was filmed!  Can you figure it out?  Until then,

Have Courage, & Be Kind,

Mr. Weavil