Chris and I left our boys in the care of my mom and my sister, Amy, and boarded a flight to Rome. Armed with a 20 page diatribe on how to care for our boys that boarded on obsessive and days of hearing about how to do this and that, I think they were happy to see us go. Our flight seemed endless (9 and a half hours from Atlanta to Rome) and we arrived at nearly 7am, though our bodies were convinced it was only 2. We navigated successfully from the plane to the train that took us to the Termini station (the main train terminal in Rome) and then on a train to Naples. As we started our transition into Italian culture, an initial paralysis took over. I studied Italian in college (five semesters), so it is the foreign language I know best but that isn't saying much. Chris and I studied on www.livemocha.com (a kind of language learning facebook, really cool!) and bought some quick guides and a translation dictionary, but it still wasn't enough for the rapid dialogue that was erupting all around us. I dread saying idiotic things (which should keep me mute in English too), so my initial hope was that we could travel without having to talk to anyone for a week. However, Chris jumped in and started talking to people, and soon I found myself saying a few things as well. By the end of our trip, I had a hard time not thinking in Italian.
We arrived in Naples at 10 am after taking the fast train (which reached 300 km per hour!) and left our luggage at a security center so that we could wander the streets and get lunch. Naples and it's chaos hit the senses immediately and at first it was almost a little too much for my tired body. Chris and I wandered the streets, looking at churches and window shopping, though mostly intent on locating Da Michele's for lunch. Da Michele's claims to have invented pizza and they still make it the same way today: thin, light crust covered with an amazing tomato sauce and chunks of fresh mozzarella and a sprig of basil, and then tossed into an intense brick oven for a few minutes. They only make the one kind of pizza and it is perfection! It was our first meal in Italy and we couldn't have asked for a better one.
After lunch, we were ready for our next adventure, which included a bus ride to the port and a boat ride to Capri. In Capri, we caught another bus that navigated the narrow, windy Capri roads to Aiano Bed and Breakfast, where we met our charming hosts, Tony and Giusy. A native of Capri (I'm pretty sure he was born in the same house), Tony saw Capri change from a rest camp for American soldiers in World War II to a sun-soaked collection of terraces and shops where the wealthy and famous have been known to play. His bed and breakfast (which is also his home) is a masterpiece of Capri living with its lovely gardens and terraces. Our room is charming and the view is amazing. The space is large with a comfortable bed and sitting area, and the balcony and terrace overlook the Capri village down to the ocean. Tony is an adept guide and he gave several great suggestions for seeing the island and finding good eats. However, the best amenity is the lovely breakfast we ate the next morning on our own terrace. Tony brought us scrambled eggs, a basket of breads and pastries, a platter of meats and cheese, peach juice, and a plate of fruit with fresh oranges and grapefruits from his own citrus grove (which also includes the island famous lemons).
Despite our bodies crying for sleep, we headed out after checking into our room so that we could see some of the island and try to acclimate to our new sleep schedule (Capri is 5 hours ahead of Charlotte). Capri is covered with paved foot paths that are literally a life-saver as the narrow roads barely fit cars let alone people; in fact, many of the main attractions and hotels can only be reached by foot. One detail that I loved about our walk is that all the signs and house names are painted ceramic tilesWe walked a path down to the Piazatta and enjoyed browsing through the shops and eventually made it to Verginello's for dinner. I ordered a scampi dish, thinking it would have shrimp (as it is served in America), but instead learned that true scampi is a kind of small lobster with a tail and claws. The tail was very tender and tasty, and it was fun having something new and unexpected. After dinner, we were happy to head back to Aiano for some solid sleep after being awake for nearly 38 hours (I didn't sleep much on the plane as usual).
We arrived in Naples at 10 am after taking the fast train (which reached 300 km per hour!) and left our luggage at a security center so that we could wander the streets and get lunch. Naples and it's chaos hit the senses immediately and at first it was almost a little too much for my tired body. Chris and I wandered the streets, looking at churches and window shopping, though mostly intent on locating Da Michele's for lunch. Da Michele's claims to have invented pizza and they still make it the same way today: thin, light crust covered with an amazing tomato sauce and chunks of fresh mozzarella and a sprig of basil, and then tossed into an intense brick oven for a few minutes. They only make the one kind of pizza and it is perfection! It was our first meal in Italy and we couldn't have asked for a better one.
After lunch, we were ready for our next adventure, which included a bus ride to the port and a boat ride to Capri. In Capri, we caught another bus that navigated the narrow, windy Capri roads to Aiano Bed and Breakfast, where we met our charming hosts, Tony and Giusy. A native of Capri (I'm pretty sure he was born in the same house), Tony saw Capri change from a rest camp for American soldiers in World War II to a sun-soaked collection of terraces and shops where the wealthy and famous have been known to play. His bed and breakfast (which is also his home) is a masterpiece of Capri living with its lovely gardens and terraces. Our room is charming and the view is amazing. The space is large with a comfortable bed and sitting area, and the balcony and terrace overlook the Capri village down to the ocean. Tony is an adept guide and he gave several great suggestions for seeing the island and finding good eats. However, the best amenity is the lovely breakfast we ate the next morning on our own terrace. Tony brought us scrambled eggs, a basket of breads and pastries, a platter of meats and cheese, peach juice, and a plate of fruit with fresh oranges and grapefruits from his own citrus grove (which also includes the island famous lemons).
Despite our bodies crying for sleep, we headed out after checking into our room so that we could see some of the island and try to acclimate to our new sleep schedule (Capri is 5 hours ahead of Charlotte). Capri is covered with paved foot paths that are literally a life-saver as the narrow roads barely fit cars let alone people; in fact, many of the main attractions and hotels can only be reached by foot. One detail that I loved about our walk is that all the signs and house names are painted ceramic tilesWe walked a path down to the Piazatta and enjoyed browsing through the shops and eventually made it to Verginello's for dinner. I ordered a scampi dish, thinking it would have shrimp (as it is served in America), but instead learned that true scampi is a kind of small lobster with a tail and claws. The tail was very tender and tasty, and it was fun having something new and unexpected. After dinner, we were happy to head back to Aiano for some solid sleep after being awake for nearly 38 hours (I didn't sleep much on the plane as usual).
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