Gorgeous Sorrento and Capri

7-7-07

Talk about the most beautiful places in the world! Sorrento is a cute little beach town situated on top of enormous cliffs with beaches, marinas, and amazing views. Our hostel/campsite was conveniently located at the very tip top of the cliff, so we opted for the bus ride instead of climbing. We were a little nervous about the condition of our accommodations because this was in fact a hostel and we had seen the movie and heard the horror stories. When we walked onto the grounds, we were pleasantly surprised and on the verge of ecstatic. It was perfect! There were trees everywhere, a pool, a market, a restaurant, great views, and a beach. High five for Jessie and me for booking such a great place. We had the option of staying in a “dormitory,” a tent, a camper, or a cabin. Guess which one we chose…the cabin. The cabin had one double bed and one single, for Brice, and some lawn chairs outside to look out onto the coast. Our shared bathroom and shower was a good two minute walk down the hill. We immediately threw down our bags, put on our swimsuits and headed for the pool because day light was fading fast. After traveling all morning, it was so nice to swim and nap in the sun. The stresses of the day completely melted away. Before the sun went down for the day, we left the campgrounds and hiked higher looking for good photo ops of the coast. However, the higher you climb, the more trees stand in your way. So back down the hill we go. I was feeling the burn already. We turned back into our campsite and found that the best views were down by the beach. The beach was located all the way down the hill and was littered with small, glazed tiles instead of sand. I took a handful as souvenirs. The sunset was so beautiful that I think we all used an entire memory card because we could not stop watching. When we finally pulled ourselves away, we hiked back to the cabin and fell into our beds. We were more than exhausted and were planning to rise early to catch the ferry to Capri.
Around 7:30, we got out of bed, walked down to the restroom, packed our things, checked out of the cabin, and hiked down to Marina Grande. It was a peaceful morning walk, but the Marina was buzzing with tourists waiting for ferries. We had heard rumors that ferry tickets were 50 Euro, so we were crossing our fingers for cheaper prices. And we found them! They were less than 20. The ferry was huge and when in motion, it rocked back and forth just enough to put me to sleep, which isn’t too surprising. I fall asleep to everything. The ferry docked and we hustled our way off and to the nearest boat tour stand. It was the greatest investment I have made here. Well, except for my leather boots. The boat took us around the entire island and weaved between hundreds of rich and famous yachts, such as Roberto Cavalli. We visited hidden grottos, passed under huge arches carved into floating boulders, marveled at cliff side neighborhoods, where Georgio Armani lives, and soaked up every ray of sun in the Italian Riviera. The only disappointment was the two hour wait for the Grotto Azzurro. This was supposed to be the highlight of Capri because you can hop off the boat and swim through the caves. Obviously, we were not the only ones excited about swimming there. The other highlight of Capri is found on land. Handmade, leather sandals. At the sandal stores, you choose a design from the wall, the strap color or colors, and then the workers begin making your sandal. I was waiting in line with my design and colors in mind, but backed out at the last minute. I know, I know. Why would I pass up handmade, Italian sandals? I am actually not sure why I decided against them, but I do know it is a very hard subject to discuss. Moving on…We stopped for a quick lunch before boarding the ferry and I ordered fried calamari. Oh how I have missed seafood. It was a satisfying meal and I left Capri one happy girl. As we were pulling away from the dock, I decided that once I make my first million, I will buy a white house in the fancy neighborhood, rent the yacht from Roberto Cavalli, and spend every summer vacationing there. Sounds like a fantastic, realistic plan to me.