miCapri

Come le viole in primavera tu ritornerai

2011-04-13T08:29:00.000-07:00

On 2011. aasta märts. Tee on mind jälle toonud Napolisse, olgugi, et sedapuhku vaid paariks nädalaks. Omamoodi on ring täis saanud. Eelmisel aastal peaaegu samal ajal sai siit pisarates lahkutud. Pisarates, sest tema jäi sinna. Tema, kellega elu meid kolm aastat ühendanud oli. Pisarates, sest Napoli jäi sinna.

Kummaline, kuidas mõni paik võib südame külge kasvada. Olen end alati pidanud pigem Pariisi tüdrukuks. Elegantsed kohvikud, avarad bulvarid, haute couture mantlis rattaga kojusõitev kaunis madame...Aga seal ta ootas, täpselt üle lahe minu väikesest helesinisest Caprist - iidne, kaunis, uhke Napoli. Lasi merelainetel lungomaret emmata, päikesel loojuda Castel dell'Ovo võimsate müüride taha ja tänavalaulikutel pühendada oode vanale kalurikülale, kes ta kord oli. Ootas. Tumedad silmad säramas päikese käes ja huultel iseteadev naeratus - Sa tuled siia. Sa jääd siia.

Ja ma tulin. Ja tulen üha uuesti. Üks tark vana napollane ütles mulle kord: vaata, kui õnnelikud me siin oleme. Rooma ja Milaano saavad endale küll rohkem turiste, aga meie osaks langevad need kõige paremad. Need, kes tulevad siia armastusest Napoli ajaloo, kultuuri, linna enese vastu. Need, kes siia ikka ja jälle käima jäävad ning teisiti ei saa.

Napoli merekaldal jalutades ja Capri kohal loojuvat päikest imetledes meenuvad Ronan Keatingu laulu sõnad "It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart" ning omandavad siin hoopis uue mõtte. See "you" ei olegi inimene, vaid linn. La mia molto amata Napoli. Iseenesest tõusevad suunurgad naeratuseks üles ja ma olengi jälle õnnelik. Selline õnnetunne tabab mind ainult Capril või Napolis olles.

Aastaga ei ole Napolis midagi muutunud ja mul on sellest nii suur kergendus. Mõned asjad on lihtsalt liiga head, et muutuda ning siia iidsesse linna ei sobi kuidagi kosmopoliitlik trendide ja uuenduste virrvarr. Tujukad, kavalad, emotsionaalsed ja südamlikud napollased on ikka endised. Pizzaahjude kuumus, lõhnav tomatikaste ja veniv juust...õdus barokne saareke Gambrinuse kohviku näol pakkumas varju lõõskava päikese eest..Sfogliatella Mary letis külastajaid ootavad küpsetuskunsti sedöövrid. Kõik see on ikka siin. Koos päikese, merelõhna ja lauludest kajavate tänavatega. Nagu muinasjutus tuleb merelt üksik kaluripaat, ninas paiknev latern valgustamas koduteed.

Esimestel päevadel paneb liikluskaos ja elamise kiire rütm hetkeks silmi sulgema, et pea ringi käima ei hakkaks. Aga sellega harjub. Olen ju lõpuks meta caprese ja meta napoletana ehk pooleldi Capri ja pooleldi Napoli elanik, nagu kohalikud mulle ütlevad. Varsti ületan sõiduteid juba sama kindlal kõnnakul kui kohalikud ning kui keegi mulle otsa koperdab, kehitan lihtsalt õlgu. Kindlasti mõni turist.

Napoli õhus on midagi vana ja müstilist. Midagi siin paneb legendidesse, saatusesse ja ennetesse uskuma. Millega muidu seletada seda, et viimane asi, mida Napolist lahkudes kuulen, on raadiost tulev laul "come le viole in primavera, tu ritornerai". Nii nagu kannikesed kevadel, tuled ka Sina tagasi...

Jah, Napoli. Ma tulen. A presto.

La citta di Pulcinella

2010-01-31T12:33:00.000-08:00

Enne Napolisse tulekut õnnestus mul läbi lugeda Shirley Hazzardi raamat “Ancient Shore”. Just sellele linnale pühendatud jutustus on parim, mida iial Napoli kohta olen lugenud. Nüüd, peale siin mõnda aega elamist, võin öelda, et kirjaniku poolt välja öeldud põhitõde on tabav. Vägagi. Nimelt väitis raamat, et kui tuled Napolisse turistina vaid paariks päevaks (või veel hullem mõneks tunniks), vastab Napoli Sinu poolt talle pühendatud äraütlemata vähesele ajale omapoolse uhke ükskõiksuse, isegi ülbusega. Kui aga vastupidi, võtad endale aega Napoliga tutvuda, avab end Sulle ka see ilus linn ning sealt ei ole enam tagasiteed. Sama mõtte ütles välja ka Mariarosaria, una donna di mare, una napoletana..”Napolit kas vihkad või armastad, siin ei ole keskteed või lihtsalt meeldimist,” rääkis ta grupile kohalikust kultuurist huvitatutele (mina nende seas). Napoli on iidne linn merekaldal, uhke oma ajaloo, juurte, traditsioonide, mere üle. Serenaadide linn. Pizza ja kuulsa Napoli kohvi sünnikoht. Kunsti ja arhitektuuri linn. Minu jaoks kauneim Itaalia linnade seas. Kõige raskemini mõistetav, aga kui kord ta avastad, siis kõige ehtsam, üks algupärasemaid vana-Euroopa linnu. Ja paraku, ka põhja-itaallaste sarkasmi ja eelarvamuste objekt (need laisad mitte tööd armastavad lõuna-itaallased versus meie tööd rabavad ja riigi õitsengu eest hoolt kandvad põhja-itaallased), kuigi ehk just see kaunis maanurk koos lähedalasuva Sorrento, Positano, Capri ja Amalfi rannikuga annab Itaalia külastajatele selle õige maitse Itaaliast, selle “la dolce vita” tunde, mida võid vahel otsima jäädagi Roomast või Milaanost (kuigi kindlasti on oma võlu ka neil linnadel, olen seda tundnud). Jah, on camorra ja jah, on linnaosi, kuhu ei maksa minna ja tõesti, kotti maksab kanda mitte tänavapoolsel õlal ja jah, võib leida prügi, kuigi viimane on meedia poolt liialdatud probleem. Pole küll tuttav kõigi Napoli äärealade ja agulitega, aga seni pole suuri prügihunnikuid kusagil silma hakanud. On merelõhn, ainulaadne toit, muusika ja eelkõige inimesed – külalislahked, vastuolulised, uhked, kirglikud, südamlikud napollased. Ja on sireenid. Vast mäletavad kõik Odüsseuse eksirännakuid ja sireene, kes meremehi oma kauni häälega vangistuses hoidsid. Sireenid on osa siinsetest uskumustest. Nende asupaigana nimetatakse küll Sorrento rannikut, küll Caprit, küll Napolit, kuid vähemalt ühe legendi kohaselt on kuulsaim neist –Parthenope- maetud just Napoli linna alla. Vähemalt minu on ta oma lummusesse saanud. Come e dolce, come e bella la citta di Pulcinella.

O sole mio ehk ühel ilusal Napoli pärastlõunal

2010-01-30T08:53:00.000-08:00

Ilusal laupäeva pärastlõunal, kui peale äikest on õhk selginenud ning tuul toob endaga kaasa merelõhna, jalutab heledapäine silmanähtavalt põhjamaist päritolu neiu mööda Napoli merekallast. Ei saagi kaua kõndida, kui astub ligi tumedapäine meeskodanik. “Parli italiano?”, tahetakse teada. Kiire kõrvalpilk liigitab tüübi kahtlaste hulka, seega ei, ei räägi. Käes olnud itaaliakeelne raamat kaob kiiresti kotti. “Batt spiiik inglish?”, ei jäta tegelane järele. Kerge peanoogutus neiult, lootuses, et selles keeles suhtlemine pikalt ei kesta. Selle peale järgneb info, et tema on tenor. Noh, nagu Pavarotti. “Ahaa,” noogutab neiu kaasa, teadmata, et sellega, et ka tema Pavarottist on kuulnud, on ta avanud ukse edasisele vestlusele. Järgneb katkend o-sole-mio’st otse tänaval...Ok, ei valetanud, laulda oskab. “Vot, seal on minu auto,” näitab tüüp üle tee pargitud sportautot ja jätkab “Ma olen täitsa kuulus. Itaalias vähem, Napolis see-eest väga.” Silmapaistvat huvipuudust ei paisteta märkavat. Selle asemel kaabitakse välja iPhone, et demonstreerida mõnda fotot endast ja klippi, milles jäädvustatud ülesastumine teles. “Olen ju ilus, eks. Sina oled ka väga ilus. Aga mina ka.” Jaa-jaa, muidugi. Juba hakkab tekkima raskusi naeru pidamisega. Eriti kuna noormees aeg-ajalt tähtsalt köhatab, demonstreerimaks, et ta ikka tenor on. Paraku sarnaneb see kõik sellega nagu kõnniks koos jõuluvanaga...oh-oh-hoo....OK, aitab. Keeldutakse sõidust Posiliposse (Napoli rikaste ja kuulsate linnaosa), öeldakse, et näe, sõbrad ootavad. “Oota,” tuleb tüübil päästev idee, “anna mulle oma telefoninumber, saame siinsamas uuesti kokku.”...”No kuidas ei ole itaalia numbrit. Ah mobiili ka ei ole? No kuidas nii ometi saab asju kokku leppida,” on tüüp nõutu...Aga sinnapaika ta paraku jääb. Keeleoskamatu ja mobiilita neiu aga jätkab oma teed. Vähemalt o-sole-mio’t pean mõnda aega vist endale ise laulma.

La Feltrinelli ehk inglisekeelse lugeja piinamine

2010-01-21T06:47:00.001-08:00

Kuna kodust kaasa võetud raamat sai juba lennukis läbi loetud ja raamatuteta ma pikalt elada ei suuda, seadsin sammud kohalikku kuulsasse kirjastus-raamatu-muusikapoodi La Feltrinelli, võrreldav mingis mõttes Virgin megastore'idega. Peas tiksumas kindel idee - millal veel Gomorra läbi lugeda, kui mitte Napolis külmast lõdisedes. Samal päeval oli sellest saadud keeltekoolis rääkida ning kuna mulle öeldi, et itaaliakeelses versioonis on päris palju kohalikku napoli murrakut (mida ma ei mõista), siis kõige mõttekam tundus olevat soetada inglisekeelne versioon. Kuubalanna, kes käib minu grupis, oli leidnud hispaaniakeelse, seega arvasin, et mis probleem see ikka on. Wrong.Wrong.Wrong. Neljal korrusel uhkeldavas majas leidsin võõrkeelse kirjanduse osakonna kõige kaugemast nurgast, koduvideode ja Hello Kitty kõrvaklappide tagant. Ja asusin Gomorrat otsima. Leidsin nii prantuse- kui hispaaniakeelse versiooni, inglisekeelses riiulis aga oli valida Harry Potteri, Saatan kannab Pradat, Da Vinci koodi ja veel mõne sarnase väljaande vahel...No kuulge, ostsin juba Disney rätiku, andsin oma panuse... Ilmselt arvati, et inglisekeelse lugeja intellekt jääb Euroopa vanade kultuurirahvaste omale alla, ei maksa Gomorroga neid vaevata...Ei jäänudki lõpuks muud midagi üle, kui läksin infoletti, kus kena ja vastutulelik naisterahvas midagi arvutist vaatas ning lõpuks kõige tolmusemast nurgast ka ühe inglisekeelse Gomorra väljaande kätte sai :)

Saved by Disney

2010-01-21T06:33:00.000-08:00

Ühel ilusal päeval oli korteri vannitoast, kus ma Napolis elan, kadunud minu jaoks üsnagi oluline asi - käterätik/saunalina. Mitte et see oleks teab mis suur olnud, seega saunalinaks võib ainult patuga pooleks nimetada. Pigem ikka taskurätiku mõõtu. Aga asi seegi, minu ainus kuivatamisvahend. Jäi võimalus edaspidi end külmal marmorpõrandal üles-alla hüpates kuivatada või siis minna linna rätikut ostma. Kuna korter soojusega just ei hiilga, siis seadsin sammud via Toledole, mis on Napoli kesklinnas üks suuremaid shoppingupiirkondi, lisaks paikneb üsna minu korteri lähedal. Allora, vihma kallab, mina jalutan...Kingapood, saapapood, kotipood, riidepood, pizzeria, bar, kingapood, pizzeria, pizzeria...Üks ajalehekiosk ja jalgpalli fännikaupu müüv lett..Rätikuid ei kusagil. Vihma kallab järelejätmatult, kuidagi ei ole soovi ka teistesse linnajagudesse kodukaupade poodi otsima minna. Ja mis ma näen - Disney store, kust ma just päev tagasi oma väikesele lemmiksugulasele ostu olin teinud. Päästva ideena tuleb pähe, et väikestele tegelastele tehakse ju ka rätikuid, onju. Astusingi poodi sisse ja olen nüüdsest Disney saunalina rõõmus omanik, iga kord hea tuju garanteeritud. Ale oli ka veel, seega 22 EUR asemel maksin 7.

Napoli talv, tass espressot ja suits Vesuuvi kohal..

2010-01-11T01:48:00.000-08:00

Eile oli esimene õhtu minu uues ajutises Napoli kodus. Saabumine peale pikka reisi oli lahe, 60 aastane omanikutädi ootuspäraselt ülijutukas. Kahjuks minu itaalia keele kõrv veel kõiki peensusi ei taba, aga isegi mina sain aru, et ta on palju reisinud, Euroopas töötanud (ei ole väga tüüpiline siinsete itaallaste jaoks) ning perekond ka mööda ilma laiali. Brasiiliast Brüsselini. Vastuvõtt vääris igati itaalia külalislahkust. Pastat pakuti. Espressot tehti. Äkki pööran veel siin kohviusku, mine sa tea...Korteri ekskursioon ja võtmete-lukkude instruktsioon ka seljataga. Ainult seda veel ei tea, kas ühiselamulikult ka öörahu kehtestatud või on ikkagi 24h reception. Kes pole talvekuudel siinkandis viibinud, teadku, et hullult niiske ja külm on. Mitte kraadide poolest, aga just see vastik niiskus, mis tundub kontideni tungivat. Tundub, et ei saa enam ilmaski sooja. Eile tõi tädi mulle tuppa mingi portabiilse küttekeha, aga see tundus rohkem valgust kui soojust andvat. Lõdisesin edasi. Espresso ja tee kiuste. Ah jaa, vannitoast avastasin laheda sildi "put wet toilet paper to the bag, do not flush it down the toilet"...Eh, tekkis kohe õige mitu küsimust..Aga ma parem ei süvene sellesse. Täna hommikul itaalia keele tundi tulles jäin hiljaks. Tõusin kell 7, tund algas kell 9. Ca 15 minutit oli tulla. Aga jätsin arvestamat ühe olulise asja - korteriomaniku hommikuse jututunni :) Ja ilma espressota ja umbrellata mind ka välja ei lastud. Sõber juba eile ütles, et programmiga koos olen ka itaalia perekonna saanud. Väga südamlik muidugi :)P.S Napolisse saabudes meenutasid Vesuuvi tipu ümber kogunenud vihmapilved väga suitsu..Hetkeks tekkis mõte, kas ikkagi ei peaks sama rongiga Rooma tagasi plagama. Kuniks elu.

Prison or paradise?

2010-01-08T05:56:00.000-08:00

One of my local friends told me in summer that one should never go to Capri during winter months. He told that it is like a closed world, even worse - a prison. Nothing is going on, nowhere to go, people gone...I really want to prove him wrong, so heading to Capri and Naples once again :)

Rainy side of Capri

2009-09-20T07:34:00.000-07:00

October takes me back to my blue island. Just a few weeks ago it was still the kingdom of sun, sand and blue sea, but now..Well, the sea is still there. And it is still blue. Maybe a little more greyish. But the island lives a different life. Breathes a different air. It has become a perfect sanctuary for writers, painters, creative minds..A place where you can have a moment with yourself surrounded by the beauty of the island's nature. The majority of tourists have left and I began to feel like home again. I can really relax, melt into the local life and have time for myself, allowing myself to feel, touch, smell and taste the blue paradise like it really is. And by doing that to discover a different side of myself. Which i might not have been aware of before, but which has always existed. Happier me. And yes, it rains in Capri.

Nightlife in Capri: Anema e Core

2009-07-11T08:39:00.000-07:00

Last few nights in Capri have been amazing. After a dinner and little drink at La Capannina wine bar I and my friends go to Anema e Core, taverna with live music or to a newly opened trendy night club Bye Bye Baby. Anema e Core is something you have to experience at least once while in Capri. Live music, famous songs in italian and a few in english. Guido, the singer, is well known local celebrity, who really can create a special atmosphere. Highly recommend :)

Capri summer

2009-07-08T03:16:00.000-07:00

Aperitivo time

2009-07-08T02:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday had a beautiful evening in the main square of Capri, La Piazzetta. Aperitivo-time around 8 pm, enjoying a drink before dinner in one of the little cafes on the square. Daiquiri alla fragola, strawberry daiquiri, accompanied by the selection of chips, olives and salted peanuts on the house. The other popular drink around seems to be Bellini, though not Capri-originated. Local limoncello is on the third place. When talking about prices, you can hardly get a drink (with alchohol) below 10-15 EUR at Piazzetta, but it's worth it. Comes with the right kind of atmosphere. Another excellent place to go for un aperitivo or a little chat and drink after the dinner, is the wine bar of local famous restaurant called La Capannina. As everything in Capri, close to the main square in the Capri center. The prices are much lower than in fancy main square bars (around 6-8 EUR) and it offers a nice cosy corner with sofas to relax.

Back in Capri

2009-07-06T09:42:00.000-07:00

Back in Capri and it is just as beautiful as I remember. Not changed at all. Actually, not changed much. Some things are still different. Less people in restaurants - economic slowdown has had its say, but not to big extent. La Piazzetta, the main square, is still full of people on Saturday night - elegant couples, even children styled up to the toes. Limoncello glasses, looks, conversations, warm summer wind, Capri night....We are staying with my friend again at hotel Weber Ambassador, close to Marina Piccola beach. Lovely beach hotel with balconies overlooking the sea and the famous Faraglioni rocks..A little mix-up with rooms on our arrival, but luckily it was solved quickly....We arrived on the 4th of July, just in time to admire the incredibly beautiful fireworks over the sea in the honor of American Independence Day. After two flights and countless other means of transport, had hoped to have a little sleep, but don't have any regrets - golden, pink, blue etc lights over the sea were breathtakingly beautiful. Had a good dinner in Capri center at the restaurant called Longano. The food is excellent, especially frutti di mare, seafood..My personal favorite - risotto alla pescatora - was still there and tasted just as good :) It is a simple place with very quick service, one of the lowest prices in Capri and as I already told, with a very good food. Not a cosy restaurant where you would sit for hours, but nice little trattoria to have a nice meal. The other night we went to another restaurant, Da Gemma, which again offered an excellent selection of seafood and - which is a rare practice in Capri - buffet, from where you could choose various seafood and oven-cooked local specialities according to your own taste. Lovely family-owned restaurant with a beautiful seaview. One of the best in the island. But at the moment it is dinner time in Capri. So in a minute I will dress up and we are going with my friend again to La Piazzetta to enjoy our evening....More news will be coming shortly :)

perfect happiness

2009-06-12T12:09:00.001-07:00

I really cannot wait. Just three weeks and I'm with You again. My blue paradise. Breathtaking sunsets, golden splashes of sun over capriblue water, sun that caresses your skin with incredible warmth..and of course - seafood, wine, homemade italian ice-cream combined with live music, promenades in Piazzetta, dancing until the very early hours..

how i have missed you all, my dear friends :)

missing you

2009-06-12T12:08:00.001-07:00

Il mio paradiso blu - ci vediamo presto :)

Diverse beauty of Capri

2009-05-09T05:56:00.001-07:00

Perfect dinner beneath the starry Capri sky

2009-05-09T05:34:00.000-07:00

Who told that it always has to be crowded in Capri? One of the best dinners I have had was in the almost deserted beach restaurant in Marina Piccola, where I with my friend and one couple next to us were the only visitors that night...We could watch how the fish is being grilled and later enjoy it with a little ruccola and tomato salad looking at the deep blue sea from restaurant's balcony...And just when I felt a little bit cold (as it was quite late and the sun was gone), golden limoncello like the sun of Capri was offered to us on the house. We stayed for a little longer, enjoying our drink beneath Capri stars and then had a short walk back to the hotel...

Secret formula for a perfect day in Capri

2009-04-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

So what does it take to spend a day of your dreams in one of the most beautiful islands in the world? Just the ability to enjoy life and being proud of yourself. As they say in Capri - it never rains here...Well, this is not entirely true, but in summer you can bet on it! So, start your day with a cappuccino in Piazzetta, have a chat with locals and enjoy morning newspaper or fashion magazine or a good book next to it. Insalata caprese (tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil) is a good choice for a snack before going to the beach and that's the place you should go once in Capri. Marina Piccola beach is the best of the island, combining both public part (free) and private beach, where you can get a sun bed and parasol for a certain fee. Any time, whenever you should feel thirsty or hungry, there are numerous little restaurants offering pizza and seafood, panini, salads, pasta and of course - gelato, italian's famous ice-cream, not to mention the wide array of drinks... After spending a few hours on the beach, there's time for a little siesta in the coolness of the hotel room...Once waking up, you love-love-love what you see in the mirror. You're sun kissed, fresh, beautiful. Much happier you. And then it's time to choose your evening outfit and dive into Capri's velvetish night. Ladies, there's no better place like Capri to wear your beautiful dresses! Little dinner in your best loved restaurant followed by a drink in the main square of Capri, La Piazzetta. Watching people going by, talking, smiling..Feeling that excitement around you. And then, it's up to you, whether you would like to finish your evening with a romantic walk in the Capri night or with an amazingly fun party with italian live music and dancing..And no-one says that you cannot do both. Guarda che luna, guarda che mare, in questa notte senza di te vorrei morire..Beautiful. Romantic. Unforgettable.

La Capannina - welcoming and delicious

2009-04-23T12:52:00.000-07:00

One place i really adore in Capri is the restaurant called La Capannina. It's sometimes quite difficult to find a restaurant where you would really want to go back again and again, but I found it. Eveybody in Capri knows it's one of the most popular restaurants of the island, if not the most popular. Belonging to lovely family De Angelis, it has a long history and an impressive list of famous visitors who have been there. And no wonder why. Atmosphere is unique, food delicious and service really professional and welcoming. Although it's even misleading to call it a service, as each time you go there, you are being treated so warmly and kindly that you feel like you are at home or visiting a close friend.. Especially one lady is like a lovely grandmother, who is happy for your visit and taking care of you. I have been at La Capannina during some of the happiest evenings and also during some moments of sadness - she has always had kind words for me..Of course, if to go to La Capannina during the busiest summer season, it's wise to make you dinner reservation in advance, otherwise it might be impossible to find a place...And it also has a separate bar, cosy, romantic little corner to go for a drink or for a chat with somebody special..

Romantic Anacapri

2009-04-19T11:09:00.000-07:00

Anacapri is the other part of the island with its own unique peaceful atmosphere. Higher up than Capri, it offers you breathtaking views (especially on your way up with one of these little orange buses I told you about) and once there welcomes you with little shops full of local products, little cafes and restaurants, cascade of colorful flowers and white residences..When you want to enjoy some peace and quiet and a moment of romance, that's the place to go. I remember so clearly when I was sitting there with one very special man in my life - drinking cappuccino and cioccolata calda in a little cafe, talking about life....How special, romantic and beautiful it was - like we were too people alone in this world! Of course I didn't know back then that these are to be the last days of one beautiful story. Now only a special memory. However, Anacapri remains beautiful despite of that. It has offered me so many special moments and will offer you too.

enjoying one of the beautiful sunsets of Capri

2009-04-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

Capri blue

2009-04-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

and what do you think is the color of the sea around Capri? Those who offered Capri-blue are absolutely right :) I'm offering you just a few glimpses of the famous blue sea captured during yet another wonderful journey to my blue paradise.

and a few more amazing products - from Sirenis

2009-04-15T03:17:00.000-07:00

Temptations of Sirenis

2009-04-15T03:07:00.000-07:00

Shopping paradise in Capri - Sirenis

2009-04-15T02:38:00.000-07:00

while being in Capri and looking for something to buy either for yourself or for your friends, there's a perfect place for that - Sirenis shop. Beauty and body products, perfumes, soaps, candles and countless other must-have's for any woman, with a little touch of luxury. Made according to the ancient receipies and produced locally. Genuine, with a true feeling of Capri. Small lovely family business run by my friends Floriana and Salvatore. Just one danger - I and my friends are now addicted to these wonderful products :) Drop by, once you are in Anacapri - just follow the road up to the stairs from the main square (where the bus stops) and pass various other little shops selling everything from local porcelain to limoncello. It's not far.

Little and orange that makes you catch your breath

2009-04-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

I love, love, love Capri buses. They take you from Marina Grande to the centre of Capri or to Anacapri or to Marina Piccola beach. Always crowded with happy people exchanging greetings, laughing....Views are breathtaking, even too much so..I remember while I was taking my trip to Capri last October and as this was not a typical tourist season, was enjoying quite a lonely ride up to Anacapri. And of course, the driver did his best to try to show me the beautiful views of Sorrento and the gulf of Naples, not minding at all that there was quite a long way to fall...Luckily I had by that time got used to it - to the feeling that there is nothing, absolutely nothing that will prevent the bus to fall over the edge and end up on the rocks very far below or having a terrible crash with another vechile on these mysterious mountain roads...Yet this never happened. Instead we have become quite good friends with these little orange buses :)

Weber Ambassador in Marina Piccola

2009-04-10T03:30:00.000-07:00

Pictures from the balcony and around the hotel Weber Ambassador. Lovely hotel in Marina Piccola, the island's most beautiful beach.

who said mjau?

2009-04-10T02:35:00.000-07:00

I don't know what's the story with cats in Capri, but they seem to be a very important part of the island's life. Looking very satisfied, enjoying good food, warmth of the sun, caressing...There is even a famous hotel named after a cat - Hotel Gatto Bianco. Last October (2008) while I was staying there, we became quite good friends with the "host"- white cat Matisse. Real beauty and your friend only when in such a mood - or when you have something good in your bag :) Cat with an attitude! Couldn't capture Matisse, but on the photo is another friend - hotel cat from Weber Ambassador, who was sometimes visiting our balcony. Lovely cats are literally everywhere - on park benches, enjoying the attention at the entrance of the fancy porcelain shop in one of the main shopping streets or glancing at you from the dark while you're making a romantic walk in the Capri night...

Capturing the beauty of Capri

2009-04-10T02:12:00.000-07:00

La Piazzetta

2009-04-10T00:59:00.000-07:00

The central square of Capri. The center of social life both for locals and visitors. Those who have been there know what I'm talking about while saying that the Piazzetta is loveliest in the evenings..Just when the crowds taking one-day trips to the island have left, the whole island starts to live a very different life. A lot of it is centered around the very same Piazzetta - center of information, meeting place with friends and place for getting new aquaintances. Lovely little cafes and bars surrounding the square, which offer you also nice shade and cool moment out of the sun during daytime, turn into magnificent oasis of light, conversations, hidden and not so hidden looks when the first traces of sunset appear. Everybody gathers there to have a drink after the working day or un apperitivo before dinner. You can feel this special atmosphere all around you while sitting and slowly enjoying your strawberry margarita or local limoncello. There is a constant flow of people, chatting, greetings and smiles around you. People are showing themselves, beautiful clothes, beautiful children, exchanging news... Like a parade everybody takes part in with pride. La passegiata.

Back again in my blue island

2009-04-09T11:36:00.000-07:00

Year is 2007. And I'm back in Capri. This was the summer when I really fell in love with the island. Il mio paradiso blu. There are so many stories, legends and one very famous song about Capri. How someone lost his heart there and unfortunately had to say adieu to the island forever, as his loved one loved somebody else...Hope this sad ending never comes to me, though I also have lost my hearth in Capri. But the story is not about this, not yet.

Actually this is not so easy to tell what makes Capri so lovely, so irresistible for me. In fact, some people I have been talking to say just the opposite - too crowded, too many tourists, too little of the feeling of real Italy etc...Could be that they have a point - everybody must find that special place or special places himself/herself and probably Capri just wasn't talking to them. Or then again - maybe they didn't have enough patience to wait....Capri has its pride. Give yourself time to discover the heart of the island. And give the island the time to discover you. It will open up.

First visit to Capri - Marina Grande

2009-04-05T04:04:00.000-07:00

We were lucky to find a lovely apricot-colour hotel close to the main harbour of Capri. So we went back in the evening, stayed for one more night in Naples and next morning started our trip to Capri with all our luggage...As soon as the boat left Molo Beverello, I felt I'm happier than I'd ever been. It was such a warm feeling of happiness like a melted caramel that I felt in my heart and with every little part of my body. The scenery was simply breathtaking - shades of blue and pink with golden splashes of sun. Trip from Molo Beverello to Marina Grande takes about an hour, but you hardly ever notice it. Momentarily you're surrounded by italians and groups of tourists, happy and smiling people, who are either having vacation or are coming back home from their trips to Naples. Simply lovely! And suddenly it was there - a glimpse of Capri's iconic Faraglioni rocks and after that beautiful Marina Grande, the main entrance of Capri. Majestically it rises from the sea with its colorful hotels, small market, a variety of restaurants offering local dishes and the island's transport spots - ticket points and stops for little orange buses and funicular that take you to Capri's center or to Marina Piccola, Capri's most beautiful beach. We had finally arrived. I was at home.

First visit to Capri - Molo Beverello

2009-04-05T03:22:00.000-07:00

We decided to leave our luggage to the hotel we had booked in Naples and take a boat to Capri in order to see if there would be even a small chance to find an accommodation. It was in the middle of the high tourist season, so the majority of hotels were fully booked. While waiting for our boat in Molo Beverello - the port of Naples from where go ferries and hydrofoils to Capri -, we met a lovely woman from Sweden, travelling with her mother and little daughter, who was on her way to Capri. As the boat was late, we started talking, as we met for the first time somebody who had actually stayed in Capri for several times and loved it. She told that she hopes we will get a hotel and recommended her's, though she thought that there probably won't be any vacancies - hotel Weber Ambassador. During the next days while we were in Capri, we saw her once more, while she was having a dinner at the restaurant Isidoro - Capri center-, but as we were only going by, we didn't have a chance to talk to her again..For some reason, I remember her very clearly, probably because she was the first one who talked about Capri so fondly. Haven't met her ever since and even don't know her name, but I hope that she is doing great! TO BE CONTINUED

First visit to Capri - arrival to Naples

2009-04-05T02:49:00.000-07:00

It was the year 2005, when I first discovered this beautiful island, which now has become my special place in the world - my blue paradise. It started as a complete shock. We had been spending a few days in Rome with my best friend Anneli, after which continued our vacation in Southern Italy and arrived at Naples train station...All that we had been reading about Naples wasn't really promising, but we love to travel and discover the places, so wanted to go and see ourselves...Dear God, what a day! As soon as we were out of the train station, we - two blonds - were overwhelmed by noise, incredible heat, life that went on with such a speed that it made our heads spin. Now I have learned to love Naples - it has its charm, warmth and unique atmosphere full of energy -, but back then it was simply too much..Especially after coming from Rome with its majestic beauty, wide streets, la dolce vita..Anyway, to keep it short, we saw two solutions - eithter to take the next train back to Rome or to go somewhere else, nearby. We opt for the last one, as our plane home was from Naples, so it really didn't make sense to go back to Rome...As we had been reading about Capri and its beauty, we decided to go there.....TO BE CONTINUED