The Island of Capri

Maybe the best part of our whole Italy trip was the boat ride we took from Sorrento to Capri, a resort island that stretches all the way back to Roman times.


Our hosts, the guys from Capitanoago, provided an awesome experience. Our first stop was to do some sightseeing in the town of Capri. The town itself had the usual Italian hillside charm, with the colorful buildings, wild vines, and walking paths winding into the hills.


We didn't doddle in town, instead riding straight up the mountainside for some awesome views and a pleasant walk back down.


But the town and the views were far from the highlight of the trip: no, that title goes to the plethora of rocky outcroppings, caves, and grottos that we got to see while boating around the island perimeter. A photo can't possibly do justice to how fantastic Capri is when seen from the water, with its natural arches and towering cliffs jutting menacingly from the blue-green sea.


Here's the view from an enormous cave we stopped to explore.


Tucked at the very bottom of a typically rocky spot on the island perimeter is a nondescript hole just big enough for a row boat. Get inside the Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto), though, and the light shines beneath the surface of the water, making it the most vividly blue color you can imagine. It was an absolutely stunning natural sight.



More pictures are on Flickr.

Roman Arches

Inside the Roman Forum there is the marble Arch of Titus, which was constructed to commemorate the Roman defeat of the Jews in the Jewish War or Great Revolt. It began in A.D. 66 and stemmed from the Jews' monotheistic beliefs not meshing with the Romans' paganism (that... and taxation). The Arch of Titus contains scenes of the Roman siege of Jerusalem (see below). One particularly striking image is of soldiers carrying a Menorah from the destroyed Second Temple.



Meanwhile, right outside the Coliseum sits the Arch of Constantine, which marks the victory of Emperor Constantine over his rival Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in A.D. 312. Before Constantine took control, Christianity was persecuted; after, there was a preference for it. As Rick Steves says in his book, "If you are a Christian, were raised a Christian, or simply belong to a so-called Christian nation," Constantine's preference has had an impact on you. (After all, when you rule an empire like this, you hold some sway.)

Welcome to Italy

Laura and I have been traveling in Italy for the last week for our "summer holiday," as it is known in Europe. We started in Pisa, then trekked to the Cinque Terre, gazed at magnificent art in Florence, then visited the hill-top triumvirate of San Gimignano, Sienna, and Orvieto. Most recently, we've been seeing the sites of Rome. Pictures and more details will be coming soon, but first I'll give you my personal orientation to Italy.

Everything in Italy - particularly middle to southern Italy where we have been - exists in one (or some combination) of the following three states:

1. Disrepair
   
2. Complete abandonment
   
3. Covered in a thin layer of grime
   

As negative as all of that may sound, it all contributes to the incredible atmosphere of the country, which is frenzied and unique and friendly and (this week) blazingly hot, and yes, also obscenely beautiful. After all, how can we expect a country dotted with the remnants of "the ancients" not to be in disrepair?

We have seen the pastel buildings of the Cinque Terre clinging to hills on the oceanside, smelled the fresh lemons in the terrace groves, seen the Italian laundry wafting in the breeze from city balconies, climbed thousands of steps, eaten more gelato than should be allowed in a lifetime, walked through underground caves, stood in awe of some of the world's finest masterpieces, retraced the steps of Roman Caesars, and - most importantly - we've managed not to get anything stolen.

"Holiday" isn't the right word at all. We're on an adventure. Welcome along for the ride.