Napoli Day Two: Capri

What a day! We started out early again with Sabina as our guide. We headed straight to the pier and went off on a “Jet Boat” that lasted forty-five minutes to the island of Capri (it’s said a little strangely, CAP like a baseball cap then pri. You have to stress the cap part), which has to be the most tourist visited place near Naples. Ten thousand people were on the island and only four thousand live there. Someone said they saw Magic Johnson hanging out and we’re pretty sure that Bill Gates was there in a HUGE HUGE yacht. You can tell that the island is extremely wealthy. It’s so beautiful. The water there is crystal blue. It’s turquoise, it’s indescribable. We started the trip by going up on a chair lift to the top of the island. The chairs were little whicker things. They didn’t look too terribly sturdy, but they made it all right to the top. The sights were beautiful. I know I keep saying that, the same thing over and over, but this was legit. This was incredible. I’m sure that you can google it. Going up on the chairs, you can see the whole island. There are vineyards right underneath your feet and villas. It was a trip. After touring around AnaCapri, which is just the top of the island of Capri, we were treated to lunch at one of the island restaurants. Not good. But the company was, so it made it bearable.
We took a bus down to Capri and walked down the main street. Louis Vuitton, Guess, stores like that. We visited the Botanical Gardens that were there and saw more amazing sights. Capri is intense. Capri is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. It’s a paradise.
Right before we left, we walked down the main street back to the pier to take the Jet Boat back when we saw it. The store. The store to trump and trample ALL stores. A shoe store that makes shoes, to YOUR feet! We went it. I picked my style. I picked my color. Then they fit a leather sole to my feet. They measured where my toes were. The cut holes and nailed things in. Then they measured the leather laces to the size of my feet! They cut where my foot stopped and everything. My shoes are incredible, and the Italians are known for their leather. I didn’t get a leather purse, I didn’t get a leather coat, but I got some b.a. shoes made from leather that were custom fit for me. I showed EVERYone. It was AWESOME! Definitely an experience that I didn’t even know I had to have in life. I love them.
After Capri, we found a little internet café and did some catch up. We found another pizza place and had pizza WITH cheese, and then made it back home to the ship before dark.
Let me tell you about the Gillespies. I could wait one, but I won’t. The Gillespies are a couple who are both teachers on the ship. They’re theater teachers. We spent every day in Naples with them, and by the end, they loved us. I have to say, I love them too. They’re a little older, but they’re SO sweet. Capri was the first day that we really talked to them a lot. Mrs. Gillespie pulled me aside when we were waiting to meet with the group near lunch time, and she said, “You two are a wonderful couple. He treats you so well, and I can tell you’re just the nicest couple. I’m glad you’re together.” No joke! How freakin nice?! I was like, “Thanks!....wow. Thanks”. Or something awkward, I didn’t even know what to say. Since then we’ve been buddies. We walk around with them. We’ve had breakfast. They’re really nice, and they like us a lot I think. Another couple we found are the Barazas. Joe is the security officer on the ship. He walks the halls at night and is a retired LADP officer. His wife is named Susie. We ended up walking with them on the way from a restaurant one night. Somehow we got to talking about China, and by the end of the conversation, they pretty much told us they could get us a teaching job with crazy pay and nice living arrangements! It sounds like a sweet deal, and if we could do it, it’d be perfect. We’ve seen them quite a few times since then too, and I think we’re building a good rapport. Another example is the Daneyshares (or some other crazy spelling). Dr. D is our international trade teacher, and his wife is named Kathleen. Dr. D likes us because we pay attention in his class and we’re polite. We’ve talked a few times outside of class. Yesterday he told us that if he had grandchildren, he hoped they were just like us and that we were the nicest couple he’d met on the ship. His wife agreed.
Old people like us. Plain and simple. I think it’s because they can tell that we’re old spirits. We’re young, but we make old people decisions and we want to SEE things rather than just party every night. We haven’t gone out. One time. We’re polite. They can tell that we’re into the school portion of the trip too. They like us, and it’s funny. But at the same time, we like them too. We can relate to them. Makes me want to laugh a little.
Sorry for the aside. Just another passage to show how lame-ish we are for our age. Haha. Incredible day I’d say. Capri is intense.