Week 12 - Caserta, Capri

        Buongiorno Friends and Family,

        

Week 12 presented itself with another big trip with so much content I think I'll have to split it up between two blogs. After finishing up a bit of classwork on Tuesday and Wednesday we then jumped on the bus and headed to southern Italy. This trip was the perfect combination of the magical natural beauty of Italy and the amazing historical richness that Italy also offers. The first stop of this trip was to the Royal Palace of Caserta. Construction started in 1752 and was done in the Baroque style of architecture. The building was absolutely massive and we were only able to see a quarter of this and it still took over an hour.

The frescoes, chandeliers, sculptures, and paintings decorated every room and there was almost no way to take it all in. 

It was also interesting because it was also being used as an art gallery so in some rooms we would see modern and contemporary art right next to the older styles. It is interesting to see how art has changed over time in this manner. Now it feels like like art can be about anything whereas in the past it was mainly about Christianity or Greek and Roman myths.

At the top of the main stairs was a beautiful vaulted room that may look familiar to you if you're a Star Wars fan. This was the location they used when filming some of the scenes from the Naboo Palace, specifically the throne room. Everywhere you looked they had detailed marble carvings and completely smooth surfaces.

Afterward, we explored the gardens which were so large that a group of us decided to rent some bikes so we could explore the entire length of the garden. Along the garden, there were several sculptures large reflection pools, and fountains. At the far end of the garden, you could see a natural waterfall flowing down the mountain which almost acted like it was supplying the fountains with water.

Next, we hopped on the bus and headed to a town called Sorrento where we stayed the night, and in the morning we took a ferry to the Island of Capri. Our first stop here was Villa San Michele where we saw I think the most colorful and beautiful flowers so far. This villa was created by Axel Munthe a famous Swedish writer. He wanted to create this place so he could use it to study birds and act as a safe haven for all animals.

This Villa had many pieces of art from the Ancient Romans, Etrcutians, and Egyptians. The real piece of art was the view from the garden overlooking the ocean. The water in Capri is super clear because there are no sand beaches. The cover photo of this blog is probably my favorite picture from Capri.

Enjoying the view with Brandon Kirmer! Brandon is someone I've gotten a lot closer with over this trip thanks to the bible study we have been doing every week. We have been going through the Book of Romans because the seemed like the most fitting book to read while in Italy.

During our free time on the Island of Capri, we ventured to the highest point on the Island. To get there we we able to take a chair lift up instead of a long hike.  

From the top, we could see out across the island in 360 degrees. Even though we had been to the ocean a few times while in Italy this was the first time I could see the open ocean. The other times we were in a cove and could still see the coast of Italy.

A popular treat in Capri was the Lemoncello Spritz served in a giant lemon. I never ended up getting one but I heard they were very good from my classmates.

Getting around Capri was a little difficult because it was so steep and the roads were very narrow. However, there were a lot of convertible taxis available for hire where we could quickly get around the island. These drivers drove so quickly that it was honestly scary at times. They would weave in and out of traffic quickly and I'm honestly not sure how we didn't see a crash when we were there.

Finally, we took a boat tour around the entire island where we could see the amazing rock formations. There are several grottos and we were able to see that the water almost looked green in some areas because of how the sun reflected the algae on the rocks. Our boat even went through the opening in the rocks you can see in the picture above. They told us that if you kiss when you pass under the rocks you will have a lifetime of happiness together so Aenya and I made sure not to take any chances.

This first part of the trip reminded me that Italy is not only known for its amazing history but also for its amazing natural beauty. Visiting the Island of Capri felt like a vacation and left me with memories of amazing views. I felt like the view from Villa San Michele was in my top 5 favorite views I've ever seen. This part of my study abroad will certainly hold a special place in my heart.