NHWAAAAAH NHWEEE NHWAAAAAH

Today MR and I headed to Capri (pronounced CAH-pri, which surprised me - I had been pronouncing it like the silly-looking pants), which we had expected to be somewhat like Positano but was in fact drastically different. We wore our swimsuits, which was wildly unneccessary for most of the day, as we did not even go to a beach and spent almost all our time on boats or climbing up what one guidebook listed as 900 stairs (we think it was probably fewer than that, because a lot of the trail was just uphill without any steps).

The swimsuits DID come in handy when we were rowed into the Blue Grotto*. The Blue Grotto was an experience for several reasons. Perhaps the most interesting part of the adventure was the very beginning, as we waited to climb down from the big boat that was traveling around the island into teensy little rowboats that were apparently** going to take us into the Blue Grotto. Many of the women in Italy are relatively slim; this stereotype apparently does not hold true for tourists, Italian or American or other-an, to Capri, and MR and I were surrounded by creatures that can only be aptly described as whales***. As I nervously surveyed these ocean-dwellers, trying to calculate which two would be in a boat with MR and me, two little New York girls asked if the four of us could ride together. We quickly agreed. I guess the New Yorkers had been eyeing our company, too.

The New Yorkers were quite a bit of fun. They had just finished college (I didn't ask which one) and their parents gave them a trip to Italy for graduation, which they seemed to be enjoying immensely. The four of us sat on the floor of our rowboat, which lamentably was not commanded by one of the cute younger rowers, and took pictures of each other while we waited in line to enter the Blue Grotto. The Grotto itself had still not appeared, but I took this in stride (silly attitude) and figured we would row around a corner and see the cave entrance.

We did not.

Our rower instead pulled us right up against the cliff, where there was a tiny little hole, and grabbed on to a line. When the wave finished a big swell, he pushed the boat down in the water enough for us to just squeak through the opening. I was extremely terrified that we were going to be crushed and then drown, but somehow (probably because our dude knew what he was doing) we survived and entered the Blue Grotto.

It was awesome. I can't really describe it, except to say that it felt like I was on top of a light blue mirror in the dark, which doesn't sound that cool, but if you're ever anywhere close to Capri you should do it. Also, if you're in a boat with a rower who will let you swim for less than 5 Euro each (we were not, which did not deter the New Yorkers), SWIM. Supercool.

Anyway, the rest of the day was spent, as I said, hiking and finishing the boat tour. MR and I spent a good portion of the afternoon reading on the terrace of a cafe at the waterfront, where we ordered cones of gelato and got gelato in a dish with cones beside it (very strange, since I know for a fact that a cone of gelato in Italy is a cone with gelato in it). At long last we took the ferry back to Sorrento and had a filling but unimpressive supper - nothing to write home (or to Justin) about. Now we are preparing for tomorrow - Pompeii and Herculaneum! - MR by reading guide books and myself, as usual, by reading a novel on the subject. She is probably getting more USEFUL information out of her books, but I am definitely more interested in Pompeii and the fictional characters who may or may not escape (I still have about 100 pages left).

One quick note about yesterday before I leave the internet cafe: on the SITA bus ride home - the one described, as I lounged on the beach, as terrifying - MR and I had to stand as there was no longer room to sit. Standing for an hour clutching your beach posessions on an Italian bus while it weaves precariously through the mountains = very, very, very scary. I built a lot of character.

Ciao for now - US on Friday!

*Part of our boat tour around the island, which, if you ever go to Capri, you should definitely do.
**I should note that at this point neither MR nor myself had actually seen the entrance to the Blue Grotto, despite having searched for it among the cliffs leading down to the water. This was mildly disconcerting to me, but I decided to roll with it, having attempted to adopt the motto: "It's Italy."
***Some of them even made whale noises and looked like they yearned for the ocean and for krill. I'm not being cruel, just honest. MR heard the whale sounds, too. We even took pictures of the biggest whale, which looked particularly beached. Photos will be uploaded soon, don't worry. NHWAAAAAH NHWEEE NHWAAAAAH (that's what whales sound like).