On
our way back to Sorrento from Pompeii, we visited another agriturismo
farm, Galatea, where we attempted to make gnocchi (we're being
instructed below), which we later ate for dinner.
The view from the farm was spectacular, the goat was cute, the gnocchi--well, Gaetano thought it was rather sad looking, although it tasted pretty good. Fortunately, the rest of the meal was superb, including sauteed escarole, which I haven't had since my mother cooked it decades ago (can't get it where I live. Not enough Italian-Americans!)
The view from the farm was spectacular, the goat was cute, the gnocchi--well, Gaetano thought it was rather sad looking, although it tasted pretty good. Fortunately, the rest of the meal was superb, including sauteed escarole, which I haven't had since my mother cooked it decades ago (can't get it where I live. Not enough Italian-Americans!)
I can't really claim to have earned this certificate of "excellence," since all I did was attempt to twist the pasta dough into something resembling gnocchi. There I am, bald spot and all, with fellow travelers at dinner. The empty seat is Gail's, of course, as she took the picture.
The next morning, we took the hydrofoil from Sorrento to the island of Capri (in the Tyrrhenian Sea) famous for the Blue Grotto,
a tourist trap we skipped. From the Marina Grande where we got off the
boat, we took the funicular up the mountain through lemon groves
to the piazzetta, where you see the group gathered below. The clock
tower is also in the piazzetta. Our first stop from the square was a
perfumerie called Carthusia, where Gail bought various soaps for gifts.
Of course, many celebrities have passed through Capri (and lived there too); the proprietors of Carthusia displayed quite a few of them. At the moment, I can only recognize Sophia Loren.
From the aromatic confines of this shop, we moved on to more natural aromas of the beautiful giardini di Augusto (Gardens of Augustus). I'm posing there at the entrance.
Gail, below, looking very relaxed! The view from the gardens was spectacular. In the the third pic below, what looks like a vessel on the sea is actually a butterfly nearby.
Leaving the gardens, we walked back toward the piazzetta, passing many fancy shops and decorative floors and walls. At the piazzetta, we ate lunch and drank some refreshing rose wine al fresco.
Of course, many celebrities have passed through Capri (and lived there too); the proprietors of Carthusia displayed quite a few of them. At the moment, I can only recognize Sophia Loren.
From the aromatic confines of this shop, we moved on to more natural aromas of the beautiful giardini di Augusto (Gardens of Augustus). I'm posing there at the entrance.
Gail, below, looking very relaxed! The view from the gardens was spectacular. In the the third pic below, what looks like a vessel on the sea is actually a butterfly nearby.
Leaving the gardens, we walked back toward the piazzetta, passing many fancy shops and decorative floors and walls. At the piazzetta, we ate lunch and drank some refreshing rose wine al fresco.
