My first picture of the island!

I’ve always wanted to see Capri, since I first heard about it decades ago. On my one previous trip to the Naples area, we had limited time and most of the people in my group wanted to see Capri, but I was/am a dutiful art historian and I wanted to see the Veiled Christ statue by Corradini and Sanmartino at the Cappella Sansevero. They took a ferry, I took a taxi. We both saw what we most wanted.

So you can imagine how happy I have been to return to Naples and this time to get to see the Veiled Christ again, but also to finally make it to Capri!

Woo hoo! Let’s get on the ferry and go!

Palazzo Te, Mantua.

I made it to Herculaneum finally! But, first I did some homework. I hope I never stop learning.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling well this day. The temps were in the 90s and we went to Aspen to escape the heat. It was there too. But, I tried to rally and took the gondola to the top of this beautiful mountain. The scenery was spectacular, even if my photos of it aren’t.

Yowza! What views!

You can understand why Goethe exclaimed “see Naples and die” when he first visited in 1786. It is spectacular! The architects who’ve designed the city over the centuries also made good use of the spectacular vistas!

That’s Mt. Vesuvius in the background!

Wait a minute! What’s this I see? Tennis anyone? Right on the Bay of Naples and the marina!

And, be it ever so humble, this is the view from my place called home in Naples. I’m ideally situated between the wharves and the university district with a metro stop.

I visited Naples in early March, but flowers were in abundance. There were banks of blooming rosemary!

And, speaking of flora: growing up my parents had a rubber tree plant in our house. I remember it clearly because there was a popular Frank Sinatra song at the time about “High hopes” and an ant moving a rubber tree plant. The plant, Frank and the idea of high hopes inspired me!

But, check out the same plant growing in Naples!

There were all the usual Christian tabernacles on every street, in every Borgo. Maybe the ones in Naples have a special flavor…I’m still studying!

And you can never forget you are in Naples: it’s crusty as this post office drop box illustrates!