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At age 19, I was an easy sell.  This was the stuff dreams are made of.  Later, when back studying at my university in California, I came across a cigarette ad in a magazine that was set in Capri.  In it there is a photo of a beautiful woman on a balcony overlooking the Mediterranean.

Above the woman, the ad reads:  "She's gone to Capri and she's not coming back."  ​

Twenty two years later I found myself on a warm June day crossing the Bay of Naples again. I was headed back to Capri!  Except this time, I'd brought not just 'THE' right person... by my side were FOUR of my favorite people!  

Seated next to me in the crowded, slightly run-down professional ferry were my husband Señor Aventura and our three children - The Scientist (11), Soccer Dude (10) and Little Angel (8).  

There we were, crossing the Mediterranean in the glorious summer sunshine!

And boy, were they ever grumpy!
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Everyone was sleepy and hungry. Little Angel was yawning. Soccer Dude wanted to play video games on a phone. My husband mentioned about ten times how much he preferred to go on wild swimming adventures. Even more, The Scientist had an infected cut that was really bothering his foot.  Every single step the poor guy took hurt. There was a lot of grumbling! As you can see from the photos, none of them were that excited about our arrival.
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"It's going to be great!" I chirped at them like an irritating mama Pollyanna.  

"Humph!" they groused, and continued silently up the hill to the heart of town.
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With food in our bellies, our little group of grumblies stopped noticing only the hordes of tourists flocking restaurants, cafes and jewelry stores around us... and instead began to see the loveliness of the buildings and the land.

"It's pretty here, Mom," Little Angel exclaimed. "There are so many flowers!"
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So here's the thing. Capri has been a 'resort town' for thousands of years since the days of the Roman Emperors.  This area has been dedicated to tourism before most major European cities existed.  So, as you may expect, the heart of the resort town itself really feels commercial.  The town of Capri lives and breathes tourism... and seems also to be infused with cash from wealthy expats looking for summer homes.  The vibe doesn't really feel authentically Italian... it feels 'fake Italian'.

As an antidote we recommend getting out of town!  Pick a direction and/or a destination and just start walking. There are a myriad of beautiful, well maintained roads and paths that will take you all over the island. The further you walk away from central Capri (and its boat landing below) the more likely you are to find something authentically beautiful and enriching.  There are a lot of places you can walk to, and you could probably even walk the entire length of the island in a full day to see several of them.
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The longer you walk, the less likely you are to run into groups of other tourists... most of whom take the buses and do not walk.  The farther you walk, the more likely you are to engage with locals who actually live and work on Capri.  (More about this later!)

​As we walked we passed by amazing things including the villas of famous British writers, gorgeous landscapes, farmers cultivating lemons on terraced hills, and what was perhaps the world's most beautiful cat!  
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2) Do something OLD!  Really old!

The highlights of Capri are OLD... and famous for a reason.

​There are several you can choose to visit - mainly on your own - including ruins from the old Imperial palaces (including the temples, villas and aqueducts of Emperor Augustus), the Faraglioni, the Grotta Azzura, the small harbor, and lovely Anacapri. 

As long as you're not traveling with tiny children we highly recommend Villa Jovis.  Built by Emperor Tiberius and completed in 27 A.D. this is one of the most preserved ancient Roman imperial villas in Europe. ​
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For a very small fee you can enter and roam through Villa Jovis on your own, even walking around its grounds and through abandoned/destroyed rooms of the ruined palace.  You can step right on the ancient tiled paths, and sit in the rooms of the Emperor, taking in his ridiculously phenomenal view. 

​It's no wonder Tiberius retired here and governed Rome for the last 10 years of his reign from Capri. 
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When we travel we try to speak with locals as often as we can, especially in the native language if we know any part of it.  I recommend this even more when you're in a place as overrun with international tourists as Capri. 

We struck up conversations with everyone we met... from servers in the restaurant to the man offering a clean bathroom at the side of the road for hikers.  ​
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It's easy to understand why Capri natives would have a love/hate relationship with tourists that provide their livelihood.  We've seen so many rude, entitled tourists in action - demanding, condescending, littering.  

We try instead to show respect and ask questions to the people who actually live and work there about the history of the island, and for recommendations about the best parts of it.  You may just get some 'secret' recommendations that will give you a more authentic and special experience!
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4) Buy something lemony!
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If you want to experience truly great Italian food, we suggest staying on the mainland in Sorrento... or even perhaps heading to a smaller town like Massa Lubrense or Sant'Agata.  The restaurants on the main street in Capri are terribly overpriced and, much like California's Disneyland, they have a captive audience.  You are on an island and you are hungry... thus, you will have to eat, even if the quality of the food is not spectacular.  

If price is no problem, there are a few well-reviewed restaurants to be found on the Island... including Ristorante Le Grottelle and Ristorante Le Capannina.  We recommend doing your research in advance and calling for a reservation ahead of time, especially if you plan to travel during a high tourist season.  Just stay away, if you can help it, from the restaurants and cafes that line the center of town.  Who needs to eat a plate of plain pasta for $35 euro each?  It's kind of silly.
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2) Don't buy gelato in Capri.
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The truth is, ferries to and from Capri run essentially on time and the lines of travelers waiting to get back onto the boats are enormous.  Especially because some of the ferry companies sell a single afternoon ticket (expecting that you may  need to take an earlier or later boat) it is entirely possible that the ferry you were planning to take home may be oversold.  It helps to have patience and a little flexibility in your schedule.

​In other words, build in a time buffer or come with a Plan B.

I heard a man in front of me in line for return tickets complaining bitterly to the saleslady that his ferry had left without his family because it was already too full of other passengers.  Despite his litany of reasons why his family HAD to get back to the mainland ASAP (because they stood to miss their connecting transportation to another Italian city and also their nightly hotel room) she was unable to help him.  

His ship had, quite literally, sailed.

After hearing this we made sure to arrive on time to our ferry and even so, the line to enter wrapped halfway around the harbor!  So, unless you are the world's most relaxed family... we highly recommend arriving for your return boat a little early during high season. 

If you expect it to be a hassle and wait patiently at the front of the line, you just may get an air conditioned seat on the ferry home!

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Despite a few small drawbacks to be aware of, Capri is still world-famous for a reason!  It may not be quite exactly the exquisite jewel of my decades-old memories, but it's one of those places you've just got to see!  I'm thrilled to have checked it off of our family bucket list and shown it to my husband and kids.

​With a little planning you can absolutely make the most of your time on this special Italian island!

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In July our family had dinner in Milan with a lovely group of Italians and Americans.

"We're going out to our place by the lake this weekend," one of the Italian husbands (Claudio) confided with a smile.  "With the kids. The weather will be perfect!"

"Oh really?" asked his friend, another native of Milan.  "Where's your place?"

"A little village along the lake, Cannobio," said Claudio, squeezing his wife's hand.

"Cannobio?" my American husband perked up and listened with interest.  "We LOVE Cannobio!"  He proceeded to regale the table with stories of his many long bike rides throughout that part of the Lago Maggiore region, and his special love for the Cannobino River.

"But this is amazing! I cannot believe that a foreigner... an American... can know so much about our little town of Cannobio!" exclaimed Claudio.  "NOBODY knows Cannobio!  You know more than I do!" 

What a fun compliment!  Dear readers, if you don't already know about Cannobio, this is your lucky moment! For all who love rivers, mountains, wild swimming and sumptuous Italian food, Cannobio is a restful vacation dream come true. 

 Only around 5,000 people live in the lovely lakeside town of Cannobio year-round, yet it's a vibrant place visited (especially during summer) by travelers from around the world.

There are several ways to arrive in Cannobio. If you have a car you can arrive from Milan in two hours, circling around beautiful Lago Maggiore with wonderful glimpses of the lake along your drive..

The best way to arrive, though, is by ferry! 

If you're not eager to deal with parking in a small, ancient town with narrow streets, it's perfectly simple to catch a ferry from a larger, more modern town (e.g. Luino) and head straight across the water to Cannobio.
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​We've been so impressed with the ferries that circumnavigate this enormous lake.  Run by "Navigazione Lago Maggiore," they are clean, efficient, on time, and very safe. 

In fact it's so easy and fun to see the lake by ferry, you may end up visiting many more towns than you'd originally planned!  

To get more information about traveling through Lago Maggiore by ferry, or to find out how to book your tickets, click here.  

Have you always wanted to see a 'typical' Italian outdoor market? This is a pretty good place to start.  Held on Sundays between 8am and 13:00pm (that's 1pm for Americans!) the market sets up right next to the water's edge.  An enormous line of well-tended stalls, side by side, offer all of the products you might imagine and many more.

Popular items sold at local Italian markets (including Cannobio) include leather goods, candles, crafts, paintings, beach wear, toys, clothing, jewelry and metalwork, handbags and more.  Artisanal foods are available too, from handmade cheeses to beautiful salami, fresh fruit and vegetables... even fish from the lake!

The market starts right in the heart of town and fans its way down toward the outskirts of Cannobio.  You could spend many pleasant hours shopping, speaking with vendors and looking through the offerings!

Best of all, if you get hungry, an entire row of good quality restaurants with open-air seating are just on the other side of the merchant stalls.  You can unwind and savor your purchases over a glass of vino tinto with your favorite shopping partners!
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​I can pretty much let the photos speak for themselves here. Whether you're a water person, a mountain person,  a camper, an adventurer or someone who just loves spending time in (or photographing) nature... you're going to find yourself glowing while getting to know Cannobio.  

It's hard not to be inspired with this kind of light dancing on the waves; this kind of verdant forest sheltering you!

At one point I commented to my children that I felt like a character in the novel "Heidi".  With stunning mountains towering above us and blackberries to pick along the sides of the trail, I almost yodeled just for the sheer joy of it!

(Okay, maybe I *did* yodel.  Can you blame me?  Just too much joy to keep inside!)   

This special, rare suspension bridge (aka "catwalk") is famous locally as a tourist attraction due to its fun swinging quality.  Touted as similar to a Tibetan bridge, its hanging steps rock from side to side as you walk across its center.  The Ponte Ballerino reminds me very much of a peaceful, small version of the famous Capilano suspension bridge we've enjoyed in the forest outside of Vancouver, B.C. 

The bridge itself has a special story.  It was built to replace a simple ford that had existed long ago to help local people cross the Cannobino River. Sadly, a young woman in her twenties (the daughter of a local man) drowned while trying to cross the ford with a large bale of hay on her back.  A few years later, another woman and her children had to be rescued from the river when a flash flood knocked them into the water.

Thanks to these incidents, 12 local families banded together to fund the building of the suspension bridge that continues to stand today.  Constructed by Albertini di Cannobio, the bridge was partially rebuilt in the 1950s.

Now adorned with love locks, the suspension bridge sways gently from side to side as travelers and locals cross it daily.  It's easy to imagine the romance of standing in the middle of this bridge in the midst of a vibrant sunset... or under the moon and stars. 

Although not widely known outside of Cannobio, this bridge and the magnificent views in both directions are truly worth your time.

​What's not to love about this picture?  If you're headed to the many fantastic swimming holes up the Cannobino River, this is the view that will accompany you along the quiet, well-kept path.

Make sure to gather a handful of tart wild blackberries growing at the side of the walkway... they're delicious!

This exquisite small river begins in the Italian Alps around 7,200 feet of elevation, and winds its way gently down through the Cannobino River Valley. For most of the first twelve miles, its maximum width is only around 33 feet.  However, once past the Church of Sant'Anna it begins to widen into a natural basin over 300 feet wide (and a few meters deep). Ultimately the Cannobino emerges into a wide river bed and then flows through the lakeside town of Cannobio, ending at last in Lago Maggiore.

Generally the Cannobino is gentle and peaceful, but a few times each year there is a sudden rush of water from snowmelt in the local mountains, causing the water to suddenly become powerful, rough and wild.  Due to these rare flash floods, the Cannobino is known as a 'torrente'. 

During the other 98% of the year the Cannobino is a tranquil and beautiful place to spend a lazy, 'chilled out' afternoon. During warmer months travelers and locals alike love to spend their days playing, swimming, relaxing in rubber innertubes and diving into its pure, cool waters. 

Whether traveling alone, with friends or with family, this is a fabulous place to enjoy a hot July or August day!

We recommend calling in advance for reservations to this spectacular, unique restaurant.  Perched next to a jagged, narrow gorge above the Cannobino River (which is many meters deep in this location) the outdoor dining experience at Ristorante Grotto Sant'Anna is almost unparalleled due in large part to its jaw-dropping setting and vistas.

We dined at a stone table beneath a lovely grape arbor.  Since we were among the first reservations of the sunny day, the atmosphere among the servers was very peaceful, attentive and relaxed.  A fabulous moth flitted around our table and spent some time hanging out with us, landing for a time on my son's hand!
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The dishes and desserts turned out to be creative, well-portioned and well made. Dessert was an especially big hit with the children, but the entire meal was solid (photos below). We enjoyed excellent service but noticed that as the restaurant filled up, it took much longer for the food to arrive at other tables.  So, we recommend making your reservation for an early seating!  

"Someday you could bring your future partner here to propose marriage," I remarked to our 12 year old son, The Scientist.  "It's such a romantic location!" (I was only half-teasing, it's that special!)

He, of course, groaned.  "Awww Mom, you know I'm NEVER going to get married!" 
His dad and I tried not to smile.

​"Well, if that's the case," I nodded, "I guess we'll have to return as a family in a few years to celebrate when your Dad and I have our 20 year anniversary!"

Until then, we definitely recommend this dining experience!  Nestled in the hills above the Cannobino, Ristorante Grotto Sant'Anna is a hidden treasure!  

​A word to the wise: Due to outstanding reviews and an unbeatable location, it's almost impossible to get a table at this restaurant without calling in advance.  (We know this firsthand; we've found out the hard way that you can't just show up unannounced. They've absolutely turned us away in the past... with no availability for a week!)

A favorite Aventura family pastime! 

​Wild swimming refers to outdoor swimming in pristine natural spots that lack infrastructure AND manmade pollution. There are entire guides devoted to wild swimming in various European countries, and my husband Señor Aventura has made a point of buying all of them. He and the children absolutely delight in wild swimming.

As it turns out, the Grotto Sant'Anna is a well-known and beloved destination for wild swimmers!

Just below the Church of Sant'Anna, a large natural pool flows out from the narrow gorge and down toward the much wider river basin.  As swimmers glide through the basin and approach the gorge, the water suddenly becomes extremely deep and cold. 

On hot summer days, many youth (and fit adults) spend time diving into these cool, deep waters from high up on the lofty cliffs towering above.  

For the 'adventurous' set - for example, my husband and sons - going even further to explore the narrow, dark river gorge itself is delightful too!  

"The water was the coldest I have ever experienced!" confessed The Scientist with a glowing smile as he emerged from the gorge.  "It was freezing, Mom!  There was basically no light because the stone walls of the gorge were so high.  Suddenly we saw a really big frog!  It was bouncing along the river, and it was brown! It was croaking!"

"Mom, I touched it!" crowed Soccer Dude gleefully.  "I touched the big frog!"  Their eyes were big like saucers as they described exploring inside the gorge with their dad.  

Later, Soccer Dude and his father took turns diving off of the high cliffs.  They emerged from the water completely exhilarated.  I was amazed by my courageous ten year old son who clambered up the massive cliffs to dive again and again.  He certainly has the heart and soul of a bold adventurer!

If you, too, enjoy a great adventure, look no further! 
​Wild swimming and diving at the Grotto Sant'Agata will make for a perfect summer's day!

Pictured below:
L- Soccer Dude prepares to dive from halfway up the cliffs (center of frame)
R- Soccer Dude emerges beaming from the water after his huge dive!

If you were to pick up an international newspaper today, you'd read headlines about 750,000 Catalan citizens protesting in Barcelona yesterday. They are upset about the arrests of nine of their regional government leaders, eight of whom are still jailed in Madrid.
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As someone who has lived in this beautiful place for nearly a year and a half, it is impossible to witness firsthand this kind of spirit and passion, and not be moved with some kind of emotion. 

"What the Spanish government is doing right now is unimaginable," frowns Enric, a Catalan friend from the gym.  "I am not Independista, my family is very Spanish.  However, putting these politicians in jail is not right!  It reminds me too much of our history and the days of living under Franco. This is a stain on our history."
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"The situation is ridiculous," a British friend who has lived and worked in Catalunya for 27 years confided recently.  "Taking political prisoners and holding them without bail in a so-called democracy is ridiculous. Yet nobody in the world is talking about it! Nobody in Europe is talking about it.  No matter how you feel about the independence movement, pro OR con, jailing these people is simply wrong!"

She then went on to tell me that while British to the core, her heart is with Catalunya. 

"I am not Spanish," she confided.  "I am British. I would never, never give up my British passport. My family are there. But the people who have welcomed me and filled my life for 30 years... they are Catalan.  I truly love the Catalan people.  This is my home."

Since she is not a Spanish citizen, my friend cannot vote. She has no voice whatsoever in what's happening all around her... to her... and possibly to her job! ​
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"What about the three quarters of a million expatriates living in Barcelona?" asked our German doctor friend rhetorically, on another recent night.  "We cannot vote.  We cannot express ourselves.  Yet, we live here.  We work here.  Our jobs are on the line. We pay taxes and raise our children.  We contribute!  Everything happening affects us keenly."  

This is a common theme right now. 

My twelve year old son, The Scientist, tells me that one of his best friends at school may now have to move to Italy next year with his family.  The father's company may relocate their headquarters there due to unrest in Barcelona. 

My boy feels so sad and frustrated about this turn of events.  He's finally made some great friends in Spain and now the closest one he has here could be leaving.  It's amazing how adult politics can rip apart two twelve year old buddies, who would have spent some quality time growing up together.  These kids are caught up as innocent bystanders in a political war.  

"I don't want him to go, Mom," The Scientist sighs with a deep crease in the center of his forehead.  "It's not fair." 
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It's so hard to say what will happen next.  Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has called for new elections in Catalunya on 21 December, to create a new government.  The 24 million dollar question is this:  What if the Catalan people vote, again, for an independista government?  What if a majority of voters - this time in full accord with Spanish law - again select officials who favor independence?

What will Rajoy and the EU do then?  It will thrust everyone into a real pickle.
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Catalan President Puigdemont is banking on that possibility.  He fled to Belgium shortly after he declared Catalan independence and the Spanish government enacted Article 155, taking over the Catalan government. 

With a small group of fellow leaders, Puigdemont traveled to Belgium to request a fair trial which he felt he could not receive in Spain.

Orders for their arrest have been issued by the Spanish supreme court and they are each accused of embezzlement, sedition and rebellion. Puigdemont turned himself in voluntarily to the government of Belgium, and gave them his passport.  He has been released on bail in Belgium while a Belgian judge decides whether to execute the Spanish arrest warrant.
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Meanwhile many other Catalan government officials were indeed arrested and put in a Madrid jail without bail. 

One of them, Carme Forcadell (now the former president of the Catalan Parliament) had to pay 150,000 euros this week to make bail and secure her own release from the prison of Alcalá Meco in Madrid. Her passport has been taken by the Spanish government and she must report weekly to a Catalan court, or before the Supreme Court if a date is named.  Her bond was paid by the National Association of Catalunya (ANC) with money from a 'solidarity fund'. 
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For months now our family has tried hard to stay neutral through all of this.  We have many friends on both sides of the issue - adults and children.  We admire and respect them all, and see their differing points of view.

Yet we have also been personally affected by the political climate here in Barcelona in many ways.

Here is a small example. Last Wednesday our kids could not go to school due to a strike. The strike was not supposed to affect the local schools, which were open for the day. However because there were protests all over Catalunya that affected the transportation systems, the children could not physically arrive at class.

"I really need to go to school today Mom," The Scientist insisted.  "I have a math exam!"  

Yet he waited for over an hour in the morning standing at the metro station to get on a train to school and though there was a train sitting right in front of him the whole time, it never left.  Finally he gave up in dismay and came home to study.

Later we learned that protestors had physically seated themselves on train tracks all over the city, making it impossible for the trains to run.  In fact, so they did this all over Catalunya and even on the tracks around Barcelona's major trains station, Estació de Sants, thereby disrupting regional and international train travel as well. 
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My husband planned to drive the other two children to their school, since their normal bus service had been halted for the day.  When he looked at Google Maps in the morning though, every freeway was  a sea of red.  Cars were not moving at all.  The wait in any direction lasted hours.  He tried to take the kids to school by train, but as I mentioned before, the trains were not running.

At last, they left the station and consoled themselves with chocolate croissants on the way home.

I'd had three appointments scheduled that day, and had to walk for over an hour to get to one of them. At my doctor's office a woman came in urgently with a medical emergency (kidney stones) and the poor thing couldn't take either a subway or taxi due to the strike! I tried to imagine that poor lady walking in agony to receive emergency medical help and it made me feel angry on her behalf.

Our kids were so bored and miserable at home, wishing to be at school with their friends and teachers.  By 3pm all five of us felt full to the brim with frustration. ​
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Of course, these are small inconveniences and we have no right, really, to feel angry or upset.  It isn't our country or our political history, and we are not the ones who will have to live with the results for the next several hundred years.  California is just a flight away, anytime we decide we need a break from all of this.

So we try to breathe and roll with it, appreciating all of the amazing things about living in Catalunya during this unusual time in its history.  ​
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It's a credit to the city and its calm, measured police force that these massive, million-person protests can go off twice a week without violence or injuries... or even major arrests of the protestors. 

​Even more, it's a credit to the strength and goodness of ALL the Catalan people (both independistas and pro-Spanish unity) that they can wear their hearts on their sleeves in front of the news cameras of the world like this, and continue to try to keep a positive attitude when so much around them feels uncertain and unknown.

They wake up, go to work, take care of their families, and then go to protest for what they believe in.  You have to admire that kind of passion and grit.

What will happen?  We have no sense of it.  As foreigners we try only to understand what is happening around us.  Every day we ask questions, seek more information, and try to learn from the people we meet.

Day by day, along with the rest of the world, we wait to see how all of this tumult will end.
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