Capri

I realize that I haven't been very good at posting some of my favorite pictures from this past month's pdays.  We have seen some beautiful new places and revisited a few old favorites.  Sister Rose Sutton, who serves in the mission office, came to visit us a week ago, and we went to Capri with her and with the Heaths.  I had always wanted to go to Capri because we heard it is so beautiful.  And it was.  But, it also was quite expensive.  The ferry ride over was 40 Euros which is about $50/ person.  The bus tour was another 40 Euros per person.  Plus lunch, I think it cost each of us over a hundred Euros each.   (I think there are equally beautiful places along the Southern Coast which are free to see.)  We went to the Famous Blue Grotto, which was stunning and quite adventurous as they put five of us in a tiny little row boat with our guide, and usually they only hold two or three passengers.  We were packed in like sardines.  I wasn't sure if we would ever be able to get out.  But we did. It was fun but squishy!

The opening into the Grotto was very low, so we had to all lay back into the row boat, so we wouldn't hit our heads as we entered.  The cave was large and very open.  The water was very blue and beautiful.  The Grottos in Palinuro were just as pretty though and the boat ride was an hour and a half, instead of five minutes, as it was in Capri.  The island was very beautiful though and the views were beautiful.   We walked along the paths up high which had incredible vistas of the blue Mediteranean far below, dotted with boats and yachts. 

The Emporer's gardens were beautiful with overlooks to the sea and long steep walking paths up to it.

                                  Lots of expensive clothing and shoe and purse shops.

        And beautiful pathways and stairways and hidden ways off the path we walked.

It was a very hot and humid day.  My hair frizzed way beyond it's natural inclination to friz. I looked like a red faced Brillo pad!  But other than that, it was a perfect day.  Everything was beautiful. I still have to pinch myself to see if I am not dreaming of being in Italy.  It seems surreal to see such beauty and majesty. Our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ have given us such a wonderful gift  of creating this world for us.  I am so thankful for the rich colors and awesome design of this part of God's earth.  As it says in the Doctrine and Covenants 104: 14:  "I The Lord stretched out the heavens, and built the earth, my very handiwork: and all things therein are mine."  My favorite verse is in section 59 verse 18: "All things which  come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden th heart."  

My heart is certainly glad when I see this beautiful part of his world.