Tag Archives: naples

5 March 2007

Uncategorized, , , ,

In the end we skipped the kayaking for the time being, and played tennis instead. I was awful. I continue to be awful. I played again today with Roger and lost again despite his trying to help me. On Saturday evening we watched Being Julia – great performance by Annette Bening.

Yesterday it continued cooler, but it was still quite pleasant. We had brunch at the Lighthouse Cafe, then bought a couple of books and called in at the video store. On to a leisurely drive through the Nature Reserve, hunting for alligators. We saw a huge variety of birds and a few raccoons, but we had just about given up on the alligators when I saw a baby one in a creek near the exit. No sign of the mother.

Back at home played tennis (still awful) then home for food and two excellent films: The Merchant of Venice (superb performances from Al Pacino and Lynn Collins) and Keeping Mum (a surprisingly good comedy with Kirstin Scott Thomas and Rowan Atkinson, among others).

Today has been much cooler, which is to say the equivalent of a very acceptable English summer’s day. Barb and Dot are just back from Naples, where they bought a bundle of clothes. I walked up to the post office, back along the beach and over to the dock. Wind has shifted to the north, and there were crows on the dock. Haven’t seen them before. Very clear – Pine Island was very sharp. No sign of manatees, which had been mating yesterday, we think. Lots of action – very unusual. Only happens once every two years.

Now the other three have gone out to buy desserts from the Bubble Room. I didn’t feel much like going to a proper restaurant, and they wouldn’t go without me.

It’s much noisier now in Sunset Captiva – more families have come down for the March break, whatever that is.

The picture is Dot’s view of the Lady Chadwick, a boat that leaves the quay almost opposite us and promises dolphin sightings. The other evening it overshot its berth to view a dolphin opposite our dock. Could it have been the only one they’d seen?

3 March 2007

Uncategorized, , , ,

This is Dot on the deck leading off our bedroom. I think hornets may be building a nest there.

In the end the journey to Naples wasn’t too bad, though we were stuck on Periwinkle Way for a long time. Happily, I took a book! We arrived at the theatre nearly an hour and a half early: great consternation because there was no food on sale, and Dot and Barb in particular were hungry. They had to make do with coffee, drunk outside in a courtyard. Lovely setting.

Riverdance was superb – quite stunning in several different ways. The dancing itself was amazing, of course, but I was particularly impressed by the small group of musicians, including a violinist and drummer who were out of this world.

Back in the car by 10.20, we stopped for succour at a filling station: cake and chocolates. Home before midnight.

On the way to Naples, on Highway 41, we were overtaken by a motor cycle. A mile or so further on we found the bike wrecked and the young rider lying on the ground: he had clearly hit a car. He didn’t look at all good, though he wasn’t dead. The difference a few minutes can make…

Yesterday was fairly quiet. Did a bit of grocery shopping with Barb (Roger was painting) and then called at Bowman’s beach on Sanibel. Lovely approach paths through trees and bushes, and a lagoon just behind the sand. The beach itself was quite crowded, though the sea was very perky, and there was intermittent low cloud. Certainly picturesque.

Later went to the dock again. Several manatee about. We booked a trip on a sailing boat for Tuesday.

Evening meal at Dolce Vita, where the ambience was sophisticated, more like a city restaurant, with live music. The food was first class, as was the service. Really good meal. Home by about 8.30 and watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which I found irritating and pretentious. No likeable characters and not much coherence either.

Now Dot and Barbara are up at the pool. Roger has just finished his portrait of Dot – wonderful – and there is the prospect of kayaking this afternoon, though I’m a bit worried about my stomach.

27 February 2007

Uncategorized, , , , ,

Picture by our waitress at Tommy Bahama’s yesterday in Naples, where I outraged Barb by ordering a cheeseburger instead of something cultured. However, I did have a Cosmo martini, and Dot had a Coconut Cloud (speciality of the house, with their own rum); so that was all right. Using the phrase “all right” rather loosely.

Afterwards Barb and Dot went shopping, and Roger and I visited about six galleries. Some really excellent pictures, especially in the Galerie du Soleil, where they were showing pictures from Naples, Italy, in some kind of exchange deal. Stunning portraits.

Journey to and from Naples was afflicted by heavy traffic. On the way there, through Fort Myers Beach – a kind of sub-tropical Great Yarmouth – it was foggy, depriving us of what we were assured were splendid views. Naples itself was very refined, or upscale, as they say over here.

Today we had breakfast at the Lighthouse cafe again, then went to see the actual lighthouse, which is not much aesthetically, but nicely placed opposite an osprey’s nest. And round the corner is the pier where quite a large number of people were fishing. Surprisingly peaceful, despite the usual suspects – pelicans – putting in an appearance. Saw dolphins again.

On the way back we called at the video shop, and while we were inside, there was a thunderstorm. Back on Captiva it was dry. Dot and I went to the post office, then Starbuck’s, then bought one or two cards and other items at the Bubble Room emporium. Barb and Roger saw manatees at the dock, but by the time Dot and I arrived, they had mysteriously disappeared. The manatees, that is.

Meanwhile a new fridge was installed. We had a delicatessen supper on the deck, then played bridge, followed by a film – Calendar Girls.