Capri has recently been on my mind. My first trip to the island was in 2017 to celebrate a big birthday. On the ferry over from Naples we ran into an old friend of my then-boyfriend (now-husband) who mentioned it was their 7th or 8th year returning. I wondered why anyone would do that with so many unexplored destinations out there. I got my answer after a week on the island and we returned the following year!
We’ve been grounded in Singapore since November last year. We had our parents visit us at the end of the year and my new job hasn’t require me to travel. Then this Covid-19 pandemic hit Asia, as soon as we started to think about a short trip away. It’s only June but feels like it’s been more than a year of staying still. I know many must be feeling this way. So reminiscing about past trips has been nice. I really do think we will be traveling again, perhaps with slightly different health and security measures.

Both times in Capri, we stayed at the Hotel Punta Tragara. It’s a unique hotel with a long design history and really needs a dedicated post. It was a private villa that expanded into a 38-rooms hotel with the help from the renown French-Swiss architect, Le Corbusier. It baffles me how different this hotel is from his typical modernist style but we all need a break from reality sometimes.
I’ll save my thoughts on the hotel till a future post: it is a good excuse for a return trip once this pandemic is under control and we can all travel again.

There are obvious reasons why Capri, and Italy in general, is a favorite vacation spot for many of us – the scenic views, world-class services, and unforgettable meals. But few smaller details really stood out to me. One of them being all the villa names and signages. Most villas had pictorial tiles by their entrance door with their names on it. “L’ippocampo” and “Il Gabbiano.” I love the idea of giving your home, or your summer villa, its own name and identity. There’s a sense of permanence that must come with this kind of emotional attachment.
These small details are why I know we will be traveling again. Even with new technologies and social media giving access to faraway destination, they can’t replicate these small moments. Rather they are these tiles, or the scent of lemon trees, or the lightness in your steps as you walk on the pebbled roads.
Until it’s safe to travel again, stay safe and be mindful.