Ischia: Caves and Mountain adventure

The last day we spent in Ischia we tried to go to an ancient Roman mineral bath called Terme Cavascura that Old Man Iacono told us to go to swearing it cured all types of aches and pains. After proclaiming so he let out a good solid toot. Must be family, that dear old man...

We clambered out of the hotel room bright and early and walked down to the beach where there are fumarole which are an opening in the planet's crust where hot steam comes out of the earth. Usually this happens in volcanic regions. In the Fumarole of Ischia it is over 100 degrees C or around 200 F so dangerous to walk on and closed off as a result. The local restaurants still use the ancient way of cooking under the lavic sand as a local treat. They cook Ischian rabbit, fish and some chicken. 

Dinner is ready!

We hiked past the fumarole and into the mountain which we found to be extraordinary steep. The sharp hills we had been hiking were nothing compared to the 45% steep inclines and declines of the mountain we were hiking on to get to the thermal baths to relax! 

That steep!

So glad we brought our tourist hats!

My legs literally felt like they were on fire with each push up the mountainside. "We are built for the cubicle and coffee breaks, not for this stuff!" they bellowed in anger and the blubber eventually got angry at me and started to melt away!

 I lost 2 inches in Ischia thanks to those mountains fighting my fat legs. We came to one descent where I was afraid to go down then reminded myself of the pyramids I climbed in Mexico and how my uncle showed me to go down stepping on my side and leaning my weight back to contrast the point of gravity. It was intense. Finally we got to the bottom of the mountain and found we had to hike around another mountain to get to Cavasuco. After another hour of hiking in the blistering heat we got there and it was dinky, dirty and there were some sad old French and Germans people covered in mud soaking in the Roman tubs. We were drenched in sweat and about to pass out like contestants of Survivor so asked for an orange juice to fuel us up before leaving. 

The Roman bath

We decided we didn't want to stay and pay the price for a dirty old Roman bath that looked and smelled like it harbored more damaging microbes than good ones. 

We were charged 8 bucks for the orange juice. It must have been our Keen sandals or our straw hats that made us look like tourists who would be willing and able to pay that much for 6 ounces of juice. In any case, we got out of there, and hiked down to the beach where it was as hot as a volcano in the summer should be. My feet (note should have been wearing sunscreen) were burned and covered in blisters, (need to bring first aid kit), I tried really hard to walk on the sand to get to the civilized beach but couldn't make it past the cliffs and rocks and finally wailed like a kid that I quit and I went to sit in a cave that had a nice sign on it stating it was dangerous. I figured if it had been there for centuries what is the probability that it will collapse on us?! None right? So  a very hesitant chef came in the cave with me where I had practically set up house and was envisioning cave life. I laid out our beach towels, took out our deep fried pizza and took my sandals off. Mi casa es su casa! I even found a good hook where to hang our hats!

Our starter home, next time we will move up to the suburbs.

Resting from the scorching sun while the chef cools off in the sea.

Re-nourishing my body with a deep fried pizza slice! Every calorie burned off. If only that could happen every day!

Panzerotti to finish off my healthy lunch! Fried mashed potato with melted cheese. 

Hanging out in the formal living room.

It was blistering hot outside of the cave so the chef went to cool off in the water while I huddled and panted in the cool cave and thanked God for creating such a spot where to feel relaxed. We spent a few hours there and at one point I felt better and started joking and laughing when we felt little pebbles fall on our head. With our luck the whole thing could crack and come down! So we decided it was time to get out of the cave as quietly as possible and hike back up that super inclined mountain and go back to our hotel. 

My legs shrank with each step back up that mountain and I wished that I could live there. It is like my office body forgot what it was like to be alive and active! We got back to the hotel and decided to eat at a new Mozzarella restaurant. There were a few restaurants promoting their mozzarella di buffala as the best in the Naples area. As it turned out, none of them were that good and so far the best restaurant we tried in Ischia was di Pasquales and the best mozzarella is the local creamers cheese near my Mom in laws house. 

My favorite part of Ischia was waking up to the sea view outside of the hotel, the hilly streets and the zero pollution from cars. All the golf carts are electric! My least favorite part was leaving it.... I really really liked Ischia alot and can see why Elena Ferrante wrote so much based there! It is a magical place with funny energy and it's own little culture.