āYou geta outa right here.ā Our taxi driver from the airport stops. āCanna drive no more too many people.ā He points to the general direction of our hotel. We trudge and twist through jubilant crowds that cram the streets and alleys of Naples on Christmas evening.
Crowds Christmas Night
Di Palma Hotel hides out there in the dark, beyond a distant monument. Having no cell phone signal reminds us of how spoiled we have become as travelers. Now, it is back to relying on instincts.
Piazza del Plebiscito
Friendly streetside shop owners give us directions in the musical Italian language. Scents of pizza, sizzling seafood, and baked sweets mingle in the air. Although exhausted, we cannot wait to unload and join the party.
Sweets
We travel with one-way tickets and carry-on bags for the next three months. Not sure where all we are going, but for now, let us love Naples for one week. Start with local wine and the chefās special Christmas pizza!
Christmas Pizza
Mt Vesuvius, overdue for an eruption, looms across the bay. It would bury the three-million inhabitants surrounding Naples in three minutes, like Pompeii. Scientists from around the world study it closely.
Mt. Vesuvius
Live for today and climb! Even if clouds cover the crater during our hike.
Mt. Vesuvius – No Views Today
An eruption in 79AD buried the city of Pompeii in twenty feet (6m) of ash and pumice. Excavation began in 1748 and continues today.
Pompeii
Gyms, saunas, and steam rooms sit near dispersed restaurants where terra cotta pots filled with food fed the inhabitants of this walled city. (They had no kitchens)
Restaurant in Pompeii
Gladiators, which contrary to widespread belief were short people, lived as slaves until few of them earned freedom by winning matches to the death in the community theatre.
Theater in Pompeii
Sexual menus line the walls in the legal āred-lightā district and display different pleasure preferences. The penis, a good luck charm, pops up all over this city in carvings and statues of the happy organ.
Brothel Menu Item Pompeii
Gruesome plaster casts show the position of people, one still with teeth, suffocating to death from fumes prior to the ash burial.
Plaster casts of bodies found buried in Pompeii
Fresco Paintings in Pompeii
Main square in Pompeii
Bring on the food! Naples claims to be the origin of pizza and we can vouch for its magnificent taste. No overwhelming tomato sauce, cheese, or piled on toppings, just tasty moderate amounts of their subtle presence on a soft dough.
Pizza!
Of course, the traditional pasta dishes could not get any better especially when paired with fresh seafood.
Traditional Neapolitan Pasta and Seafood
Sauteed Clams
Nor could the street foods, such as āCuoppa de Mareā and the āmust tryā fried pizza.
Cuoppo di Mare
Fried Pizza
We snake through crowded alleys to the church of āPurgatorio ad Arcoā which dedicates prayers to souls stuck in Purgatory. The art alone could grant them entrance into heaven.
Church of the Purgatorio ad Arco (Santa Maria)
San Gregorio Street, filled with nativity scenes by local artists, overflows with Christmas cheer. However, constantly dodging crowds grows tiring.
San Gregorio Armeno Street
Strolling along the āLungomare Via Carraciolaā (Seafront Promenade) provides entertainment, views, and relief from crowds.
Lungomare Via Carraciolo – Seafront Promenade
Gulf of Naples
Ovo Castle – Egg Castle
Views from Seafront Promenade
At first, we wondered if anything would be open on Christmas night.
Views of Mt. Vesuvius
Thank you, Abundant Universe!
Beautifully written as usual Ron and great photos Marilynn! Safe travels and Happy New Year!
Thank you, my friend and Happy New Year to you!
Amazing …
Indeed!
Ron, While you are in the Naples area, be sure to go to the Rosapepe Spa Resort which my daughter and I stayed in some years ago. The hotel was fine and the thermal pool fun with underwater bicycles and a mud base which is good for your skin. We know a relative of the owner, Susan Rosapepe in Annapolis who runs tours to the area. Don’t miss Matera the ancient cave city also. (I’m Sally’s friend at Chesapeake Harbour)
Thank you so much for your recommendations, Alice, but we arrived via train in Catania, Sicily yesterday after one week in Naples. Train ferries, who would have thought?
Happy new year from Tenerife
Happy New Year to you and family! So glad to hear from you and we are still alive!
Looking forward to coming along for the next few months! And thanks for the food porn shots along with the gorgeous scenery too. š If you make it to northern Italy, to the city of Novarra, a bit west of Milano, I have a friend there who is a terrific guy and would probably be happy to put you up too and show you around! Mario and his Spanish wife Maite have a multi-story home there. He even took us to his cabin in the Italian alps for a few days of hiking. Anyway, Buon viaggio!
Buongiorno! Ah, northern Italy sounds good, but we are currently enjoying Catania, Sicily and its crazy good seafood. Took a train here from Naples, which crossed on one of the many train ferries.
Great photos and narration as always Ron and Marilyn. Happy New Year!!
Thank you so much! My heart is with Bob and family and positive prayers every day. Happy New Year to you guys
Paying extra close attention to these Italy blog posts now that weāve got a daughter going to school there. A lot of your observations really rang true from our last visit (food ā amazing, crowds ā not so amazing). Weāre planning on being back for several weeks this summer as Indi awaits her permanent residency visa and canāt wait to explore more outside of the major cities. Hope the rest of your travels go well and weāre looking forward to when you make it over to SE Asia!
Great to hear from you guys! You are so lucky to have great reasons to visit Italy often. We are currently in Catania, Sicily via train from Naples. I am a simple man, still amazed by all of the train ferries. Maybe we’ll see you somewhere in SE Asia!
If I had a complaint thus far it’s that it’s a bit chilly this time of year. Wondered how Indea is adjusting to the temps? We will be very ready for SE Asia lol!!
Beautiful photos and narrationš We had a great trip to Italy in 2020 too. Happy new year ššš Looking forward to seeing more about your adventures!
Thank you for following! I found your Taiwan post especially helpful, as we are considering travel there next month from Indonesia.
You will have a great time in Taiwan. I havenāt been to Indonesia yet. Have funš
Hi there š. Happy new year! Loved catching up on your Italy adventures. I look forward to the next one!
Thank you, Margaret Blue. Hopefully we will have a new post on Sicily coming soon!