Given that one of Oz’s main objectives of this trip was to sample a variety of kinds of foods in the different Italian cities we visit, we were all particularly interested in trying pizza in Naples, the birthplace of modern pizza. Oz was soon to discover that the Margherita pizza was his favorite with its classic white mozzarella cheese, red tomatoes and fresh green basil. Just like Italy’s tricolor flag!
Naples was quite the contrast to Rome. Our hotel, Il Convento, was located in the historic old Spanish section of the city on a busy and narrow street. The original building, built in the 17th century, was full of old world charm. Before entering the hotel, we observed clothes hung on lines drying high above our heads, and motorcyclists flying by us on the noisy and busy street below.
After we checked in, we went out walking to get a taste of the city before going in search of some pizza. We passed by a street fish market and discovered many local offerings, including the curious cuttlefish.
Although we didn’t purchase any fish, Leslie and Oz soon began their sampling of swordfish, cod and tuna in this city by the Bay of Naples. And, on the way home after a delicious pizza (eaten in Italy with a knife and fork, and not in one’s hand) dinner, Oz turned and pulled out his phone and took a quick photo. It was of a castle with Mt. Vesuvius in the background at dusk, which turned out to be one of our most favorite pictures of our entire trip!
One of the most unusual culinary experiences of our trip was dining at a Neapolitan restaurant that Val had read about and wanted to try. Knowing not much more than the name, Trattoria da Nennella, we waited in line for a half hour and then the doors suddenly opened and hoards of Italians began pouring in. The food was not particularly interesting, but the entertainment was quite unique. The atmosphere soon turned animated when many patrons started enthusiastically singing familiar Italian songs and waiters began dancing on the tables!
(Click on the photo below for a little noisy movie with waiter dancing on a table. Click on your browser’s ‘Back’ button to get back to our blog.)
On our second day in Naples we took the train to Ercolano, or Herculaneum, an ancient city about an hour southeast of Naples. On August 24, 79 CE, Mt Vesuvius erupted, and lethal pyroclastic debris destroyed wealthy Pompei, while mudslides covered the seaside vacation village of Ercolano. We met our very enthusiastic and energetic guide, Martina, and soon learned about fancy homes, palaces, baths, shops, fast foods (hot and cold!) and temples which often had ornate mosaics and frescoes.
In a large downtown building, Oz also discovered a mosaic in the style of those we had seen in Ercolano and Pompei, made of small floor tiles which depicted his Taurus or Bull horoscope sign because of his May 2nd birthday.
Our last day in Naples was focused on Pompei and Mt. Vesuvius. Val and Oz went back south, this time to Pompei, while Leslie took a day to recover from an intestinal problem. Val decided to take a 50 euro taxi out to the site at Pompei, as this was going to be a long day and complicated local trains and transfer can absorb a bit too much time and energy. We met a FANTASTIC guide (in Val’s judgement) named Gillilo, whom we had hired because of his reported excellent skills in educating youngsters. His favorite and much repeated line was: “Come closer, closer, my little Emperor! I have something to show you.” And he truly did have much to show! (After the tour Val asked Oz what he thought of Gillilo and Oz said “The tour was hard!”. Right!
At one moment the guide asked Val, away from Oz, if we should go into the region where the prostitutes worked. Val said ‘Yes, but just a short visit’ and so we did. We viewed little cubicles with very, very uncomfortable looking bed platforms and a few mosaics of a woman sitting on a man, and more…….
Our visit to the Pompei amphitheater provided an acoustics moment. We waited around for a while until there few few people around and then our guide asked first Oz and then me, to say, loudly, “1, 2, 3” and listen and then to step forward to the very center of the semicircular steps which Gillilo had marked with an X and do it again. This was cool, as one heard one’s voice much louder at the focus! Here is a link to my aural experience. (Click on the image below for what Val said and heard.)
After this ‘hard’ tour, Oz and Val found some lunch, sandwiches from a street vendor, and waited a bit for a bus that then took us up Mt. Vesuvius; the source in 70 C.E. of all this devastation and this unique look at human history 2000 years ago, even before the Roman era. Here we could get some exercise and some lovely views out over the Bay of Naples with Erculano and Pompei down below along with lots more houses awaiting the next big eruption.
Now, we are off to Florence to meet Leonardo and make some pizza and gelato.
