Finally, we got off the base and traveled downtown! At 7AM, we met our Italian tour guides, Giussepe and Terri here on the base and took a 30 minutes bus ride to the NATO base in Pozzuoli. Upon arrival, our group spilt into two groups of roughly 20 each and we set off with Terri, the most adorable woman on the face of the planet, for a day of traveling. Terri took us on foot to the Metro station at Bagnoli Agnano. From there, we were taught to buy a day metro card, Unico Napoli Giornaliero. For 3,60 (Euro prices uses commas instead of periods), we were able to ride all of the transit in Napoli for the day.
So, we took the train into downtown Napoli and walked about 4 blocks to the Funicolari station. Funicolari are little trams that go up very steep hills. Ours took us up to Vomero which has two castles, one of which was used to house prisoners during WWII. We didn't go inside either, but I imagine the prision castle was a bit less stately than the other.... Just postulating here. In Vomero, we were given an hour to wander about. Oh my goodness! It was so fancy! Gucci, Prada, Armandi, Dolce & Gabbana. The kinds of store that you don't expect to see everywhere. But they are everywhere! Each store had more beautiful clothes than the next. Luckily for Tom, none of them were open that early in the morning. Phew! But, we did stop in for a cappuccino at the local bar.
This is another Italian nuance: bars are coffee (always called caffe) shops. To order a coffee, you pay the nice person right when you walk in. If you order "un cappuccino" he will give you your change and a receipt. If you put both on the counter, your drink will appear. If you put neither, you'll stand there feeling foolish. You can only guess how many times I've done the former. We also got two chocolate filled croissants. Oh my goodness! They were SO good!! I made the most embarassing sounds while eating it. But ordering it, I was actually trying to order some other chocolate filled pastry, we fouled up so much that the second guy at the register, who must speak more English, had to translate. It ended with us getting our change and receipt and the cashier asking "Where from?" Come on, buddy. You know we're Americans. Only Americans would come to a country and not speak a word of your language. Mi dispiace!!! ("I'm sorry!")
From the pastry of deliciousness (it was filled with nutella-like cream that was a bit lighter but still had the milk chocolate/nutty flavor), we wandered out into the streets. Passed shops and bags that nearly brought tears to my eyes, we strolled through streets, not really remembering where to go. When our hour was nearly up, we decided to stop into another bar to use the toilet (they don't call them restrooms or bathrooms. Toilet is the only thing. It feels a bit crass and most of them rival those gas station bathrooms that you've seen in West Virginia or Arkansas or some other relatively unappealing place). Tom, now having the ordering system down pat, got a caffe while I followed a Spanish woman from our group downstairs to the toilet. Well, to say this was downstairs was quite the understatement. It was down 3 flights of stairs. I think we were almost back down to sea level! Then up a spiral staircase to get to the actual toilet. It was very odd.
While we're discussing toilets, that's another weird thing in Italia. There is no tank on the toilet. The fact that I'm writing this on the web is highly strange, I grant you. But I felt very unprepared for the nature of toilets here and they still crack me up a bit. There is an enormous button at eye level that you push to flush. No tank on the back, just the pipe into the wall. And there's usually no water in the bowl before you go. In most cases, the toilet is the only thing in the room and then you go out into a separate room to wash your hands. In the NATO exchange, especially, it seems like a dreadful waste of space.
But, on to more pleasant things! After Vomero, we took the funicolari back down the hill into downtown Napoli. Terri brought us into the Galleria Umberto. It was breath taking! It's the *new* indoor meeting place. They say *new* because it was built in 1890. That's new in Napoli! The shops are all very high end with gowns and silver, a chocolateria that will put jewelry for your sweetheart into chocolate eggs at Easter and pizzerias. A glass roof and open air interior was intended to allow for informal gatherings regardless of the weather. We then crossed a very busy street (Terri was fearless but our group of 20 was too many and Vespa's would simply not allow all of us to cross at once) to the Teatro San Carlo. This was built in the 17th century and is the second oldest Opera House in Italy! It's nickname is the Musical Heaven because the accoustics are so perfect.
From there, we wandered down to the Piazza Trieste e Trento. We didn't stop in, but Gambrinus Bar is supposedly the best (and most expensive) place to get a caffe in Napoli. In the 1800's it was the place to see and be seen in the artist community. Now you can probably swap artist for glitteratti.
Here we saw the old Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale) which was built by the Bourbons before they got kicked out of Italy and the Duomo of San Francesco di Paola. There was a wedding going on inside, we were weren't able to tour it, but it looked beautiful! The wedding inspires another interesting lesson. Italians are never on time. We passed the church at 10:55 as the bride was walking in. At 12:10 when we passed again, a few guests were still arriving. I'm assuming they were very late because moments later, the bride and groom walked out! It's making Teresa Guidace from Real Housewives of New Jersey's behavior (at least some of it) make a little more sense!
Terri picked our group back up in the Galleria Umberto and walked us along the most crowded, bustling street to get lunch at some pizzeria, the name of which I cannot even guess. Here, we each got our own pizza, beer and bottle of water for 8,50 (Euro). It was such a hot day, I don't think I've ever had a beer that tasted so good!! Much to my relief, Tom conceded that pizza in Napoli (the founding place of the pizza) is just as good as pizza in NJ. What a relief! I'd hate to spend three years here and continue to hear about how no pizza in the world is as good as Jersey!
Enjoy some pictures below! There are a few from the beginning days of our trip. Downtown later in the grouping.
We're off to Sorrento on Sunday with my former boss from San Diego, Kim and her husband, Nathan. Then next week, my dear friend, Kristine, and I are spending a few days in Sorrento, Amalfi and Capri! Limoncello and cermacia are in our future!!!
Ciao!
Lynne
xoxo
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