Awe and Saddness in Napoli

Napoli is a short fast train ride south of Rome and had been on my must see list for a long time.

The beautiful scenery was gliding by my window in the train as I enjoyed the gentle rocking. In the reflection of the window I saw a digital sign flash a change. Looking up I saw it was the speed of the train clocking at 300 kph ( 190 mph). The fastest I had ever been on land. My engineering curiosity was enthralled by the thought of moving so quick.

The little Airbnb place I rented in Napoli was tucked away in the back of the fourth floor of an old building. A tiny spiral staircase made climbing with my backpack interesting as I found the bed and bathroom. This was home for a quick weekend trip to the Naples area.

Napoli is a lot bigger than I had thought sitting on the edge of the deep blue of the Mediterranean. A bustling city with a very different and eclectic character than Rome. After dropping my bags I went exploring. Finding one of the main streets called Via Torledo I had been recommended to explore. As usual Italy did not disappoint. A wide street with off shooting narrow roads there is something for the eyes to feast on in every direction. A quick stop for gelato to fuel my wandering and follow my curiosity, I was determined to find the perfect spot to taste the famous Napili Pizza. I found it hard to choose but settled on a place down one of the narrow streets. I had been told the pizza was the best I would taste and it was true. Pizza with tomato and mozzarella di buffula in Naples is fantastic! Really nothing more I can say as this is a taste sensation one must try in person.

The trip to Italy coincided with the Olympics in Rio which meant sadly I did not see much of the games. However this night out in Napoli I happened across a bar playing the group semi finals of the men's saber fencing between Italy and the US. It was a nail biter for a while. The waiter and I shared knowing glances across the language divide understanding eachothers pensive emotion. But as the US started to gain the upper hand he turned back to his work sullenly and handed me another beer. The US male fencers put on an amazing exhibition of skill.

One lovely spot in Napoli I enjoyed was the Complesso Monumentale di Santa Chiara (The Monastery of Saint Chiara). In the bustling city of Naples this is an oasis of calm and beauty.

Prominently watching over the city of Napoli is Mount Vesuvius, which reminded me each day of the deadly history of the area. Pompeii is a short train ride south of Napoli, but before heading there I had been told a trip to the National Archeology Museum was a must. I am glad I took that advice. The sculptures, paintings and mosaics which were retrieved from the Pompeii site are exquisite. The skill of the artisans of that era are mind blowing. A favorite of mine was a mosaic which used to provide and amazing entryway to a house in Pompeii. Now the mosaic covers the wall of a room 20 feet by 15. An estimated million small pieces of stone laid out in an intricate pattern to reveal a war scene. I stood in front of this mosaic for quite a while.

After seeing the artifacts of Pompeii is was time to take the train to see the ruins. It is a short distance on the train but with the 25 stops it took a little while. Following the foot traffic exiting the train I entered the site of the ruins. I had heard about Pompeii from history class. Hearing how advanced the city was with running water, street cafes with hot food, amphitheaters and even white speckled marble inlay in some streets to reflect moonlight for late night revelers. This class work had in no way prepared me for what I would encounter in person.

The first plaza I entered was similar to some other ruins I had seen with crumbling stonewalls of buildings surrounding a central open space, in this case it was vastly bigger. Reviewing the map of the site i was struck by the realization that I had entered a vast city. I was standing in district one of ten districts. Wandering into the amphitheater a sense of awe was building in me. I stepped out into the streets to see the large stones that made up the base surface. Huge stepping stones crossed the streets which would allow pedestrians to avoid the mud, water and animal waste of the busy streets. Between the stepping stones deep ruts are still visible of where numerous wagons and chariots made their way through Pompeii. The Pompeii site was covered in ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD to the utter surprise of it's inhabitants. The excavation of the city from that tragedy has been going on for many many years. The incasing of the city in ash preserved the vibrant history of this bustling population. Entering the larger houses along the streets it is possible to get a glimpse into the way of life of the people of this once amazing city. Walls painted in ornate designs, delicately fashioned courtyards and thoughtfully laid out architecture shows attention to detail that would fit well in some modern houses.

As I walked the streets It's possible to envision a busy street of people going about their day, buying supplies, stopping for a snack at the eateries that still show deep earthenware bowls that kept food hot.

It was in one of these streets that the sense of sadness began to envelop me like a heavy blanket. I do not know the number of people who lived in the city at the time, but thousands of people must have died that day as the ash rained down upon them from the eruption. The combination of sadness and awe stayed with me the rest of the visit.

I feel I saw a quarter of the city in the time I had. I hope to return some day to explore more.

A couple of interesting things that I liked was that in the past 20 years there has been some modern art installations added around the site. Most are bronze figures depicting art of the era of Pompeii. Tastefully added to the grounds these figures stand stoically watching over this sacred sad site.

A little bit of an odd but interesting exhibit is in the tunnels around the edge of the gladiator arena. Many years ago one of my childhood favorite bands did a documentary in the 70s about a concert they played in that arena. Pink Floyd set up their instruments in the empty arena and played to the spirits that now inhabit Pompeii. In July 2016 they came back to play again in the area. To commemorate this an art installation including a running screening of the documentary was created in the tunnels around the edge of the arena.

Heading into district 10 I walked through a piazza I will always remember. In the corner of this piazza was a room which held one of the bodies found in the excavation of the city. Standing reverently next to the person who was encased in ash so many hundreds of years ago the sadness I had felt all day overwhelmed me.

Pompeii is an amazing place to visit. It was a profound moment in the trip. I hope I have a chance in my life time to return here and explore this site in more detail.

Exiting the site I saw one of the guides that I had seen a few times during my wandering. I asked if she could recommend a place to eat. She recommended Caupona. It is a whimsical and delightful restaurant which perfectly lifted me from the sad emotion of the day. Greeted by the staff dressed in ancient Roman dress they showed me around and let me choose a seat under a vine covered portico. They served a drink from the Pompeii era called Malsed, made from wine, ginger, and honey it was delicious. They had a set menu on offer of items made in the typical style that the residence of Pompeii may have eaten. A tasty foodie walk through the city I had spent the afternoon visiting. A fun addition to the evening was the offer to dress up as someone from ancient Pompeii. I thought why not and spent the rest of the evening in a toga and sash. A lovely way to end the day.

Ischia Island is just off the Napoli coast. Less commonly visited by tourists than the Island of Capri this is a more rugged less developed island. I was told tourist go to Capri and Italians go to Ischia. The ferry ride over was smooth and allowed for a view back to Napoli from the sea. I thought it would be fun to rent a scooter to explore the island but having taken a later ferry none were available. Instead I rented a convertible POS fiat. Manual transmission that took a deft touch to operate I started my trek around the island. I wanted to find the thermal beaches that are famous for the island. Narrow streets and Italian drivers made for an exciting day. There were quite a few people at the beach when I found it at the bottom of a steep walk. Walkways allow people to get over the extremely hot water which flows from the waters edge. Signs warn of severe burns if you make contact with the fresh water before it is cooled by mixing with the sea water. Climbing into the water I could make my way closer to the source if I wanted to heat up or cook. As usual I had my goggles with me so I opted for a swim in the bay. The clear water of the Mediterranean is wonderful.

After a pretty quick stop at a mineral spa in the Island I headed for Ischia Point to see the castle. I only had a short time to see this amazing site. A large structure that at one time housed 1850 families, I made my way quickly through the rooms, churches and grounds. Sometimes while sightseeing you run out of time to truly enjoy the whole experience of a special place. This unfortunately was such a place.