Getting Out of Napoli

WiFi again! We stopped at a resort near the airport in Palermo, and found the only WiFi extant on this island of Sicily! Here's a report written a few days ago. We're driving across the island; more later.

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Few Italian cities hold less charm than Naples. There are plenty of picturesque vistas in this ancient metropolis, and the cuisine is terrific (this is, after all, home town to the thin-crust pizza). But it's a high-tension experience compared with other areas of The Boot. One-third of all adult Neapolitans are unemployed. Pickpockets and beggars abound, as are mountains of garbage at every corner, a consequence of insufficient landfill space. Most guidebooks recommend that Naples is a town to pass through on the way to Pompeii and Sorrento, and although we stayed a couple of nights in town at a nice B&B, we didn't linger.

WHAT'S SMOKIN'?
Climbing through the ruins at Pompeii and Herculaneum is fascinating, and brings antiquity alive. We spent about four hours at each location, as they are very different. Although both cities were destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D., Pompeii succumbed from the rain of heavy ash and pumice that collapsed buildings and suffocated residents. Herculaneum fell a day later, when the blast of Vesuvian gases and molten materials racing through the area at 100 mph effectively petrified the buried city and any remaining citizens, Excavations at the latter reveal walls, gardens and even roofs of complete homes, displaying remarkably clear wall frescos and other artwork. Here I am at one of the restored theaters in Pompeii, surprisingly alert after several hours of cultural overkill, followed by a view of Herculaneum from the perspective of the height of its lava covering.






HOW ABOUT LUNCH IN SORRENTO?
That was the impromptu consensus after climbing out of the town of Pompeii. A short train ride later, we were wending our way through the hills of this magnificent coastal treasure. After a long walk down the curving road from the heights of the city, seen here, we discovered a delightful restaurant on the bay.


This was the relaxing atmosphere of southern Italy that I looked forward to. Next time, it's nix on Naples, and Sorrento all the way.

TRAINS, PLANES, AUTOMOBILES AND . . .
We decided that an enjoyable means of traveling to Sicily, our next destination, would be by sea. So we booked accommodations on the outbound overnight ferry from Naples to Palermo. I expected something north of a deck chair in a cold, rusty room, but was pleasantly surprised to find that we each had private staterooms, much like any cruise ship. The rather large vehicle (12 decks) had a restaurant, wine bar, disco and tiny casino. Not the Staten Island Ferry anticipated. A bright half-phase moon guided us through the Mediterranean. We departed at 8:30 p.m., and disembarked in Palermo the next morning at 7 a.m. A short cab ride later, and we were at our first hotel on the island of Sicily.

More to follow.

Location:Naples, Italy