Naples Part 2

Day Two of my time off I spent wandering the streets of Naples.



I had a serious love affair with Naples' Margherita pizza. It was mouthwateringly tasty each time I had it in Naples--whether it was a street vendor or restaurant, it didn't seem to matter. For a Euro, one of these little guys became my lunch.



One thing that is immediately noticeable about Naples is the sheer amount of graffiti that covers every surface. Really, it's everywhere. In general, it is not a pretty city.



Outside the church, the wedding party was posing for the photographer. When directed to a small back alleyway, the bride argued that it was not "bella" enough. Note the ubiquitous graffiti in the background.



The Galleria Umberto, a shopping plaza enclosed under an impressive glass ceiling, was a nice place to take a break from walking. (Again, note the graffiti.)



The plan was to get gelato, but I was abruptly led astray by this cannoli that beckoned from the other side of the display case. Curiosity stemmed from its unusual appearance--it wasn't like the ones back home--but the unexpected change in game plan was a marvelous idea. I'll tell ya, it sure was tasty.



More Naples graffiti as seen from the train. The stations boasted the most thorough covering in delinquent paint.



One evening, a friend from another boat came and picked me up for a tender ride. This was looking back at the sunset as we scooted away from the cruise ship that followed us from the dock.



With nowhere particular in mind, we ended up at the Castel dell'Ovo. Literally the "Egg Castle," it was named as such after an old legend that it was built atop a magical egg. When the egg broke, it would be the end of Naples. It now houses a small marina and a cute little array of eateries.



This was, by far, the nicest place I had visited in Naples. There was no graffiti, the water was crystal clear and it wasn't trashy or overrun by vespas. We tied the tender to the dock beside a restaurant and had a nice meal. The tourist translated menu offered such gems as "small shrimps with rockets," which amused me to no end. Our chef informed me later that rockets are arugula. ...it still amuses me....