Day 112 - Naples, Italy

Day 112 – Friday 2^nd May 2014 – Naples, Italy

Situated in the Bay of Naples opposite the imposing Mount Vesuvius is one of the most beautifully situated cities in Europe.  It is reputed to be one of the liveliest and most colourful with a flavour of its own. Rising from the sea and spreading to fill a natural amphitheatre.

We arrived at 08.00 at the cruise terminal, and last time I was here over thirty years ago, this berth usually had an aircraft carrier on it, as Naples was the Mediterranean base for the United States 6^th fleet.  Today in harbour; there was not a warship to be seen.

Herculanuem

Outside of the dock gate we negotiated with a taxi-driver to take us, Edwina, Kath, Colin and myself to Herculaneum.

Smaller and closer to Naples than Pompeii, which were destroyed by the catastrophic eruption of 79 AD.

Founded by the Greeks, and at the time of its sudden death was a small seaside resort.  Utterly drowned by molten lava, it has proved exceedingly difficult to excavate, since it was first relocated in the early 18^th century.

Despite the slow progress, the particular dynamics of the burial of Herculaneum – covered by flows of pyroclastic rock that solidified to an average height of 16 metres – has led to a phenomenon of preservation that is absolutely and nothing at all like Pompeii.

Large Taberna

This is a pub with a marble-cover counter, in which jars are inserted.  On the staggered shelves, also covered with marble, were stored the containers for serving food and drink.  On this site there are three pubs, and must have been a nice place to live in ancient times.

 

West side street

 

North side street

The streets with the column supports are a testimony of how well the township was built with the shops and houses on either side.  The large grandee houses with their internal gardens, sports facilities, places of worship, meeting places and of course the bath houses.

Central street

With the excellent audio guide you have a wonderful insight into how life went on in those days.  Describing the buildings and each of the houses with their own street number, the modern numbered plaques, depicting who lived there and their occupations.

The adornment of many of the buildings is breath taking, the artistry in the many frescos are   masterpieces, showing off their many and varied talents.

Hall of the Augustals

For the freed slaves, becoming Augustals, meant entering into the dynamics of upward mobility.  Their membership dedicated to worshipping the emperor Augustus, held in this meeting area, where all political, religious and commercial life took place.

    

House of Neptune & Amphitrie

Within this house this wall covering and painting just took my breath away, it is truly magnificent and this is inside a house where people lived. 

I have never been to any other site, which is so steeped in history; the preservation of this place, gives an exact insight of how this town functioned nearly two thousand years ago.

Time Capsule

Surrounded on three side by dwellings, built in the last one hundred years, these will all have to be demolished within the next one hundred years.  Why do we think we are so clever?  These people of a different millennium were far more skilful with the tools they had at their disposal, than we will ever be.  After four hours at this place, it was time to go back to reality, and our modern world.

Graffiti

A ten minute walk up the hill brought us to a suburban railway station, and you are hit by the graffiti adorning the trains and the station, the artistry was a million miles away from what we had just seen.

The train ride back into the city was an eye opener, for all of the wrong reasons.  The areas we passed through were very run down and neglected; after about twenty minutes, we arrived at Naples main railway station and emerged into the Garibaldi Piazza.

This was in a state of chaos, as it is a building site, due to the construction of a new underground metro and transport interchange.

We moved off down one of the main arteries towards the ship.  Although Corso Umberto; has many fine upmarket shops, looking down the side streets.  There is a different story of decay, and a feeling the inhabitants do not wish to look after their city, as here the graffiti artists have also moved in.

We found a pizza restaurant to our liking, and as Naples is by tradition the home of the pizza, it is the birthplace of the pizza margherita.  These we ordered, and with an excellent wine, thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  Before going back on the ship, we found a galertia, (ice cream shop) and after having one of these, our taste of Italian cuisine was complete.

Farewell

We sailed at 18.15 and on this cold and sometimes very wet day, I was quite happy leaving, even Mount Vesuvius was reluctant to show its summit. 

Naples had not changed one bit since I was last here, the centre’s fine buildings are not being looked after, which gives it feeling of neglect and disinterest, its people of many different races now, do not appear happy and never have been friendly.

An unusual show in the theatre at 22.30, by Marc Paul, who reads peoples’ minds, it was entertaining and very clever.  I left the show wondering, how he knew all things about people, who he had never met before; mind blowing.