Day 13: I Found Love!

Today was the final day of orientation- Intercultural Relations Day II when we took to the streets of Napoli to see just what's out there. So what's out there?

My new home and I think I'm in love!

Downtown Napoli proved to be home to so many alleys, markets, and breath taking sights. The view my eyes were taking in finally matched the images I had in my head when I accepted this job. (Nothing like having to wait two weeks...)

After a super early departure, we traveled to the base we where it's recommended that we leave our cars prior to catching the Metro. The Metro "right there" turned out to be around the corner and under the bridge. Not exactly the cleanest area or somewhere I plan to be walking at night but at 0800 it was just fine (assuming we stayed on the side walk)!

A few stops later and a funicular ride up the hill, I found myself in the streets of Vomero. No, we didn't walk all the way to the top of the hill to the castello and monastery but we did find an open air market! As soon as we learned there was a mercato we headed straight in that direction. Well, maybe not straight but we found it and thankfully one of the streets was named Via Luca Giordano so I just thought "Frank's last name- I got this" and we made it out and back with no problem. (Yay for my internal compass working in this city while on foot...driving is a whole other story.) 

The produce and fish were absolutely amazing. The colors, scents, and sounds that filled the street we a million times better than Monterey's Farmers Market even on the most picture perfect day. I fought back the urge to buy two heads of lettuce (for only 1 euro) because I knew in the remaining 5 hours we would be exploring it would wilt. Not willing to walk away without something green, I settled for some fresh olives. The nice man looked at us three American women like "what in the world are they doing here?" as we tried to figure out what the difference between the 2 containers of green olives. We all ended up with the same kind and they were fabulous! 

The other find in this town was an amazing bakery. We knew it was going to be good when we smelled the pane e pasticcinis from a few storefronts away and the place was packed like sardines. Kate, for you and you alone I had them venture in there to try something. We left with rolls, mini graffas, and that oh so tasty, crispy, flaky, sweet pastry shaped in a heart. As we wandered back up the hill we took in all the stores there- Sephora being one (so happy they will ship here). With the few minutes we had left we had to stop into the bar (coffee bar) for due caffès, since the 3rd member of our group apparently doesn't like coffee? Ha. I give her 3 months.

 

Back on the funicular we headed back down the hill to Via Toledo which leads to Galleria Umberto, Castel Nuovo, Palazzo Reale, San Francesco di Paola, Piazza Plebiscito the sparkling blue ocean, and about a million little streets filled with bakeries, coffee shops, butchers, pizzerias, shoes, produce stands, scooters, and people. I had to keep reminding myself this was a recon trip, strictly to start getting the lay of the land because the time allotted wasn't nearly enough time to see everything. I managed to make a huge loop through and around the Galleria, castel, water front, and into Chiaia.

While exploring these streets so many strange and wonderful things crossed into my field of vision: couples wearing matching pink shirts, middle aged men walking 8 dogs at a time, kids riding in the lap of their mother while she navigated a scooter through the street. As the cruise ship port the number of languages I heard was also impressive, yet I still seemed to always hear the English first. The quote of the day? "Guido, Guido." As we were exploring off the beaten path a father started calling for his son. It was one of those are you kidding me? moments and we both waited a good 5 seconds before giggling at what we had just heard.

I think it was on the same side street that I found a cute little pasticceria/gelateria called Katia, so once again doing as Kate challenged me to do- we went in. This is where that swirly bar pastry came from. I'm still not sure what I ate but it was good. I think it was brown sugar and maybe almond? Again, it was sugary and yummy so you don't think about it too much. Probably not the best thing to eat within an hour of lunch but you know what? I'm still in TLA so my "no carb left behind" motto can last for a little longer, plus we had a ton more walking to do.

As we headed down into Chiaia, something else caught my eye. No, not a guy, cat, or shoe store- although there were plenty of all of those today- but a garbage truck. Yes. A garbage truck! I know some of you may not believe me so I snapped a picture. Check it out in that next collage. I actually guess that's another thing I can mention about today. In the two sections of town we were in, trash really wasn't an issue. Again, it was really refreshing to see something different than what I'd seen driving around potential neighborhoods...although I don't think I'm up for city living!

Shortly after noon the group met up again as we trekked back up Via Toledo to get to a pizzeria for lunch. We must have passed 20 on our way up no more than 10 blocks. Why did we eat at the one we did? I'm almost wondering if our tour guide knew the family that owned Ristorante e Pizzeria da Attilio. At any rate, the place was full of charm and their brick oven was fired up and ready to cook our Margherita pizzas. While we waited for them, we studied the framed napkins with customers' drawings on the walls in the room we were dinning in. Pizza was (of course) fabulous. 

Hey, I just realized I still have my pizza Friday tradition continuing. I actually don't think it will be that big of a challenge as I'm still searching for Italian food that I can't live without. I'm talking real food here- espresso, gelato, and all these pastries don't count.  I think that if I were to try Margherita pizzas from a different place every day, I still couldn't try all the local spots in three years. Do you think they'd let me sign on those extra years just to finish that goal? 

Well, more or less that's how orientation week ended and it was a great last day. I got to see more of where I plan to be spending my free time and doing my 5pm-5am life. It also gave me an idea of what there is to show all my guests once you all start to arrive. I'll make sure to take the time to learn about this wonderful new place so when you visit you too will fall in love.