A Day in Naples: Beeps, Peeps, and Saints

Musings

The sun is rising over Mt. Vesuvius and I’m enjoying a cappuccino at a tiny cafe sitting two floors below the balcony of our apartment. The top of a massive cruise ship is visible just over the terminal building where it is docked. The morning rush started almost an hour ago – it is now a little before 7am. My cappuccino is outstanding, although to be fair, it is advantaged by environment. The charm of the moment is not lessened in the least by the traffic, shipyard, electric train, or even the gas pumps set up along the street like an Indy-car pit stop just yards from me.

Day one on the ground in Naples was a success, affirming our decision to work with Silvia Tempestini to plan out our month in Italy. For anyone interested, you can learn more at http://www.Escathor.com. Silvia lives in Florence, “curates” about 40-50 trips per year, and has been at it for about 10 years. One day in and I’m convinced that an experienced in-country operator was a great way to go. She’s been great to work with and impossible not to like.

Napolitanos are Crazy

To be sure, bucketing any group of people into any broad category is problematic, but these were not my words. Lucia was our guide for a tour of Naples and she took pride in the difference of Italians from the south from those of the North. “Many are moving from Tuscany to Naples and we don’t want them here.” We liked her the minute we met her. The energy, chaos, and fierce independence of the Napolitano is a major point of pride for the locals and Lucia was unapologetic.

Looking down the street from this little cafe, I can see the front edge of the Castel Nuovo, a 13th century fortress now under renovation and known as Maschio Angioino. It is called “new” because major additions were made to it about 500 years ago. The beginning of our walking tour focused on the history of Naples explored through various landmarks (the Galleria Umberto, the Teatro San Carlo, the Palazzo Reale, and a curious Piazza and church that had been remade during the time that Napolean Bonaparte’s brother, Joseph, was King of Naples) and the personalities that ruled them.

Amid all of the descriptions of the rule of Greek, Roman, Norman, French, Spanish, and even organized crime, what stood out most was Lucia’s almost impassive characterization of wealth and power. Showing us the opulent decorations of the Royal Palace, she reminded us that there were no Rolex’s or Ferrari’s available for these powerful men to demonstrate their wealth, so the palaces were built as visual demonstrations of their importance.

As she described the various ruling factions which came and went over the centuries, it became clear that the “people” identified with their region and culture far more fully than with the particular ruling government. Regimes came and went, leaving their mark (often painfully), but identity remained very regional and the Napolitano flavor was one born of evolution through these eras. Men would conquer, power would be lorded over the people, and things would eventually change.

We Love Americans

As we toured the Royal Palace, I noticed photos of the destruction of the palace during World War II and subsequent renovations still taking place. Curious, I asked Lucia how Napolitanos viewed Americans in the wake of such destruction. “We love Americans,” she replied. She went on to share that American soldiers were greatly admired during the occupation and afterward. There is a well-known Neapolitan song called “The American Dream” that about how locals viewed the possibility of America. A view she says is still held today.

In other places in Europe I’ve been, the American isn’t always seen the same way. As a group, we are often considered loud and pushy. Granted, Lucia was our guide and may have been hesitant to suggest anything other than the positive. However, the feisty Neapolitan culture is itself loud and brash. Perhaps there is something kindred in spirits that share a fierce sense of independence. Thinking a bit more on it, perhaps the “American Dream” isn’t, and never was, American’s alone.

City on Two Wheels

As we moved about our tour, learning about proper coffee drinking habits, Neapolitan architecture, and history, it became clear that Naples is literally a city on two wheels. Statistics show that Italy has the highest per capita presence of motorcycles in the world but seeing is believing. The motorbikes zip in and out of traffic, frequently ignoring traffic lights, lines, and signs in what seems to be a free-for-all. As pedestrians, care must be taken in crossing streets – there are not walk signs – and simple movement around is an ongoing game of chicken for those walking, those in their cars, and those on two wheels.

Moving into the quarteri spagnoli (Spanish Quarter), the roads narrowed to one lane (barely) with walked, riders, and sometimes drives all moving within inches of one another. This loud and dynamic area comprised of old residential buildings, one room shops (bassos – which means lower), and lots of people makes for an interesting, and sometimes treacherous, journey into the heart of the city.

Moving up and down steeply inclined streets, we came to one of Naples two holy sites, a shrine to Napolitano soccer player, Diego Maradona, who led Naples to two Italian Cups in the late 1980s. Lucia shared that the Spanish Quarter was very dangerous ten years ago and had been “cleaned up” and reinvigorated with much effort. As an aside, the name “Spanish Quarter” was given to to it originally as it was the area in which troops were housed when Naples was under Spanish rule in the 15th & 16th Centuries.

On Our Own

Lucia finished her time with us by helping us navigate the Spaccanapoli – a narrow road that literally “splits Napoli” moving downhill from the Spanish Quarter all the way to the Duomo, the Cathedral of Napoli and home of the Chapel of San Gennaro and his remains – Italy’s other Patron Saint. The Spaccanapoli is full of shops and we passed at least four churches (all of which would qualify as cathedrals back home). The Jesuits and Dominicans both left their marks on Naples and found permanent homes in its colorful history, being seemingly hated and admired along the way. With time, there is perspective on all things.

After we toured the Duomo and all of it’s grandeur (it is quite useless to attempt to describe its beauty and opulence), we made our way back up the Spaccanapoli and caught a Taxi to Castel Sant Elmo (yes, the real St. Elmo) high top Vomero Hill overlooking Naples. (Apparently St. Elmo is short for St. Erasmus.) The castle was the real deal with high walls, a narrow stone bridge, murder holes, arrow slits, and old cannon still sitting in some of the niches overlooking the bay. Beside the castle was the former monastery of San Martin, now a museum as well.

“Smile,” suggested the doorman to the bar at Renzo e Lucia, a restaurant across from the castle, with amazing views of “tutto Napoli” – all of Naples. A couple of caipirinhas and some snacks and we were re-energized after 8 miles of walking around the city. For any family members reading, mom and dad are bearing the rigors well 🙂

Closing Time

We made our way back down to the historic area near our apartment. The apartment does not show on Google so taxi directions are given for the nearest landmark. Our driver was non-plussed by the volumes of scooters weaving in and out, cutting us off, driving the wrong way toward us, or moving in constant waves all around – in fact, he managed to conduct what sounded like pretty serious business throughout the drive as we held on and laughed, looking out the window at what seemed like some crazy live version of the Grand Theft Auto video game. Truth is stranger than fiction.

We finished our day with a traditional Italian dinner. It seemed that most of the Italian food we experience in America was originally imported from Southern Italy – things seemed quite familiar and the wine of the Campani Region is fabulous. For the other travel newbs out there that don’t see the world in the truly regionalized form under which it exists: don’t order Chianti in Naples, they will simply tell you that you are in Campani.