We landed in Naples (Napoli) in the middle of a strong downpour at 0930. Naples certainly was not our favorite city when we were here 4 years ago on a Norwegian Cruise ship. It is an industrial port. It is impressive as we enter the port, but still not elegant.
We waited aboard until it rained itself out. Renne' had found a customer service rep who spoke English and gotten directions to the nearby bus stop. We bought tickets for 1.2€ each for the bus then had to figure out which bus we needed. We were told three different busses (#1, Yellow and then Red and Grey), but the last was the correct one when we were assisted by someone actually getting on the bus.
We waited aboard until it rained itself out. Renne' had found a customer service rep who spoke English and gotten directions to the nearby bus stop. We bought tickets for 1.2€ each for the bus then had to figure out which bus we needed. We were told three different busses (#1, Yellow and then Red and Grey), but the last was the correct one when we were assisted by someone actually getting on the bus.
Italian is a challenge, any way you look at it. Nothing sounds much like English! Occasionally you will read words that can be interpolated, but listening to Italians speak at the speed of lightening is a different breed. So trying to ask the driver to tell us when we got to Bacoli and then how to get a bus to Porto was a challenge. We discovered if you didn't pronounce the name of the city correctly, no-one understood what you were asking about. We were dropped off a block from a cafe named Cafe' Centrale.
It turns out, cafes are not quite what we have in the US. They are usually bars that serve pasteries - NOT what Renne' and I needed! Did you look at the pictures of me in the previous post???? We had to leave. The proprietor was kind enough to point out and stop the bus we needed to get to Capo Mesino - no one knew what Porto Mesino was - it isn't a port (like Naples), it is a harbor with marinas. Oh! Hmmm. Lesson learned
We finally arrived in Mesino about 1430 (2:30 pm). We had to get something to eat for Renne' before she chewed on me, so there at the bus stop we found a little cafe'. Although they offered sandwiches (Paninni's), they were made and delivered from a restaurant down the street. We still hadn't found Doug and Barb.
We finally arrived in Mesino about 1430 (2:30 pm). We had to get something to eat for Renne' before she chewed on me, so there at the bus stop we found a little cafe'. Although they offered sandwiches (Paninni's), they were made and delivered from a restaurant down the street. We still hadn't found Doug and Barb.
We haven't had Internet since we left Rota, so we hadn't been able to get Barb's latest directions. We heard there was a marina 100 meters up a road. We were both pretty exhausted, so we decided even if we found them, we were staying in a hotel one last night. I booked us into the hotel, and while Renne' rested, I walked out to the marina. I asked about a Barca del Vela (unfortunately, that was Spanish for sailboat - in Italian, it is Barca Vella), Plankton, and they couldn't comprehend that we were waiting for a boat to arrive so we could board it. Anyway, they hadn't seen them.
I returned to the hotel, picked up Renne', and we were seated aboard a bus to run back down to the other marina when Renne' saw Doug and Barb walking down the street from the marina I had just left!
We had drinks and dinner with them and by 2230 (10:30pm) we were ready for bed.
We slept until 1015 this morning (Sep 13), checked out of the hotel by 1100, and headed for the marina. We dropped off our luggage, and took the dinghy to the other side of Mesino.
Renne' and I decided the reason they have such small cars in Europe is because the roads are so narrow. Large cars couldn't fit here if they were available!!
Barb decided she needed her hair cut -
And of course, Renne' couldn't resist sitting there watching! LOL!
This is the view of Mount Vesuvius from Capo Mesino harbor, on the other side of Naples, which was responsible for the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79AD. About.com says this about Vesuvius and Capo Mesino: "This volcanic eruption is the first to be described in detail. The letter-writing Pliny the Younger was stationed about 18 miles away in Misenum from which vantage point he could see the eruption and feel the preceding earthquakes."
This point above the marina we are staying in is the highest point of Capo Mesino, so would probably be where he observed the eruption from.
We jumped a bus back to Pozzouli (between Bacoli and Napoli). Pozzouli is a famous little community. It is the hometown of Sophia Loren. It also is the home of the volcano, Solfatara.
This volcano is the MOST active volcano in the Phleagrean Fields.
These are the fumeroles venting steam (laden with sulpherous gas-you can notice the sulfer [yellow rock] accumulating on the edge of the vents) from the volcano below.
We realized if this were the States, there would be safety fences all around, but we were able to walk right up to the fumaroles (vents from which steam was escaping).
The ground was warm, but the fumaroles were 350 deg F. Fascinating. Solfatura is Italian for sulfur. You could smell it a mile away.
Barb and I (her a geologist and I, a geology minor) spent extra time inspecting the stoves used years ago for packaging volcanic mud used as souvenirs and health and beauty aids. . .
and the seismic monitoring station with UV cameras, motion sensors, sniffers, and radio transmitters to notify volcanologists nearby of the craters activity.
Take a second to read this next sign if you can. There are benefits to sulfer it turns out! Perhaps we need to spread some of this around.
We jumped a bus back to Pozzouli (between Bacoli and Napoli). Pozzouli is a famous little community. It is the hometown of Sophia Loren. It also is the home of the volcano, Solfatara.
We realized if this were the States, there would be safety fences all around, but we were able to walk right up to the fumaroles (vents from which steam was escaping).
The ground was warm, but the fumaroles were 350 deg F. Fascinating. Solfatura is Italian for sulfur. You could smell it a mile away.
Barb and I (her a geologist and I, a geology minor) spent extra time inspecting the stoves used years ago for packaging volcanic mud used as souvenirs and health and beauty aids. . .
While on the bus from Mesino, we noticed a large Roman Amphitheater just below the volcano and we walked down from Solfatara to look at it. Tickets were 4€ apiece. The guide spoke passable English, however, she wasn't much of a guide. If we hadn't been asking questions, we wouldn't have learned much. You know us, we asked a storm of questions.
This amphitheater was built in the first century AD. Unlike Rome, the Gladiators here were local celebrities. There were no up or down thumbs as was done in the Roman Colliseum. It was more like a bull fight. The Gladiators always won. Exhibitions between Gladiators were not carried out to the death. This was theater, not actual combat.
Trap doors in the floor allowed surprise entrances of both animals and Gladiators.
They imported lions, tigers and bears. If you remember Russel Crowe's, Gladiator, the entire floor of the amphitheater was covered with sand. This allowed blood, sweat, and debris to be absorbed. Around the entire flooring were trees and bushes to ensure realism for the audience. The amphitheater seated 30,000 people.
This amphitheater was built in the first century AD. Unlike Rome, the Gladiators here were local celebrities. There were no up or down thumbs as was done in the Roman Colliseum. It was more like a bull fight. The Gladiators always won. Exhibitions between Gladiators were not carried out to the death. This was theater, not actual combat.
They imported lions, tigers and bears. If you remember Russel Crowe's, Gladiator, the entire floor of the amphitheater was covered with sand. This allowed blood, sweat, and debris to be absorbed. Around the entire flooring were trees and bushes to ensure realism for the audience. The amphitheater seated 30,000 people.
We returned to Plankton hungry. We had been invited by the brother of the owner of our hotel to eat dinner at his restaurant, "da Guana" for seafood. So we headed up the road for 150 meters, and sat down to an okay dinner. I had mentioned to him to be careful of our wallet, and 125€ later for the four of us we walked out and headed for bed. We decided not to accept too many more invitations to dinner!
So come out for the music at the docks tomorrow for Sundowners! We will be glad to find a berth aboard!
Jon and Renne'
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