First impressions from Napoli

Yesterday I woke up for the first time in Naples. Sleeping took some getting used to, because of all kinds of 'strange' noises that I unconsciously paid attention to. The boiler that fires, the elevator that goes up or down, creaking doors in the apartment complex, a barking dog…

The apartment complex on Via Maddaloni, in the historic center of Naples. In the background the 30-storey, hideously ugly Jolly Hotel, which the Neapolitans would rather get rid of than be rich.

Anyway, showered and well last Monday at 9.00 am I went out for the classic Italian breakfast: a cappuccino with a cornet (a soft bun filled with jam). The cappuccino is drunk standing at the bar and the sandwich is thrown into the fist Old Town .

I walk on the 'Spaccanapoli' (lit. 'split Naples'), one of the three old dead straight roads from the ancient Greek fortress Neopolis. This road has about 7 different names for each segment, but it is an extension of the alley where my apartment complex is.

Spaccanapoli: one of the narrow, straight streets through the historic center of Naples. Lots of tiny, owning shops selling wares in the street and lots of counters with sweets and pizza slices. And of course the street vendors with their umbrellas.

I take the route east, admiring the many little shops selling trinkets, nativity scenes (they love them, those Neapolitans), statuettes of saints and of course pizza slices, gelato and paste. The narrow streets lined with merchandise and lines of wet, fragrant laundry overhead have a real Italian feel to them.

At the end of the Spaccanapoli I decided to follow Corso Umberto I, one of the main streets of Naples with hip shops. Naples is certainly not one big garbage dump, as some people think. But compared to the Netherlands, it does of course quickly shabby .

However, you are confronted everywhere with work on the underground. I bought a cheap mobile phone with an Italian number at a Vodafone store, so that I could easily maintain contact with the home font.

Piazza del Plebescito: the largest piazza in the city. For the 7 G1994 summit in Naples, this was the most impressive car park in the world. Fortunately, it is now an off-limits area for cars. The Pallazo Reale and Chiesa di San Francesco di Paola (a copy of the Pantheon in Rome) line this square.

The Bay of Naples, photographed from Pizzofalcone, the oldest part of Naples. In the background – between the clouds – Vesuvius.

Near Castel Nuovo and the royal palace (Palazzo Reale) I took a walk through an old part of Naples, with a beautiful view over the bay from a high point. Then it was time for a pizza Margherita and a beer on a terrace next to Piazza del Plebiscito.

Pizza Margherita Naples — Naples: city of real pizza Margherita

With the backpack full of groceries I arrived back at my apartment. The first night I ate pasta.

What strikes me on this first day in Naples:

There are many bums here asking for a cigarette or some money (more so than in Rome).
There are also many stray dogs here (they even walked on the subway!).
There is a very large police presence. There is a platoon on every street corner police. And also in front of all the banks are policemen wearing bulletproof vests.
On every street corner are the illegal sellers with their sunglasses (when the sun is shining) and their umbrellas (when it's cloudy; it could start raining!).
The traffic is indeed quite chaotic, but we were used to that from Sicily. By the way, crossing the road works best, as long as you don't start doubting. It would be a shame to see all those brand new Fiat 500s full of scratches, scrapes and dents…
They like to brag about it, but it is indeed very tasty, that Neapolitan pizza Margherita.
I wish I could speak a little better Italian, it really comes in handy here!

To be continued.

Comments