Rome to Napoli Saturday 22 April 2017

We were up early to pack and head to Termini, Rome's rail station. After a coffee, we boarded a fast train to Napoli. Seventy minutes later, we arrived, grabbed a cab to the hotel , and checked in.

First stop was a walk up the hill to the archeological museum, where we hired a guide to take us around and put the exhibits into context. hundreds of bronze and marble statues, most from Herculaneum, destroyed by the Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD. Some amazing mosaics, in extraordinary  detail, which were originally used on the floors of the various villas and public buildings. A room of erotic statues and mosaics from the brothels of Herculaneum and Pompei, and some lovely roman jewellery.

After a vegetarian lunch in a nearby restaurant, our friends headed back to the museum, while we headed to the funicular to take us up the mountain top overlooking the old city and the port. After a slight divergence from our planned route (code for getting lost), we fell in with a young Parisian photographer who lives here with  his Spanish girlfriend and spends his time photographing the people and barrios of Napoli.

Upon reaching the summit, a man exiting the funicular station started a conversation with boronia, told her that she looked very Italian (he said that was a compliment) and explained that he and his four brothers ran a cameo factory which had been in the family for three generations. He invited us into his shop where his brother was hand carving various cameo broaches, lovely work, but not really aligned with modern sensibilities. I suspect that he deliberately targeted Boronia in order to try to gain a customer.

Next we visited the museum (art gallery) on the summit, a little tired and under-managed, in what appeared to be an old monastery next to the castle which had been used as a former marine headquarters for the Napolitean state in the 18th century. I was very tired, so found it difficult to concentrate. There were exhibits around Italian theatre in the 19th century, Italian boat building and naval history, and more, but it had all become a blur!

We walked back down , a fifteen minute stroll through narrow streets of the Spanish quarter, very gritty (code for dark, dingy and dirty), but the most frustrating issue for me is that the the streets have been entirely colonised by motor vehicles with no concessions to pedestrian traffic. Boronia said she liked the feel of the neighborhood.

Once we entered the old city, the throngs increased, the streets narrow, and traffic blocked off in some parts. Many shops selling a wide range of pastries, clearly showing a mediterranean influence, akin to turkish or african sweets. They looked extremely tempting (in fact i did succumb to ordering one with a coffee earlier in the day) and while it was tasty, it wasn't as delicious as my memories of my childhood and my mother's cooking. I have particularly fond memories of cupcakes presented on special occasions.

After a rest in the hotel we went out to an unprepossessing restaurant recommended by the Guardian newspaper, Stanza al Gusto. The food was interesting and the service was excellent. Conversation with our friends ranged across theology, family, our plans for tomorrow, and much more I have already forgotten. An enjoyable day.