We take the morning train to Naples, the promised land of Pizza! There's no air-con. on the train and we endure the heat, while a little girl with blue glasses and a Hacuna Matata shirt chats to her mom. We walk from the train station to the old part of town looking for our B & B. The streets are narrow and cobblestoned, with cars and motorbikes zipping by, leaving you a small margin of walking space. Our street is dark with shuttered doorways, tvs murmuring inside. We walk past the gate a few times before realizing we've reached our destination Our host, Rafaelle, is waiting for us. He's very kind and gives us some advice and suggestions, while mildly scolding us for not staying longer and exploring Naples.
After settling in, we head out to explore a bit of Naples. We head for the Montesanto Funicular to take a ride up the hill and see a view of the city. First impression, man, there's a lot of trash piled up all over the place. Apparently, there's a garbage strike (or there always is a garbage strike in Naples). But aside from the trash, I don't feel particularly intimidated in Naples despite its reputation for being a rough town. The people we meet have been friendly and helpful.
After we get off the funicular, we run into the owner of De Paola Cameos. Cameos are intricate carvings in shells, often used in jewellery and well known in this region of Italy. We have a quick look in his shop and he informs us the shells are imported from Zanzibar.
For dinner, we head to Trattoria Nennella, a local Napoli restaurant recommended by Rafaelle. We find it hidden down some narrow streets and bustling with activity. One of our best value meals on our whole trip and delicious too! Sophia has the Linguine Crozze (mussels) and I have the Linguine Pomodoro, and we split a salad and a bottle of their house white wine. A jovial waiter walks around and offers everyone a shot of limoncello. All for the price of 15 euros! (though we think there may have been a mistake somewhere). We have a tipsy walk home winding through the dark streets.
