John: A walk around Naples Part Four.

Back into the street, on the way home.

Coffee shop that invented the original Neopolitan coffee. Coffee and sugar mixed to a paste Delicious!

THIS is busking. This man has an opera voice, and the other man can play a guitar like a mandolin t

Two members of the City Police. Part of their job is to control traffic, and assist tourists.  Except when it comes to preventing tourists and other pedestrians getting mown down by the traffic. Then like the other members of the other police departments, they are happy just to stand by and watch.

Italy's next generation of multi millionaire soccer players. Kids set up a soccer game in one of Naples' busy squares, and they are left in peace to enjoy their game. Don't see that happening in London's Trafalgar Square or Fed Square in Melbourne.

After a busy day time for dinner. Hope you enjoyed your walk with us.

John A walk around Naples Part Three

Home Delivery Napoli style. Use a bucket and rope and hoist it up

It's Italy so all little boys want to be Gladiators.

Mermaid tee-shirts. Legend has it that Naples was founded where a mermaid was seen.

Another relaxing cup of coffee

Neapolitans love to perform!

Time to be brave and try to cross the road.

Time to visit the opera house and learn about the oldest opera house in Europe.

The word magnificent is definitely an understatement. 

John: A Walk Around Naples Part Two

Politics and Italy go together, or should I say split it apart. Sign says something about freedom of speech.

A clean rubbish free street in Naples! Unbelievable!

You thought buying coffee in Melbourne was hard.

Traditional Italian dolls and puppets. Punchinello was from Naples.

Go to a little art gallery found by accident and check out the paintings. There are ones: to be moved by

To be saddened by

And there's always the modern stuff. This one's called "Give and Take" spelt backwards!?

Back into the street.

Hanging out the washing.

Making a point Italian style

Try and avoid the whackos! 

John: Food walk and a walk around Naples Part One

The other day we went on a food walk tour around Naples, then just a stroll around just for the pleasure of it. Instead of the usual blog, I thought you might like to join us in our stroll and just let the photographs with captions tell the story. Because we took so many nice photos, the blog is on parts, like T.V. Episodes, without the story line.

Perhaps start the day with a traditional Neapolitan pastry

A little sample of some cheap traditional cold meats: tripe, veal ear and lips, etc.

Yum!

Perhaps not.

Real Italian Peroni beer, tastes different to the Aussie stuff

Having ANOTHER snack!

Hi!

Seal of approval from the lads.

Pizza place where Sophia Loren made one of her earliest movies.

John: Trip to Mount Vesuvius.

The volcano at Mt Vesuvius erupted on 24th August 79AD and showered Pompeii and two other towns with volcanic ash and dust, as well as flooding them with rivers of molten lava

An artist's impression of the eruption.

Tracks of the molten lava river beds, although these are from later eruptions.

The bodies were turned rigid by the 300C temperature so they did not endure long pain. According to the National Geographic article I just looked at they were "flash heated" their remains have been put into plaster casts and a few are on exhibition. 

Although we now that a volcano is a natural occurrence, the people then believed that it was a result of the God Jupiter being angry with them.

Here endith the history lesson which proves "Mr Yellow Hat," DOES pay attention sometimes. So trip and impressions.

The first thing that struck me was the date of the eruption - 24th August - our wedding anniversary; although that 24th August was a bit before ours.

For some reason I seem to remember someone telling me that volcanic soil is very fertile so I thought it would be good if we could take some back to Melbourne because our soil at home is rubbish ( I must have been having a very strange day thinking about lead pipes and soil fertility, but as they say travel broadens the mind)

 

As Julie had told you we let other intrepid souls climb the mountain.

While we sat around at in "Base Camp" eating ice cream and talking to a very interesting Isreali gentleman.

So to sum up it was a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon and Vesuvius is now in the "been there" basket.

John: Visit To Pompeii

It was good to visit these ancient historical sites, because I have seen and read about them so many times before. After a bone rattling suspension testing start in our minibus we made it to Pompeii.

First up, the gladiator rooms where they used to wait before a contest. As you can see below my associate although considered SHORT! for AFL footy would have made the grade for being a gladiator, (only by standing on a step, but that's our little secret) 

After that came the theatre. Glitterati, the rich and Pollies at the front. Riff raff and Collingwood fans ( I know you're there but I don't care) at the back. A multi purpose theatre. There were times when there was serous theatre and special occasion times, and nights when it was used for strippers.

After the theatre and the strippers we moved on to the brothel ( I am sure I could have phrased that better but you know what I mean). Large sculptured penises were carved into the road and on walls to show the way. Or as one gentleman succinctly put it:

"The direction for an erection"

On the walls of the establishment were various illustrations of sexual positions and the punters pointed at their preference and paid the price of two glasses of wine for the service. Only one position seemed to be allowed per client (keeps things moving) and the stone beds ensured turn over was brisk. The "Uscita" sign means exit. 

After the brothel came the bathhouse, where the lady tour leader invited me to take a close look at a pipe which she found fascinating. (I'm sorry this blog is taking on a salacious tone so allow me a moment or two to stop and start again)

Right,  bathouse and pipe. 

So as we approached the bathouse she pointed out to the group that a part of the origial lead piping that pumped water into the bathouse remained. By now I had lost interest, and had wondered off. 

However, my attention was brought back to the matter in hand by a very severe scolding which caused  everyone to look at me,

"You Mister yellow hat. This is original lead piping you come and look!"

I sheepishly wondered up and mumbled something like most interesting damn clever these ancients while she stood over me. From that moment Mr Yellow Hat's card had been marked and I was under observation.

The visit was completed with an inspection of the Forum which was where government, civic matters etc were discussed (you can see Vesuvius in the background) and the road which leads to the sea. The little bits of white quartz in the paving stones reflected the moonlight just as modern "cats eyes" do in our modern roads

After that came lunch then back on the bus to go up to Mount Vesuvius.