It is just as crazy as they say...or as I like to say, it is the Hong Kong of Italy...if it is possible!?!
With the fish tubs out on the street and all like Hongkers!!
People, cars, horns, rubbish rubbish rubbish, over-flowing bins and skips everywhere, scooters without helmets, smog, action, dark narrow streets, young people, old people, people from all over the world trying to sell you anything they could, trying to sell you iPhones by walking up to you all sneaky like and mumbling "iPhone, iPhone" in a strong italian/foreign accent, pizza (the Neapolitans' pride and joy and claim to fame!!)...and a fantastic hostel!!
Classic night time street scapes of Napoli.
Once I had decided that Napoli was the place for me for New Years Eve as I figured in a big city with such a big reputation, there must be something going on somewhere for me and there would definitely be a decent hostel that was in the centre of things with other people there for me to socialise with and talk to, I did my homework...
I worked out which were the good hostels and emailed them in italian to ask whether they had anythig special planned for NYE...the one that I ended up choosing, Hostel of the Sun, which had been voted 2nd best hostel in the world for the last couple of years running on the HostelWorld website, assured me that there would be fun to be had; a free dinner for all to eat together and then there would be a group heading out to see what was going on in the centre...
But of course, the first thing that I had to do when arriving in this overwhelming city was to try this thing that they were all so proud of and precious about...their margherita pizza!!
The next day I spent wandering around the crazy streets of the central storico area and watching everyone getting prepared for the evenings festivities of NYE...and this meant that every man and their dog was out and about...also because it was a beautiful day.
Setting up the stage in the main piazza for the free concert that night before and after the countdown.
Everyone buying their fair share of fireworks from small stalls on every street corner. And all day, but especially once the sun went down, the loud bangs throughout the city of fireworks of every shape and size being let off in the streets...and mainly by young children!!
Apparently every year the hospital in Napoli gets a huge number of people injured by fireworks on NYE and so they prepare themselves especially for this!! Haha
The constant bangs actually became a bit scary, especially once it got dark and you were in narrow streets on your own and you didnt know if someone was going to drop one near you as a joke to give you a fright!! But I was fine.
Oh, and on the issue of personal safety for NYE, we were also advised at the hostel to avoid the narrower streets, especially in the Spanish Quarter, around 12am as there was a tradition of throwing things out of the windows at 12, and not just rubbish and paper, but things like fridges and furniture!!
And of course buying that special red lingerie from a street stall for that special someone to discover at the stroke of 12!! HAHA...no jokes!!
Even my host Mum in Siena advised me that I would have to buy something new that was RED to wear for NYE as it was tradition...and she said as though I should already know this, as though this was obvious.
And of course on my wanderings I had to try one of the sweet treats of the region..."sfoglitelle"...which I ended up falling in love with...flaky but crunchy pasty with a thick custard inside and they are traditionally served warm...mmmmmmm!!
Then the evening itself...
Was a bit disappointing as there really werent many people that into the spirit of things at the hostel and so I started drinking by myself...oh what an alcoholic!! haha...until the crazy Napoletan guy working at the hostel started offering everyone wine and they started drinking.
We all had dinner together and I chatted to a few people and then a group of about 9 of us headed out to see the free concert in the main Piazza...and then the countdown and eventually the fireworks show on the water which wasnt until 1.30am!! WEIRD!! haha
Not only were there a few fireworks at 12 aswell but plenty of champagne being sprayed around!!
It wasnt a big or late night and by the time the big firework show started it was drizzling so straight after we headed back to the hostel.
But I did do a lot more whilst in Napoli other than NYE...considering I ended up staying at the hostel for 6 nights in all...(with a break in the middle)
I first took a day trip to Pompeii...woah, what an amazing site...a town that was buried by volcanice ash and a lot of it preserved in this way. Unfortunately most of the many interesting artifacts that have been found, including mosaics, have been moved from the site to the Museum in Napoli.
The weirdest and creepiest thing by far was the plaster casts that were made from the hollows left by some of the inhabitants of the town from their bodies when the eruption had occured...
I got an audioguide for all of the excavations and am glad I did as you wouldnt have known what you were looking at if you didnt. I spent 5 hours there and was absolutely exhausted and starving when I was done as there arent any food outlets within the ruins themselves.
The second day trip that I took was to the world famous Amalfi Coast!! And I was lucky enough to get an amazing day...
The best part of it all was sitting on the bus and driving around the coastal road (which for the Aussies is a bit like The Great Ocean Road but higher and cliffs without beaches...and more spectacular in my opinion!!). I was on a bus and had a ticket that I could get on and off with and so first got off at the town Amalfi...and ended up spending most of my time there sitting in the sun and enjoying the day...
I then reboarded the bus and got off in Positano but by then it was getting late in the afternoon so I looked around a little bit but it was a VERY steep little town and walking down meant walking back up so I didnt go far and hopped back on the next bus for Sorrento to then catch the train back to Napoli.
I think the best way to descirbe the day to you is with photos...so here you go...
And then the break in my Napoli stay that I mentioned earlier was an overnight trip back to Rome...the reason for this was two-fold in that the hostel was already booked out for my fifth night in Napoli and I had only booked for 4 nights and I had missed out on seeing a few things last time I was in Rome, in particular the Sistine Chaple and the Vatican Museums...
So I caught a morning train to Rome with my little back-pack and left my big bag in Napoli and then returned the following evening.
Unfortunately, but also a blessing in disguise I think as it meant I actually looked at everything with my eyes rather than through the lens of my camera, I left my camera in my bag which I had to put in the bag-check when I entered and so dont have any photos of in there, but I spent most of my day there the day that I arrived.
After 2 and half months of italian food I decided Rome was a good chance to have some different food and I found a great african restaurant...but not as good as the ones in Melbourne!! haha
The second day I wandered to the Spanish Steps which I had only seen breifly and from the bottom last time, and being such an amazing day with the sun shining, I had the chance just to chill out and enjoy the sun...oh, and watch all of the italians out parading up and down with their families as it was a Sunday,,,and not to mention all of the tourists...
Not to mention the old man asleep in the sun oblivious to it all...haha
Ci vediamo
Jo xoxo
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