Pompeii

Mamma Mia!! I am in Naples - the birthplace of Naples and the biggest crime city north of Sicily. on the way I was probably warned a half dozen times to watch out there are thieves everywhere, so I am walking around terrified, clutching my purse and looking mean. The train rider here was supposed to just take 2.5 hours, but it took almost 4. First the train left the station 20 mins late. Then we stopped at ever little place on the way, and when we were just outside the Naples main station (and at quite a right-angle..on the side of a hill) we stopped. Just stopped for almost an hour, because our track was being used by another train and another and another. The locals were not please. Actually, 'not pleased' is a drastic understatement. They had been pretty patiend when the inside lights did not turn on in that 5km tunnel and we were in absolute pitch blackness, but not now. The conductor came in to apologize and everyone started yelling at him. I got a bunch of it on tape. Yell yell yell, then one girl turned to the camera, smiled widely, threw open her arms, and announced "Welcome to Naples!" Uh oh.

I only harassed a little bit in the station. One begger asked if I would spare change and I told him no (he was so obviously not a real beggar) and he tried to push close and started ranting about how I did have the money. I yelled at him to go away and he did. People were right! As soon as I could grab a slice of unhealthy Naples pizza (buffalo mozzerella... yummm...) I bought a ticket for Pompeii and escaped.

The ride around Mount Vesuvius was uneventful but long. Getting into Pompeii involved buying a ticket, bartering for a little book, and then pushing past all the crowds. I almost got in a yelling fight with one lady. Welcome to Naples...

Pompeii was amazing. There were ruins and even plasters of some bodies.

There were ancient shops and great houses. You could just imagine some priest mentioning that the Vesuvius Gods were geting a little angry and that perhaps it was time to relocate, and the people of Pompeii saying that it was not possible - the tile was just laid, and it is so hard to pry 2345243 stones out of the foyer every time one moved...

There were paintings on the wall and tiles and I walked around in awe of everything until from the direction of the volcano there came a deep rumble. And another. And another! I had seen enough. If the evil Vesuvius monsters wanted me out, I was going. On one side (the side of the volcano) the sky was dark and evil-looking. On the other side the sun was shining preternaturally brightly, meaning that something was going to happen, soon. No-one else seemed to care. However, SOMEONE had learned from the whole ruined-city-disaster. Time to go!

Going was not so easy. I found two eaqually uneasy English girls and we managed to find an exit by climbing down a very steep (and off-limit) wall. We were safe. It was an exit, but not the exit where I had left my backpack. I asked them the fastest way there and the man pointed vaguely towards the mountain. "Just cut across the cemetary", he said cheerily, "then walk accross the entire city and you will be there." That was 2km or so. On cobblestones. But I made it, and I escaped!

Waiting for the train back no-one was discussing the wonders of Pompeii. There were two flaming American brothers discussing how to wash the younger brother's hat. The older one suggested that although it had not been washed in 8 years, perhaps now was the time, and for it not to list its shape, it should be washed in the top part of the dishwasher - with the cups on the bottom level, so as not to waste a load... There were 3 nerdy-looking friends discussing that if you started the role-playing game on level 20 with 0% strength, was there another way to get through the door. You would have two swords of course.

I have never felt happier to be solo. Imagine, I could be that nerdy!

My hotel in Naples is in the scary area, but when I went to check in, they gave me a private room (I had reserved a 5-girl dorm). I am not arguing. I have been moved around with Hostelworld before. I am thrilled though and can't wait to take the hunk of cheese and the Happy Hippo I bought for supper back to the room and lie down. I asked for a formaggio piquante and the deli man gave me a sample bigger then the piece I wanted to buy. All the muzak in the stores sound like themes from The Sopranos. What a funny city!