We got an early start and left the ship by 7:30. Getting off the ship was quick and easy. No lines at all. The harbor is practically in the middle of the city so no logistics issues. We first walked to the tourist information office (which wasn’t easy to find) where we got a decent city map and some recommendations. Following them we walked for several hours around Naples. It has a completely different feel from Rome. In the old part streets are very narrow with lots of amazing pasta shops where many different types of pasta of different shapes and colors is hanging inside and outside. There are also hundreds of cafes with wonderful looking pastries. Prices are one third of Rome’s. We visited several churches and the cathedral. We went to Michele’s pizzeria which was recommended and had great pizza. The wall signs stated this was the location where pizza was invented.
We then took a train to Herculaneum. It was a city, a well-to-do summer resort, that was buried in 79 AD when Vesuvius erupted. It is different from Pompeii. Pompeii was covered with ash - Herculaneum was buried under hot lava which solidified air tight and prevented biological decomposition. Even the 2000 year old wooden beams survived. We walked the entire excavated site. It is amazing because the houses, streets and public buildings are very well preserved, with original frescoes, beautiful mosaic floors and architectural details. You can really get a picture what life was like in the city and what the city looked like. On the way back to the train station we had to stop for another great Neapolitan pizza. We got back to the ship around 5:30, in time for our 6:30 dinner. We are getting used to our dinner companions. We actually had quite an interesting conversation with the ladies from Lancashire who are quite well traveled and very nice. The Irish guys are still an enigma. They are definitely related, but we can’t figure out if they are father and son, brothers, cousins or something else. To be continued.
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