Naples!
We made our first big weekend trip last weekend, and stayed in Naples. It was a fabulous weekend! Naples itself is absolutely insane. People in my group compared it to Tijuana and even Cambodia. Garbage was piled everywhere, graffiti covered most buildings, everybody was always yelling, and fights were breaking out everywhere. It was very interesting to visit a culture so opposite from out own. Girls under ten had lip rings, while the young boys would whistle and poke our butts as we walked past. The children were tough, but honestly I think they need to be living in Naples. When we arrived in Naples I didn’t know what on earth to expect our hostel to be like, but it was great! Fabric, that was very clean, safe, and comfortable! Also, just a minute away was the best and cheapest pizza I have ever eaten. It was this tiny hole in the wall place that was full of local families!
For the most part we just explored the wonderful areas around Naples. The first day we went to Sorrento, one of the most beautiful beach I have ever been to! We spent the day in the sun and swimming in the water.
The next day we went to Capri. This is the best day of my trip yet! For 15 Euros each, “Captain Jack” took us out on a private boat ride. It was supposed to be about an hour, but I think he was having just as much fun so it turned into almost three hours. He took us to some incredible areas, let us swim, and blasted music while we all dances on the boat. Many people said that it was one of the best days of their lives!
The next day we went to see the Pompei ruins! This was very cool because I studied them a bit in my architecture class this spring.
We are all starting to figure out that we should not assume certain things that we would be able to in the United States. We traveled to and from Naples on the night trains that take ten hours each way, but are much cheaper than the other ones. We bought tickets that didn’t have assigned seating, but of course they have to give you a seat somewhere, not the case. We rode some of the way leaning up against bathroom doors (I am making great improvements with my germ issues…this may be because I have to, but you should all be proud anyways) and the rest of the way very close to very smelly very talkative old Italian men, but honestly we laughed the whole way and came out of the rides with great stories! It was a fabulous weekend!
