Spoils of Napoli

Great story of the night out Manton

Manton's assessment sounds similar to my own, except I don't remember seeing any garbage problems in the city. Granted, I did not venture into the suburbs or outlying areas at all. Also, it's been a couple of years.

The archaeological museum has the greatest collection of ancient Roman art and artifacts in the world, nonetheless Italy. So, even if you can't stand the city, you must see the museum. When I first visited Naples in college, it was specifically to see the museum.

Of course, one ought to see Pompeii and Herculaneum, too. The latter is very underrated because it is smaller. However, the quality of the preserved buildings is astonishing.

I saw some pretty thuggy teenagers in Naples, in contrast to Manton's observation. Violent crime is not something you need fear of. Rather, you have to watch out for purse snatchers, pick pockets, and cab drivers who palm your cash. Also, apparently, there are thieves accomplished enough such that they can slice the watch off your wrist without you noticing. The Ambrosis repeatedly warned me not to wear my IWC in the Spanish Quarter for that reason.

Generally, however, everyone is extremely friendly. I forget who wrote a piece on Naples a few years ago, involving a visit to Ambrosi, but he made it sound like a very foreboding place. The truth is that Neapolitans seem thrilled to see foreigners enjoying their city. The key is that they are very proud of it. We got treated extremely well at every restaurant and shop we spent time in--by both the service people and other patrons. You're missing out if you don't get a chance to chat to with a native who can speak some English.

Oh, and you must eat. I disagree with Manton about the pizza: it IS different. Not because of the form, but because of the nature and quality of the ingrediants, the quality of the execution, and the manner in which it is eaten. You can find a lot of "correct" Italian food in the U.S. these days, often prepared by ex-pat Italian chefs who know how to cook a dish the right way. But Italian cuisine is not like Chinese or French--it's more about the quality and source of the ingredients than the techniques used to cook them. A good Neapolitan pizza is impossible to get in the U.S. because the mozzarella and tomatoes available here just don't measure up. The cheese on a good Neapolitan pizza ought to smell milky in a very vivid way. You should have a good idea of what it will taste like before you've taken a single bite. I've had decent Neapolitan pizza crusts here, but the cheese is always sub-par. When you're working with such a simple format (crust, sauce, cheese, no toppings), gradations in quality matter the whole world.

Tailors are fun to see, too. But I'd urge anyone visiting for that purpose to take the time to enjoy the city. If nothing else, it will help you appreciate the tailoring more.

I was also warned -- by Mina, by Salvatore, and by Luigi -- not to wear a watch. Since I never do, it was no problem.

Originally Posted by Manton

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Everyone kisses everyone. The men even kiss the men. This freaked me out. I don't even like to kiss girls, I'll be damned if I am going to kiss boys.

that must have been where the folks in BsAs learnt that ish from ... smh.

thanks for the write up Manton. very informative.

Originally Posted by Manton

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I was also warned -- by Mina, by Salvatore, and by Luigi -- not to wear a watch. Since I never do, it was no problem.

Yeah, so that should go to show. The danger in Naples is that you won't realize you're a victim until after the fact.

I also had on a jacket most of the time, with wallet in an inside breast pocket. Hard to pick that.

Back pocket of pants is not recommended, but I don't even do that in NY.

Manton/mafoofan-

Thanks for some very affectionate descriptions of Naples. Ora devo ci andare.

Thanks for your report!

Originally Posted by Manton

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I also had on a jacket most of the time, with wallet in an inside breast pocket. Hard to pick that.

Back pocket of pants is not recommended, but I don't even do that in NY.
That's not a problem at all if someone chooses you as a target.

Originally Posted by banis

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That's not a problem at all if someone chooses you as a target.

I am not talking about a mugging, I am talking about getting picked. No way you are going to get my wallet out of my coat without me knowing.

Originally Posted by Manton

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I am not talking about a mugging, I am talking about getting picked. No way you are going to get my wallet out of my coat without me knowing.

Good thing they don't drink [ahem Rohypnol] a lot as a group in Naples.

It also helps that you're also not cheeky-cheeky with those hawt Italian ladies.

- M

BTW, I gather that one of the reasons for the drop-off in tourism was a decline in interest in ancient history and mythology. English education (and to a lesser extent American) used to be very heavy with this. There is of course a lot of this to see in and around Naples and correspondingly less Renaissance stuff (certainly compared to, say, Rome or Florence).

I found an old English guide book from 1894 that is almost totally devoted to Naples' ancient past and to its setting for mythical events from the Odyssey, the Aeneid and the like. Nobody cares about that any more, so they end up caring less about Naples.

I care.

Originally Posted by Manton

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I am not talking about a mugging, I am talking about getting picked. No way you are going to get my wallet out of my coat without me knowing.
I was not telling about muggling also.
I have a friend whose wallet escaped from his internal jacket's pocket even despite it was buttoned. He noticed it only when he wanted to pay for something with the credit card. It was not in Napoli, but in Barcelona, which still makes no sense.

Originally Posted by banis

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I was not telling about muggling also.
I have a friend whose wallet escaped from his internal jacket's pocket even despite it was buttoned. He noticed it only when he wanted to pay for something with the credit card. It was not in Napoli, but in Barcelona, which still makes no sense.

Damn. Seems impossible to me. In any event, it didn't happen.

Originally Posted by Manton

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Damn. Seems impossible to me. In any event, it didn't happen.

Did you see Ocean's 11?