Sorrento, Naples, and Pompeii

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Day 7, May 19 – Sorrento & Naples

Our plan while in Sorrento was to visit Naples and Pompeii on day trips. Since Naples is the birthplace of pizza Jim just had to go to see how the master pizza bakers make a true Neapolitan thin crust pizza. From all the information we read in guidebooks, taking the commuter train from Sorrento to Naples was not safe so we decided to take the ferry from Sorrento to Naples, which is a 30-minute trip. Naples is known for the best pizza in the world but also a city that has a high crime rate, high unemployment, and not very clean. With all that to consider we decided to make the trip (translation – Jim had to have a pizza from Naples). The ferries are usually on time and leave every two hours so we caught the 12:00 PM ferry and arrived in Naples around 12:45. Jim read where to find the best pizza so we started walking along the main road that aligns with the port of Naples. Once again we witnessed the crazy drivers in cars, trucks, scooters, buses, and just about anything with wheels and a motor. It was actually worse than in Rome but we made our way to a small back alley to a small pizzeria. We sat at a table outside and all the other customers were speaking Italian and eating pasta and pizza. Our lunch was two pizzas, Jim had tomato and buffalata cheese, and Lisa had the tomato, mozzarella, and Italian pepperone, and two Italian beers. The pepperone is not like what we are used to at home. It is like a combination of a sausage and pepperoni from home. They slice it in somewhat thick strips instead of round discs. It is very good.

It only took about five minutes before two pizzas about 16 inches in diameter were put in front of us. Both of the pizzas were excellent, very thin crust and a wonderful flavor. While Jim attempted to eat all of his, (and some of Lisa’s), we thought we might want to find another pizzeria just to try something different. The next place we found had a line to get in so we decided to head back to the ferry terminal which made Lisa very happy as her senses were on high alert. Pickpockets are common in Naples and she was protecting her purse like a bear with a baby cub - no one was going to get it.

The ferry left Naples at 3:05 PM, which meant we traveled from Sorrento to Naples just for a two-hour visit to eat pizza. Might sound crazy but we both felt it was worth it. However, if you are not someone that likes pizza so much that you build a pizza oven in your back yard (ahem Jim), there is no need to visit Naples.

Once back in Sorrento we both felt at ease, as the pace is slower and much, much safer. Dinner was at a nice café owned by the same people that own the hotel we are staying at. The same young woman who greeted us at breakfast was greeting guests for the restaurant and recognized us. The waiter knew we were guests of the hotel and gave us a prosecco as a welcome drink. Dinner was good and again the waiter brought us a complementary dessert even though we were both very full. Tomorrow we go to Pompeii.

Miles walked: 8



Day 8, Tuesday, May 20

We take the local train to Pompei. As we approach the boarding area for the train it is completely packed. The odds of getting into a train are pretty slim. The train finally arrives (late, of course). Lisa squeezes her way in and turns around and sees that Jim has been cut off and the car is already full. What will we do? Jim is a big guy and he manages to get into the car. It is warm, there is no air conditioning, and body parts are touching strangers that should not be touching because it is so crowded. It is very uncomfortable but we will ride it out for the scheduled 30 minutes. Not so, it was 45 minutes but the cars did start clearing out a little as we got closer to our stop. We found that the other cars had room but it is not possible to walk from one car to the other and the stops were so short that we couldn’t make it from one car to the other before the train departed again.

It was worth it. Pompeii is very interesting. The eruption in 79 AD covered Pompeii in ash and rocks burying the city and all of it inhabitants. It was not until the 1700’s it was discovered and archeologists began unearthing the site. In fact, there are still some areas they are uncovering. We did not go with a tour this time but picked up a book as we were waiting in line to get our tickets. The various sites are numbered and you could read about the bakery, the stalls that sold food, the stall that sold pizza from a wood fired oven (Jim pretended he was making a pizza), and even homes. Some things are very well preserved but the most bizarre are the people that perished. The volcanic ash covered them and then the bodies decayed creating a void where the body had been. Someone realized they could create an opening where the bodies were encased and then fill the void with plaster.

The city is pretty much a grid type layout with sidewalks and a lowered street level. The street is made of large stones and somewhat difficult to walk on even with modern shoes. At various points there are very big stones set up within the street to help people cross the street when it is raining. Since the road is lowered, the rain would fill the street and it also contained sewage. So 3 large stones are set up as stepping stones to help you cross the street. The stones are also strategically set up so that the wheels of the carriages could fit through. There are major ruts in the stones on the streets from the wheels of the carriages in some places. Some of the homes and sites still had frescoes that displayed artwork that supposedly showed how life was at the time Pompeii was thriving.

After spending about four hours it was time to leave so we checked the train schedule and the next train was going to leave in 3 minutes and we didn’t think we would make it to the station in time. We got there about 10 minutes after the train was supposed to leave. However the boarding area had a lot of people so we waited since the trains run every 30 minutes (supposedly). Well about 5 minutes later the train showed up so their reputation for late public transportation continues. The ride back was much less crowded and we even had an air-conditioned train. During the ride Gypsies board the train, sing and play instruments, and then ask for spare change.

We head back to the hotel and have a cocktail overlooking the courtyard of our hotel. The internet connection is not very good here which is why our blog has been late. The person that checked us in blames it on the recent storm. Well….. who are we to say what the reason may be.

After relaxing we head out to dinner but know that it will be an earlier night than most. We head out in the morning to pick up a rental car and go to our first farm stay at an Agriturismo in Tuscany. The place is about 30 minutes south west of Siena and will be about a five hour drive, with all the crazy Italian drivers.



Miles Walked: 7 miles

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Photos

The Breakfast Room at our Hotel
Maison Tofani is located right in the heart of Sorrento and this is where we ate breakfast every morning. The woman who is there every morning bakes and prepares all the food. Jim was in heaven as every morning there was salami, mortadella, cheese, and bread.

Our Little Terrace
This is where we would enjoy a drink in the evenings.

Sfogliatelle
Pastry in Naples with crispy flaky layers on the outside filled with sweetened Ricotta cheese.

Wood Fired Oven
Supposedly Pompeii was where the wood fired oven was invented, but pizza was not to come for many years.

Look Closely
There is a dog riding on the scooter with these two guys. This was a common site in Sorrento