Naples, Pompei and Sorrento

best looking cops I've seen

We caught the comfy train from Rome downy to the apparently dodgy Naples. Eventually found our hostel and relaxed before heading out for a pizza, naturally. We also checked out and purchased some coffee, melon and lemon-chello. The next day we walked the street markets, drank the coffee, explored the retail and climbed the castle.

view from the castle above Naples

Pompeian

Pompei

That was Naples done and we train to Sorrento the following day, stopping at Pompei on the way. If your planning on visiting this historic joint do a pre-visit documentary as we expected a partly covered town and a bunch of mummified Pompeians. Instead we found a completely reconstructed town and only two ash covered chaps. Don't get me wrong it was impressive, I guess that we must have just been a bit over ruins since Rome. I would of appreciated it more though if I had done some pre-study. What was cool was the hoar-house! Yep I'm not joking. One of the hundreds of buildings they have doug up is a legit bang barn complete with concrete beds and a pictorial menu. Pay per position. Other highlights included the amphitheatre's, one of which we saw a unusual live act. The Glee Club was in town (don't think it was related the show) and busted into a lovely little harmony number brought abruptly to an end by the most confident solo shithead of the bunch. We jumped back on the train and continued onto the coastside-hillside town of Sorrento.

decisions, decisions at the Pompei meat market

We arrived at the traino and called our hill dwelling host Ugo for a lift up to his villa. We settled in after a some photos (stay here and you will see why). We bumped into some fellow guests (Tom and Leanne), hit it off and bussed it down for a wonderful dinner for 4 which included much comparison between Australia and USA (Philadelphia) where the guys are from. We said goodbye to the honeymooners the following morning and then caught a bus to Marina Del Cantone for what may still be the best meal we have had in Italy. Freshly caught Fish and Calamari overlooking the sunlit pebble beach chatting to the waiter about today's Italy.

Unfortunately not all is swell in the land of food. The restaurant and general food service regulations are making it hard for the locals to live and eat fresh and as traditional as they have became famous for. They also have a government in place that they did not elect. Its an 'emergency' government full of the countries wiz-bangs to see them through the GFC. Interesting. Rhi knocked up a mean minestrone and I watched the greatly anticipated Naples v Chelsea champions league game with our other host Luigi. He swore and cursed his way through a disappointing loss. Its a shame because If they had won we would of been out the door watching the fireworks over the bay. The next morning we were ready for a day on the island of Capri. Some of the views from this island are some of the best we have seen. Cable-car, bus and chairlifts got us around the island aswell as an infamous 1000 step staircase that defends back to the main port. Very cool little island that we could imagine is home for many of the rich and famous in the summer months. Before checking out the next day we got out Ugo's dodgy clippers and did the deed that I had been building up to for months. Thankyou for everyone that donated to the leukaemia foundation for me to shave of all my average looking face and head hair. See below on this blog for the video.

Top of Capri

Descending Capri

After

Before