See the City, Experience the Sights 01/02/20 Day 9

Pompeii, the sole reason for being so far south in Italy, was a remarkably advanced ancient city. 

Most notably, the plumbing throughout Pompeii caught our attention. 

From the underground cisterns, to the way the streets all went downhill meeting in the center for drainage, and the double walls in the bath houses for heating, we were impressed as we walked around in awe. 

The plaster castings left me feeling somber, imagining the fear of impending doom. I also thought about the design of the city. It would be challenging to look out over the city to gain perspective except from the Colosseum at the edge of town. It is no wonder some decided to stay and wait it out; they could not see the enormity of the problem. It was also interesting to see how many fresco paintings were still intact and the colors still so vibrant.

So, other than Pompeii, our starting point in Italy has gotten the best of us mid-trip.

We took a commuter train to Pompeii. Already our moods were not aligned. 

And to top that off, every stop, for 15 stops, a palpable, caustic aroma filled the train. 

Challenging too is coming from Greece where full service food is available everywhere all day long even though meal periods begin at odd hours (10AM, 3PM, 10PM). Here in Italy (Naples), the siesta (1:50PM to 7PM for at least one restaurant we went to and 3PM to 6:30PM at other restaurants) makes us wonder how Pompeii seemed so advanced if the traditional work ethic is so lackadaisical in modern times. 

This is us seconds after the table next to us ordered food. Two minutes later we were told, "Kitchen is closed only some pizzas available." Five minutes later everyone seated around us received a variety of pasta dishes. We were no longer amused, to say it kindly. 
 
After coming up short of a full service lunch by 3 minutes, we can see that pizza is going to be our new staple if we cannot shift to Italy's meal periods ASAP. We also imagine that unless we figure meal periods out soon, we are certain to take away only memories of rude Italians (New Yorkers may not recognize this attitude we are noticing). When you arrive for food near their break time, they are seemingly not pleasant people. We think eating at the beginning of a shift could reveal more pleasant servers.

While picking up our luggage at the hotel so we could get the **** out of Naples. It went like this:

James: "It's a half mile to the train station, should we walk or call a taxi?"

Me: "You decide, we'll get robbed either way."

This is a two-fold commentary on the conditions of Naples and the systemic principle of taxi drivers thus far. To sum this up, our experience with taxis in Naples was not so good. They pick you up, so you ask the fee before getting in. They take you either part way and want 100% of the quoted fee, or they take you all the way to your destination and they charge you double. Another perspective is that in Greece, they charge 7 to 15 Euros to get around town and to the train station from city center. In Naples (possibly all of Italy, we will soon know), the same distance is double (30 Euros).

James caught on quick and made a valiant effort to stand his ground. He asked how much to go from Pompeii to our hotel and the hotel to the train station (an additional half mile from the hotel). Taxi driver quoted 50 Euro. Okay. No problemo. We go. Half-mile from the hotel, he stops, says, here you go, 50 Euro. James, unhappy with the outcome, said, Okay. Here. 40 Euro. And opened the door. Driver says, no, no, no, 50 Euro. Molto Traffico. James: Si! No hotel, 40 Euro. Hotel all the way, 50 Euro. The Goal: To avoid walking the filthy streets as much as possible. 

Course, James loses because this is Napoli (And because it will take until Day 10 to learn the ins and outs of using the Italian taxi system). We get most of the way to the hotel for 50 Euro.

The second taxi, the driver says, 10 Euro to train station. James says: Here, 15 Euro, Grazie! Driver: Prego.

Napoli Italians will not give tourists an opportunity to be gracious. Actually, they are a bit deceitful altogether. Travel Note: FYI, the cost to stay at the hotel in trashy Naples for one night was the same as three of our six days in Athens.

Also note: Buy train tickets to Rome directly from the train station, not online. First, we bought our tickets in advance for what turned out to be 6:30AM rather than 6:30PM. In a mad rush to get out of Naples, we then purchased tickets for the wrong train and then had to buy a third set of tickets for a train leaving in the next five minutes. Fortunately, they were able to cancel at least one set of tickets. Unfortunately,  we had to run for it, barely making it aboard. 

From the point of getting on a train to Rome, our stomachs began unknotting, our muscles unwound, and for good reasons. Entering Rome (at 300km per hour) did not let us down. 

It is 100% more organized and accommodating. The roads are wide and clean, the restaurants inviting. 

Although Italians say to eat outside the Piazzas for authentic cuisine, we could have cared less. By then time we arrived in Rome and checked into the hotel, we were starving and were prepared to eat anything. From anywhere. Fortunately, the restuarant that beckoned to us (literally) was fantastic! 

We enjoyed the food, the wine, and the conversation about our trip so far. Come to Rome, they accept tourists with open arms.