Down to Earth in Naples

Tuesday, October 04, 2016
Naples, Campania, Italy
Again, we chose a good tour for our day here.
 
Naples itself is very impressive when seen from the sea so we did appreciate that aspect of this cruising experience .
 
We were so glad too that we chose to see the Amalfi coast by launch rather than road, which turned out to be the best way of seeing this spectacular coastline.
 
Neither of us would have relished driving around those hairpin bends and seeing little apart from the road ahead.
 
As for Amalfi itself, it certainly had the wow factor.
 
Much to our shame, we'd done hardly any research on this area, apart from stuff about Gore Vidal living here for years, so walking from the launch and turning the corner into the main square was a true surprise.
 
That magnificent cathedral dominating the relatively small square, with its steep wide steps leading up to the portico decorated with such well preserved and rich mosaics was quite a shock.
 
The afternoon was spent at Pompeii, where we'd never been before so was essential viewing.  
 
I suppose everyone who's been is surprised by its size, and we were no exception.
 
We spent a couple of hours there but it warranted longer. Another time maybe, but we got the general idea pretty well .
 
What impressed us most really was the looming presence of Mt Vesuvius and imagining what it must have been like living in that bustling beautiful city, only to have it all destroyed within a few short hours.
 
Thinking about the enormity of the cosmos from the astronomy presentations aboard, with stars continually being born and dying, and then the flourishing and sudden snuffing out of this city -- so minuscule in comparison -- really concentrates the mind. 

 How amazing -- yet transient -- is everything under, over and beyond the sun.
 
Shakespeare nailed it.We are such stuff as dreams (and stars) are made on....
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Comments

Fran Smith
2016-10-16

Very jealous! Would love to get back to Italy. When is the travel book coming out?! Fran xx

Harvey Stockwell
2016-10-17

Did you get into Naples itself and have you read THOSE novels?

2025-02-08

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