Naples in the rain

Tuesday, December 05, 2023
Via dei Tribunali, 120, Campania, Italy
Tuesday December 5, 2023
Our plans for today are mostly thwarted. It begins with a business call for Sisi, which leads to phone conversations of more than three hours. This puts rather a dent in the morning. And then, early afternoon a heavy rain starts, including thunder and lightning, which is predicted to last until the evening. By the time our shoes and socks are wet, we decide to spend the afternoon inside.
But what did we see? Well, thanks to my good ex-colleague Roy, we find the ‘permanent Christmas street.’ Here little toys, figurines and nativity pieces are made by hand.
The origin is actually quite interesting. In classical times it was home to a temple dedicated to the Roman Goddess Ceres, and her faithful devotees brought offerings of small terracotta figurines handmade in nearby workshops. As Christanity appeared, it has switched to christian symbols.
Which makes me think of the famous temple of Artemis in Ephese (one of the seven World Wonders) where money was made by silversmiths by making small images. When the apostle Paul started to tell the news about Christ, the locals became so worried about their business, that they went into the city theater and for two hours shouted ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.’
Fortunately the conversion in this street seems to have been more peaceful. 
By the way, that famous temple of Artemis was destroyed by fire by a madman who wanted to become famous. It worked, we still know his name. But I won’t tell you, because people like him shouldn’t be allowed to be famous.
We walk through the narrow wet streets. I order ‘due cappuccini’ in a tiny restaurant with the sound of the rain through the open doors.
We walk to the Chapel of San Severo, but unfortunately it’s closed today and no more room tomorrow. We pass beautiful churches, and I am happy to see that people walk in and out all the time. 
But on our way to the harbor the rain becomes intense. People stand in groups under the arches over the streets to stay dry. And finally we decide to return home and put on dry clothes. 
It really has character, this historic center. In the room I finish Les Fiancés de l’Hiver by Dabos. The first of the three La Passe-Miroir books. It’s all fantasy, but I find it very entertaining. I need to get the other two books.

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