We needed a sleep in so didn't get out til about 1100. As it turned out we were a short stroll from one of the places we wanted to see here: Hotel de Russie. It is near Piazza Popolo and is a Forte hotel with the most amazing gardens in the back. We saw a TV show on PBS hosted by Alex Polizzi whose grand father-in-law (?) was Mr. Forte. She featured the gardens so we just had to see them. Well worth it but you can only afford to stay there if you're filthy rich.
We had lunch after that, wanting a proper meal with protein and veg. and found it in a cute buffet style place nearby. Meat and veg are expensive here so one cannot do it every day. Then we found a new street to come back along called via Margutta, a quiet, shaded, tree lined lane which was obviously upscale judging by all the well dressed people out and about and no tourists! Now we're back for a siesta before heading out again when it cools off a bit.May 2 - Seventh Cruise Day - 11793 Utterly Chaotic Steps
We had an excursion booked for today which would have required us to leave at 0815. Not a chance given how tired and achy we were so we cancelled and instead went out on our own at 1030. The first thing we wanted to do was get antibiotic drops for my pink eye. The medical centre on board charged $150 US plus the medication so we declined and just went to find a pharmacy cause we knew what it was. We asked at the first pharmacy. They told us to go out and turn right for four blocks. When that led us to an industrial wasteland, we turned around and found a nice hotel where we got a map and instructions which told us to go in exactly the opposite direction. We followed those instructions and still had to ask twice more on route but eventually we got there. It turned out everyone had been steering us to the same spot via totally different ways.
We then had to walk all the way back to the terminal to catch a taxi into the city. By this time we were pooped and ready to faint from hunger but we got the taxi and rattled off the name of a square (Piazza Bellini) from Rick Steves' Naples guide and hung on for life. There don't seem to be any road rules here except for the one that goes "you blink, you lose". And that applies to pedestrians, cars, buses, trucks and mopeds. They are all together at every intersection in one big mash up. On top of that, mopeds love pedestrian zones. They can zip between the pylons that keep cars out and love jumping out of narrow lanes right at you. On foot, you are not safe anywhere if you hesitate one bit.
Right in Piazza Bellini we found a cafe and shared a veggie lasagna and coffees. Wonderful. Much better. Now we could play tourists. We basically followed parts of Rick Steves' "a slice of Neapolitan life" walk from the Piazza southwards, concentrating on the Spaccanapoli area which is supposed to be the gritty heart of Old Town Naples and we could see why. Tall, old, crumbling buildings, narrow streets, hordes of people and mopeds nipping at your heels. Just like the movies.
Still we had fun, stopping at one restaurant for pizza and Italian beer, another for coffee and pastries (tiramisu in a jar for Carol - she can explain this for you later and sfogliatelle - which looks like an albino armadillo with custard filling, for me). We then walked back to the ship and are now resting cause we have to pack tonite to get our suitcases outside by 2200.
We had our final dinner in the proper dining room and finally scored a window seat just in time to see a beautiful sunset and view of Naples as we steamed away. Tomorrow, Rome and our apartment. Yea.
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