Italy, part III - Naples: Municipio metro, Castel Nuovo, margherita pizzas, Spritz, hostels and the Garibaldi train station

Castel Nuovo

I felt as if I'd returned to civilisation when I arrived in Naples. Everything seemed so modern and shiny and easily navigable, and Naples the city itself felt heartwarmingly familiar, even though I'd never been here before, and despite the numerous bad things I'd heard. You go to new places and cities with an open mind, trying your best not to judge, despite all the multiple bad things that other friends and acquaintances and people on google have said, and once you're there you decide for yourself if you like that place or not, and how you feel about it. I know my head was ringing with Pris' warnings when I was about to go there - even when I was booking the hostels. I texted her and said that I was planning to visit that city she hated so much, and she immediately responded with "Naples? Blech. Better you than me." Pris was the first person I texted when I arrived there, too - "Hey, I'm in Naples now and I actually really like it here." - "Naples? Blech. Better you than me."

I'm putting the handful of photos I do have of Naples proper into this entry, because I didn't have time to actually walk around the city and take it in like I usually do. I hadn't expected to spend so much time in Pompeii and Vesuvius, and I'd also forgotten about the evenings starting much earlier than usual. Somehow I was still in Copenhagen - Gdansk mode, where the sun didn't set until 2300. That's seven more hours of daylight.

The majestic Castel Nuovo, which was right next to Municipio metro station, and about 5 mins walk from the hostel. Unfortunately this picture was ruined by the gigantic crane. I don't know if it's because of off season - probably; who can say? I don't think I want to come to Naples in the summer. I hate the heat.

Garibaldi train station/bus station, where I arrived, was only two metro stations away from my hostel, which was located close to the Municipio and Universita metro stations. The hostel had sent a welcome email telling me to get off at Universita, but I'd studied google maps a little and judged that it would be easier - for me, anyway - to walk there from Municipio, so Municipio it was. The metro journey went smoothly. Saw two pretty hot local guys on the train, one of whom got off at Universita, whilst the other got off with me at Municipio. I don't know where he went after that because I didn't follow him - that would have been creepy.

I only took this photo because of the staggering amount of cigarette butts in the rail tracks. The photo does not do them justice - it was jaw-dropping in person.

The edgy looking guy in the black tracksuit was the cute guy that got off at my stop

The hostel I was staying at was called Hostel of the Sun, and it's easily google-able. I thought it was a pretty standard hostel - like most hostels I've stayed in, it was in one of those old, slightly rickety buildings. If someone was coming to Europe for the first time they'd probably have a hard time finding it, and they'd probably be terrified of the neighbourhood - it was inside a diagonal alley with no street lighting whatsover and loads of graffiti, but I'm used to this sort of thing. I buzzed in and checked in. and got free pizza almost immediately after I arrived at the hostel, and a White Russian, one of the best I've ever had in my life, as well. The hostel was pretty nice - it was clearly one of those slightly crazy hostels, complete with lunatic receptionists who engulfed me in a bear hug then insisted on taking a selfie with me and behaved as if they were high (which they probably were). All in all, it was a pretty nice way to finish that day off. 1 day, 2 countries, 3 cities.

Hey, it's Diego Maradona!

The best margherita I've ever had in my life

Spritz. To quote an English guy from the hostel here, it tasted like Calpol

Up first thing in the morning to the very good breakfast that the hostel provided, then off to Garibaldi to catch the Circumvesuvio train (direction Sorrento) to Pompeii.

This was a pizza I had when I came back to Municipio, at around 8ish. Still better than your average non-Italian pizza, but nothing compared to the free pizza I'd gotten at the hostel.

Alors, Naples, I will be back.