Sights, Sounds, and Smells - Oh My!

Troy met me at the airport with flowers in hand!  I was certainly ready for a big hug and to relieve myself of over 100 lbs. of baggage, including our portable canine "Lily" who needed to potty and stretch!  The familiar Naples airport was full of the sounds of the Italian language, and the hustle-bustle of travelers from all over Europe.  I knew where the car would be parked (at least this time we HAD a car as Troy had been here for a couple of months already) and I prepared myself for Neopolitan driving..... what I hadn't prepared for was my husband's evolved driving techniques which could rank him as number one in the sport of Neopolitan driving.   It never ceases to amaze me that Neoplitans are in no hurry for much of anything, they walk slowly, they meander about in no rush at all, and their philosophy in life is "no worries - will do it damani (tomorrow)" UNTIL they get behind the wheel of a car, or what's worse, a vespa!  Then, it's a raceway of the unimaginable, and my husband of 29 years showed no fear as he drove with determination and familiarity to our hotel, in the heart of the downtown acropolis, near the main port and bay of Naples.   I looked at him and said "Who are you?" and we both laughed.

All along the way, I could smell the familiar fish stands, the fumes of the cars, trash burning, and my senses were heightened and alert.  Very alert.  Did that person just walk right in front of the car?  And that vespa..... had I forgotten the chaotic rhythm of this driving and the unwritten rule:  Don't run into me, and I won't run into you!  I gasped a few times and was certainly fearful of making it to our destination without a bump or dent, and I'm sure was no assistance whatsover to my patient driver who had this driving down pat.  The ancient roads criss-crossed over and over again, the aged pavers were slick and shiny by hundreds of years of use.  Smooth sailing was not in the Neopolitan driving vocabulary, and the bumping and jolting and turning along gave way for my eyes to explore this ancient city of miraculous wonder.  We passed a castle, an ancient archway built by one of the Bourbon Kings, piazzas with large monuments erected by the conquerer of a particular war, trash piles, graffiti, vegetable stands, women walking hand in hand studying the contents of the fashion windows, all the while the vespas, the smartcars, the polizia, the sounds of ambulance and buses and honking from all sides filled my senses full to bursting!  This was Naples alright.  Nothing had changed in five years.  Five years?  This city was founded by the Greeks so long ago, it was so steeped in the layering of civilizations and history, that the term "antiquity" didn't really even do it justice.  We were back.  I could smell the ancient history here.  Every day would bring a multitude of sights, sounds, and smells along with it.  I was exhausted and energized all at the same time, and the day had just begun....

Goodbye USA - Ciao Bella Napoli!

After a fun-filled trip down the east coast to visit friends on a self-declared "Friendship Tour 2011",  Lily (our 8 lb. maltese) and I had a 17-hour transit (including layovers) to Naples, Italy for our second tour.  The long plane ride provided some time to regroup and think about what the next chapter of our lives would entail.... another tour in Naples, Italy, returning to our old stomping grounds and one of the most beautiful and remarkable places we've yet to experience.  To return will mean going to "known" landmarks, not experiencing the ultimate in culture shock as we had done before, and returning without the kids.  This time around, it will be Troy and I --  exploring and experiencing our new life together, and all the beauty that awaits us for the next three years (or more).....  As the minutes and hours ticked by on the plane, I reflected on all that had happened over the past 4.5 years in PA.   Most of our lives' biggest events had occurred just the last 1.5 years alone with the marriage of both of our daughters, Troy's retirement from the US Navy, and our son's graduation from the US Naval Academy.  All wonderful and happy events, the best any family could ask for, really.  The kids are on their own, they are happy and well adjusted and off the payroll....  so when the opportunity arose for Troy to return to Italy as a Navy civilian, we opted for one last big adventure before retiring to that final home in the states to await our future grandchildrens' visits.  This was going to be "our time" this time.  I also reflected on all the many happenings of Naples past, the trips and tours all over Europe, and the fun memories that can only be experienced by living in a city full of chaos and Neopolitan tradition, culture, and livlihood.   We would return to make more memories, and to experience it once again, to see it with more mature eyes and a yearning passion for its people and its beauty.  My life was about to drastically change, and if I learned nothing more from 22 years as a military spouse, change is not always easy, but change is good.  So here goes:  Naples - Round 2!