Neopolitan Food

Naples.... Home of the first Marguerita Pizza....A picture is worth a thousand words...... my jeans are now tight.....  need I say more??

Piazza Municipio

The hotel overlooks Piazza Municipio, a grassy area with trees and a fountain and is surrounded by many shops, a McDonalds (where you can order a "McToast" or grilled cheese & proscutto, and "Potata Fritte" or french fries), bus stops, policia, and public benches. The main attraction seems to be the small drinking fountain in the middle of the piazza. While walking Lily daily, and watching the Italian people in this park, I have observed this fountain's use. Mostly it's used for an occasional drink by bending over and taking in the water as it pours out of the spout. Italian men will wet their hair with it and clean their hands. The homeless fill up their daily water jugs and place them in their bags for later usage. An old, stooped woman spent much time one morning early washing her laundary meticulously in a garbage bag in the fountain's sink area, scrubbing with soap and pushing the faucet for water to rinse her wares. Children play in the water and dogs refresh themselves by lapping up what's left puddled on the old pavement below.

Jamaican men surround the piazza on the sidestreets with their fake designer purses and wears, layed out on sheets in case the polizia seize them, and then they move quicker than you can imagine -- all the goods are wrapped up immediately in that sheet and they are gone!

Laborers often gather here to yell chants around the Municipal Building HQ, which is at the head of the piazza, and often the media sits closeby, ready to film.  This must be a place where they feel they can be heard.  There is drama everywhere when they begin to chant -- it becomes contagious and soon throngs of italians are chanting their union woes in italian.  I wish I could understand the language better -- but I feel their meaning without knowing.

Last night teenagers raced vespas along the street next to the piazza, popping wheelies for the entire length of the courtyard, their friends yelling in italian to urge them on.   Socializing in the piazza is what the Italian people do - hands waving, the smiles and laughter and music of their language filling the air.  It's pure entertainment.  These people use the piazzas to socialize and rest - it's their form of relaxation.   We as americans tend to hide in our homes, with TV being our form of relaxation and entertainment, not even talking to each other, but solely fixated on what station to watch.  Not the Italians -- they watch each other -- they play with the children, they walk their pets, they are layed back in a way that Americans don't know how to be.  I often wonder what makes our cultures so different and determines our actions and social norms.   I have to say I was a bit disappointed, and also a bit happy that a McDonald's is close by.  Just when you want something other than pasta or pizza - you can get the American meal - full of grease and American sized portions.   It's always crowded with Neopolitans!  They love it - and Troy and I have both noticed a slight weight gain overall since we were here before..... perhaps the culture is changing.... becoming more "Americanized"......

This piazza has become home for us right now.....  the smells are starting to become familiar, and people are recognizing me and my little white maltese, which often stirs up conversations for a quick pet and smile.  Lily has brought so much joy for us, and now we are sharing her with the people of this piazza every day.

Be My Guest!

Be My Guest!

Guests at the Hotel……  since I never really meet a stranger, I’ve met all kinds of people at the hotel.  It has been great watching so many different nationalities represented, trying to decipher which language they are speaking at breakfast.   I watch them with their families – and have come to the conclusion that we are all the same with our families.  The exchanges, the winks, the laughter, the touching, the sibling rivalry, the love for one another…… it’s all the same.  The clothing usually gives away the Germans and Italians.  Other countries are harder to decode:  northern Europeans for example – I can never match the language to the country, really.  Maybe with more practice.    I’ve met people from the United States mostly touring the Amalfi Coast and stopping over in Naples for one night on their way to some  place else….  My coaxing them to experience more of Naples, to walk the streets and talk to the Neoplitans doesn’t usually do much to change their plans….. I do hope it gives them a brighter perspective of this city, though.  The food cannot be touched by any other European city….. and the hidden ambiences and majesty is out there – you just have to look for it!  One family happened to be from Annapolis, MD and lives in the same housing addition as our son’s girlfriend, Jenny!  Amazing….  We also met our new Romanian friends, Laura and Traian, who have lived in San Diego since the early 80’s, when they defected from Communist Romania.  Their story should be a movie.  As Laura told me of their departure, having to leave their two girls behind with her mother, staying 15 months in a refugee camp not knowing where they would go or do….. until they were miraculously reunited with their girls (who are now successful business women in SD) and then citizens of the USA – I was in tears.  It was the most moving and touching story I believe I’ve ever heard, and certainly the only one like this I had heard first hand.  Watching the pain of those years long ago relived in Laura’s eyes and expression, and her own tears as well, gave me such an appreciation for them and what they had gone through to be “free”.  Real live stories sprang out of Laura from when they were married in the mountains by a monk, and then punished 3 months wages for the ceremony.  She told me of their house being bugged by the Communist party because they were suspicious of their loyalties.   Laura’s own mother, told her stories from the bible, but Laura was never told they were from the Bible, but secret stories just “between them” that she could not share with anyone else.  Not until Laura defected and went to church did she realize the wisdom of her mother and that the stories were from the holy word of God.   Our new friends are planning to show us their beautiful Romania next Spring! It will be so fun…..

I’ve also met groups of women – one group in particular was celebrated a 50^th birthday and had invited all her best friends to come along --  what fun they were having together, and had just returned from the Amalfi Coast, the beautiful enchanted city of Positano.

The hotel staff are now our friends as well, holding the door open for me as I walk Lily outside into the hectic city…..  “Buon Guorno”  we both say.  This evening, I said the usual “Buon Guorno” but was corrected by Roberto, the parking garage attendant who turned and said while shaking his finger at me, “Buona Sera Madame” and we both laughed!   His big grin always cheers me up!  The manager, Anna, is getting married in September, and has a glow about her.  She’s always eager and willing to help us out.  Troy is referred to as a “special guest”.  I’m the “special guests’ wife”, as no one seems to be able to remember my name.  I guess “Robin” is not really in the Italian vocabulary……..  so I’ll leave it at that J.

"Vedi Napoli e (poi) muore" or "See Naples and Die"

This ancient phrase has a controversal background, and still lends itself to controversy. The Italians say "Vedi Napoli e (poi) muore." What it means that when you've seen Naples you've seen everything, and it's safe to die.  Truly, all of the rich culture and beauty of Europe is captured in this city, from the entire Amalfi Coast, to Capri and Ischia, Pompeii, Vesuvio, the castles, the history, imperial wealth that was once here.... the oldest Opera House in all of Europe (Teatro San Carlo), to all of the towns outside the city limits, including the Palace at Caserta (a replica and gardens like Versailles), and it goes on and on and on....

Some state that it was Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe of Faust fame who coined the phrase.  Although Virgil wrote these words when referring to the natural beauty of Naples some 2,000 years ago, "See Naples and die." And what he meant was, once you’ve seen the magnificence of Naples, there’s nothing left in the world to see. Of course, since Goethe’s day, much of that magnificence has sunk into a parlous state. But it seems unfair that his phrase has become a twisted allusion to Naples’ later history of crime and Mafia corruption, thus the controversy in these words.

I like to think of this phrase as just meaning "we are so fortunate to have experienced this place during our lifetime, for surely we will reflect on this place when we are old and gray and will want to bring our grandchildren back to share it with them!"  That's my softened (and lengthy) interpretation, anyway!  I am not a woman of few words, as my husband can attest!

Come see Naples ~ Your life will never be the same!

The Hotel Mediterraneo (Mariott Renaissance Downtown)

The Mariott Renaissance Hotel is beautiful.  Our room is just outside the top main solarium, or terrace, and the view ..... oh.. the view!  Vesuvius looms just ahead to the left, followed by the amalfi coast, the isle of Capri, across to the downtown port and all of the downtown Naples architecture, castles included.  Castle St. Elmo, where Britton and Tyler's HS graduation ceremonies were held is just above us, looking down from it's perch of hundreds of years.  The Castle Nuovo is right below, and the tops of Galleria Umberto and Piazza Publicito are in the foreground.  It's a spectacular sight and the non-stop action of traffic and patronage flow below like the ocean waves just beyond the streets.  The constant breeze is lovely - this is one of my favorite feelings - to feel the wind on my face.  The giant cruise ships in the port are a daily reminder of all the people who are discovering Naples for the first time -- Oh what their thoughts must be of this chaotic and dirty city!  The treasures that are hidden within it's depths will never be discovered in one day by these tourists.... and their first impressions will be what mine were when we first landed here 8 years ago this summer......  The saying goes that you hate it the first day, after a week you are intrigued, and after a year you never want to leave.  I would agree.