Four of us, along with a group of friends, started our vacation this year. We had been planning this trip to Naples for a long time, so the trip was very predictable. Then, instead of the imagined world of fairy tales, we suddenly fell into the harsh reality.
Not everything is as it seems
After the airport, we arrived at an unfriendly neighborhood full of smelly garbage. Then our host arrived, who took us off the map, so to speak, but the place we went wasn’t very impressive either. At least from the outside.
However, after going up four floors we were greeted by an apartment which was the exact opposite of what we had seen before. Two large air conditioned bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen and huge balcony, which made us forget our tiredness. Moreover, Italian people are known to be very religious. Plus they have an Argentinian god. So it’s no wonder that the Wi-Fi password was Diego Maradona’s name.
The king of the road
On the evening of our first day we explored the area, or rather just tried, because such a whirlwind greeted us that we had to be on the alert practically every moment, for the inhabitants of Naples were so ruthless. Speeding motorists, motorcyclists who took every intersection and bowed like there was no tomorrow – that’s right, most of the time we felt the same, thanks to them.
In addition, motorcyclists are especially respected. As if they were the most powerful vehicles in the city. They whistle at motorists, but even drivers at each other. In fact, it was impossible to see an undamaged car. Are we surprised by this? Italians stop their cars and wait until they touch the other parked car. You could say auto repairmen are the best money earners in Naples, but maybe not. After all, there is no need to go to a mechanic, the car will be towed on the next street.
While people in the countryside wake up to screaming, here is surely the sound of bagpipes. We spent there four days, but it remains an eternal mystery when and what the purpose of the sound effect is. If the light is green, if it is red, but if there is no one around, the horn still sounds.
Overall, it is shocking that there are 30 percent more fatal traffic accidents in Hungary than in Italy. Eustat.
How much do I owe?
“Stupid Hungarian is coming, he’ll buy it anyway!” Many places would have thought of this, but they could have said, because apart from our host we rarely met anyone who knew at least English. They’re like, once we’re there, let’s talk the way they know how. Perhaps this is also because we have often been good prey for them. There were places where we only ordered one drink, but we practically got a menu for the family. Elsewhere, we prepared the amount to be paid in advance, because we calculated what we would owe, and then, in the meantime, they paid the whole amount about twenty euros. Of course, the math was just based on the list, because in most places we didn’t even get a bill.
What is indisputable is that the pizza is top notch, although that’s what one would expect from hearsay. The ice cream is also perfect, and the beer wasn’t a problem either.
Accordion to Pompeii
We traveled around the city by public transport, as it was not difficult for us to adapt to the schedule. We knew exactly how to get to Pompeii, but at the train station one of the men felt we needed help and told us the information we already knew. Of course, he reached out because he didn’t do it for free.
We were nearly twenty train stations from the ancient Roman ruins, so it was very refreshing to see a passenger who suddenly started playing the accordion. In the forty-degree heat, the music was a real refreshment.
The hot weather didn’t help spot Pompeii either, but we didn’t give up, even if we came home like a crab. We were also able to admire the beauty of Capri. A completely different world where everything lights up and lights up. Observing from the ferry, we felt this could be the highlight of our trip. So it was.
Snip-resistant kitchen knife
Our flight home took off in the early hours of the morning, so we made sure to catch a taxi to the airport. So we started making calls last night to make sure there was a taxi at dawn, but as it turned out, a strike was organized on the day of our flight. The trip to the airport could have taken nearly an hour on foot. However, the horrifying thing is that we have read in several places on social media that many robberies happen along this road, also in broad daylight, not to mention in the dark. The day before, they had extorted money from tourists with a knife. Even though we moved all the stones, we had no other choice but to walk.
We wanted to go home at four in the morning, in complete darkness, on deserted streets, a dull kitchen knife in our pockets. We looked at every street and entrance, and shivered a little at every sound, while raising our feet as far as we could with bags in our hands. Halfway through, two taxi drivers called us to take us to the airport. After a short hesitation, we took the risk and got in, but we got out of it well. With that, we left the Naples tour behind, kitchen knives in the chests in front of the airport.
