Welcome Back to Italy (Bentornato in Italia)
Trip Start
Jun 27, 2008
1
2
8
Trip End
Jul 06, 2008
Naples,
Campania,
Italy
Saturday, June 28, 2008
8:30AM, Paris, Charles de Gaulle Int'l Airport
Arriving at Terminal 2E in Paris at 8:30AM, I did not know how long it would take to reach Gate 30 in Terminal 2F for the connection to Naples at 9:35AM. Last year, I almost missed the connection to Houston after arriving from Athens due to the exhaustively lengthy security check. Getting off the plane, I jogged through the 1 mile-long interterminal connection, waited in a long line at passport control, and was redirected to the main hall where I realized I had to go through the metal detector and X-ray machine again behind almost 100 passengers. It was now 9:15AM, 20 minutes before take off. I spotted the African-French security official and petitioned in French if there was any way I could breeze through security. He looked at my boarding pass and redirected me to a special priority line amidst poisonous looks from other passengers. Then, there it was, Gate 30 (9:25AM). "Attendez! (Wait!)," I notified the Air France ground crew who was about to close the door. Luckily I was traveling with a carry-on because this kind of tight connection could have sadly led to a passenger-luggage divorce.
TIP 1: Always allow two hours for connection with any Air France flights, never the standard one hour for other airlines.
11:50AM, Aeroporto Internazionale Capodichino (NAPLES)
PERSONAL QUICK STATS
Italy: Population 59,500,000 in 2007 (23rd in the world)
Years Visited: 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008
Language Studied: Italian since 1997
Favorite Ranking: #1 (Tied with Japan) out of 27 countries visited since 1985
All-time Favorite Places: Venice, Perugia (Umbria), Varenna and Bellagio (Lake Como), Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino (Liguria), Isle of Capri (Campania), Sorrento and Amalfi (Amalfi Coast)
Exchange Rate: 1 Euro = $1.58 USD
While it was cloudy in Paris, the sunny weather never failed me in Italy
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
. Upon landing in Naples, the pilot pointed out the vast silhouette of Mt. Vesuvius looming in the distance. On my portable GPS, Vesusvius was also a visible point of interest next to the grid-like streets of Naples. The crisp, blue Mediterranean Sea, rolling in waves of radiance, was pleasantly greeting me. Unlike the majority of my co-passengers, I did not have to huddle around the luggage carousel after disembarking the plane. Walking past them, I continued through the gate marked "Uscita" (Exit), and then, I immediately was confronted by a mass of people waiting behind a low metal barricade in the main arrival hall. My eyes were categorically searching for my Neapolitan friend, Luigi, among the crowd. Luigi used to do some cardiovascular research at the Texas Medical Center, and he had become one of my good friends from Italy. He recently came for a developmental cardiovascular research conference in Houston last May, when I hosted him at my place. Now, he is back in Italy, leading a lab in cardiovascular development research at the University of Naples.Back at the airport, I passed by some chauffeurs, who were holding up placards with various names on them. When I finally got through the crowd, I could not find Luigi! I pulled out my smartphone, connected to Italy's TIM cellular network, and tried to contact him. No response. Normally, one would have gotten nervous, but somehow, I felt serene. Either he was on his way, or worst case scenario, I could easily locate his address on my GPS and find a taxi to get there
Arrival Capodichino Int'l Airport
. Luckily, I just missed him among the crowd. Scanning the arrival hall one last time, I finally spotted him with a blonde girl. I stealthily approached him from behind and then tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and then smilingly said, "Hey, how you doing?" Apparently he was assuming I was going to take longer to show up after waiting for my luggage, so he went outside to smoke. He usually did not smoke, so this was a novelty. I was reintroduced to Luna, a friend/labmate of Annalisa, another good Italian friend of mine who used to work in Houston. I had met Luna with other friends two years ago at a chic restaurant, Taverna Viola, on one of Naples' dormant volcanoes, Solfatara.
Then Luigi picked up his tempo, informing me that we all needed to get to the port to go by ferry to the island of Capri for a party. "Scusa?! (Excuse me?)," I asked. Barely having slept at all on the plane thanks to the frequent restroom trips of a Jordanian passenger beside me, I was half-dazed, excited, exhausted, and in need of washing up. Luigi quickly threw my luggage in his car, and then like a madman, he took us on a "Bourne Supremacy" or "The Italian Job" ride through the undulating, hilly, cobblestone streets of Naples. After a 15 minute high impact joyride, which traditionally should have taken at least 30 minutes, complete with bumps and perpendicular swerves, we arrived to his neighborhood near Piazza Amedeo (Amadeus Square). He then quickly told me and Luna in Italian to jump out of the car and get into a taxi that was already parked in front of us
Street of Naples
. So far, this precipitous chain of events had all the ingredients of some international espionage theme. It was just too synchronized and convenient to have a taxi waiting for us when hailing a taxi in southern Italy was like throwing a Hail Mary. The taxi driver then took us to Molo Beverello (Beverello Pier), Naples' prinicpal port and gateway to the the Amalfi Coast. We quickly followed Luigi to get some tickets, then he gave a sigh of relief. His objective was to make the 1:15PM hydrofoil to Capri. We sat down at the harbor cafe and relaxed with some iced coffee; I had a shakerato, or cold, creamy, sweetened espresso with a smooth gelato taste. It was a brilliant drink for a hot summer day like today! This was one of the allures of Italy: the fine gastronomical taste of life, which continually would harken me back time and time again. While getting the shakerato, I remembered how to order food or drink in an Italian cafe/bar. There are two lines in a traditional Italian cafe/bar.
TIP 2: One would first line up at the cash register to order and pay, then bring the receipt to another line at the bar and wait for the food/drink to be prepared.
Throughout all the rush, this nebulous "party" was never adequately explained. The next thing I knew, we were boarding the hydrofoil, and off we were sailing for an hour to Capri. The water was not too choppy, and the sunny sky accentuated the azure hue of the Mediterranean. My carry-on luggage was still with me, and I still had no time to change or wash up
Speed Racer Through Vomero District - Naples
. During the ferry crossing, we started to have time to catch up on so many things, like life, family, friends, work, fun, travel, etc. Then, arrival to Capri.ISOLA DI CAPRI (Isle of Capri)
The first image that struck my eyes was the charming Marina Grande (Big Harbor) with its fishing boats lined up on the shore and some floating on the crystal-blue water. The water was so clear that one could see the shadow of the boats on the bottom. The marina was surrounded by brightly painted pastel-colored buildings which were decorated with umbrella cafes on the seaside promenade. I had already visited Capri two years ago, but the weather was not as pleasant as today.
Then, Luigi rushed me and Luna to the motorboat pier, where he said he was going to retrieve his own boat. "Aspetta (Hold on)," I interrupted. I thought we were at least going to leave my luggage at his summer house, change, and go to some party, which was strangely being held in the middle of the afternoon. He reiterated anxiously that there was no time. So my luggage, Luna's carry-on, and his backpack were thrown onto his white, pristine, impressive motorboat decked with a shower and a USB-stereo system. We jumped on, and I was already half-confused, half-delighted about this mystical party that required an entrance by boat. What happened in Capri should stay in Capri, but not for this travelblog. So read on!
2:30PM, FESTA IN GOZZO (Motorboat Party)
Feeling the pressure of tardiness, Luigi revved up the engine, and we were skidding on the surface of the water like a scene from "Miami Vice." The waves were instantly bifurcated by the darting boat, and the beautiful, limestone, rocky cliffs of Capri hazily raced past me
Coffee Break At Beverello Pier
. Then the boat slowed down, and suddenly I noticed a regata of motor boats interlaced together by ropes, floating on the Mediterranean, perhaps 1-2 miles offshore. On this flotilla were so many people, decked out in hula skirts, iridescent flower necklaces, straw hats, and there was music, laughter, and then a forceful chant in unison, upon their spotting Luigi, of "Gigi, Gigi, Gigi!" So this was the party he wanted to take me to. Was it a coincidence or a welcoming party? Luigi honked, and then the alcohol started flowing.This was the second anuual Festa in Gozzo, or Motorboat Party, held in Capri. The first one was already reported in the national Italian magazine "Gente," (equivalent to People Magazine in the US), Issue #2, August 2, 2007, page 48, in which one could find a photo of Luigi and his friends under the title, "Gozzo Party, Is this a New Party Trend?" Simply put, a Gozzo Party would be equivalent to an American block party for young people. But instead of throwing the party on land, these young Italians with ownership of motorboats would get together and have a good time on the high sea. Music was provided by a live band, and these artists brought their instruments onto the boats. We all danced, drank, and basked in La Dolce Vita amidst the wonderful backdrop of majestic cliffs and luxurious villas perched on the mountains. What was there better to do in the summer than to enjoy the stunning panorama, the luminous sun, the ever-flowing drinks, the carefree dancing, the live Spanish band playing Latin music off the coast of Italy, and the splashing Mediterranean Sea
Antiquity and Elegance - Naples
. It was really sensory overload for a sleep-deprived person like myself. But what a welcoming activity into this country! I felt somehow re-energized and refreshed by all the festive commotion. On board, there was even an up-and-coming popular Italian singer, Sagi Rei, who gave an amazing jazzy rendition of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." I came up to shake his hands and told him in Italian that his suave/jazzy voice reminded me very much of the US artist Harry Connick, Jr. He smiled and said, "Vero?Grazie perche mi piace anche lui" (Really, thanks because I also like him). Luigi introduced me to his friends, whom I suspected had good lineage or were very well-off. I had the impression most of them were from the top echelon of society. They were well educated from private institutions or top schools and were all professionals. All of them were very amicable, sociable, and had some roots on this exclusive resort island of Capri. And as the sun began to set, creating a beautiful aquarelle display of colors on the horizon, the party also began to wind down. We headed back finally to Luigi's summer house, where I finally could put my luggage in my room and relax.
The house was located centrally right above the Marina Grande, with a privileged view of the harbour and the principal seaside promenade. By this time, the late evening rain began a little bit, and I fell asleep for a while. Then at around 10:30PM, Luigi's dinner guests arrived. We were 13 people altogether
With Luna Outside Hydrofoil Ferry
. Sitting on the patio facing the illuminated panorama of the Marina Grande against the stunning backdrop of the Mediterrean Sea, we dined on delectable baked Italian sausages, Parmesian Eggplant casserole, and pasta with zucchini and olive oil. Added to the menu were exceptional Italian wine, interesting conversations, laughter, and a dinner party that was not over until almost 1:30AM. The rest of the people then invited me to go clubbing, but after having been awake for almost 30 hours, I politely declined and fell immediately into a deep trance on my bed. They went to two clubs, renowed for celebrity spotting like Naomi Campbell, Beyoncé Knowles, Jay-Z, Lindsay Lohan, etc. Luigi and Luna did not come back home until almost 5AM, when the sun was beginning to rise. Another equally busy day in Capri awaited us tomorrow...TO BE CONTINUED
Preview for Sunday's blog: Sun and sea with the President of Italy right on Capri
SHORT HISTORY OF NAPLES
Naples, with a population of 3 million people, is Italy's third largest city after Rome and Milan and has a GDP per capita of slightly less than $30,400 USD (CIA World Factbook, 2007). Because of the sea and restrictive surrounding hills limiting territorial expansion, the population density of Naples (22,000 inhabitants/square mile) is more than twice that of New York City (10,000/square mile). Founded by Greek seafarers in the 7th century BC as part of a colonial territory called Magna Grecia (Greater Greece) in southern Italy, the city was originally called Néapolis or "New City" in Greek
Flowers in Bloom - Capri
. When the Romans defeated the Greeks in the costly Pyrrhic War (280-275 BC), Naples still retained its Greek culture through its Greek-speaking population, Greek temples and villas, but it soon emerged as a prime vacation resort for emperors like Claudius and Tiberius. After the dissolution of the Roman Empire, the city became affluent through sea trading. And like its sister coastal cities Venice, Genoa, Pisa, and Amalfi, Naples became an enviable, powerful center of policy-making in Europe.
In 1347-1348, the outbreak of the bubonic plague (Black Death) occurred, which killed a third of Italy. New powers then emerged in Naples under the protection and leadership of local noble families called signoria. However, with shifting political alliances, internal strife, and mishandling of fortunes, the signoria of Naples, and of Italy in general, succumbed to the emerging powers of France and Spain in the 16th century. After the Italian War (1551-1559), in which France and Spain were invited by misguided Italian lords to attack one another, the country of Italy virtually disappeared from the map. Under the Peace of Cateau-Cambresis (1559), King Henri II of France and King Felipe II of Spain divided up the Italian peninsula, with Spain gaining almost complete influence through the control of economic epicenters of Naples, Milan, and Sicily. France possessed the rest. Only Venice and the Vatican retained their self-governance. For the next 300 years, Italian territories were exchanged among the French, Spanish, and Austrian rulers. Only on September 20, 1870 did Italy become a unified nation under the leadership of Giuseppe Garibaldi during il Risorgimento (The Resurgence), a nationalistic movement that saw the birth of modern day Italy. Ironically this is a very young republic with one of the world's oldest histories.
Comments
Great pics and great living
Hey Tony
Thank you very much for sharing the pics and the experience in Italy. The pic are great and it looks like you are having the time of your life. Enjoy and keep us posted :)