We knew it was going to be a tiring day of travel.  The Regional Train to Messina was packed with people travelling home for Easter gatherings  … huge foil-wrapped chocolate Easter Eggs and fancily wrapped packages were carried carefully and took up room in the overhead racks.  Seats definitely at a premium …. It was a case of elbows out and step forward purposely.  Even then seats were snapped up right and left.  Struggling to maneuver bags against a veritable flood of humanity was … stressful.  Amped up to the next level when Glen tried to manhandle the bags into the overhead rack … dropping one onto the unfortunate lady sitting in the next seat!  This was cause for more than the usual scusa … it needed a full blown mi dispiace several times over and anxious inquiring as to her welfare.  She assured us she was fine.  Where I was sitting there were three older ladies occupying SIX seats between them.  They all knew eat other (because they were chatting) but deliberately positioned handbags and coats on the seats beside them, glaring defiantly at passengers seeking somewhere to sit.  Disappointingly, we discovered that regional trains were NOT shunted (as previously indicated) onto the ferry … we needed to walk to the ferry terminus.

The wind had picked up dramatically … the sea was now an expanse of whitecaps, their tops whisked off as horizontal spray.  Bad news!  Because of the wind, our smaller ferry was temporarily on hold … this wouldn’t have been too much of a problem, but we had tickets for the high-speed train leaving at 2:00 from the other side!  The only other option was another company with larger ferries 5 km down the road …. next one leaving in 15 minutes.  Arghhh!  We needed a taxi …. and of course they know you have a deadline so can ask a premium.  To give him his due, he raced us through gridlocked traffic with much horn honking and yelling … weaving back and forth and then leapt out to guide us right up to the ticket booth.  We galloped aboard trailing coats and suitcases just as the last car was loaded … and sank into the nearest available seats for the 20 minute crossing. It was surprisingly smooth despite the conditions.

On the other side the wind was even stronger … almost lifting me right off my feet even with a heavy backpack AND pulling a suitcase.  As noted by previous passenger reviews, signage to the train station was distinctly absent.  Thankfully there was a comfortable cushion of time and the train to Naples was virtually empty … perhaps people hadn’t made the ferry.

Our home for two nights was off a narrow street, behind enormous wrought iron gates which lead into a protected courtyard.  Alessandro came down to greet us (he lives one floor above) … what a lovely, spacious, well-appointed place, and he had filled the Smeg fridge with water, juice and milk – plus cookies, muffins and jams in a basket on the counter (best host so far).  And the apartment was right in the old section of Napoli … just steps from the Duomo (Cathedral) with more Pizzarias than you could shake a stick at … literally one every few feet.  The choice was astounding.  At night it is an overload to the senses … dazzling lights over every sidewalk café …. people spilling out of food places … noise, chatter and music … and the ever-present scooters hurtling through the lanes at diabolical and downright dangerous speeds.  Not a whit of regard for their or anyone else’s safety it seems.  Even pressed hard against the wall we nearly got clipped.

By day it’s just as vibrant … and even though it was Easter Sunday the streets were a mass of markets, stalls, trolleys of crusty bread straight from the ovens – gone before you could blink an eye.  Sadly a lot of homeless individuals including many African migrants who obviously had hoped for a better lifestyle.  Alessandro had recommended several places to eat … one of which was Pasticceria Poppella (pastry shop) close by.  Long counters stuffed with glorious confections of every shape and size.  Apparently the fiocco classico was the pastry of choice … small, round puffs of dough filled with patisserie cream and dusted with a snowstorm of icing sugar.  People were stuffing them into their mouths while waiting to pay … and laughing as they brushed off their white moustaches.  We ordered two …. plus two with pistachio filling … and a sfogliatella – a crisp, multi-layer pastry like a mille-feuille with an amazing orange cream inside.  One cut, and hundreds of shards of puff pastry scattered the table and floor … much to the pigeons delight. We savoured every decadent bite while sipping big cups of cappuccino.  Italians would be horrified having milky coffee this late in the morning!  Staff were amazing and the pastries monumental.

One full day was probably not enough time to do justice to the city but we enjoyed wandering the streets, marveling at the architecture, the churches and magnificent cathedral.  We’ve experienced quite a few up to now, but this one was in a league all its own.  Shame the funicular was closed but we got a good view and feel for the city all the same.  The misty atmosphere seemed to have followed us up from the coast so views of Vesuvius were pretty murky.  We decided against the -up-close-and-personal tour as we had done one on the Big Island of Hawaii a few years back … including lava tubes etc.

Pizza in Napoli was reported to be quite different from it’s Roman counterpart –  thicker crust overall, more like the ones in North America.  To be honest, we didn’t notice much different … the bottom crust still got soggy and hard to hold – even folding it over Naples style.  <grin>

Off to Luca tomorrow … could be busy on the trains as everyone heads home after Easter.