PROCIDA

Procida is a dreamy little island off the coast of Naples. 

Procida is lovely for just walking around and swooning over the sun drenched, pastel crayon colored buildings all day. I took an outrageous amount of photos so keep clicking the photo below for a few more. 

FUN FACTS:  Procida was formed by the eruption of 4 volcanos, during Roman rule, it was a famous resort for patrician class AND it was a location for the filming of The Talented Mr. Ripley. 

Trying to get back to the port to catch my ferry, I waited 30 minutes for a bus that never arrived and then a tiny little Italian man who spoke no English (there was a lot of gesturing and me saying "autobus?" "dove?" and "non lo so?") offered me a ride on his scooter. I took him up on his offer and it was simultaneously terrifying and so, SO exciting and fun. Every time Giovanni veered from the path to the port, I became sure that this was it, I was going to die on a beautiful island at the hands of a chubby Italian man half my height and twice my width but of course, he would then stop and say "bella photo! bella photo!" and it became clear that he was just stopping at a scenic point so I could take a photograph of his lovely little island. He dropped me off safely at the port and left me wanting to only travel via scooter from here on out. 

LA CONTRORA HOSTEL

During my month in Naples, I did a workaway gig at La Controra Hostel to sleep/eat/drink for free and save money for my travels. La Controra was an oasis (high ceilings, garden courtyard) in the middle of the madness that is Naples, Italy and (bias aside) it's easily the best hostel I've ever stayed at. 

La Controra is actually a converted monastery, so when you turn to enter your first view is of this eery old cathedral.

My job was to bartend, lead social activities and cook the Happy Hour Pasta. My culinary repertoire which was limited to stir-fry, omelettes and roasted veggies vastly expanded during my time there... so it now includes: stir-fry, omelettes, roasted veggies and about 15 different kinds of pasta dishes. PRO-TIP: cover everything in cheese.

An enthusiastic and international (Mexican, German, Canadian and Argentinian) group at reception. 

La Controra had an ideal central location, was comfortable for lounging about (this can be rare with hostels) and the built-in bar that was frequented by local Italians and travelers alike always proved to be a good time. Below are a few photos from our Halloween party where we had drink specials ("gin and bubonic" + "sex on a haunted beach"), "blood-and-guts veggie pasta" and I bought a hat and therefore, was a pirate. 

Alessandro: the receptionist, local Neapolitan and my toughest pasta critic ("mmm. Not al dente.")

This guy (1/2 of a pair of American twins) fell asleep STANDING at the bar. He was not allowed any more Nastro Azzuro's. 

If you ever find yourself in Naples, get over to La Controra Hostel for a nice stay or at least for a pint of Peroni. 

VESUVIUS + POMPEII

Had a nice little touristy day at Vesuvius and Pompeii, two of the most famous historical sights around Naples.

Here's Vesuvius from the city of Naples (for perspective). 

 Now, here I am on the top of Vesuvius. 

Vesuvius is the most dangerous volcano on the European mainland and the only one that's erupted in the last 100 years (1944). If or when it does erupt, there would be a 14-20 day warning period where approximately 600,000 people would need to evacuate the area. Let's hope that only happens after my stint in Naples is finished. 

After Vesuvius we took the train to visit Pompeii, the town that was destroyed and buried with ash from the 79 AD eruption. It was a mix of sad/creepy/fascinating but it was mostly wild visiting a place I've been learning about since elementary school. 

Ryan (a Kiwi I found on the island of Ischia and then brought back to the big city) is considerably taller than the residents of Pompeii back in the day. 

ISCHIA

A spontaneous trip to the island of Ischia with Mugu (the fun-sized Romanian manager at La Controra) led to: a ferry ride on the Tyrrhenian Sea, night swimming, a stay at a hidden paradise of a hostel and a morning at the hot springs. 

Ischia's a volcanic island and natural hot springs flow out of certain parts of the coast, so we hung out in the relaxing springs for a few hours before heading back to the hectic city. 

I visited Ischia a few days later for pumpkin pasta (which I was thrilled to see on the menu...Italy doesn't embrace the ultimate seasonal flavor nearly as much as it ought to) and to do a hike up Mount Epomeo. 

Just hanging out, in front of a sketchy cave.

Never dressed appropriately for a hike. 

We made it to the top in 6 hours, just before sunset and had a steep trip down followed by boxed wine and cookies for dinner and of course, epic pizzas for lunch the following day. 

One of the greatest things about pizza in Italy is that people don't share them. It's just understood that everyone is going to eat an entire pizza themselves. Every pizza is a personal pan pizza. What a beautiful concept. 

HIKING ON THE AMALFI COAST

Kris and I headed to the Amalfi Coast to do the Path of the Gods hike, but refusing such practical things as maps or directions we found ourselves on a "more difficult and far less civilized" (according to one English tourist we ran into after) path that went UP the mountain rather than along it. 5 hours later, it ended up being a great workout with some killer views. 

We made it to the coastal town of Amalfi for dinner and gelato...

...and just in time for sunset. 

MORE AROUND NAPLES

Naples has a decaying kind of beauty to it and it's current look seems to reveal the eruptions, earthquakes, bombings, rebellions and conquests it's endured. 

Nowadays, Naples has an energy to it that's reminiscent of when you first step off the train at Penn Station in Manhattan. It's (loud) buzz is made up of the whirring engines of scooters, little cars honking and Neapolitans yelling in (what I've learned to actually be is) the most affectionate way possible.

Watching Italians interact with each other on the street (eyes wide, voices raised, hands flying) I keep expecting fist fights to break out but every time it ends with double cheek kisses and it's clear that they were just discussing their favorite type of bufala mozzarella or something. 

The other day I was sitting outside a cafe giggling at this book (Amazon Prime is just as awesome while abroad) when the whole city actually ROARED when a goal was scored in a Naples vs. Rome. I wasn't sitting within a block of a television but I swear the ground vibrated with cheers from miles around. These people truly express themselves.  

This kind of energy also makes for lively nights out, specifically in Piazza Bellini where everyone congregates just about every night of the week. There's a few cute bars surrounding it but everyone mostly buys 2 Euro beers and takes over the square with live music and loud conversation. With crowds blocking the street I'm floored that it's never broken up by the police because it's absolutely packed. It looks a protest or a riot or like Southie on St. Patrick's Day but it's just another night Napoli. 

SORRENTO

One of the best things about Naples (besides the pizza) is the easy access to the Mediterranean islands and the Amalfi Coast. A couple of recent day trips to Sorrento consisted of fettuccine and sunbathing with a few rowdy Australians followed by prosciutto sandwiches and rock jumping with some cute Americans. 

I'm not pushing Kris off the rock here, even though it very much appears that way. 

Sorrento was really lovely. I should note that I kept a lookout for shredded cheese everywhere I went before realizing that's actually SARGENTO and I'm a dumb American. Still a lovely place.

AROUND NAPLES

Baristas at Cafe Mexico. Which is understood to be (oddly enough) the best coffee in Italy. 

Kris and I at the highest peak in Naples, dubbed "the secret garden" which you have to hop a 15 foot fence to reach. This was minutes before we got kicked out and yelled at. Kris is a fellow workawayer at the hostel. He appears to be your typical American broseph at first but he's super smart, inquisitive and full of surprises... like when you learn he plays the mandolin, is planning on studying neuroscience and says things like "you know, sometimes Macy Gray just really hits the spot". He's only 18 and I blew his mind when I told him John Mayer had an album before Room For Squares because he was only 3 YEARS OLD when it come out. I didn't think kids born in 1996 were eating solid foods at this point, but apparently they're traveling around Europe. 

Clotheslines are EVERYWHERE in Naples. 

Apparently it's a bit of faux pas to order a cappuccino past 10 AM in Italy. This hasn't deterred me in any way, especially because I try not to be awake before 10 AM. 

Vesuvius (!) over the Mediterranean. Last erupted in 1944. Still a bit too recent. 

One funny thing about Naples is that while the streets are rather dirty, the subways are SPOTLESS. Many of the stations have been designed by artists and are absolutely immaculate. This is at Toledo station, which is filled with blue tile sculptures, ocean scenes and a tunnel that lets the sun shine through.  

Matias and Marcos, Argentinian workawayers at the hostel who are also DJ's under the name Rebel Pandaff. One night they played at a local club so we all went and danced til 5 AM. I won't lie, I don't fully understand what "Deep House" music is quite yet but this song starting at the 24:10 mark is my jaaaaaam. 

NAPLES, ITALY

Naples is (gratifying) chaos. 

Naples has all the elements of a city I would normally hate: crowded, dirty, filled with bad graffiti and loud people... but for some reason, it's completely thrilling and charming. And thank god, because I'm here for a whole month (2.5 weeks-in at the moment... a bit behind on blog posts!). 

I haven't properly captured the insanity of Naples through photos yet but trust me when I say it's there. The thousands of scooters carrying whole families (babies and dogs included) and loud Italians yelling and gesticulating from cars, windows and shops are a couple of cinematic stereotypes proved to be very true. 

I'm reading An Italian in Italy right now which explains that "...in Italy rules are not obeyed as they are elsewhere. We think it's an insult to our intelligence to comply with a regulation. Obedience is boring. We want to think about it. We want to decide whether a particular law applies to our specific case. In that place, at that time". I admire the sentiment but this Italian attitude towards traffic laws ensures that I feel like I've cheated death every time I've successfully crossed the street. 

Vesuvius, looming in the background. 

Despite being the perfect package for a tourist spot (warm weather, rich history, on the coast, amazing food-- the pizza is here is OUT OF CONTROL), Naples has failed to take advantage of the tourist industry. This means (outside of the hostel) I rarely see another non-Italian and it's made the last few weeks here feel really authentic.

My 2 years of Italian at BC has proved completely useless (not that I retained much at the time) as Neapolitan Italian is a whole other vernacular away from standard Italian. The few phrases that I do know must be said with an accent that feels like I'm mocking Mario and/or Luigi in order for anyone to understand what I'm saying, so usually I get by with a lot of smiling and nodding. Although doing that, I did agree to a dinner date with a butcher when I thought he was just talking about the pancetta I ordered. So now I have to find a new neighborhood butcher. 

It's been a genuine Italian adventure so far.

More soon. Expect a lot of photos of pizza. 

24 HOURS IN ROME

Flying in from Marseille, I had 24 hours in Rome before heading to Naples by train. I ate delicious pizza, drank an overpriced cappuccino and toured the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. 

At the Colosseum tour I learned that the politicians and rich people always got the good seats (the stadium held up to 80,000) and the gladiators would risk their lives and well-being for money, fame and women. So really, not much has changed in the sports and entertainment industry. 

+ Keep clicking the last photo above for a few more shots. 

The touristy sites were educational but the real cultural experience was meeting Angelo (doppleganger of the drummer from The Strokes), an Italian kid flying back to his hometown after a year in Marseille. We spent a few hours together at the airport and he taught me useful Italian phrases while I taught him American curse words which he promptly texted to all of his friends. American diplomacy at it's best. 

ENTREVAUX

Took a train up through the mountains to visit Entrevaux, France... a medieval village that still has a drawbridge and mote around it. It was kind of like Game of Thrones meets Beauty and The Beast, but with crepes.

The little village consists of dark and narrow streets and it's been around since the 5th century when it was called La Sedz-Glandèves. The current village was built in the 11th century and it was fortified around 1542 when King François first declared it a Royal Town in the Kingdom of France. I was there in the off-season so it was really quiet and one of the few beings I met was a dog who lured me into a creperie (brilliant outbound marketing).

Dressed completely inappropriately for a hike, I hiked up the 5,000 foot hill (mountain? Let's call it a mountain) to reach the top of the Citadel that stands above the village and was last used in World War I as a prison for German soldiers. I took in gorgeous views of the valley of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and the multi-colored Entrevaux rooftops from up there. 

It was a nice little day in the French countryside. 

MONACO

Took a day trip from Nice to visit Monaco, the second smallest country in the world (the Vatican is the first). 

A 2 Euro bus ride along the gorgeous coast and through little French villages got me there in less than an hour. Monaco was great for rich-people watching with the Monte Carlo casino and it's fancy cars, expensive stores and giant port full of massive yachts. 

THE MAMAC

The one rainy day in Nice called for a visit to the Musée d'art Moderne et d'art Contemporain. 

I wandered around listening to this which really elevated the whole gallery experience (particularly this song with the work by Juliao Sarmento). On the way back, to get out of a torrential downpour I ducked into an open pub and found an American ex-pat behind the bar who gave me all sorts of recommendations and info for day trips outside of Nice. He told me stories of how he met his Belgian wife and why he still hates the French even after living there for 10 years. It was an extremely informative unplanned happy hour. 

AROUND NICE

My week in Nice proved to be lovely for lazying around on the rocky beach, strolling through the flower market, big nights out with fellow travelers, running along the coast, easy day trips and many cappuccinos on sunny terraces. 

I stayed at Hostel Meyerbeer Beach which was one block from the beach and perfect for socializing. One of the dudes in my room turned out to be an intern at Cramer 15 years ago (!!) and I got an English kid to make me a traditional English dinner called "Toad in the Hole" which was deliciously hearty. It felt like Thanksgiving compared to my recent apple + brie combo meals. 

Geoff, Cramer Alumnus

Traditional English dinner, by Rupert. 

Most nights consisted of games in the hostel, followed by wine on the beach and then we would meander over to Wayne's, a dirty dive bar in the center of town that felt very out of place in Nice but made me feel right at home. I was very happy to discover that House of Pain is universally loved as our diverse group (American, French, Australian, French Canadian, Finnish, German, Columbian + British) went wild and all jumped on tables to dance to this song. 

Local liquor/cookie store owner who every time I came in told me I was "looking more African" (tanned) so obviously he was my favorite person in all of France. 

When planning my time in the South of France I originally had a different destination in mind but after less than 24 hours in filthy, crowded Marseille I said "screw this, I'm going to Nice". After reflecting on how insanely absurd it is that I can say something like "screw this, I'm going to Nice" and then hop on a train, I hopped on a train and had a fantastic week in Nice. I constantly feel very lucky and also like a complete jerk for getting to have experiences like this... but I'm certainly enjoying it. 

NICE, FRANCE

Nice, France deserves it's name. 

Within an hour of arriving I was on the beach, swimming in the French Riviera and very, very pleased. Nice is super clean, warm and colorful. It has tight, winding alley-ways around the Vielle Ville (Old Town) and a vast turquoise ocean that seems to curve over the horizon. It's really quite nice.