Greetings from Bella Napoli. Herbal wins the prize for correct guess. Rode the bus to near Bagnoli last night, but never came close to the location of its most infamous former denizen.
The remarkable thing about Naples is how little it really changes-even while it changes. The trams no long run down the Via Emmanuelle in front of the Maritime Terminal-but people still drive like crazy, scooters dart in and out of traffic and stoplights are only advisory in nature. Same old neighbors.
I’m told that some of the same low rent bars exist in the four block area near the castle-home of the famous “Naples One low level” from my days back on USS Coral Sea in the eighties. ( “Load up the lire machine gun and hit ripple fire as you stagger from buy me drink bar to buy me drink bar-when you run out of lire, its time to go back to the ship!”).
And the Piazza Garibaldi in front of the train station is still a combat zone at night. Same old Naples.
Yet they are making signs of progress. They are in work on a subway-given the rate of Italian construction I expect it to be complete sometime in 2050 or so.
And garbage service still seems to be optional down town.
But the food is good, the sun is out, and my meetings are done for the day. An expedition to Sorrento seems most appropriate.
Ciao!
Sounds like you are happy to be out of the shopping-mall even for even a little bit 🙂 Beers soon.
“I’m told that some of the same low rent bars exist in the four block area near the castle-home of the famous “Naples One low level” from my days back on USS Coral Sea in the eighties. ”
Seems like gentrification to me:
http://www.ikebites.com/rldivision.htm
but then again, you’re there and I’m not.
And my eternal question – is the pizza any good?!?!?
Uhh… the pizza is just fine-espcially with a bottle of Campagna wine!
I could not find the piano bar-but I am told that Club 21 is still there. S.O. is with me this trip-so recce runs are limited and high altitude passes only.
I assume you are talking about Humpty Dumpty. I used to see her every time I drove down to the base. Of course, that was BEFORE your time. 🙂
There was a nice little hole in the wall shop off of Umberto that had awesome little Napolitan pizza. Always one of my favorites ports in the Med.
Remember the Port Briefs on the Coral Maru? This is Naples, This is the Gut. DON’T GO THERE. CHECK. VHR direct as soon as liberty call was sounded.
Spent a Christmas as shore patrol there during the 87 cruise, have never seen rats as big as at fleet landing there.
Enjoy Napoli Skippy.
Skippy,
When I was in Naples back in 2007 with the Truman, Club 21 was high on NCIS and Cabineri’s hit list for being tossed cause of issues with the “waitress” papers. So if anything I would avoid place.
I enjoy Naples simply cause it is such a run down town, but back when the Lira was king, you could enjoy the port even as an E-4. The other cool thing was that the train station was only a quick 15 minute walk down the waterfront from fleet landing. From there it was easy to get to Rome, Capri, or someplace nicer then Naples for the day.
When were you on the Coral Maru? My dad was on her during the 85 and 86 deployments. He use to talk about always going to some bar called “Tony’s” which was some country western bar owned by some ex NYPD detective who had married a nice Italian girl. My dad told me that was always the safest bar to go and hang out in, simply cause the beer wasn’t dosed or cut with anything and the staff there treated everyone nicely.
I was in VAW-127 from 86-89.
I remember Tony’s. And I remember the story about it.
Truth be told-I liked getting out of Naples. I’ve been here six times. I was always a big fan of going to AFSOUTH and/or getting on the train or the ferry to Capri and Sorrento.
I also used to take permanent shore patrol when we were here. That paid for my next couple of port visits. It also led to some interesting adventures with the Cariberneri.
thank God the unions left the garbage for you. it is what they and napoli are known for. it sure isn’t the pizza.
Actually I had some pretty good pizza this visit-pasta too!
And truth be told the city is cleaner than it used to be.
we can all look back now and laugh as we remember the efficacy of posting off-limit joints names and addresses. My nights on shore patrol were most usually spent in them because they seemed to attract certain nautical types. 🙂