Curiously Chaotic (Napoli Day 2... And 3)

Surprise! I actually went to Napoli two more times instead of the one. There's honestly so much for me to do there that I don't think anyone can blame me. Even then I barely scratched the surface. Museums, cafes, pizzerias, and book stores galore. So, let's discuss.

Day 2 was a surprise. I was initially planning a trip to Benevento which has been pushed back but is still happening (unfortunately Triora is up in the air). So I didn't exactly have anything planned on one of our last days without class. That all changed when one of my classmates asked me if I wanted to go to Napoli with her, to which I of course said yes. We didn't exactly have a plan for the day and if I remember correctly we made the decision to go to the Catacombs of San Gennaro on our very tedious train ride.

On our way, we went to a bookstore that was attached to the Napoli Train Station which was filled with some of the most beautiful books I have ever seen. There was a copy of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri that I almost bought because of how gorgeous it was (after thinking about it I'm pretty sure I can get an almost identical copy at Barnes and Noble). But I will continue to look for more copies of Dante's work when I make my way to Florence. I did however buy a hardcover copy of a book I have on my summer reading list, The Priory of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. I am known for loving hardcover books more due to my clumsy nature so I was thrilled to see one in Italy with a beautiful cover under the dust jacket and with orange pages. It is entirely in Italian so a reread of this book will happen when I become more confident in the language. I also bought Randgi, a book written by Italian author Marco Amerighi. What makes this book interesting to me was the tag that said it was a Finalist in a Literary Competition hosted by the company Strega (for those who aren't aware Strega is a liqueur that I have been drinking occasionally for research... I promise it's not what you think.). After some research, I learned that being awarded the Strega Prize is the most prestigious literary award a book can receive in Italy. A liqueur that I have been drinking for my novel and it gives out a highly distinguished literary award... huh...

I have the best taste.

Also, no I did not get to go to the Strega store... That's okay! Benevento is actually home to its distillery. So... I think that alone will deserve a post.

Now... I had previously stated that pickpocketers were not an issue in my previous Napoli post. Do I have a story for you! My classmate and I were on the bus, on our way to the Catacombs of San Gennaro and she got pickpocketed. This guy passed us right as we were finishing validating our bus tickets and suddenly she whips around screaming at this guy to give her her phone back. She got the phone back but I will say I almost witnessed a fight on public transport. And yes, she's gaining a cult following within my family.

Now onto the Catacombs! The San Gennaro Catacombs were already wildly interesting after learning Napoli has underground ruins of a city. This is because I always pictured Catacombs being strictly underground. While this wasn't in the same way I imagined, it was still wildly fascinating. I think the part of it that I found the most exciting to learn was the general layout. The upper level is for Christians and the lower is for Pagans which is the oldest part of the Catacombs. How this is displayed in the mosaics was really cool. I do raise an eyebrow at the Baptism bath on those lower floors, I don't remember exactly the finer details of this historically speaking. However, it got the creative gears turning more than I care to admit. But I think I say that because the idea I have may not be the best... We'll see how I'm feeling when the third book in the trilogy starts being written.

As for that third day. I did only have five hours to myself while my luggage was being checked in at the Train Station. Before I go into what I did after checking my luggage in, I must add how crazy Italian Mcdonald's is. Got a fancy macchiato with my breakfast and could have ordered a beer. Before I get comments from friends and family telling me I'm not following the advice I will say in my defense it was one time and my Italian Professor (who is a Native Italian) told me to.

Now let's discuss Gambrinus (which I briefly discussed on my Insta). Gambrinus is a cafe that got wildly famous for seating writers like Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemmingway, Matilde Serao, and many more creatives like writers and filmmakers. I think it was so wild to be in the same space that so many creatives and authors of classics once sat in. I jokingly asked one of my classmates when I first saw it if I could be considered one of the greats if I got to sit and have a coffee there. Now that I've had a cappuccino and cornetto in Gambrinus while speaking decent enough Italian and felt incredibly welcomed by staff I can easily say... Yeah. I'm feeling pretty great.

Also while I left I saw a protest about unfair working wages and unemployment. I'm frankly not educated enough to make statements about the finer details of the protest or to discuss their current situation but I hope they're doing okay.

My next adventure happened while I was waiting for another one. That was seeing a manuscript of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. I was actually going the entire day thinking about how I wouldn't be able to see this until accidentally stumbling upon it in a Museum. It was such a beautiful piece of history to come across and I frankly can't wait to read this very important work this Fall.

The last thing I did before picking up my luggage and heading to Rome was tour the Teatro di San Carlo. San Carlo is a theatre that is used today for Operas (which I honestly forget how much I like). I initially didn't think I would be able to go inside San Carlo until I stumbled upon a place to purchase tickets by accident. I'm glad that I found it because this is easily the most beautiful building I have ever been in. Stepping inside and seeing the painting on the ceiling felt otherworldly. I could think of artsy ways to describe how I felt about it and what it looked like all day but I wouldn't be able to do it justice. The history and setup behind the entire building are also wildly impressive. Every detail down to the velvet of the chairs has been thought about and very intentional. Everything is all for what is best for the sound. Truly a marvel and absolutely beautiful building and theatre.

Wrapping up my Napoli days, I feel accomplished. Like my experience was nuanced, varied, and different. I left Napoli very inspired and excited to not only continue my WIP but also for the day that I get to return to this curiously chaotic city.