Naples- Pompeii- Ischia

Oh the places I've been...This last weekend was my first real traveling experience thus far while abroad. By real I mean that my friends and I planned it out and traveled without a large group or adults directing us, such as with Alatri. We originally had planned to go to Naples, and from there see Pompeii, Herculaneum, Capri and Ischia, but unfortunately we had class on Friday (we usually do not) so we could only fit in Naples, Pompeii and Ischia.
We left Friday night at about 6:30, got a cab for the Rome Termini Train Station, and took a 2.5 hour train ride to Naples. The train ride was very cool, very European, composed of many compartments with 6 seats in each and hallways down the side of the compartments. Every person whom I told I was going to Naples warned me to watch my bag carefully while there, especially at the train station, and for good reason. The station and the surrounding area in Naples was honestly frightening; lots of seedy looking people, lots of homeless people, drug-dealers, drug-addicts, graffiti and litter all over, etc. We were followed through the train station by a hungry looking pack of Italian boys, and then once outside, we were also followed by a particularly crazy looking hobo. We planned to take a bus to our hostel but after being outside the train station for several minutes and fearing not only for our purses but for our lives, we decided to take a cab. In the cab on the way to our hostel we saw 4 prostitutes. Two were most definitely transvestites.
Our hostel was surprisingly nice (and cheap). We had our own room with four beds and a private bathroom. There was a modern looking common room with four internet accessible computers, a TV, couches tables, and the people who ran it were very helpful and spoke pretty good English. It was also a very safe, secure place, so we didn't feel the need to worry about leaving things in our room while we went out.
Another group of our friends were also staying in Naples that night so we met up with them at a Pub called Bar Shannon. Our cab driver on the way there was very nice, very friendly, but didn't seem to know the way to the pub (even though we had the address), but 20 euro later we made it there, had some drinks with friends, met some new people, and had a great time. We got a cab back to the Hostel as well, and much to our surprise, found ourselves home within two minutes and 4 euro. It seems that first cabby ripped us off. Unfortunately, this happens a lot here. I know my way around Rome pretty well, so I've actually called a cab driver out on doing this before, but we were clueless in Naples.
Saturday morning we got up early, had some continental breakfast, and got on a bus to Pompeii. My friend Stef, who booked our Hostel, planned it perfectly. We were less than a block from both the bus station and the ferry port, so finding the bus was no problem. The ride was only about 45 minutes, and it was very scenic- through the mountains and some little villages. I loved passing by all the little farms where people still maintain an incredibly simple and rural life, living in tiny but well kept shacks basically, and surrounded by tomato bushes and herb gardens. It was just interesting to see that...to see those people who have made all my food experiences here wonderful, to see where the food actually comes from. It makes me wonder if I could ever live that kind of life. I'd like to think I could but I honestly don't know.
Pompeii was fascinating, all the way around. It's kind of set up like an American Theme park actually. Outside of the ruins which are surrounded by walls and gates, there are street vendors selling souvenirs, food and drink. There are cafes, restaurants, and just a lot more commercial activity than I had expected to see. I also found it ironic that there was a sign that basically read "ruins" and had an arrow pointing towards the entrance.
For eleven euro you can get an all day pass to the ruins, along with a map and a guidebook which gives a brief overview of what you will be looking at. We spent about 6 hours there, and saw almost everything (about 50 sites) there was to see. We saw the remains of the forum, the center of the city, which contained the basilica, the temple of Apollo, the Forum Baths, the Temple of Jupiter. We saw what were many of the prominent houses of the city, where wealthy citizens once lived, like the House of the Faun and The House of the Vettii. We saw the shocking Lupanare- the brothel. This was the ancient equivalent to a whore house, and a man would walk in, point to a picture- depicted in a fresco- on the wall which depicted a sexual act, and pay to do this with a prostitute. These frescoes were remarkably well preserved, and little to my surprise, this was the most packed site on the map, and mostly with American tourists.
My favorite site in Pompeii was the Villa dei Misteri, the house of the Mysteries. In this house there are incredibly well preserved and beautiful frescoes depicting the Dionysiac mysteries that had happened here. All these frescoes used as the predominant color Pompeian red, and its just as brilliant today as I imagine it was originally.
The whole experience was very interesting and slightly eerie. I saw a few casts of victims from the eruption. Luckily, I studied Pompeii and the eruption of Vesuvius not too long ago, so the history was somewhat fresh in my mind, and it was very cool to see it all first hand. Its just strange to think about this place and these people whose lives came to an instant halt, and this city which was just left abandoned. And now today, hords of people from all over pay money to come walk on their roads, and see their houses...it just seems strange.
After taking the bus back to Naples around 5, and relaxing at the hostel for a while, we went out to find some Napolean pizza, which is supposedly the best in the world. We walked to the district that our guide books said was "pizza town" and wandered around trying to find a place with the shortest line. Most were out the door and down the block. Pizza is VERY popular in Naples. When we finally sat down and ordered at Vera Pizzeria, we were about to pass out from hunger and just the exhaustion walking around in the hot sun all day made us feel. But when our pizzas came it was all worth it...ten-fold. I have never tasted such delicious pizza. It was so simple, a thin crust, tomato sauce, not very much cheese, a sprig of basil...but what made it so wonderful was the expert blending of the flavors of the ingredients which were so fresh. The tomato sauce was unlike any I've ever tasted, and I would bet my life that the tomatoes were picked that morning. The cheese was fresh balls of mozzarella, melted sporadically over the sauces. The crust was cooked perfectly...I will NEVER be able to eat American "pizza" again. We each cleaned our plates, and after swearing we would never be able to eat again since we were so full, wandered in a pastry shop and had the most beautiful little torts for desert. We walked home, feeling that maybe we had misjudged Naples. In the after-glow of wonderful food, the city wasn't nearly as threatening, and the streets were alive with young people out for the evening. I slept better that night than I have in months.
Sunday morning, we got up early again, and Anna and I headed off for the island of Ischia, which is at the northern end of the gulf of Naples, while Stef and Anna stayed in Naples to go to some museums. Don't get me wrong, I love art museums, but sometimes I feel like natural beauty is just good for the soul. This is what we sought- and found- in the beaches and mountains of Ischia. The ferry ride was about 1.5 hours, and a lot of fun. I love water and boats and sunshine. I was actually unprepared for just how beautiful Ischia would be. Before I even stepped foot off the ferry I instantly longed for the place. It was so lush with vegetation, mountains to the left, Mediterranean sea all around, crawling with tiny, colorful villas...it was a post card town but it wasn't trying to be. We spent the day on the beach with the same group of friends who we saw that first night in Naples, and who had spent the night on Ischia on Saturday. We swam for hours in the sea, laid on the rocks that stuck out above the water, bought fresh fruit from street vendors, and just soaked up the place. Leaving, sadly, at 4pm, I felt vital and alive. I had experienced paradise on earth. I really hope I can go back there someday.
Anna and I found a surprisingly cheap train home from the Naples station at 6:30 that evening (only 1O euro!) And on the way I read a book called "The Italian" by Ann Radcliffe, which, coincidentally, was set in Naples. I couldn't really concentrate however because I just kept running over all the things I had seen and done in my mind. Words cannot explain how grateful I am for this experience.