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2007 QEII

Walked ashore (no shuttle bus needed) and got on the City Sightseeing Bus. Had the four front seats upstairs (Ann and Michael were with us) €22 each - not cheap, but is anything now that Italy is in the Euro? There was an edifice outside the port called New Castle which tickled us, although there wasn't a Geordie in sight, and a statue of Victor Emmanuel II, first King of Italy (What's that all about we thought at the time. I'm updating this in 2018 and we're recently back from Livorno where there is another statue, I checked him out then and he was, of course, King of Sardinia then FIRST King of a United Italy). Headed out along the bay, which was beautiful, with Vesuvius across the water. There was a haze so not worth photographing Vesuvius (which has two peaks, we didn't know until the guide told us). Tour took about 75 minutes and got on another one as soon as we got off the first. A much more grotty area of the City. Lots of grafitti, a lot of building work and not very clean. Ann got off this trip thinking that Naples was a grotty, dirty place but we tried to look beyond that. When we got off Ann and Michael went back to the ship but we found a Restaurant where Edna had a pizza (of course) and I had escalope of veal. A man came by with a little boy (presumably father and son) and the child was sent round the tables to beg! Perhaps it's just as well Ann and Michael went back to the ship as this could have been the last straw! Edna went to the loo after our meal (too much information?) and, no paper, no seat and no towel! She always carries tissues when we're abroad because of this - should she need to in the middle of a Major European City? Naples, I haven't got the name of the restaurant but, hang your head in shame! (and I love Italy). After the meal (which we could have had for nothing on board but do like to "help" the local economy - wrong in this instance?) we had a walk around to the statues and fountains in the vicinity. Found the Teatro di San Carlo (the oldest continously active venue for public opera in the world) but, because of high buildings etc., could not get a decent photo. Back to the ship.

Naples can't be all bad with the wonderful Basilica San Francesco di Paola