7th May Naples

 I'm sure I've heard the phrase 'see Naples and die' suggesting that it is perhaps not the nicest location in the Mediterranean but if it's good enough for Diego Maradona fir a few years then it's good enough for me for 10 hours. Although the millions of tax free pounds he was paid might have eased his stay.

By the time we got up, washed, dressed and up to The Kitchens, the rest of the ship were already there. Compared to the Marie Celeste of yesterday it was absolutely packed, presumably with people having breakfast before heading out on 8am excursions, our excursion was simply going to be the city of Naples itself as possible trips to Vesuvius, Pompei or the Amalfi coast would have been too much / tired. 

So on a day when the weather initially seemed uncertain, we jumped aboard route A for the Hop on Hop off bus and headed out into the mayhem that is the Napoli traffic where it was every van, car and scooter for the selves. I think it's best to describe Naples very much as a working, lived in city with lovely architecture on the buildings if you could dare to look up.

The highlights of the morning were right at the end of our initial 40 minute loop with the very impressive ????? set against the backdrop of a stunning sky. And then the equally impressive ????? With it's lattice framed vaulted glass ceiling and zodiac tiled floor which reminded us both if the ????? in Milan.

In the afternoon we enjoyed route B which showed us a very different side to the city as we admired an upstairs front row seat on the bus of the expensive hotels and villas that ran round and up the hills surrounding the bay of Naples. The weather remained clear, the top of Vesuvius kept being lost in a halo of cloud and we enjoyed a really good day in the city. 

Back on board we enjoyed the sail away from Naples from the Summerhouse bar then continued the theme of the day with a visit to Vista, the Italian restaurant where we enjoyed dinner before heading to the Broadway show lounge and a night of comedy and variety with Herbie Adams