Florence to Naples

The next part of our trip has been heading down to Naples on the Eurostar train. We arrived lugging our bags from the hotel onto the platform and waited with however many other people until a platform number came up on the electronic display board which appeared a whole 10 minutes before the train was due to depart. So off everyone trundked way down the platform to respective pre-booked carriage numbers. The next trick was hauling our bbig bags up a few tiny steps and into the train carriage but there's always a helpful guy or 2 around who manages to assist '3 ladies in distress!'The first class carriages we had booked on were fine in themselves with large seats but very little rrom to stow luggage so amongst ourselves and others with big suitcases we somehow managed to stow bags into the tiny luggage racks at the 'other' end of the carriage.
Ho hum - we're on board with bags - that was the main thing. In saying all that - the secret to travvling on trains around Europe from the rest of our group who had already done some travel - is keep the bag size down and have very little hand luggage (Norm!!! this is for you). First class booking is the way to go though for we 'foreigners'!

The trip from Venice to Naples took 3 hours through the countryside of Italy - much of it also showing that centuries ago many of the village were built high on the hills out of the local stone available at that time. Lots of homes had fires burning inside - this being the middle of winter of course but as we travel further south, it is becoming a little warmer. We only had one stop (that I recall) the whole journey until we arrived in Naples. I had arranged a pick up in Naples and there he was waving his little banner with '3 Australian Ladies' written on his board! The other side did have "Brenda Baber party' but I did get a smile out of the 3 Australian Ladies bit. Most of our emails had been titled that way so that was obviously what was picked up on.
But not only was Hugo the only one milling around the train platform - so were heaps of 'cab drivers' looking for a fare so in amongst the commotion it was nice to actually be met by someone. The train terminal at Naples is a very large and new one but the hoardings up around the station would have made it very tricky to otherwise find where we were supposed to be headed. We duly loaded our 3 bags into our van with the help of our driver AND Hugo - only way to go!!! 2 of them and 3 of us.

Arrival at our hotel was 'disgusting' to say the least!! I had requested a hotel near the station but unknown to us was that the train station area was the 'crappy' end of town. Major road and/or earthworks near our hotel meant that 'Nello' had to drop us in the main street and following Hugo we had to drag our bags past a disgusting rubbish pit of filth into a dingy dirty street to the hotel only to find the hotel had been closed due to the earthworks having their water shut off! A recommendation was made to move to another hotel (YES PLEASE!!) so Hugo, the hotel porter and we 3 girls once again dragged our bags through the roadwork hoardings to the 'other' hotel which we duly checked into. No 4 or 5 star here though - this is about 2 star if that! But it's a bed and somewhere to stow our belongings. Poor old Hugo our guide was not impressed either and apologised profusely saying this  was not a nice way for us to be introduced to Naples! He was right.

We settled ourselves into our rooms and met Hugo downstairs again about 20 minutes later. Nello appeared with his van - must be the biggest cehicle in NAples I think! All the cars here are so timy but they need to be, the streets are tiny, traffic is horrendous and fuel is expensive. We do have a laugh though when we see those tiny little half cars parked rear end into the footpath and they still are only as wide as a regular parked car! There are also lots of little 3 wheel cars - one wheel at the front - most seem to be tiny little trucks for carting goods around.

So off we went in our van for a tour of Naples - up to the lookout - a magnificent view over Naples and Mt Vesuvius in the background. around the Bay of Naples and looking out towards Capri Island. Nello then dropped us in the middle of the city (somewhere) whwer we duly followed Hugo around whilst he explained the pertinent points of Naples. A little bit of excitement though when we ventured into a small and very well known Naples delicatessan - a CNN camera crew were just setting up for a small documentary session on typical Italian delicatessans and as they needed 'tourists' to be their 'stars' we were it!!! Lights Camera Action about 3 times and each time we needed to taste some of the local product on offer - the cured meats, local cheeses etc - but as there were 3 or 4 'takes' we had to keep eating!!! A few laughs all round but on we went. Who knows where/when it will appear. Apparently the frontman was a very well known Italian TV personality - Hugo was very impressed to be in his company - we didn't have  a clue who he was!!! But needless to say - we were on set!

A wander then through the streets of Naples and into a magnificent church - lots of people in there just sitting, some in the confession boxes and prayer rooms - all very moving - those good old Catholics are MADE of money!!!
Off we then trotted and met Nello again in the back streets somewhere, to be then taken to the Naples Archeological Museum - one of the must do's of Naples - we are told!!!! CLOSED!!!!! There were peaceful demonstrations all around the city for 'whatever' so the police had closed the museum for saftey reasons and there was no way they were going to let anyone in! Hugo was very determined to get us in and once again very disappointed that he could not fulfill our expectations. However as much as I would have like to have seen inside, it was not to be.

So that was basically our day in Naples - back to the hotel amd a local restaurant around the corner for dinner then back to our 1 or 2 star hotel!!!