un giorno a Napoli

The beauty of the ship is that it ports right in the heart of the city at the Stazione Marittima, a large terminal near Piazza Municipio. Once you step off the gangway, you can feel the difference as you have arrived in Naples.

I am not a very aggressive person. At first, it was a bit difficult for me to adjust to the pace of the city... I just let Antonello lead! He let me just observe and absorb. The character and culture of Napoli is immense, and even the craziness has its own flavor.

The Church of Gesù Nuovo was built by Jesuits in Naples with its splendid "diamond point bugnato" facade. It was dedicated to the name of Jesus and Immaculate Conception of Mary. The volcanic piperno stones with their bugnato finish are the work of "Master piperno-masons" who were part of a powerful and secret society that handed down the art of cutting Campanian stones, from Roman times, under oath by the apprentices.

The Spire of the Immaculate Virgin stands at the center of the square that was built to invoke the Lord's protection from the plague. Depicted on the spire, among other scenes, are the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple; The Birth of the Virgin Mary; and The Annunciation. Its rich ornamentation is considered the epitome of Neapolitan Baroque sculpture.

We, however, spent most of our time looking on the reverse side of the spire, the back of Mother Mary. (One very kind old man tried to inform Antonello that he was looking at the wrong side. ) We heard that the sculptor created something, in his creation, that if you find the right angle you can discover. Was it his true feelings for the church? Can you see something?

As good visitors of Naples, we found a pizzeria for lunch. I enjoyed the original authentic, D.O.C, pizza Margarita with cherry tomatos, fresh basil, and fresh buffalo mozzarella. Something worth coming back for!