Napels

So Napels, or Napoli, is gross. It is a dirty, ugly city. I haven't really given it a fair chance, but from what i have seen i am completely unimpressed. It is also quite high in crime as it is the home to the Italian Mafia. Who hoo. It was pointed out to me by a Brazilian guy that all the people here dress like the actors and actresses on the Sapranos. It is quite funny, because he was absolutly right! If you are not wearing Gucci, don't bother to come out. You will not be welcomed; especially not in this city. However on the flip side the hostel that i am staying at ROCKS... but i cannot just hang out here all day.
So rather than spend any more time than i have to in this city, today i went down to Pompei, the city that was destroyed during a volcanic eruption in 74 AD. It was really cool to see some of the places. The strangest being an actual brothel house where slaves were used as prostitutes, and you can actually see some of the remaining frescos (paintings) on the walls that display all the erotic postitions to use!! Then there were the strange plaster casts of people who had died in the city, who had not escaped and were covered in ash. When their bodies decomposed the ash hardened into rock around them, and in the 18th century, someone had the idea to pour plaster into the rock and make plaster casts of the people. You can see them in their final moments. There was a pregnant lady who died with her hands covering her nose and mouth, and a dog who died as it was trying to escape, but still had the chain around its neck. It was all very strange.
But as i had seen a lot of similar ruins at Orisica Antica outside of Rome, I ducked out early, and headed down to Sorrento, which is a beautiful city perched on cliffs above the sea on the Almafi Coast.

The place is in stark contrast to Naples. It is beautiful and quaint, of course a little touristy in spots, but filled with gardens and flowers, beautiful buildings, and of course the Mediteranean Ocean.
The whole city sits above the sea on huge cliffs, that when you stand on the ledge you can peer down and see the water sparkling teal and green and blue on the sand below you. It is perfectly clear so you can see the sparkling shells of clams that have washed up with the tide. It is so amazing. Bogenvilla grows over the sides of the cliffs in some places, and little tourist cafes and resturants with big yellow and white striped umbrelllas protect you from the sun as you look over the whole coast. As you can tell i totally fell in love!
Tomorrow i am going to try and explore an Island or two. Possibly the island of Capri, or possibly a smaller island that will be less touristy.
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Love!