Today was amazing. Tour of Napoli or Naples Italy.
Last night we woke up a couple of times, me checking outside the veranda to see what I could see and hear the surf waves rushing against the side of the ship. Just to go back to bed and let the rhythm of the sea and ship settle us back to slumber.
After in room breakfast we headed out for the tour. First Mo asked if I wanted to go down and check out the port shops. He was serious about that and shopping we did! Hubby spotted a very nice display of a scarf belted around the waist line. Not having a waist I never would have thought it would look good on me.
I tried it on and lo and behold it looked great on me. It looked so good I got a second set in a different color combination. Hubby has a good eye for fashion. And women’s jewelry. He also spotted an eclectic stone necklace which I also never would have picked. It too, looked amazing on me. And it went well with the two outfits. Score! I felt so happy and positive trying something new that surprisingly looked great on me!
We met Roberto our tour guide for the afternoon. It was his birthday that day. He was turning 62 same age as me! Since he’d spent his life traveling for forty years he still needed to continue working till he was 72 he told us. Native born in Napoli he’d also lived in Florence where his uncle lived and he spent time in US in New York when he was 20, during a failed romance with an American girl.
Naples or Napoli in Italian is a buzzing, vibrant, energetic city! Scooters beeping and buzzing constantly, a tunnel running underneath an elegant terrace with lovers overlooking the sea, and architectural surprises everywhere we walked. One monolithic stone castle which used to have a moat over looks the town. There are one after another buildings hundreds of years old. And a beautifully impressive commercial shopping galleria reminiscent of Galleries Layfaette in Paris!
Everything we encountered was a joyful surprise, as we had refrained from watching the videos ahead of time showing what was to come. We let the wonders unfold as we walked the thousand years old cobblestone streets. I kept watch holding on to hubbys arm wanting to keep him safe from stumbling on the loose street and sidewalk stones.
Maurice and I did listen to Rick Steves talks about Naples and especially about their desserts. I learned about a dessert I wanted to try and had written it down as “sfoliotellos” and spogliatella arrichia. Well I asked our guide and he deciphered it as Sfogliatella which can be baked Riccia or fried Frolla. And we were going to try them at a Napoli cafe!
Try we did. Inside a casual yet glamorous, understated elegant dessert parlor complete with chandelier and tuxedoed waiters. Tasty! Messy and crunchy coated with powdered sugar. Like a crunchy croissant shell outside. Inside filled with ricotta cheese and dried candied fruits.
The best part of our whole tour was trecking along through the picturesque narrow alleyways trying to find a wine store, with Roberto leading the way and sometimes getting lost himself. By that time Christmas lights were starting to illuminate the shops and alleyways. The whole atmosphere was beautiful. We saw multitudes of tiny apartments so close together, laundry hanging to dry right outside the gorgeous galleria and noble palace.
When Roberto said he’s turned 62, same as me, I asked if he has the opportunity to take social security or pension. He replied that since he
spent his younger years traveling until he was 40, now he must work up to 72 years old.
At the end of our tour Roberto said, “Oh wait wait I show you one more thing. As a kid here’s what we used to do. Find your zodiac sign then you stand in the circle in front of it. He ran to the Sagittarius mosaic in memory he was that kid again, jumping on to the circle in front of the Centaur. You make a wish then turn around three times. Circling around his navy blue raincoat belt swung in a circle too. And your wishes should come true. I always wish for a lot of money. You’ll know if my wish don’t come true, then you’ll see me back here next year.”
As we walked back to the cruise terminal we handed him a ten euro bill then we heard behind us, each couple on the tour handing him a tip,and as we continued back to board the Saturn, 🪐 heard the fading thank you, Grazie. Thank you, happy birthday Grazie. Thank you, Grazie, I hope your dreams come true. Grazie. Thank you it was great. Grazie. Their voices and Roberto fading away into our memories of Napoli.
December 21, 2025
