Went to the National Museum of Archaeology just north of the Quatro Spagnoli (the Spanish quarter, home of the mafia) and on the way noticed many of the residents making gestures to each other. (I asked the guy at the hostel what they meant later)
The first is where they pull the skin under their eye down with their index finger and then let it go. This apparently means 'watch out'. The second is where they run their finger from one ear under their chin to the other ear; this means 'I will cut you' or 'you're dead' (I prefer the latter). And the final one I saw was where you kiss your index and middle fingers, shove it at the person you're talking to, (but together, not apart like the V's) and then point to the sky. This means 'I can't believe what you're saying'.
Needless to say, I didn't get any done towards me. I may have already mentioned this, but the mafia don't concern themselves with tourists... So I've been told.
The museum was a tad underwhelming. A lot of the exhibitions were closed due to staff shortages. The ones that were open we're mainly made up of marble sculptures dating to 1st century BC which was nice, but there was no explanation of anything.
I got bored and left. No waste... It was free to get in anyway....
Went back down to the sea again because it's so beautiful.... It was much calmer than yesterday, there was no wind, and it being Saturday, the harbour was full of boats, big and small. It was so full in fact that there were bigger boats anchored off shore, one of which was so beautiful it looked like it was out of a bond film. I've taken a (poor) picture of it, it really doesn't do it justice.
So lunch was a Parma ham and ricotta calzone (folded pizza, then fried) it was lovely. Followed by lemon sorbet in an actual lemon and washed down with two Nastro Azzurro (anyone who's been to Italy knows that this is their national beer). I sat and people watched for hours. It's fast becoming my favourite thing to do ever.
From what I can gather, Naples is an incredibly wealthy city, outside of the city. As in, the centre is one of the most heavily populated cities in the world, with 210,000 people crammed into less than 10 square miles, it's more populated than London. Only Hong Kong and Singapore boasts higher concentrations.
The other thing to say about Naples is the unending sound of horns and scooters. They are everywhere, more so than Rome. The main difference being that in Naples, while it is law to wear a helmet when riding a motorbike (for the driver, not the passenger) seldom people actually follow this rule. It is the only place in Italy where the Polizia won't stop you for riding without one.
To give you an idea of how the Neopolitans feel towards the Polizia, when, in 2005, it was made the law to wear seat belts in the front of cars, people quickly came up with t-shirts printed with a seat belt on them to fool bad sighted police. They made them for both drivers and passengers. Incredible.
That sums up the police's control over the city. They are more there for the aesthetics than to actually do anything. I haven't yet seem them doing anything other than playing on their phones, or hugging their friends while on patrol. It seems they have the easiest jobs in Italy.
Quite a short blog today, not a lot happens in Italy; including blog writing...
Ciao x
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