NAPLES
I am not inspired to write more about "MEMORIES after WWI." I will resume that sometimes, but for the meantime I will write my memories about Naples. We lived there for three wonderful years and thought I had to write something about it.
Little did I know when I was a little boy that my life would become so linked with the Neapolitans. That I would return not only once to see the chestnut trees shimmering in the terraces of vineyards in Capri and Ischia, the ruins of Pompeii, but several times, and that my first born son will see his first daylight near the bays of Naples.
When I was young I fell in love with the spiritual traditions of the Italian primitive painters. My love was the undulating landscapes of Tuscany and Umbria, for places like Sienna and Assisi. Of course we always think things were better when we are young and artlessly in love. The love turns into sort of a marriage. This is what happened to me in regard to Naples over the years. With marriage, the established and permanent relationship which is a bond to go on, the love is still there, probably more solid, but it goes with knowledge and spirit of criticism.
Living in Naples presented a veritable crescendo of beauty, of the picturesque, up-to date spirit required in a foreigner. Then, too the Northern Italians differ greatly from their Southern brothers; the change from former habits are less profound, less adaptability, and in consequence, there is less grumbling, fault finding and dissatisfaction. When I felt the charm of Naples, I knew that I had learned to love it for itself. It does not matter from what point of view, unpleasant feature are overlooked, and being an enthusiast, it no longer existed.
The Neapolitans are among the most colorful people of Italy. The term Neapolitan usually included the people from the neighboring towns of Naples. Although each little town has a varied dialect for the born Italians of the region to know instantly from which speaker comes--are object of continual abuse from the Northern Italians. According to the latter they are lazy, treacherous, deceitful, violent, cheats and illiterates. That frequently declare that if all that portion of Italy's south of Rome could be wiped out, it could be an excellent thing for Italy.
The Neapolitan, shrugs his shoulders and smiles at this abuse, he is willing to admit that he is lazy, but insist that he is brighter, and certainly they are wonderfully quick. The Northern Italian declares that the Neapolitan are idle, shiftless and unwilling to work. Speaking of their evident poverty, one is told that this is largely their fault, that they will not work continuously, but merely a few days, and then live idleness until the money they earned is gone.
But they are happy go lucky people. They eat little, and that little is cheaply procured, they are usually warm enough without fires, the bright sunshine is sufficient, and they lounge about happy and contented. They can lead to prayers and curses even upon objects of their veneration. Yet Neapolitans, especially the lower classes, are undoubtedly religious, and far more reverent than their northern brothers. They frequent the opera, even the poorest find means for this, and they cheat the foreigners because fate sent them to their path.
Dinning is an adventure experience for foreigners in Naples. If one wishes to dine on fish fresh from the water, clams, mussels, oysters, and other shell fish are plentiful, along with the calamari, considered such a delicacy, but which foreigners art apt to find rubbery and tasteless. Spaghetti cooked with vongole (clams) is delicious. Along the waterfront are restaurants where it is delightful to dine or lunch, for all have exquisite views of the bay and islands. Many of these restaurants are directly over the water, but above it. In the old portion of Naples, all kinds of cooked food are on sale. Laid out on trays or cooking in great kettles; cakes, and heaps of macaroni or spaghetti, it must be confessed that it is often appetizing looking, although only the brave, thinking how it must be prepared, in the manner of which it is offered for sale, would care to taste it. The Neapolitans patronize these cooked food largely, it saves them so much trouble, they are so picturesque, but also so dirty.
Naples is such a center of delightful excursions that limited time there is tantalizing. The Hydrofoil sail from Naples to Caori nad Ischia, stopping if one choose at Sorento, may be taken. Those who suffer from seasickness should be very sure that the sea is calm. Small ripples in the bay near Naples often means great waves when the boats arrive in Capri, and even if one does not suffer from the dreaded mal-de-mer, the Blue Grotto cannot be visited if the sea is rough. The assent to Mt. Vesuvius, when possible means a day upon the condition of the funicular, in most occasion always under repair. Pompeii takes another day. Pictures give but little ideas of the wonderful spot, the beauty of its situation, and the exquisite views on every side. Everyone should see the old portion of Naples, and best way to do this is on foot. Few foreigner would care to walk along the narrow street, for one is close to people and homes, usually without sidewalks. When the beautiful blue bay with its island lies spread out before you, in spite of all the rhapsodies, the poems have been written about the bay of Naples it is difficult to find anyone will not declare the reality surpasses the description.
I believe you will never understand Italy unless you understand the Neapolitans, Naples with its harmonious music, the soft musical dialect and its melodramas, lovesick couples preparing to throw themselves over the cliffs or shoot themselves. You become amused and later tolerate the lenghtly conversations by means of pantomime--- a shrug of the shoulder, the lifting of an eyebrow, a motion of the hands, that all have significance. You no longer object to those who are quick as a flash at discovering the foreigner, and devote themselves entirely to him. When once again, the time to leave, probably the familiar Neapolitan folk song, Santa Lucia, may be heard with soft accompaniment of guitars and mandolins. I gaze back upon the hills half encircling the bay, and finally resolve to see Naples again before dying.
Little did I know when I was a little boy that my life would become so linked with the Neapolitans. That I would return not only once to see the chestnut trees shimmering in the terraces of vineyards in Capri and Ischia, the ruins of Pompeii, but several times, and that my first born son will see his first daylight near the bays of Naples.
When I was young I fell in love with the spiritual traditions of the Italian primitive painters. My love was the undulating landscapes of Tuscany and Umbria, for places like Sienna and Assisi. Of course we always think things were better when we are young and artlessly in love. The love turns into sort of a marriage. This is what happened to me in regard to Naples over the years. With marriage, the established and permanent relationship which is a bond to go on, the love is still there, probably more solid, but it goes with knowledge and spirit of criticism.
Living in Naples presented a veritable crescendo of beauty, of the picturesque, up-to date spirit required in a foreigner. Then, too the Northern Italians differ greatly from their Southern brothers; the change from former habits are less profound, less adaptability, and in consequence, there is less grumbling, fault finding and dissatisfaction. When I felt the charm of Naples, I knew that I had learned to love it for itself. It does not matter from what point of view, unpleasant feature are overlooked, and being an enthusiast, it no longer existed.
The Neapolitans are among the most colorful people of Italy. The term Neapolitan usually included the people from the neighboring towns of Naples. Although each little town has a varied dialect for the born Italians of the region to know instantly from which speaker comes--are object of continual abuse from the Northern Italians. According to the latter they are lazy, treacherous, deceitful, violent, cheats and illiterates. That frequently declare that if all that portion of Italy's south of Rome could be wiped out, it could be an excellent thing for Italy.
The Neapolitan, shrugs his shoulders and smiles at this abuse, he is willing to admit that he is lazy, but insist that he is brighter, and certainly they are wonderfully quick. The Northern Italian declares that the Neapolitan are idle, shiftless and unwilling to work. Speaking of their evident poverty, one is told that this is largely their fault, that they will not work continuously, but merely a few days, and then live idleness until the money they earned is gone.
But they are happy go lucky people. They eat little, and that little is cheaply procured, they are usually warm enough without fires, the bright sunshine is sufficient, and they lounge about happy and contented. They can lead to prayers and curses even upon objects of their veneration. Yet Neapolitans, especially the lower classes, are undoubtedly religious, and far more reverent than their northern brothers. They frequent the opera, even the poorest find means for this, and they cheat the foreigners because fate sent them to their path.
Dinning is an adventure experience for foreigners in Naples. If one wishes to dine on fish fresh from the water, clams, mussels, oysters, and other shell fish are plentiful, along with the calamari, considered such a delicacy, but which foreigners art apt to find rubbery and tasteless. Spaghetti cooked with vongole (clams) is delicious. Along the waterfront are restaurants where it is delightful to dine or lunch, for all have exquisite views of the bay and islands. Many of these restaurants are directly over the water, but above it. In the old portion of Naples, all kinds of cooked food are on sale. Laid out on trays or cooking in great kettles; cakes, and heaps of macaroni or spaghetti, it must be confessed that it is often appetizing looking, although only the brave, thinking how it must be prepared, in the manner of which it is offered for sale, would care to taste it. The Neapolitans patronize these cooked food largely, it saves them so much trouble, they are so picturesque, but also so dirty.
Naples is such a center of delightful excursions that limited time there is tantalizing. The Hydrofoil sail from Naples to Caori nad Ischia, stopping if one choose at Sorento, may be taken. Those who suffer from seasickness should be very sure that the sea is calm. Small ripples in the bay near Naples often means great waves when the boats arrive in Capri, and even if one does not suffer from the dreaded mal-de-mer, the Blue Grotto cannot be visited if the sea is rough. The assent to Mt. Vesuvius, when possible means a day upon the condition of the funicular, in most occasion always under repair. Pompeii takes another day. Pictures give but little ideas of the wonderful spot, the beauty of its situation, and the exquisite views on every side. Everyone should see the old portion of Naples, and best way to do this is on foot. Few foreigner would care to walk along the narrow street, for one is close to people and homes, usually without sidewalks. When the beautiful blue bay with its island lies spread out before you, in spite of all the rhapsodies, the poems have been written about the bay of Naples it is difficult to find anyone will not declare the reality surpasses the description.
I believe you will never understand Italy unless you understand the Neapolitans, Naples with its harmonious music, the soft musical dialect and its melodramas, lovesick couples preparing to throw themselves over the cliffs or shoot themselves. You become amused and later tolerate the lenghtly conversations by means of pantomime--- a shrug of the shoulder, the lifting of an eyebrow, a motion of the hands, that all have significance. You no longer object to those who are quick as a flash at discovering the foreigner, and devote themselves entirely to him. When once again, the time to leave, probably the familiar Neapolitan folk song, Santa Lucia, may be heard with soft accompaniment of guitars and mandolins. I gaze back upon the hills half encircling the bay, and finally resolve to see Naples again before dying.
posted by Jose R. Morales Jr. at 8:48 PM
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