Presepe Palooza

One of my goals this year was to spend some time in Centro (downtown) visiting the churches, most of whom haul out huge, beautiful presepi this time of year. I realized that I have mentioned presepi in this blog and posted a few photos, but I've never dedicated an entire post to them. And they are well worth the effort. The Italian, and specifically the Neapolitan, presepe is much like what we would call a creche. However, they go far beyond a simple nativity scene and rather, add to the traditional to depict daily life. Presepi are as varied as their artists. Some are traditional, centered around nativity scenes. Some tuck the nativity into a little "grotto" in the back and put the focus on other figures. And some I saw this year focused on daily life and didn't show the nativity at all. Some have water features, some have flickering "fire," some have electricity. In general, the presepi are displayed only during the Christmas season. However, there are a few places, mostly museums, here in Naples with year round exhibits. Caserta Royal Palace and Museo San Martino come to mind, and I've heard of a display in the Palazzo Real, a place I've yet to visit.

The nativity was actually "invented" in Italy in the time of St. Francis of Assisi in the 1200s. He'd commissioned an artist to make a nativity scene, and they took on a life on their own, sometimes literally. The tradition began in Italy, and in Naples, the artists hit, and kept, their stride in the 1600s. One of THE places to see in downtown Naples is Via San Gregorio Armeno (known as Christmas Alley to the Americans), an itty-bitty, two block alley that's home to a couple of dozen workshops cranking out the pastori, the figures for a presepe. The figures are made of either terra cotta (cheaper) or wood (vastly more expensive), are hand painted, and the larger ones then have glass eyes inserted. Small figures are completely painted, while large ones are clothed in sumptious finery, silks and velvets and embroidery. Scenes are equally varied, from women hanging washing to cooking to families eating around tables and much, much more.

Ironically, while presepi are probably the single most unique art identifiable to Naples proper, they are the one thing we're not allowed to bring back to the United States. Why? Because the structures are always decorated from bark and moss, prohibited by the USDA. I have heard, though, that there is a way to have a presepe certifiably fumigated, and if I win the drawing I entered for one that is larger than my current bathroom (slight exaggeration, but not by much), I will look into that. Otherwise, I may end up the proud owner of a presepe worth thousands and thousands of euros and no way to take it home. Yep, thousands. They are not cheap. To outfit a fairly small creche with just the basic pastori for a normal nativity would run several hundred euros.

On my trip into downtown Naples this year, I lucked into a large exhibit showcasing the work of several artists. Unfortunately, I did not have our good camera, and the pictures taken with my phone are not the greatest. Still, I hope you can get a sense of the uniqueness of the Neapolitan presepe, taking a traditional nativity scene and making it into a diorama of life, showcasing daily living that any one of us could step into and participate rather than just observing from the outside in.

I loved this one, but the details are hard to make out at this size. There is a traditional, tile dome coming off the side of the building, there is a bottle tree holding a bunch of miniature bottles, the man on the upper balcony is standing in front of a decorated bedroom, and what you can't make out no matter how big the photo is a tiny waterfall in the back. Just lovely.

Changes Afoot in Napoli

It's finally happened. Naples has joined with the rest of the country in finally (finally, finally!!!) designating much of the historic downtown area as a limited traffic zone. Can you feel my excitement...and relief? Naples as a city has an incredible amount to offer visitors, both as a jumping off point for any number of excursions (ruins, cruise ship port, islands, Amalfi Coast, the list is long) and in the city itself. Centro, the downtown area, is full of absolutely gorgeous, historic buildings. And yet, the city has always been full of trash and unbelievable traffic, two things guaranteed to turn visitor attention away from the attractions and beauty. Centro's streets are one lane with almost no space for pedestrians, meaning walking around is was an exercise in three steps forward, one step to hug a wall for a car to pass, and repeat. I was thrilled upon finding out Naples had designated much of the Centro area a limited traffic zone. I envisioned leisurely strolls down the ancient streets and the chance to actually look at the architecture and study the hidden charms. What I found, for now at least, is the Naples version of a limited traffic zone, meaning the carabinieri (police) stood around chatting on their cells and smoking, while tons of motorcycles sped past and even a protest began with some men moving dumpsters into a four-way intersection to block all traffic, including pedestrian traffic. I do recall there were some rolling dates for the traffic limitations, so perhaps the motorcycle traffic has yet to be forbidden.

I hadn't planned on taking Ma downtown since the traffic truly is was a nightmare. I thought that the uneven, lava stone streets, the multitude of people who make no effort at all to share the limited pedestrian areas, the cars filling the tiny streets, and the motorcycles dodging and weaving, would not make for an enjoyable experience for her. But a limited traffic zone changed everything. We set off on the Metro, had to walk a few blocks in the non-limited traffic zone, then reached Piazza Dante, one of the larger piazzas in Centro. Unfortunately, Naples doesn't do a great job with their piazzas, at least not when compared with many other Italian cities. The utter lack of even trying to appeal to tourists has confounded me in our first year here. I get that some places have no interest in the tourist trade, but in a town with something like 40% unemployment rate, yet (1) located in a country consistently rated as the most tourist-visited in the world, and (2) in a location that rivals every other major city in said country, I really have no idea why there's seems to be such a disdain for tourists. [As an example, this weekend, we visited Caserta Palace, a huge, royal palace built to rival Versailles in France. It's gorgeous. It's major. We were near the town where the palace is located, so didn't turn on the GPS. We literally drove in circles around the town with all sorts of visitor information signs pointing the way to various churches and restaurants, but not a single sign pointed the way to the palace. Not one.]

Piazza Gesu Nuovo

However, in our first year here, we've seen massive changes, perhaps due to a fairly new, very progressive, mayor. The cruise ship port has been transformed, there are a number of extra metro stops in the works, bus lines have been added in the 'burbs, trash collection seems to be regular (at least recently), and now, the pedestrian zone. Incredible, huge, transformative changes in just a year. I can't wait to see what happens next. I have high hopes for the coming years and this city I will call home for at least two more of them.

Shapes and Colors

And a final photo to share for the week - this is in Centro Napoli, and I think the post title captures it all.

Italian Bride

Often when we're out, we run across a wedding or a bride having her photographs taken or a reception marching through town. One day a couple of weeks ago, while resting our aching feet in the grand Piazza Plebiscito and looking over at the former Royal Palace, we noticed the wedding party that had been having photographs done had moved to the center of the piazza. As we looked on, a driver brought around this nifty, little car and the photographer proceeded to have the bride drape herself all over the hood of it. While I was still wondering how she avoided getting dirt and tire soot and road grime all over her pretty dress, the industrious photographer had moved on to the next sequence. We lucked out by being in a prime spot behind the bride, and we were able to snap this pick, with Mount Vesuvius peeking through the edges of the palace.

Photo Week

This week, I thought I'd just do a few photos that have struck me recently. This one is taken in downtown Naples, in Centro. I love the way the light shines through the hanging laundry, and the alley perfectly encapsulates Neapolitan life, with a sidewalk cafe (albeit a closed one), motorcycles on the other half of the alley, and some trash (at least it's bagged!), all looked after by beautiful, colorful, crumbling, old buildings.

True Naples

Naples is one of Europe's densest cities, with a population of 8500 per square kilometer (1 kilometer = .6 miles). That many people packed into small spaces leads to the inevitable societal woes - bad traffic, trash issues, crime. But Naples is so much more than all the ills that are used to describe her. On the Castle Day with my friends, I took the above shot from the base of Castel dell'Ovo. It captures the spirit of Naples, with the boats representing the heavy role of the sea - from providing those delectable treats that sustain the tastebuds of locals and travelers alike to the ferries plying the water to the sun seekers lounging on the beaches, the beautiful architecture in the buildings along the waterfront - showing just how beautiful Naples really is underneath the grime of city life on many of the buildings, and along the seafront, a beautiful park with its trees just peeking up and the sprawl of seaside development covering the hillside.

Castles of Centro

Last week, a few friends and I did a Castle Day in downtown Naples. We had an ambitious plan of visiting the three main castles: (1) Castel Nuovo [New Castle], (2) Castel dell'Ovo [Egg Castle], and (3) Castel Sant'Elmo. We were immediately thwarted by our walk down Via Toledo, Naples' main shopping drag, with large "Saldi" [Sale] banners in every window. We just had to do a little bit of browsing, and it was on our way. After a few side trips, a stop for sfogliatelli and cafe [traditional Neapolitan pastry and coffee], and another stop for Snickers gelato at my new favorite gelateria, blogged about here, we made it to Castel Nuovo.

I love that Castel Nuovo is called New Castle in order to distinguish it from the castle Naples already had nearby...and yet, New Castle was built in the 1200s. Of that original castle, only the Palatine Chapel is still standing - the rest is add-ons and renovations. For example, the beautiful, carved archway you might be able to see in the photo (it's between the towers) wasn't even built until 1443, the young whippersnapper! Inside the Palatine Chapel, we looked through a small exhibit of gorgeous jewelry, and I spent some time studying this beautiful Madonna and Child sculpture, carved by Domenico Gagini, who studied under Donatello and Brunelleschi. The castle also has a small art gallery and panoramic terrace overlooking the sea and the hulking Mt. Vesuvius.

From Castel Nuovo, we headed off in search of lunch. We'd hoped for sushi at one of the two Japanese restaurants downtown, but it turns out the one we went to is only open for dinner. Instead, we lunched on delicious pizza and salads at a restaurant along the Lungomare - Naples' long street by the sea. Castel dell'Ovo was right nearby, but we took a leisurely lunch before strolling over to it.

The Egg Castle supposedly got it's name because the poet Virgil buried an egg under the castle, proclaiming that when the egg breaks, the castle and Naples will fall. Castel dell'Ovo was built in the 1100s, making it the oldest castle in Naples, and thus, the reason the New Castle got such a boring name. What I find more interesting is that the castle sits on a former island, and this site is where the original settlers (coming from Cuma, the place near my house I've written about so much) settled the town that would become modern Naples. And even better than that little tidbit is this one: Remember the story of Ulysses and the Sirens? The Sirens sang such beautiful songs that they lured sailors to shore, where their ships were dashed against the rocks. Ulysses desperately wanted to hear such lovely singing, so he had his sailors lash him to the mast, then plug their own ears with wax while they passed the cliffs of the Sirens. One of those sirens, Parthenope, was so distraught at her failure to lure Ulysses to shore that she threw herself off her cliff...and washed ashore here, on the island that is now the site of the Egg Castle. While pondering this information, we were able to look out on one of the clearest views of Mount Vesuvius I've seen in our 11 months here.

With both our bellies and our minds full, we called our Castle Day to a halt and headed home, hoping to return another day to visit Castel Sant'Elmo and the Certosa di San Martino located next door to it.

And the Winner Is...

We're approaching our one year anniversary of living in Naples. I thought I'd wait until the official year anniversary to announce where I did indeed find the best gelato, but I can't wait. I'm jumping the gun and calling it. I have two favorites, one found yesterday right here in Naples: Casa Infante, Via Toledo 258. This is the place. With a wall of sugar cones lining the back of the restaurant and fluffy, yummy, artisan gelato flavors filling the chilled cases, Casa Infante is officially my favorite gelateria for the year. They even coat the bottom of your sugar cone with a bit of chocolate, so that once all the gelato is gone, you still have a special treat to enjoy at the end. Casa Infante has two locations, but Nathan and I happened upon the Via Toledo on a quiet Sunday in Centro (downtown). As long as you don't want to shop or see any sites, Sunday is a great day to be in downtown Napoli - it's so quiet, some streets become pedestrian zones, and there's enough tranquility to really enjoy the area rather than sneak quick glances at buildings while dodging Vespas, cars, people, trash, and dog poop. Fortunately for us, one of the few businesses open along sleepy Via Toledo (never thought I'd write those three words together) was Casa Infante, and we had a family consensus: best gelato.

I do have to give more than a nod to Rome's Gelateria della Palma at Via della Maddalena 19/23 (a couple of blocks from the Pantheon). I love this place, despite the absolute hordes of customers at all times. The gelateria offers every flavor possible to dream up, and while I've read that others think they offer too much to keep their quality good, I lucked into a favorite flavor the first time around...and went back for the same flavor the next day (honey and pine nut). The high crowds make it difficult to get a good look at all your options and the menu list at the cash register is absolutely horrible at explaining the different cones and prices. Even worse, like any place that has that many customers throughout the day, the service is a "get 'em in and get 'em out" style, so Gelateria della Palma doesn't get the winning vote...but for me, they are a must visit when in Rome.

Finding More in Centro

Way back when, in my “wander around downtown Naples” early days, I blogged here about going into a church and finding that underneath it were some pretty spectacular Roman ruins. With our friends in town last week, I’d planned my normal “Tour of Centro,” to include Capella Sansevero for my favorite sculpture in the entire world, pizza at Sorbillo, then a little walk to catch a few churches. They were interested in churches and ruins, and I remembered this place, located only a couple of blocks from the pizzeria. Entering, we dutifully paid our 9euro entry fee (7euro with the ArteCard or for over 65), and once inside, I found a huge part of the Chiesa di San Lorenzo Maggiore complex that I’d missed on my prior stealth visit. There are two chapels with the most amazing frescoed ceilings. One lights up with motion sensors when you enter, and the lights start out dim as you walk forward, gazing raptly at the ceiling. By the time you reach the altar, the lights are full strength, and you can then turn to see the majesty of the ceiling.

So in answer to a question I’m constantly asking myself, “Nope, not tired of frescoes yet.” I admit to being a little jaded to the churches. They’re all just so beautiful that they sort of run together. But frescoes never wear me down. I love all of them, from the intricate ceilings to the cutest, little bird in a corner.

At Villa Ariana, Castellammare di Stabia

The second chapel has vaulted ceilings and yet another frescoed ceiling in a completely different style. We spent quite awhile in both chapels just in awe. Then, heading below ground to the ruins, I was reminded of just how amazing they are and how these sorts of things most likely exist underneath every structure in centro. There are several hallways that visitors can wander at will, up a few stairs here to yet another section, down this dead end tunnel, ending at a large floor mosaic to enjoy, and down another hallway with barrel arches still in place, until finally, we climbed more stairs through the ruins and up to modern day street level. The actual church was closed for the afternoon, which just leaves for something else wonderful to see on my next visit.

Mall Dogs - at Galleria Umberto