MISC ITALY

YO

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June 2015, NAPLES, ITALY

MIXED BAG OF PHOTOS, IPHONE

SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE INFO FOR EACH IMAGE

ME

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NAPLES

UNATTRACTIVE URBAN CANYON IN NAPLES. BADLY CONCEIVED SPACES AND BUILDINGS. THIS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED EVEN THOUGH IT MAKES FOR AN INTERESTING PHOTO. THE PEOPLE IN THE LOWER FLOORS BASICALLY ARE LIVING IN A CELLAR.

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CASERTA

BIKE LANE IN CASERTA. THE ROYAL PALACE IS IN THE BACKGROUND. AS FAR AS THE BAD REPUTATION OF NAPLES-AREA CITIES, AT THE VERY LEAST, CASERTA WAS CLEAN, ORDERLY AND ATTRACTIVE. THOUGH THE CENTER WAS WEIRDLY DEPOPULATED.


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POSILLIPO AREA OF NAPLES

THIS GUY REMINDED ME OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "VILLAGE IDIOT" AND "NEIGHBORHOOD CLOWN". HE IS CATEGORIZED SQUARELY IN THE LATTER. HE WALKS AROUND WEARING SILLY CLOTHES AND MAKES WEIRD NOISES AND CHANTS AND RITUALS, BUT WHEN I ASKED FOR A PHOTO, HE SAID NO WAY. THEN THE SUBJECT OF MONEY CAME UP. HE THEN GOT SERIOUS. HE SAID TO ME THAT THE OWNER OF THE BAR WHERE THIS WAS SHOT, HAS BEEN AN ACQUAINTANCE FOR MANY YEARS. I REPLIED, VERY SARCASTICALLY, "...AND HE STILL LETS YOU IN??". HE OVERLOOKED THE COMMENT AND I ENDED UP "CONTRIBUTING" 2 EURO FOR THE PHOTO. HE'S NO DOUBT UNEMPLOYED, THOUGH I'D RATHER GIVE MY MONEY TO THE NIGERIAN IMMIGRANTS.

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POSILLIPO

ENDED UP IN THE MOST ATTRACTIVE PART OF NAPLES. THE WIKIPEDIA ENTRY OF NAPLES SHED PLENTY OF POSITIVE LIGHT ON THE CITY AND ITS HISTORY, NOTWITHSTANDING ITS REPUTATION FOR CRIME AND POVERTY. NAPLES MADE A DEEP IMPRESSION AND IS TOPS OF MY "MUST-REVISIT" CITIES ON THIS LAST TRIP. IT MAKES ROME LOOK PRETTY BAD, IT CERTAINLY DOES NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF SCENERY.

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NAPLES

ON THE WAY TO THE ARCHAELOGICAL MUSEUM(IN BACKGROUND UNDER RENOVATION).

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SORRENTO

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NAPLES

INTERESTING BYZANTINE INFLUENCE ON GUARD HOUSE

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NAPLES ARCHAELOGICAL MUSEUM

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ARCHAELOGICAL MUSEUM

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MONDRAGONE

PICKED MONDRAGONE RANDOMLY THROUGH AIRBNB. THE HOSTS WERE UPPER CLASS, THE CITY UNEXCEPTIONAL. GOT INTO A CONVERSATION WITH THE FATHER OF THE GUY WHO LISTED THE APARTMENT. I TRIED TO MAKE A POINT REGARDING THE EXCESSIVE NAPLES BOURBONS, HOW THEY BUILT THE OSTENTATIOUS CASERTA PALACE WHILE THE MAJORITY OF NAPLES COMMON FOLK LAGGED ECONOMICALLY. HE PUT ME IN MY PLACE; HE ATTENDED UNIVERSITY IN NAPLES AND DEFENDED THE ROYALS' CONTRIBUTIONS TO NAPLES SOCIETY/HISTORY.

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MONDRAGONE

BIKED AROUND TOWN AT NIGHT. HEARD SOME LIVE MUSIC, WENT THROUGH A SIDE DOOR AND FOUND MYSELF IN AN AUDITORIUM. CHRISTIAN METAL!! LASTED 5 MINUTES NO MORE.

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MONDRAGONE

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NAPLES

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NAPLES

NOTE THE LADY ON THE BALCONY USING MEDIEVAL TECHNIQUES TO GET HER GROCERIES.

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NAPLES

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AMALFI COAST

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NAPLES ARCHAELOGICAL MUSEUM

NOT TOO MANY REFERENCES TO "PIGLET" IN HIGH CULTURE.

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NAPLES

ON THE RIGHT IS VESPASIAN BEFORE THE BATTLE, ON THE LEFT IS AFTERWARDS. ALSO KEEP IN MIND THIS SET OF IMAGES PORTRAYS BOTH A "VESPA" AND A "VESPASIAN"...

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NAPLES

THIS NEIGHBORHOOD LOOKED LIKE THE MIDEAST.

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NAPLES

PALESTINIAN FLAG IN THE CENTER, IF YOU CAN SPOT IT.

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NAPLES

VERY PHOTOGENIC AREA, HOWEVER POOR.

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POSILLIPO