Aint No Mountain High Enough!

**Note: Post Date is July 4th, 2009**

There is a box at the Pursers desk for students to give away any trips that they no longer want to go on. So anyone who picks those tickets up can go on the trip for free. Kevin constantly checks the box and he luckily found two trips. One to Pompeii and Sorrento and the other for a hike up Mount Vesuvius which is the volcano in Pompeii.  They were both for the same day. Kevin decided to go on the Pompeii and Sorrento trip and he graciously gave me the ticket for the hike. I was so excited. You know how nothing is ever how you imagine it? This was! I had an image of what climbing a volcano would be like and it was exactly like that. It was enormous, rocky, and no protection on either side from falling down the depths of the crater or rolling down the side of the mountain ,which our tour guide almost did during a demonstration. He just laughed it off though. 

“For the next minute don’t smile, don’t cry and try not to look at my sexy legs,” says Armando our tour guide a top Mount Vesuvius. He was showing how the crater echoes and man did it echo. Our voices carried 5-6 times around the deep, deep hole. It was really cool. Armando was not only funny, knowledgeable, fit and guiding us up a 4,000 foot mountain,  but he was doing it all while smoking. It was an ironic sight. I am beyond grateful for such an entertaining and precise tour guide. Nothing annoys me more than a dry, superfluous person trying to provide information to educate us when the purpose of the tour, I think, is to be informative while remaining interesting and being overall experiential. Armando was a complete success in creating that atmosphere for us. The trip felt authentic as opposed to a stuffy museum or historic sight that puts you to sleep.

There is no way I would even think of closing my eyes. The atmosphere up there on that volcano was amazing yet terrifying. The clouds were close to the mountain so the air was thick and cloudy and restricting to your sight. This wasn’t comforting seeing that we were climbing higher and higher as the afternoon progressed. No words can properly describe the phenomenon of this day. A day of laughing, anxiety and completely awe of another thing I never thought I would do. I don’t hike that often let alone hike up a volcano. The sight was beautiful though and the experience unforgettable.

It is with great disappointment that I tell you the next piece of my journey. Due to the late return of my Mount Vesuvius hike I didn’t make it to the train station until after 3pm. My face swells with tears as I write: I did not make it to Montemurro. The trip would have taken overall 6 hours of travel with only an hour in the actual town and at a great expense. I can’t accurately express how this makes me feel. Going to this town made me feel that I would be doing something of worth. Something for someone who has done so much for me and has given me nothing but love, guidance and knowledge throughout my lifetime. It hurts my heart that I couldn’t do one simple thing. I need to go back and I will. I need to visit this town whether it’s easy or not. I’m sorry Papa.

With a gloomy return back to the ship, I decided to explore the city of Naples. And that couldn’t have been any more of a mistake. I mistakenly called Civitavecchia shitty. Civitavecchia was beautiful but boring. Naples is TRULY shitty. It makes New York look pristine and the ghetto look kind. The streets were lined with trash and the poor. Nothing was really established and if it was it was dirty and of no substantial quality. I guess this is the remains of the Italian Mafia. I didn’t realize how predominant and real the mafia was. In my European Union class I learned that businesses need to pay taxes to the mafia in order to protect them. I couldn’t imagine the fear that lives within these people.

The one valuable thing that came from this already depressing experience was the people. I was able to talk to some locals and mostly through speaking French. I witness the life of Italians: how they work, where they live, how they interact and I felt like I was truly amidst some culture not just the touristy replication of it. As interesting as this sounds it was uncomfortable as well. I felt strange taking a picture. I couldn’t really look at anyone or I would feel as if I was invading their space. I live in a small town outside of Albany, New York. Me walking around Naples would be equivalent to an Egyptian walking around, by himself , in the town of Colonie taking pictures and trying to communicate with us. It would be just plain strange. I had had enough of strange.

At about 5pm after failing to find a  comfortable hang-out spot for the evening, I decided to escape the ruins of Naples and make my way to the boat. I had had a horrible afternoon and I needed to get out of here. Capri is the summer resort island off the coast of Naples. I wanted to go tonight. I tried to gather others to go with me. Erika was more than willing but she already bought a trip with Semester at Sea for the next day. Rachel would have joined but she was in Pompeii for the day so I couldn’t get a hold of her (Sometimes I really hate not having a cell-phone) It was coming down to the wire. It was 8:30 and the last boat left at 9:10. Rachel had not yet returned and everyone else was planning to try and find somewhere to eat in the port of Naples. I gave fair warning that this city had nothing to offer but they had no other option. I did though and did I take it? No.

With no one to travel with, my journey to Capri came with much apprehension. I decided not to go. However, my luck did brighten a bit. LITERALLY. Today is the 4th of July: one of my favorite holidays. It is a holiday to spend time with friends and family and kick off the fun of the summer. The food and the atmosphere surrounding the historical holiday is a joyous and celebratory one. But there is one thing that makes this holiday the absolute greatest. FIREWORKS. I’m borderline obsessed.  I even made my mom tape all the Independence Day celebrations on TV. My grandmother also shares this love of the fourth. I tried calling her but she didn’t pick up. I hope she had a good one. If there was one thing that I am missing the most besides friends and family is Fireworks on the fourth of July. Well, as I said, my night was brightened and by fireworks. I don’t know why they were there but I didn’t care to find out. They weren’t spectacular but it filled a void in my heart where so much had been taken out from my disappointing day.

Even though my day was severely less than satisfactory, I am still in complete awe of my location on the map. As I walked home from my eventful evening I was still appreciative of my time here. The streets were scary though. I guess male prostitution is a big thing here in Naples and so I was approached by some passing cars. Not fun! I also had an encounter with a dog. He saw me from a far and started following me. I was so nervous. At first worried that it was dangerous and then what would I do if it followed me all the way back to the boat?  What would I say to the guards? “Can we keep it!?” Thank goodness I walked by a couple getting out of a cab and the dog decided to follow them instead. It was a good trade off!

First thing tomorrow morning I plan on hopping the ferry to Capri and escaping the depressing air of Naples.  I am almost positive that it can’t get any worst. Hopefully Kevin and Bo will join but they still air with uncertainty.  I look back on my night and ease myself in recognizing it as an experience. I know things didn’t turn out as planned but I had an amazing afternoon a top a volcano, a memory of home, and the experience of Italian culture.

Today’s Expenses:   $0.00

Explore. Dream. Discover

~Michael-Anthony

P.S. God Bless America