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We left Pisa, in April 1956, with wishful hopes of returning one day. We drove to Genoa and boarded a ferryboat that would take us and our little "Seicento" home to Greece, via Naples.
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| Antique Map-Gravure of Naples |
The port of Naples was full of warships, as it was NATOs Headquarters of the Allied Mediterranean Fleet, in the middle of the cold war, A war that was never declared but hung over us like the sword of Damocles for 44 long years, from 1947-1991.
Nevertheless, we were fascinated by the elegance and bustle of this beautiful Italian city. Fortunately, our ship would stay in Naples for eighteen hours so we had ample time to glimpse at the landmarks and visit Pompeii.
The Naples National Archaeological Museum, one of the world's finest, is built on the N.W. corner of the Greek walls of the ancient city of Neapolis.
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| Naples National Archaeological Museum |
There, one can find various works of art from Pompeii and Herculaneum and, also, of the Greek, Roman and Renaissance periods, such as the oldest extant depiction of Atlas holding the Celestial Sphere, shown below.
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| Found on the Ground Floor of the Naples National Archaeological Museum |
The ground floor houses marble statues, like the Farnese Hercules, an enormous work of art, standing 3.17 meters high.
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| Hercules Pondering after one of his Labours |
Also, one can see the Farnese Bull, which is a copy of the of the original carving that was created, from a single slab of marble, by two sculptors from Rhodes, Apollonius and his brother Teurisius. Over the centuries, this enormous sculpture has received controversial criticism by experts.
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| Unfavourably Reviewed |
On the higher storeys, one can find other exhibits like furniture and mosaics rescued from Pompeii.
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| Alexander's Battle Against Darius at Issus |
The Capodimonte Royal Palace and Museum was originally built in 1750's as a hunting lodge for King Charles III of Bourbon. It houses one of finest art collections in Italy, including works of Michael Angelo, Raphael, Titian, Botticelli, Caravaggio, Masaccio, El Greco, Andy Warhol and contemporary Neapolitan artists. In the vast gardens, workshops produce the famous Capodimonte ceramics.
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| The Capodimonte Royal Palace Museum |
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| Madonna col Bambino e Due Angeli By Boticelli |
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| Masaccio's Crucifixion |
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| Caravaggio's The Flagellation |
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| By El Greco |
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| Vesuvius by Andy Warhol |
Also, the small boudoir of Queen Amalia of Saxony, the Salatino di Porcellana, is an excellent example of 18th-century chinoiserie, whose walls and ceiling are lined with exquisite porcelain.
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| The Whimsical Salatino de Porcellana |
Castel Nuovo is a medieval castle, built by Charles I of Anjou (1279-1282) and was, once, the residence of the Kings and Viceroys of Naples. It stands in front of the Piazza Municipio and is one of the main landmarks of Naples. Due to the war of the Sicilian Vespers, the castle remained uninhabited until 1294. Many good and unfortunate events of French, Italian and Papal history took place in this renowned castle.
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| Castel Nuovo |
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| San Gennaro's Basilica |
Other churches in Naples are the two Santa Maria Donna Regina, Vecchia and Nova (Old and New). In 1295, a severe earthquake destroyed the original structure. Queen Mary of Hungary, consort of King Charles II of Anjou paid for the construction of a new church, next to the old one, the Santa Maria Donna Regina Nova. This church is a perfect architectural example of the baroque Neapolitan style. A simple exterior hides an exuberantly decorated interior with frescoes of renowned artists, on the walls and ceiling.
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| Santa Maria Donna Regina Vecchia |
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| Santa Maria Donna Regina Vecchia Exterior |
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| The Interior of Santa Maria Donna Regina Vecchia |
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| Santa Maria Donna Regina Nova |
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| Santa Maria Donna Regina Nova Interior |
The church and convent of the Girolamini are located directly across the Cathedral of Naples. The Library contains thousands of old manuscripts and books, that now belong to the state.
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| The Church of Girolamini Naples |
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| The Interior of the Church of Girolamini |
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| The Girolamini Library |
San Paolo Maggiore is a baroque church that was built on the ruins of a 1st-century temple of Dioscurus, in order to celebrate the victory of the Duchy of Naples against the Saracen pirates. Over the centuries, the church was enlarged and embellished by famous architects and artists. In 1688, the church crumbled down, due to false construction. During World War II, the church was severely damaged by the Allied bombing that nearly totally destroyed the frescoes by Massimo Stanzione.
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| San Paolo Maggiore, Naples |
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| San Paolo Maggiore, Interior |
San Lorenzo Maggiore is an 18th-century cloister in Naples, that is situated in the historic center of the ancient Greco-Roman city. A Museum has opened, on the premises, with exhibits of the classic archaeology of the region, and charts of historical shipping routes from Naples through Magna Grecia to the end of the Roman Empire.
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| The Cloister of San Lorenzo Maggiore |
After painful excavations under the cloister, a hidden world came into sight, an ancient Roman market that was once at street level. It has arcades and a long path with shops on either side, such as a bakery and a public laundry with tubs and drains.
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| The Ancient Roman Market Below the Cloister of San Lorenzo Maggiore |
Within walking distance is the Church of Santa Chiara, known for its beautiful majolica cloister
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| The Elegant Cloister of Santa Chiara |
Naples is a city unlike any other that I have ever visited. It is vibrant and colourful, full of beautiful museums, churches, art galleries, as described above, it, also, has the largest opera house in Italy. One famous district (bergo) of the city is Santa Lucia. It has hotels, trendy restaurants and boutiques on the southern part, but as one moves to the north there is a jumble of narrow alleys full of small shops and pizzerias, a quaint, picturesque place, with a very lively night-life. The Neapolitans sing opera arias in the streets, converse with each other with eloquent quips, argue loudly and sometimes pugnaciously, and fill their city with dramatic chaos. Marvelous, talented people!!
Across the sea, lie the islands of Capri, with the famous Blue Grotto, glamorous and full of elegant tourists, the volcanic island of Ischia, known from the time of ancient Greeks and Romans for their hot springs and rich flora, also Procida, the smallest island in the Campanian Archipelago, with beautiful beaches, on which several cinema masterpieces have been filmed.
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| Capri |
My Father used to often sing, so many years ago:
" It was on the Isle of Capri where I met her
Beneath the shade of an old walnut tree..."
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| Castello Aragonese Ischia - Ponte |
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| The Island of Procida in the Bay of Naples |
We drove towards Pompeii to see the famous town-museum which now receives 2.5 million visitors per year. We joined an English speaking group and a very well-informed guide showed us around.
Pompeii was an ancient Roman town, built at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. On the 24th August, 79 AD, Vesuvius erupted violently, burying Pompeii, Herculaneum and all the surrounding district in layers of tephra, 25 metres (about 82 feet) deep. After the initial shock and grief over the loss of life and property, the disaster site was abandoned and forgotten for centuries.
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| The Eruption of Vesuvius by Volaire |
Pompeii was discovered in 1599, by mistake. While digging, construction workers came across some erotic paintings of nymphs and satyrs. Although they were works of art, architect Montana and his team decided to bury them deep in volcanic ash and abandon them once more, as they were "in very bad taste" according to the mores of counter-reformation Europe. Post-medieval censorship?
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| Frieze from the Villa of Mysteries in Pompeii |
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| A Pompeian Beauty |
The town was re-discovered by the Spanish engineer, Rocque Joaquin de Alcubierre, in 1748. It was a photograph of a 1st-century Roman city, at the time of the catastrophe. The objects that were buried under the ash were preserved for centuries, due to the lack of air, moisture and light.
According to scholars, Pompeii was founded in the 7th- or 6th-century BC. After being occupied by many colonizers, including Greeks, it became a Roman Colony in 80 BC. During the Augustan period, the infrastructure of the town was greatly developed. Many buildings and constructions were made, such as an amphitheater, considered, now, as a model of sophisticated architecture, the palestra with a natatorium (swimming pool) and a complex aqueduct that provided running water for the city's fountains, public baths, private homes and businesses. We were, also, told that at the time of the eruption, Pompeii was a popular, wealthy Roman summer resort. The prosperity of the city was mainly due to the fertility of the land, where large amounts of grains, fruit, nuts, pulses, olive oil and wine were produced and exported.
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| The Amphitheatre in Pompeii |
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| The Palestra |
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| A Fresco in Pompeii Depicting a Bowl of Apples, Quince and Pomegranates |
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| The Street Layout in Ancient Pompeii |
A famous inscription in one of the buildings Salvae lucru (welcome profit) indicates that it referred to a trading company. Other building had inscriptions of professions such as "laundry workers". Wine containers have been discovered with the inscription, "Vesuvinum" (Vesuvius + Vinum).
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| Welcome Profit in Vugar Latin |
Grafitti on walls, written in vulgar Latin, a local patois, give ample information about the daily life of the Pompeiians. Also, the beautiful frescoes that decorated the walls of public buildings and private homes, give information about the private life and fantasies of the ancient citizens. Moreover, the macellum (food market), the pistrinum (mill), the thermopolium (that sold hot and cold beverages) and the camponae (small restaurants) provided important services to the inhabitants. A highly organized ancient city.
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| Eros Watching A Couple Making Love |
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| The Macellum (Food Market) |
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| Thermopolium ( An Ancient Snack Bar?) |
During the excavations, plaster was, initially, used to fill in the voids and gaps in the volcanic ash that once held human and animal life. It brought tears to my eyes to perceive and imagine the agony of these terrified beings fleeing to escape from such a torturous and tragic death.
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| A Faithful Friend and Pet |
Today, Pompeii has UNESCO World Heritage status and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy.
We bid farewell to Naples, boarded the ship and sailed, through the Straits of Messina and the Ionian Sea, home to Greece. It was April 1956 and we were on home leave.
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To honour the Neapolitans, here are some recipes of dishes, typical of the region
PIZZA MARGHERITA
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| The Queen's Favourite |
Apparently, this pizza was offered to Queen Margherita when she visited Naples in 1896. It had the colours of the Italian flag and the queen found it delicious, so do we!
Dough for 2 pizzas:
2 tbsp dry yeast or
15 g (1/2 oz) compressed yeast
250 ml (1 cup) lukewarm water
500 g (1 lb) plain flour
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp corn meal for sprinkling over an oiled shallow baking tin
Salsa Pizzaiola (tomato and garlic sauce):
2 tbsp olive oil
150 g (5 oz) finely chopped onions
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/4 kg (2 1/2 lb) tomatoes, peeled de-seeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme or oregano
1 tbsp finely chopped basil
1 bay leaf
2 tsp sugar or more according to the tomatoes' acidity
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
90 ml (3 fl oz) pizzaiaola sauce (please see above)
150 g (5 oz) mozzarella sliced
9-10 small leaves fresh basil
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
First, prepare the dough. sprinkle and sugar in 90 ml (3 fl oz) lukewarm water and stir well until completely dissolved. Place the mixture in a warm place such as a turned off oven until the yeast bubbles up (3 to 5 minutes). If it does not react, start all over with fresh yeast.
Place the flour in a mixer and pour in the bubbling yeast, olive oil, salt and mix until the dough forms a ball around the beaters. Then place the dough hooks on the mixer and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, shiny and elastic. Remove the dough from the mixer and placed it in an oiled bowl and turn it around so that the ball of dough is covered with olive oil. Cover the bowl with cling film and place in a warm place like a turned off oven for 20 minutes or until the dough doubles in bulk.
Remove the dough from the oven and place it on a floured working surface, cut it in half and roll it out thinly into a round sheet. Gently place the pizza dough sheet into the prepared baking tin, spread it with sauce, leaving a frame around the rim. Cover, evenly, with mozzarella slices. sprinkle with basil, drizzle with olive oil and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the pizza turns puffy and golden. Brush the rim with extra virgin olive oil before serving.
POLLO ALLA CACCIATORA
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| Hunters' Choice |
"Hunter's Chicken" is a very popular and tasty dish. Here is my version.
1 1/2 kg (3 lb) chicken cut up into serving pieces
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tbs olive oil
1 tbsp clarified butter
45 g (2 1/2 oz) onions, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic, very finely chopped
250 ml (1 cup) sweet white wine, Samos would be wonderful
4 tsp tarragon vinegar or more if preferred
225 ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock
A small slice of peeled ginger
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp sliced Kalamata olives
3 flat anchovy fillets, soaked in cold water to remove excess salt, dried and chopped.
Wash and pat the chicken pieces dry. and season with salt and pepper. Saute the chicken pieces in olive oil and clarified butter, starting with the skin down, until golden on both sides. Transfer them to a platter.
Pour off almost all if the fat from the pan leaving only a thin film on the bottom. Add the onions garlic and ginger slice and cook them over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping any brown bits that cling to the pan. Add the wine and the vinegar and boil briskly until the liquid has reduced to one cup. Then pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Return the chicken pieces to the pan, add the bay leaf and bring to the boil. Cover the saucepan, reduce the heat and simmer, basting occasionally. In about 20-25 minutes the chicken should be cooked.
Arrange the chicken pieces on a hot serving dish, Discard the ginger slice, the bay leaf, and reduce the cooking liquid until it thickens into a gravy. Add the sliced olives and the anchovies and cook for one minute more. Taste and season accordingly and pour over the chicken. Serve with smashed potatoes, a green salad. and warm crusty bread.
BONNET
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| A Luscious Dessert |
This is a recipe for delicious Italian baked custard with cocoa and rum.
Caramel for the mould:
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp water
Custard:
6 medium sized eggs
5 tbsp sugar
600 ml (1 fl lb 14 fl oz) warm milk
120 g (4 oz) amaretti (macaroons) finely crushed
2½ tbsp good quality cocoa
Pinch of salt
240 ml (8 fl oz) strong espresso coffee
3½ tbsp dark rum
Preheat the oven to 150 C ( 302 F ) and prepare the caramel. Cook the sugar and water over low heat and let it turn into a golden brown caramel. Pour it into a warm mould and swirl it around to coat the inside, and allow it to cool.
For the custard, beat the eggs with sugar until light and fluffy and mix in all the other ingredients until very well combined. Pour into the prepared mould and bake for about 40 minutes or until the custard sets. Cover with cling film and chill and then reverse on a pretty platter.
