When the moon hits your eye, it's like a big pizza pie

"Naples is a paradise; everyone lives in a state of intoxicated self-forgetfulness" 

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The spirit of Naples is a living force. It is resolute and passionate, but it is also unconscious and indifferent to reason and awareness. It can enrage or become hypnotic. The best way to experience Naples is to just go with it, don't resist it. The movement in Naples-the traffic jams, the pushy, shoving crowds, the absence of lines for anything, the endless shower of shouting falling on the ears like arrows, the simultaneous clash of opposed intentions- all combine into a thrilling assault on the senses. I could pass a lifetime just watching the show and contemplating.
All I came for was a slice of pizza, and instead I got thrown into the chaos and confusion that is Naples. It's fast and gritty and well known for aggressive thieves. Red lights are just for decoration. It has everything I'd experienced so far- traffic, noise, people, graffiti, street venders, pizza- just here everything was exaggerated. Every car I saw had either a missing headlight, dented bumper or door. No problem though, it just adds character. 

People say Italy has the best pizza in the world. Naples reportedly has the best in Italy. And Antica Pizzeria da Michele is the best in Naples. Therefore…well, you get the picture. That's right, the best pizza in the world. Though it is kinda hard to choose what is best since there are so many kinds, Da Michele makes the choice easy with just 2 kinds of pizza- margarita or marinara. Of course, with such a reputation everyone wants to go here and the wait was around the corner late into the night. No worries though, perfect time to enjoy the show that is Naples.  

We also stopped by Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Paestum on our trip to the south. Each offered a different look into the past. The sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum offer a glimpse in time captured by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Looming over the cities, when the volcano erupted in 79AD over the cities the lava and ash coated the cities, perserving streets, homes, shops, amphitheaters. All of which are now great resources to understanding the Roman culture. One memorable fact is that the Romans traditionally cremated their bodies and the bones found in these sites are one of the only sources to study Roman skeletons.     

Greek Temple of Athena in Paestum