Today is Friday, September 8, 2023. This means that 17 years ago, our family was getting ready to celebrate the wedding (next day) of a Princess and her Prince! The days match up perfectly this year, so Happy, Happy Day before the Very Day to Erika and Jon❤️
Our ship docked in Naples, Italy, at around 8 A.M. although many on board chose organized tours to Herculaneum and/or Pompeii, we picked an experience that would avoid the crowds on a very hot and sunny day. John and I had three goals today: Learn how to make Gnocchi Sorrentina the real way (Sorrento and the Amalia Coast are nearby, too, and many on board toured those areas); eat a Neapolitan pizza at the very first pizzeria in Naples, the place where pizza margherita was invented; and taste a gelato from Napoli (our favorite to date was in Dubrovnik, Croatia). We achieved all three!
We took a taxi (Paid about twice what we should have—but we did not know) to Osteria Pasta e Ceci way on the other side of town where the main attraction is THE stadium (where the illustrious Naples team plays
). We were the only two enrolled in this gnocchi-making class. Although the business sign was affixed outside a building, we were escorted into a teeny-tiny elevator to the second-floor apartment of Alfredo and Kicca. Alfredo and Kicca live in this apartment with their adult son, adult daughter, and two dogs. One is a border collie mix, Alison! Kicca greeted us at the door, and Alfredo came outside to escort us in. We were given two aprons, Alfredo put on a chef’s outfit, and Kicca just assisted and took iPhone photos and videos of us throughout. Alfredo is a chef in a hotel restaurant near the cruise ship port. We began to make the gnocchi, in their kitchen. We made the gnocchi from start to finish, as well as the sauce. As an accompaniment for the gnocchi, Alfredo quickly made some bruschetta for us. He said this was not part of the package but he was going to do this for us—he does this often for his guests. When everything was done, they set a table for two, with wine or soda or water as we preferred and gave us time to eat what we had made. Alfredo and Kicca did not eat because it was too early for them: lunch is at 2, and dinner at 9. (Bed is at 1 or 2 A.M.). However, they sat with us off and on as Kicca and Alfredo cleaned up. We spoke a lot of Italian—it felt as if I had never left Italy and as if Kicca and Alfredo were old friends of ours! Alfredo walked us to a taxi and gave directions to the driver. Our cost back to where we began (about one mile away) was about a third of what the other driver charged us earlier! On the way to the taxi cab, Alfredo brought us to a local bakery to purchase a Neapolitan BaBa (rum-drenched sweet bread with a distinctive shape) that we could bring with us to enjoy on the ship. He wrote the gnocchi recipe for us, and we can’t wait to try them for family at home! Even John, who typically is not crazy about gnocchi, declared these a winner! THIS was an AWESOME experience for us!
The cab dropped us off in Piazza Dante, the center of the historic pedestrian part of Naples. That’s where we ENTERED Antica Pizzeria Ristorante Port’Alba. It was established in 1738, and is where Neapolitan pizza began! To protect the authenticity of such pizza, there is actually a world-wide Association that certifies restaurants that conform to the requisite pizza-making process. We shared a margherita pizza and water. It, too,was delicious, but I still personally prefer Jet’s.
Finally, we found Gelato di Manelle and accomplished Goal Three of Three. The gelato was delicious, and, in my opinion, Dubrovnik keeps the prize.
We walked up and down crowded dark alley ways and sunny, hot streets and piazzas. Churches are plentiful. A castle (Castel Nuevo) is right there, as soon as our pier empties into town and a short distance from the closest piazza; but the most dominant feature in the area, clearly visible from our ship, is Mount Vesuvius! Some say that this bad-boy volcano is no longer active; bit others disagree and claim that they saw smoke wafting out of it.
It was a full day, and then it was time to board the ship! Good-bye, Naples! Delighted to have met you and spent a little time together!
Tomorrow, we head for a mega-tour in Rome!
Our Travels 