Our first week in Naples

After living out of suitcases and being on the road for a month visiting family and friends, we arrived at the Naples Airport in Capodichino on Wednesday, August 20th, where our sponsor met us and took us to the Navy Lodge at the Navy Support Site in Gricignano di Aversa (a Naples suburb), where Mike will be working at the Dental Clinic and we hope to live the next 3 years.  We kept busy the first three days: registered the kids for school (on base), attended a couple of welcome picnics, and were treated to our first real Italian dinner in town. We adjusted to the time change just in time for the first day of school on Monday, August 25th. Here are Nora and Caroline in front of our hotel on their walk to school the first day, and Caroline's sign of approval when I picked her up at the end of the day.

The girls are both big fans of the school lunches - "Mom, they serve pasta every day!" - and like their teachers and new friends. Mike and I are impressed by the variety of special classes the school offers. In addition to the usual offerings of music, art and PE, the school also offers Spanish instruction for K-3, Host Nation instruction to all (Italian culture and language), and Music & Movement.

While the kids were in school, Mike attended Orientation, while Thomas and I held down the fort and popped in and out of those orientation sessions that were important for me to attend as well.  On Friday, we took a USO sponsored bus tour of downtown Naples, where we got a wonderful overview of the city layout and history and got our first taste of the city (quite literally - Naples is full of smells, both good and bad!). We had fun walking around downtown with our old Norfolk neighbors, the Hellers, and experiencing the folly of trying to eat like Italians (authentic food al fresco) on an American timetable (had to catch our bus within 90 minutes). We ended up running for the bus with our entrees in to go boxes, but the antipasti/appetizers we got to enjoy together at the table made the whole venture worthwhile. I always thought New York had the best pizza, but there is nothing like pizza from THE birthplace of pizza! Here's a view of our family in front of the Bay of Naples, a view of the Piazza Trieste e Trento from our table, and a view of us trying to wait patiently for our main courses.

We spent Saturday relaxing at the pool on base with some new friends (the girls love the pool -- it has a very fun waterslide) and caught up on food shopping/organizing.  On Sunday, we attended Mass at the chapel on base, and then ventured back into Naples on our own using public transportation. We met up with the Hellers downtown at Castel Nuovo ("I never thought I'd ever say 'Meet you at the castle at 1!'," Julie Heller commented), stopped for some refreshing gelato at the Galleria Umberto I, and then made our way to the funicular that would take us up to the Vomero neighborhood, which overlooks Naples and features the historic Castel Sant'Elmo.  Here is the view that we got to enjoy:

The kids got a kick out of riding up and down the side of the mountain in the funicular (although we were a little disappointed that part of the ride was in a tunnel and not outside). We learned on our bus tour Friday night that Naples has 4 or 5 funiculars going up and down the hills surrounding the city. The first one was built in the 1880s and went up the side of Mt. Vesuvius, but was destroyed when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 1944.  That funicular was the basis for the famous song "Funiculi, Funicula" (which was written to commemorate the opening of the funicular and to encourage more people to ride it). I was vaguely aware of that song before, but didn't know much about it. But ever since I looked it up and started listening to it, I can't get it out of my head! Have a listen: Pavarotti sings "Funiculi, Funicula"

Here's the translation (thanks, Wikipedia):
Yesterday evening, O Nannina^[a], I climbed up,
Do you know where?
To where an ungrateful heart can no longer vex me!
Where a fire is burning, but if you flee
It lets you be.
It doesn't chase you, doesn't melt you, with just one glance!
Let's go, let's go, let's go to the top,
Let's go, let's go, let's go to the top,
Funiculì, funiculà, funiculì, funiculà!
Let's go to the top, Funiculì, funiculà!

Let's go from here below up to the mountain, O Nannina, a step away!
You can see France, Procida, and Spain,
And I see you!
You rise, pulled by a cable, quick as a wink
into the sky.
We'll rise up like a whirlwind all of a sudden knows how to do!
Let's go, let's go, let's go to the top,
Let's go, let's go, let's go to the top,
Funiculì, funiculà, funiculì, funiculà!
Let's go to the top, Funiculì, funiculà!

My head is spinning, O Nannina, It's gone up there already!
It went there, spun 'round, and then returned:
It's always here!
My head is spinning, spinning,
Encircling you!
This heart of mine is always singing
the same refrain:
"Marry me, O Nannina"!
Let's go, let's go, let's go to the top,
Let's go, let's go, let's go to the top,
Funiculì, funiculà, funiculì, funiculà!
Let's go to the top, Funiculì, funiculà![