Mt. Vesuvius and Pizza

CHAPTER 36

Our next stop on our tour of Italy was a quick one, though memorable. Leaving south from Agnone, we headed for the steep scree slopes of Mt. Vesuvius. Its eruption in 79 AD was nothing to forget, but its next eruption will be particularly remarkable, for my late grandfather at least- for I spread some of his ashes into the sleeping caldera, and the next time it blows, he will be spread out over the entire world. You can’t get much better coverage than that! On a more serious note, he was stationed in Naples during the war, and considering I think I get at least some of my adventuring spirit from him, I have no doubt that he hiked the volcanoes at some point and looked down over the rim contemplating eruptions past and future, just as I did.

I also wonder if he ever visited the L’Antica Pizzaria da Michele in downtown Naples during his time there- going strong since 1870 and possibly the best pizzeria in the world if you are looking for a traditional margherita. We were, and we found it. Despite a HUGE crowd, we elbowed our way through, ordered four pizzas and eight beers to-go, which apparently no one else waiting for a table had thought of- and were soon sitting on a curb across the street, eating some dame good pies. We returned the rental car at the train station, made our way to the ferry terminal, and after only having spent a mere hour or two in Naples proper (which, the city being a decidedly dicey one, is all it probably deserves), jumped on a fast boat across the bay to the legendary Isle of Capri.

Note: Photos with a “VS” suffix are credited to Val and Steve

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