From Napoli, Italia

So, spending one week up in the mountains quickly went out the window after I spent all my cash on my way there and somehow expected to find an ATM in a village of 300. Actually, I went out of my way for something I really wanted to do only to find many things I ran away from -- no money, no internet, nothing to do, no one understands me, don't understand anyone, knocking on your door in the middle of the night for fear that you had too much to drink; that kind of thing. That's why I had to leave.

I had to drive to the coastal town of Agropoli to plan my escape; a 45-minute drive away, it was my nearest gateway to the internet.

The other Italian word (other than grazie) that's been pouring out of my mouth is dove (where); there is no word more useful when you're lost in Italy. The construction Dove è ... [say place's name and/or point to name on map]? is pretty much priceless. I used it plenty when I was trying to find Serramezzana, a village few outside of its 10-mile radius had heard of.

I made the Amalfi Coast drive -- windows down -- on the way to Naples. I don't know which I said to myself more along the way: "Wow..." or "Holy shit..."

Naples is a shady town. I'm actually in a nearby town called Portici. It's shady here, but some kid at the hostel tells me Naples is shadier. I'm staying here for two nights, thinking about hitting Pompeii tomorrow. I'll be back in the Eternal City for my final four days in Italy.

Also, worried that I had been taking too many pictures (I only have a 128-mb memory card from 2003), I discovered that my laptop has a CompactFlash reader. As a result of this fortuitous discovery, I'm able to share with you the following long before my return home. (Click for full-size originals.)

Serramezzana, where I stayed for two nights.


This is Agropoli. You ain't seen nothing yet.


That was so good that I wondered if I was high.


Coming down from the village. You can see the Amalfi Coast on the Sorrentine Peninsula on the other side of the Gulf of Salerno.


Greenery, coastal town, sea, sky. There is nothing more pleasant to the eye.


I kept pulling the car over and getting out to take pictures.


This is in Agropoli. I had to stop for this one.


The funnest drive ever begins. (I might have held my breath the entire way.)


This and the rest of the way: no caption will suffice.







Maiori, where I got the best ice-cream cone I have ever had.


When a tour bus turned a corner much tighter than this one coming the other way, I was pretty sure I was going to die.