It is not cold in this city. Immediately after getting off the train we made a beeline straight to Da Michele Pizzeria, the reason we came to Naples in the first place: to eat pizza where it was created. Turns out there was a huge long line (oh what a surprise, everyone wants to eat pizza where it was created), and we were starving, so we decided to go to King's Pizza Palace across the road. Ok, fine, so we didn't. Thought about it though. So we took a number...which I still say is the best part of eating here -- waiting in the huge crowd with your number in front of the pizzeria place with all the other foreigners trying to figure out how to say the numbers in Italian, paranoid you're going to miss them calling your number because you have no idea what the numbers are. Classic. Basically at this pizzeria you can order one of two pizzas: margherita (tomato, mozzarella, and basil) or marinara (tomato, olive oil, garlic, and oregano). Those are the literally the only two things on the nonexistent menus. Justin and I both opted for the marinara. Well, I would say it was the best pizza I ever had, but, quite honestly, the pizza here is so different that I can't even compare it to the pizza in the States. Delish though. And we also met some girl from California who wins my "Craziest Traveler of the Day" award. She's traveling with her brother too -- or, rather, was traveling with her brother. Apparently they had this huge falling out in Munich and her brother peaced out on her...absolutely hilarious: "Yeah he got mad and left and then a day later I saw him sleeping at the ariport...I guess he didn't even get a room!" Then as we were leaving I was like, "Well I hope you guys reconcile," and she was like, "Yeah maybe when he grows up." Bahaha. 
Me and the pizza chef
So then we went to this hotel she recommended...awesome. Turns out there was a mini pool on the seventh floor terrace...I was soooo happy because I was sweeeaating with that big pack on my back...but then there were no rooms left. Soooo we resorted to begging for money on the streets. Exhibit A:
When that proved to be less than effective, we walked for
another 5 hours to a hostel (Hostel of the Sun) recommended by our travel
guide. Luckily they had just two spots left (a guy came in after us and was
turned away), and it turned out to be the nicest, cheapest, and by far the
cleanest place we’ve stayed yet. The only thing a little weird is that since it
was a hostel, it was me, Justin, and some other guy from New Zealand. A little
weird, but whatever…they didn’t have a room the second night though, so we had
to stay at a dumpy hostel across the road in an eight-person room.
Spent the rest of the day walking around and eating pizza.
And just when I think Italy’s food might be overrated, it goes and does
something like this…and totally redeems itself. For dinner we went to a little
place down the road from our hostel, and I actually ordered pasta. I was
thinking after that it was stupid because how could I be ordering pasta at the
pizza birthplace city? But it ended up being the best call as it was the best
pasta ever…we went back the next night and I ordered the same thing.
The next day we got up and went to see Pompeii, some old
Roman city that was destroyed and covered completely with ash by Mt. Vesuvius a
long time ago. I remember reading a book about this city in like third grade,
so we figured it must be pretty famous and we better go. Well, turns out
Pompeii has been hit quite severely by global warming (I think Mt. Vesuvius did
these people a favor):
Seriously, we must have been walking around these old ruins
for hours in the 100 degree heat. The thing I don’t get about all these ruins
is that they are always “under construction” – like, being “refurbished” or
“restored”…how can ruins be reconstructed? Isn’t that the point of the ruins? I’m
beginning to think all of these ruins are a hoax and some king in one of these
billion castles we’ve visited is making a crapton of money…
Castle visit #3478
We stopped for lunch after that (more pizza), and then went
on a kayaking/swimming tour in the Mediterranean (a couple girls from
California staying at our hostel went too), where we got to kayak under some
castles and swim in some sea caves. Now that’s my kind of tour! The guide was
telling me about a swim race from Capri Island to Napoli in September, which is
my new life goal. The only thing missing on the tour was 20 Italian guys in
speedos. Oh wait, no, they were on the tour too. I know, the only thing missing
was a ride on their vespa after the tour was over. Oh wait, didn’t miss that
either. Riding on the back of some Italian guy’s vespa up the windy hills of
Napoli? Classic. Not sure how Italy can get much better than that, but let’s
see Florence try. 
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