Sadly, our last port. Naples.

This port was a hard one. There are so many options in Naples of places to visit that we really had a hard time trying to pick where we wanted to go. We had heard mixed reviews about Naples, the city itself, and great things about Capri, Sorento, and Pompeii. But the weather was no guaranteed to be nice… so we decided to give Naples a try.

And boy, we are happy that we did. We took another Hop On Hop Off bus and we got to see the beauty of Naples and all the mansions, apartments and buildings along the coast. The city is pretty steep so everything appears to have a view of the harbour.

We then walked around the city and found it to be bustling, busy and full of energy. It was the sort of city chaos that we just love. I went off on my own to explore while the others shopped (successfully I may add). I walked around just off the beaten tourist path and explored skinny streets dodging mopeds and taking in all of the locals. The city is definitely charming… and is yet another city (and area) that could use more exploring.

One thing that we did all insist on doing was getting some Pizza. It was fantastic. Thing yet not overly crunchy crust, fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce. I kept my pizza simple… Margharita. We also got a big ball of fresh mozzarella that was delectable. Yet another highlight of this trip!

As we departed from the port I went up on the deck above the bridge of ship to watch the disembarking. I talked to an interesting man from Australia who filled me in on something I found really interesting.

When we were leaving Messina, Sicily I didn’t know why a Pilot boat pulled up right next to our boat. And from the balcony, I couldn’t see what was going on. Well… he informed me that when a cruise ship comes into or leave port they have a local Pilot who helps guide the ship in since he knows the intricacies of the particular port they work on.

After the boat leaves the port the Pilot boat pulls up next to the cruise ship, a door is open, a latter dropped and the pilot (or two) transfers from the cruise ship to the pilot boat! Take a look at the picture… it is pretty amazing! I can only imagine if it was a rough day at sea!