Day 5: And We're Off!

The Metro 

With all our things packed up the night before, apart from some accidentally abandoned underwear, we were raring to go when our alarm set off this morning. After a final sweep of the rooms and a breakfast of cream-cheese croissants (a mishmash of our leftovers but actually quite tasty), we were out of the door and onto the streets of Naples. Ten minutes later we arrived at the metro station, and soon enough, we were traveling into the city at speed. The metro itself felt like a fusion of a sauna and a washing machine, with the constant jerky corners threatening to topple the crammed passengers like dominos, and with the sticky heat seeming to be the perfect breeding ground for COVID. Unlike British public transport, however, the Italians stick to their COVID restrictions with diligence, and there wasn't an exposed nose in sight. Once we reached Garibaldi, the final stop, we shuffled up three consecutive escalators and walked directly to the train station. 

When the train arrived, we were among very few passengers to board it. It was an amazingly efficient and stress-free journey at only £4.20 a head, and it gave us such a great tour of Naples that it made up for the sightseeing we missed during isolation. We had amazing views of the streets, the sea, and Vesuvius itself - there were so many postcard-worthy scenes that the only difficulty was deciding which window to look through. 

Naples is like a living being - everywhere you look there is new growth, with cranes erecting new blocks of flats with the speed of a body regenerating cells; but for every new building, there is one which has fallen to ruin. Every street seems to contain one hollow shell of a house, one ashen remnant of a staircase, or one row of glassless windows. The plants that grow like Triffids in the fertile surroundings of Vesuvius are not perturbed by the Neopolitans' attempts to cull them; instead, they have waged a war on the brickwork, determining to sprout from every fountain and drainpipe. The suburbs of Naples are one part city, one part jungle. All the while, the craggy summit of Vesuvius looms overhead, providing an ever-present reminder of the power it holds over the fates of those below. As we moved further from Naples, however, Vesuvius was not the only summit dominating the skyline: all around us were humongous mountains, their peaks shrouded with clouds and their slopes crowded with greenery. At some moments, it felt as if we were traveling on the jungle trains of Thailand instead of Italian public transport.

 

The road leading to our flat

Arriving in Salerno, we were immediately struck by the difference in atmosphere. Whereas Naples has a natural aggressiveness, Salerno has the friendliness of a true beach town with a little added South-Italian grit. After checking into our new (and deliciously air-conditioned) accommodation, we headed out to explore the surroundings. 

Salerno is breathtakingly beautiful in a way that is unique to the Amalfi coast. Multicoloured houses tumble down the slopes of hazy mountains, and the base of the small city is lined with a broad beach promenade. Artisanal pottery stores are squashed next to gaudy gelato shacks which neighbour sweating mini-markets, and it is clear that whilst the polished beauty of Capri may be lacking from Salerno, it makes up for it with character. 

After spending a couple of hours walking the streets and strolling the beach, we have already begun to love Salerno. The most special moment was walking past the beautiful Cathedral as a wedding took place inside - the distinctive sounds of operatic singing drifted from the windows, creating a moment of pure magic. 

Overall, our first day of freedom has been better than we could have imagined. Hopefully, the rest of our time on the coast will be equally idyllic!