Saturday, May 31, 2008

Exploring the Underbelly

Day 79

I still felt awful in the morning and decided to just stay in bed. Giovanni was kind enough to ask if I needed anything, but I think I just needed sleep. After a nap I was feeling a whole lot better and I made a few phone calls to the States.



Later on I went with four other American's to the nearby Naples Underground Museum. This can only be seen by a guided tour. Our guide was only 23 and had a great sense of humor. He seemed to know his stuff but kept making jokes and telling us that he used to be a punk. He meant that he used to have a mohawk.

The underground chambers began as a Greek aqueduct, and the Romans later expanded it. To see the cisterns we had to squeeze ourselves sideways while holding candles down a very skinny hallway. We asked what happened when he had people that didn't fit. Apparently they are told to wait until those that do fit are through the tunnels. I was worried that I would set my hair on fire or something like that.

Some areas had been used as a bomb shelter during WWII. Naples was the 4th most bombed city in Europe after Dresden, Berlin and London. Some graffiti from this era was still visible along with some toys that the children had left behind.

One section was directly under a church and the cloistered nuns used it as storage. They left about 60 years ago, but did not take the last of the canisters with them.

When we had finished this part we headed to the basement of a nearby house. There we saw the stage and backstage of a Roman theater. At this point my stomach was starting to act up again and I just wanted to leave. As soon as we got outside the guide looked at me and asked if I was ok. I told him that I was feeling really nauseous. He knocked on a nearby door and some complete strangers let me in to used their bathroom. They then insisted on giving me some sugar water and having me sit for a minute. I was very greatful for them. That simply would not happen in NYC.

I felt much better and thought that I should eat something. A few bites into my pizza I felt sick again so I left the group and headed back to the hostel. I simply crawled into bed and went to sleep, hoping that I would feel better in the morning.

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