Week 2 Naples at the waterfront - Part 2 Observations on Life

 

 

Only Americans were bandana print shirts!

Looking north on the Bay of Naples

Staying at a large tourist hotel at Naples provides wonderful people watching opportunities. Large cruise ships come in on a regular basis not too far from where the hotel is, and the large group tour buses seem to use these hotels as well. I saw large groups of Japanese tourists, Chinese tourists, British tourists, Continental tourists (a mix of languages and backgrounds), as well as several groups that use the hotel for conferences. There were a few Middle Eastern tourists too, very obvious by the long black robes and veils worn by the women.

I met one nice Australian woman who was there for a conference on  Critical Thinking in Business. She had several Australian colleagues with her plus a smattering of people from all over Europe. Very nice, friendly people! Another group of largely American women were there for a few days for a Hair Stylists convention. Some business travelers seemed to use these hotels also; it must be reasonably priced and still provide access to transportation and sights to enjoy in the off hours.

One thing I found interesting is how the Italians that work in the hotels, restaurants and shops along the Bay seem to be able to know what nationality you are by your demeanor and how you dress. Occasionally they are wrong, but for the most part they are pretty good with guessing the right language with which to greet you. Several of the waiters and hotel staff workers were multi-lingual and I heard them using French, Spanish, German, Dutch, English and a couple other languages I couldn't identify. The Asian travelers tend to bring their own translators and they stuck together in tight groups, whereas the Western travelers broke off into small groups to eat or wander.
I started to do some people watching and playing the game to see if I could guess the nationality of the tourists. I actually got pretty good at it, being a student of human nature. A lot of what gives away a person's home country is their clothing. I have to admit with chagrine that Americans are easy to spot. By and large Americans are ultra-casual, even bordering on sloppy and disheveled. We have carried sportswear, pajamas, and gangsta fashions to the extreme and people tend to believe they have a "right" to wear those clothes anytime and any place. It is a dead give-away that you are American. I don't consider that I was wearing excessively sloppy clothing but I was not "dressing up" in the evenings after work to go eat. Italians, and Continental Europeans in general do dress up, even if they are just strolling the water front and having a pizza. When I put on a sundress to go out in the evenings instead of my work slacks, waiters thought I was Italian until I opened my mouth, of course, But I considered that a good sign.

So many of you will be thinking, "I am not going to dress up just cause I am in Italy -- My money is good anywhere!" or "I dont' care what anyone thinks of me, I'll never see them again". Those would be characteristic of our American attitude toward clothing. Why do we think dressing up is a drudge? The Europeans seem to enjoy it.

I saw some of the young American women coming into the hotel restaurant for breakfast. It was a breakfast buffet but in a very nice second floor, glass-front restaurant overlooking the water. The tables all have white linens and crystal stemware, and the waiters are all in suits. It is clearly NOT like popping into Mickey D's for a breakfast burrito. These young women were part of the Hair Stylists convention, I believe, and they had on tight tube tops, short-shorts, flip flops and their hair was still wet from the shower. I would call that inappropriate dress. They were certainly not the only ones. I saw lots of wrinkled shorts and shirts, t-shirts and logo clothing (the Japanese tourists love logo clothing), and certainly lots of very overweight people, including yours truly. It is quite eye-opening to see your own culture with different eyes.

The rocks are a favorite sunbathing spot for locals

Maybe I sound a bit old fashioned but I do think there is an element of respect that we should show to honor cultures when we visit their country. Within the boundaries of appropriate, there is still a lot of room to express yourself.


The British tended to be a little more put together than the Americans, not quite so frazzled-looking and definitely a lot thinner and paler. So were the Dutch. The French that I saw were very stylish, very thin, and have a distinctly haughty air about them. The Italians are distinctive, not only because of their darker coloring but the style they put into their clothing and general appearance.

Naples at night is quite beautiful

One of the great joys is the evenings when everyone comes out to walk. Mom, Dad, Grandma, the kids, the teenagers, everyone walks and visits and just generally enjoys the evenings together. It is a very social time, with the evening meal not typically starting until at least 8pm, but 9pm is more popular, and continuing on past midnight. Everyone eats slowly and in courses, and visits and just enjoys the time. You will never be rushed out of your table so someone else can sit down, and when you are ready to go, you have to ask for the check. I think the Italians consider it rude to bring you the check before you ask for it.

I had many simple meals that lasted two hours and a few that lasted as long as four hours. (More on food in a later blog.) After a fine meal, a walk is in order. In most the towns I visited there is a plazza in the middle of town and a park where people tend to gather. Even the week nights were busy until late. Several evenings it was 9pm before I got back from late meetings at work, and I wandered out to find something to eat. I never felt the least bit concerned about being a woman alone in the public places. Of course I used common sense and stayed in the popular spots that were well-lit

A favorite sidewalk cafe

It is a very luxurious lifestyle I saw, not because of the cost of things they had, but because they savor and enjoy every moment and really take pleasure in the simple things like being with people you like, a cool evening breeze, and a delicious meal. They didn't seem caught up by the hurry that we have here, and that was such a relief! Even when I thought I would be tired for getting to bed so late, I really found myself sleeping soundly and waking refreshed and relaxed in the mornings. There is a lot to be said for this way of life!