Naples: Italian for "shithole"

LEFT: Naples harbor from the ferry outbound to Capri

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The best part of Naples is leaving it. The city is dirty, the drivers are insance, the people are rude, and the food sucked. That pretty much sums it up; Camden, without the ambience.

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One Naples story however. Upon arrival back from Capri (next post), we grab a taxi from the marine harbor to the train station, because we cannot stomach another walk through Naples streets. We get in the cab, and he proceeds to blast about 60mph through the city streets (remember, I've been in NYC, Boston...not even close to this experience). At one point he is driving on the tram tracks, with a tram approaching us. Then, the rear hatch of the taxi pops open. Kathy and I reach out back to grab our luggage as it is falling out the door. As we do, a Naples motorcycle rider comes from nowhere pulling up to the open hatch, and tries to grab our luggage out. As we're fighting with him, the taxi driver slams on this brakes, the hatch slams shut, we go flying, and the motorcycle guy slams into the back of the taxi. But, at least we still have our luggage!

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We continue on towards the train station. The driver cuts down a one-way alley (the wrong way of course, but who's counting), and drives up on the sidewalk when another car comes at us. This leads to his driver's side mirror beings torn right off the taxi by the approaching car. The taxi driver just cusses out the other driver and keeps on going.

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We finally get to the train station, leap out of the car, and bolt to our train. "Mario Andretti's" tip should cover the cost of his new mirror.

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