Sorrento, Italy

Sunday June 10th: Pompei

I went for a walk in the morning with Mark, back down to the fishing village.

We all went to Pompeii at about 10am and got home by 4pm. We had a dud guide but he was of some mild amusement.

Mark and I headed out at about 5pm to buy supplies for dinner. We were walking down one of the narrow, medieval lanes lined with stalls selling local produce when there was this massive eruption of sound, cheering, car horns and hooters. We soon determined that Napoli had just won the soccer. This was just the start of several hours of celebration for both the young and old. We stopped in at an internet café and this old man ran in equipped with his portable hooter, tore off his top, donned a Napoli jersey, threw his top to his wife playing the poker machines and ran out cheering. Another old man, drinking a tumbler of scotch, offered me a sip to celebrate but I graciously declined. The streets around Sorrento on this hot and sunny evening were filled with cars, buses and motor scooters; all filled with happy fans babies, mums and dads and grandparents, tooting and cheering. We were left to wonder whether this was just a one-off rare victory in the normal comp or, was it an important match? Would the Mayer family please enlighten us???

We ate a sumptuous dinner at home and then Annabelle, Tom and I could stand it no longer. We had to get out there, down on the street and investigate the euphoria, which was rather reminiscent of San Isidro day in Spain. Once down on the street in the local square…words fail me. It was a bizarre scene of DJs, music, boom boxes and masses of people dancing and celebrating. Check out the photos but I don’t think any medium would be able to convey the atmosphere. I wanted to dance with some of the drunks but Tom wouldn’t be in on it. He was rather scared by the noise and hysteria. Where is Janet Lagudi when you need her…… huh? We would have had a ball! Anyway, I gave into Tom and left to buy… yes… more gelato. I asked my gelato friend (I tend to make one in every city) and he informed me that this victory put Napoli into 1st division.

We then went home for some Italian TV before getting an early night for Capri the next day. P.S. Mark made us all get out on to the back balcony to watch the sun set over the water whilst “Here (In Your Arms)” blared from the TV (Chanelle’s and my favourite song for the minute!). Wish you were all here to share this with us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!