Ciao Bella

Ri does not trust Italians at all. And I very much doubt that I’ll ever get Ri to return to Naples. As we were driving away from Naples on our way to Florence he commented that ‘it is no wonder the mafia have such a reputation! I mean to be considered a crook in Italy...’
We have not really had the internet since Rome. We’ve popped into a couple of internet cafes to book very-last-minute accommodation and to have a brief skim on facebook – I’m desperately trying to not get left behind in gossip! (turns out my cousin has just gotten engaged! and Ri's cousin is currently having her second baby!)

But I have not had time to really sit down and do up a blog. It’s just so busy. Italy I mean. I don’t think I could do much longer than two weeks in a row in Italy.
We spent three nights in Naples. Ri seemed mildly irritated the whole time. In the funny little way he shows annoyance. In a weird switching of roles as I'm the easily annoyed one. But I didn't mind Naples. The food was pretty good and thats why I went to Naples. Pizza! We went to a Pizzeria that only serve two kinds of Pizza (with cheese and without) and that was pretty good.

I wouldn't recommend getting a taxi in Naples. We had our first really prolonged and frustrating taxi experience in Naples. We had decided to hire a car and drive to Pompei and the Amalfi Coast. So we ordered a Taxi to pick us up from our hotel to take us to the car rental place. We hop into the Taxi all bright eyed and hand over the address which was in Italian. The taxi driver did the usual song and dance performed by all our past Italian taxi drivers (Oh! Where is that!!? Let me call a friend and let the meter run for a minute or two while I make sure where it is!!! Oh that place!! Yes!! I was there this morning!!). But with this driver the dance went on for 10 euros (and about 30 minutes) before he made it two street from our hotel to drop us off at the wrong location. In the end we had him drop us at the airport. After we got our car Ri drove us straight to the address we gave the Taxi driver without a map just to show me that even a bloody foreigner could do it. Ri does not trust Italian Taxi drivers. "No No Ban-dee-doe" "Si! Si! Ban-dee-doe!!"

We ended up having a brilliant day at Pompei followed by dinner at sunset on the waters of the Amalfi coast.

From Naples we drove to Bologna having dinner in Florence on the way. We arrived in Florence just as the sun was setting, and I think if you are only going to stop at a place for a couple of hours then sunset is the time to do it!

From Bologna we drove to Venice and spent 3 days walking around the canals, eating gelati and shopping! It is just so different from anywhere else! I loved it.

Now we are in Munchen! I think it's beer O'Clock.