The day before we travelled to Naples, I learned that my pal Jim McChesney had died. Jim was a fellow member of the Arlington Baths, and we’d often chat in the sauna after he emerged from twenty-odd lengths of the “pond”. Despite being in his eighties, he was vigorous and sharp, regaling us with stories of his years at the newspapers. He was also a reader of this newsletter, never missing a chance to have a heated exchange about my latest missive. This post is dedicated to Jim.
When people asked why I wanted to visit Naples, I told them it was to see a volcano. Specifically, I wanted to look down at the roiling magma and imagine how the philosopher Empedocles felt before he jumped into Etna in an attempt to become a God.
Alas, since Vesuvius has been dormant since 1944, all we saw was gravel and mist. It’s still impressive, though, not least because of what it does to the three million who live in its shadow.
As well as the volcano, Neapolitans can observe catacombs beneath churches and the cowering skeletons displayed in nearby Pompeii and Herculaneum. Together, these things seem to have instilled a devil-may-care nihilism.
The moped riders grudgingly wear helmets, but always with the strap hanging loose, as they weave through pedestrians on alleyways covered in graffiti. Coming from Glasgow, I am used to graffiti, but never quite so dense as in Naples. With the threat of destruction so close, why wouldn’t you be nihilistic?
The hero of Naples is Diego Maradona, the Argentine footballer whose goals helped Napoli win the league in the eighties. His face is everywhere. But more than that, one senses the spirit of abandon that, thanks to cocaine and other addictions, led to his early death.
We took a day trip to Sorrento and chanced upon a exhibition/sale of street photography by Raffaele Celentano. Upon leaving, primed to take cute photos, I saw what I thought was a woman playing with her grandson. At least, I thought she was playing. It turned out she had collapsed. Fortunately, once she had some water, she was soon well.
For further reflections on the week, read
’s poetic journal, What the volcano told us.
Thanks for sharing, you managed to capture beautifully the chaotic energy of Naples!
Great set of travel images Neil - I've not been to Naples but these give a really good impression of what the city is like. You might be pleased to know that one of the new heroes of Napoli's team is Scottish!😁