2-0 to the Napoli

The street leading up to the Stadio San Paolo was flanked by police cars and divvy vans. A couple of side streets were barricaded, and policemen where stationed at the intersections. A police helicoptor was doing lazy circles in the sky. 

And all this for a soccer game. It's a far cry from a game at the Emirates. 

Inside, the stadium was half-full, about 30,000, but it was so echoey that it seemed like the ground was packed. Fans were standing on the seats with no one telling them to sit down (imagine that!). Flags were waving, there were melodious chants (it sounds much better when you don't know what they're singing) and flares in the stairwells. 

It's a pity the game was pretty mediocre. Napoli play like the Arsenal on a bad day - a lot of over-elaborate passing that doesn't go anywhere, with a striker (Zayaleta) who prefers to miss sitters rather that score. They beat Siena 2-0, and should've won 4-0 or 5-0. Very much an Arsenal performance 

Actually, I'm pretty glad they only score twice. This crazy Italian guy would jump up and down and give me a bear-hug whenever Napoli scored. Kept trying to talk to me in Italian about the Napoli side. Friendly people, these Neapolitians. Or is that Napolese?

I don't know. 

Here's a picture of the biggest tub of Nutella I've ever seen. And no, it's not a perspective thing, it really is as big as that girl's head - 5 litres all up. Apparently, it's only found in Naples. 

Margherita Pizza

"When the moon hits your eye

Like a giant pizza pie

That's Amore..."

- Dean Martin, That's Amore

I had my first pizza pie in Napoli tonight. 

The place came recommended by the hostel, so we set off for the old town with the map and a vague sense of direction. Went down series of narrow alleys and crowded piazzas. Almost run over by a cacophony of scooters and cars hurtling down those one-way streets.  Past little of grannies taking their groceries home, and kids playing soccer in the squares. 

I had a Marghertia at the old town's local, a tiny corner restaurant that's buzzing with orders even after seventy-odd years. Almost weeped when I took my first bite out of that pizza. It's an amazing experience to eat the genuine article in the city where it all began. I almost felt ashamed of all those years spent ordering bastardised pizzas like Meat-lover's and Supreme pizzas. There is something magical about mozarella cheese, tomato paste and basil leaves. It's almost spiritual. 

Spent the rest of the night at a cafe overlooking one of those cramped little piazzas with a glass of red. Watched the locals gather in a corner of the square, and scooters buzzing through the alleys around us. Saw the moon and the stars peeking out through the clouds. And I thought to myself that there are much worse ways of spending the European winter. Freezing your arse off in Belgrade is one. Developing DVT on a long-haul bus is another. 

It's an amazing city, and I wish I had more time here. 

It's more ancient that Dubrovnik, and you can feel two millennia of human occupation when you walk through the streets. You see buildings built on top of massive vaulted archways, and churches tucked in amongst the towering apartment blocks. You see washing lines strung up high above you, and feel soiled socks tramped in the grime beneath your feet. And you can kind of understand how it must feel to live in a city where the history is so palpably a part of everyday life. 

Oh, and Arsenal lost 0-2 to Burnley in the Carling Cup. It's a pity, because I would've liked to have seen our kids win the damn thing for once, instead of just depantsing a couple of Premier League clubs in the early rounds. I mean, the performances of Wilshere, Ramsey, Vela and co. really should be acknowledged in some way. 

Then again, we did beat Chelsea 2-1 on the Sunday after a truly shocking first half. I only got to watch the first half (the bar owner was hooked on a Bundesleague match instead), but it was bad, bad, bad. Shock of my life ot find out a few hours later that we'd actually won that match. Maybe we'd used up all our luck in that game?