Avoid Naples!

I'm always reminded of the quote from Rod McKuen's Manhattan Beach (Lonesome Cities, 1968)

"Naples is the as*hole of the world
(ah, but there's Capri.)

I been to Naples a few times and never really liked it, I just didn't feel 'at home' there unlike any other place in Italy I have been to before. (Well, maybe Palermo!)
 
n5jrn said:
I have never done much world traveling myself, but even for domestic US cities I have found that most areas which many think are "dangerous" really are not that risky to visit. They may have high crime rates, even high violent crime rates, but most violent crimes happen between people already involved in criminal activity. Most murder victims knew their killers. As a tourist, you are mostly part of the background scenery as far as the vast majority of dangerous criminals are concerned.

Studies have shown that suburbanites are at a greater danger of dying in car crashes than inner-city dwellers are of being killed in a crime. Yet its the crimes that make the 11 o'clock news (in lurid detail), while the car crashes at most warrant a brief passing mention.
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Agreed. Just spent a few days doing an ongoing documentary project in the poorest area in the US, a place that seems third world by our standards. Never feel the slightest danger there. If you are aware of your surroundings, treat locals with respect, and act like you arent a potential victim, people generally either leave you be or are often hospitable.

If you see the world as a dangerous place, you oftenbring that perception upon you.
 
Stan, great job!
I enjoyed whole gallery, and plan to see your whole website, but let me tell you that the most impressive is for me #11 from your set (one can almost sense the emotions and relations in it). Great, I wish I could make such a picture some time!
 
Napoli is one of the most authentic cities in Italia, avoiding it, it would be like avoiding San Francisco in a California trip.
 
I prefer my crime to be organized. It's the unorganized crime that kills you. When Bobby Kennedy ran Carlos Marcello (a simple tomato grower) and the family out of New Orleans, the crime rate went sky high, and it's been off the wall ever since. Please, bring back the mob. They did business in an orderly way. They're the pros.

I've never seen Naples, nor any part of Italy. Strange, since I'm Italian, and my dad was from the Bronx. When I lived in 'frisco's North Beach the local Sicilians drove me crazy w/ all that energy. Being raised in the South, I preferred a more sedate scene, or something. Wonderful photos from your trip.
 
Just outstanding work! Thank you for sharing, Stan.

Best regards,

Bob
 
I admire your ability to get up close to the subjects. Great website! Last time I was in Napoli was 1999. I remember the meal I had there -- pasta con tono e fagioli. Brilliant. And good espresso, too.
 
Stan, much enjoyed your oaxaca and guatemala albums. i recognized the terrace of a second floor restaurant in oaxacawhere my bride and i ate dinner with her brother and his wife (they are missionarios).
and i reckon we walked about every street in antigua that you did. we enjoyed santiago aititlan as well except for the creepy maximon goings-on concurrent with a pentecostal men's conference. so strange to hear the 3,000 men singing hymns when a child approaches, wanting to be our guide to maximon's temple cave. uh, no thank you ...
 
Naples is a place I love. Still, some neighbourhood are dangerous, I mean it. There are places where you CAN NOT take pictures. Certain streets controlled by gangs where a camera is NOT welcome. That's understandable.
However, most of the city is quite safe.
The more you climb, the safer the tourist is.

I did not want to be a tourist, so I hung out everywhere else. Fortunately I had a guide for the first two days and continued on my own for two weeks I think.

Everyone has to be a little careful, whether it's in Paris, Napoli, New York, Barcelona...
I love the amalfitan coast, I love Napoli, I love Procida, Ravello, Ischia, Anacapri, so just go there ! Enjoy !
 
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