Category Archives: Other discoveries in Naples

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The Villa Comunale in Naples, Italy: and Carducci

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A look back (first published 16 July 2015): when we left Naples a fortnight ago there were still occasional purple flowers on the young jacaranda trees along the edge of the Villa Comunale, and the park’s lovely old bandstand was under wraps.

thephraser's avatarThe Phraser

The Villa Comunale in Naples The Villa Comunale in Naples

It was months before I noticed him.  I drove past him every day  … and yet I never looked left.  There were two reasons – the first was fear, new-to-the-road fear, and the second was the light of the early sun on the sea.

The fear of the drive into Naples has almost gone, and with it the bolts of shock that thumped through my heart each time I joined the traffic into the city.  Now, my spasmed eyeballs have relaxed and there’s time to enjoy the view.

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Easter chocolate at ‘Cioccolato Foresta’ in Naples

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A look back (first published 2 April 2015): I wrote this on impulse after we stumbled into this gleaming chocolate store. The staff were so friendly and the chocolate so delicious I could not resist.

thephraser's avatarThe Phraser

Salvatore Polito and Valentina Guarino of 'Cioccolato Foresta' (Gay-Odin) in Naples Salvatore Polito and Valentina Guarino of ‘Cioccolato Foresta’ (Gay-Odin) in Naples

Naples, Italy is famous for many things – but not everyone knows that chocolate is one of them, nor that the city’s champion chocolatier is Gay-Odin.

I first heard the name in an Italian class at the Centro Italiano followed by the words “… molto famoso “.

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2015 – my day in Naples with Pope Francis

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A look back (first published 23 March 2015): I walked miles across a quiet, traffic-free Naples on the day the Pope came to visit. The weather was sunny and still … the city apprehensive. Tension tightened everything.

thephraser's avatarThe Phraser

Why the Pope's visit to Naples matters Why the Pope’s visit matters: “Acerra terra di morte … ma di speranza con Papa Francesco.”
(Acerra land of death – but of hope thanks to Pope Francis)

Papa Francesco spent this year’s ‘first day of spring’ with the people of Naples.  He was warm, and brave and made thousands smile.

His first stop was Scampia – I never got there but I knew, and those watching knew, that the Pope was taking his message of hope and of ‘resistance to evil’ right into the heart of difficulty.

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