BEAUTY IN THE BEAST

Napoli, Italy
August 2015

By Ross Belfer

As beautiful as it is reckless, Napoli is a city that refuses to bend to the trends of the world. Instead, the southern Italian metropolis is a blend of southern European heritage that is a world of its own. Strolling from my bolthole Purgatorio No2, I meandered through the city's winding alleyways and crumbling districts to unwrap a candy bar full of sugary scenes. Whilst I only imagined a laid-back dinner-for-one type of stay before boarding a ferry to Stromboli, I befriended an affable Belgian who had galvanized me to join him for a night out.

You can forget the air conditioning when it comes to Napoli. The clouds appear and stars vanish at dusk atop the roof of a 16th-century palazzo. Mount Vesuvius is cushioned atop the shimmering Mediterranean Sea. You forget about the bar fight last night between, the Gamarra member who sold you hash while staring with a deadpan glaze. The clad of Napeloteano women who cooked you penne pomodoro the night prior. It's all a glaze, all an enigma unable to be described without experience. It's Napoli.