{"id":80042,"date":"2016-11-27T02:00:39","date_gmt":"2016-11-27T09:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wend.ca\/?p=80042"},"modified":"2020-04-14T15:21:04","modified_gmt":"2020-04-14T19:21:04","slug":"la-passeggiata-and-pick-pockets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wend.ca\/?p=80042","title":{"rendered":"La Passeggiata and Pick Pockets"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Internets make it seem as though Napoli is a horrible, unsafe place that should be avoided. As such, I spent time with one or two people who freaked out because they worried constantly that we’d be mugged after dark. This is not a great way to start out in a new city… and it’s not an entirely fair assessment of this wonderful city!<\/p>\n

Firstly, Napoli is raw and un-tourist-ified, and the people are not shy about showing their dark, dirty, and sometimes strange underbelly. Westerners aren’t used to this so the immediate reaction is to be afraid and hide. I remember feeling this way during my first days in India. And, back then the Internet didn’t feed insecurities.<\/p>\n

Napoli is probably one of the more authentic experiences that you’ll get in Italy; the food is fantastic, the wine\/drink is amazing, the people are authentic, and the reactions aren’t rehearsed. I love this authenticity more than overcrowded tourist experiences that gloss over the real soul of a city. <\/p>\n

Social life starts in Napoli after dark. If you’re hiding inside out of fear, you’ll miss things like Passeggiata<\/em> (Promenade) which shows the warm and community focused part of Italian people. <\/p>\n

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La passeggiata<\/em> is an evening stroll that happens after work (6-8pm) when people head out to a certain part of town to wander a bit before heading home. <\/p>\n

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Via Toledo seems to be the place that Neapolitans like to meander; on Sunday (as we discovered) families dress up in their best clothing and hit the streets. Traditionally, the purpose of passeggiata<\/em> is to help children develop social skills, to give people a sense of community, and to share the news with one another.<\/p>\n

Yes, pickpockets and scammers hit the streets as well. We saw both the standard gang\/team and the Rom varieties; both are pretty easy to spot. <\/p>\n

Just be aware of your surroundings, don’t walk in places where you can be easily herded or channelled, be aware when someone suddenly starts to follow you (with a blank look on their face, they’re watching you out of peripheral vision), watch out for bikes\/scooters that get too close, and when someone tries to engage you in random conversation as you’re walking, ignore them… especially if they speak to you in English.<\/p>\n

Most importantly don’t expose or wear anything you don’t want to be stolen. If stress and fear are getting in the way of the experience, then leave your belongings in a hotel room.<\/p>\n

But, certainly don’t hide because you’ll miss what many philosophers have called the soul of Italy<\/em>.<\/p>\n