NAPLES (ITALY THAT IS...)

Writing this blog from my home in Naples, Florida, I need to make the distinction clear: Naples, Italy is my topic today!

I recently returned from a second trip to Italy in one month, this time dividing my stay in three popular Italian cities: Florence, Rome and Naples. There must be some kind of magnetic pull emanating from that prominent volcano that sits majestically beside the bustling metropolis called Napoli, because I keep wanting to go back.  Several years ago, in fact, I decided to return to this Italian city despite all the negative press in the media: "dangerous...filthy...smelly...chaotic...pickpocket capital of the world...etc). what I found on that visit was quite the opposite, as a matter of fact that same year I found Rome ( to my dismay) to be much dirtier and chaotic than its neighbor to the south. Thankfully things have improved of late in Rome, but that's a topic for another essay.

Naples is a city in competition with itself, it has a dual personality which some may describe as disfunctional, yet it survives by acting just like an extended family that sits at the same table, tolerating the crazy uncle, the eccentric grandmother, the judgmental teen, the slutty cousin, and still being able to enjoy the drinks and subsequent meal without batting an eye. As you begin ambulating through the city streets its dual character begins to become very apparent: there are well maintained pedestrian paths, next to alleys with cracked sidewalks, majestic villas in rococo style, next to seedy apartment buildings, wildly expensive boutiques flanked by schlocky stores selling cheap merchandise, elegant restaurants competing with stands selling street food, and so on.

The Neapolitans seems to exaggerate in everything: their flailing hand motions while speaking seem to increase along with the volume of their voices, which seem to be louder here, maybe to compete with the constant cacophony of zipping scooters, waling ambulances, music emanating from windows and stores, children being children and street vendors vying for attention. It is a living Picasso painting, where you recognize the subject, but you see it through distorted eyes. The women here exaggerate their maquillage, the men their attire, the children their screams for attention; it takes most uninitiated visitors a few days to become accustomed to this delirious buffet of humanity, but once they let themselves go and allow themselves to roll and sway with the natives, they are forever changed in their perception of Italy.

As I've underscored many times before, Italy is held together as one united country simply by language ( and even that can be disputed), political decrees, the love of soccer, coffee, pasta, geography.  Yet every corner of the country has a unique culture, cuisine, architecture, music, that makes it different from the rest. In that sense, Naples is a microcosm of the entire country. The schitzophrenic dualism of the city mirrors that of the rest of the "boot". But it is that seemingly unsettling characteristic that makes Napoli so attractive. The people are genuinely friendly, they are generous, gregarious, inclusive, spontaneous. The food offerings are the basis of most Italian-American cuisine, so more recognizable to tourists, yet more "real". I found the very best shopping for men's clothing in this city, at very reasonable prices. Neapolitans are known for their haberdashery skills and they are not shy in showcasing them in store window after store window. I must assume it's the same for women's attire, though I'm too engrossed in what they offer for my gender to notice.

This city has a very prominent history, its origins dating back to the 9th century BC. It boasts a pedigree that rivals Rome, having survived multiple layers of diverse dynasties (Greek, Roman, Norman,French and more). Its 2500 years of history is probably why in its time it attracted famous individuals like Dickens, Goethe, Hemingway, Andy Warhol and many others. The Neapolitan dialect is one of the few that continues to remain relevant through poetry, music and theater. The Neapolitan Music Festival each year rivals that of the San Remo Music Festival in Liguria. Its religious DNA is  an intertwining of Catholicism, paganism, superstition and folklore. All you need to do is to be in that city of the day they celebrate the patron Saint,  Gennaro, whose blood supposedly liquifies once a year to the explosion of joy from the masses who attend the festivities, and that will explain it all. By the way, if the blood should not liquify on any given year, the residents believe that disaster will fall upon the city at some point during that year. I haven't done a nexus study of the blood non liquifying and the natural disasters that the city had endured, but disasters have indeed occurred.  In 1626, 70,000 people perished in an earthquake. In 1980 another major earthquake killed several hundreds.  Living in the shadow of Vesuvius is a constant reminder of the ephemeral life they live, alongside what could be their executioner.

Maybe this is why Neapolitans live their life with exuberance and passion: could today be their last day before they become a modern day Pompei? I'm a Roman by birth, yet I'm intrigued by Naples. Even if you don't want to overnight there, its only a short train ride from Rome, so you could easily depart Rome after breakfast and return after dinner, but you will have missed the very late night pulse of the city, where crowds gather at their favorite mostly outdoors bars and restaurants to enjoy each other company, speaking loudly over the even louder music and enjoying Neapolitan pizza (the real thing!), sfogliatelle, good wine and great vibes.

 I would recommend staying at my favorite hotel, the historic Grand Hotel Parkers, perched hillside overlooking the beautiful bay of Naples. It is in the Chiaia district where it has welcomed the famous and not so famous since the 1870. This year while I was there, it was going through some major renovation, which should be completed in 2022. The work being done did not disturb me while I was there, the beautifully appointed room was quiet despite facing the main drag right in front of the main entrance of the hotel. The staff there is the friendliest I've encountered anywhere, ready to respond to any request. The highlight of this building is the breakfast room and terrace on the top floor. what a way to begin the day, sipping cappuccino while admiring the bay of Naples come to life! On that same level is the Hotel's Michelin starred restaurant, George. From there I was able to walk to any part of the city I wanted, whether it was the shopping street of Toledo, the main square Plebiscito, the Quartiere Latino or the seafront Posilippo.

Allow me to book your next trip to NAPOLI!!

 LOPESAN RESORT & SPA

COSTA BÀVARO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

In 1972 the family of Lopez & Sanchez created a successful construction company based in their country of origin, Spain. A few decades passed and their passion for creating structures morphed into something completely new: the hospitality business. They began with a resort hotel in Spain, eventually adding others there and finally the “Lopesan” brand crossed into Austria and Germany. Europeans noticed the beautifully built resorts and flocked to them with gusto. The service, food and ambiance created fans in the many repeat guests.

          The Punta Cana resort is the first foray outside of Europe for this still family owned          business. After an unfortunate opening just as the COVID pandemic was rearing its ugly head, the resort closed shortly after its opening, only to re-open in early 2021. The success was almost immediate. With little publicity, but word of mouth, Lopesan was able to welcome record number of guests, mostly Europeans who were familiar with the brand. They were followed by the Americans, always looking for a luxury product coupled with impeccable service. They were not disappointed. Last week while I stayed there, the resort was at 92% occupancy, unheard of, particularly for such a new and little know product in the Caribbean.

The resort has over 1000 rooms, yet you would be hard pressed to find throngs of people in any one location. By virtue of the resort’s well planned design, guests are spread out throughout the property which boasts 7 freshwater pools, 2 water parks, 7 speciality restaurants, 16 bars, a double buffet ( with a section for adults only) as well as its unique highlight: the Boulevard. The aforementioned Boulevard is a space dedicated to shopping, a coffee bar, a wine cellar, a cigar bar, a bowling alley, the theater, the spa and areas for teens and ones for smaller children. as well as an ice cream parlor, a fast food restaurant and an English pub. A cornucopia of offerings for all ages and tastes. The large white sand beach being the other option for people to gather.

The resort is divided into three sections: a basic and most sought after one which welcomes people of all ages (a favorite of families), an adults only section and finally the VIP section called “Unique”. Unique guests have a dedicated beach space as well as their own beachfront restaurant for breakfast or lunch and a bar. They also have exclusive access to the speciality restaurant, Mareas. The added amenities in the Unique area, make the slightly higher price, definitely worthwhile. All rooms are spacious and have large bathrooms. The furnishings are modern and eye pleasing. Balconies are also big and adorned with comfortable seating for lounging in privacy. 

Food offerings, premium liquor, friendly service and elegant furnishings throughout, make Lopesan the obvious resort choice to spend one’s vacation. I, personally, was hard pressed to find things to criticize. If I wanted to mention one, it would be the occasional periods of spotty wifi service, an annoyance for those who want to work while vacationing. Another might be a word of caution for those with problems ambulating, because of the size of the resort and the walking distances to reach certain services from one’s room. Additionally the very beautiful hallway floors could become treacherously slippery when wet, because of their slick shiny surfaces. Again, I’m nit picking, because overall this is a magnificent resort. Unlike the resort in my previous blog, this one I highly recommend and look forward to visiting again myself soon!

 

           

 SERENADE PUNTA CANA BEACH & SPA RESORT

I must preface this review with a reminder to my readers that everything I write is completely subjective, based on my personal experience and never based on personal relationships with those offering the services of either hotels, restaurants or other venues. I wish to be informative, without bias.

I arrived at this newer resort in Punta Cana knowing nothing about it, other than what appears on their website and on social media. I checked in and asked to briefly greet the sales manager, with whom I had had a couple of email exchanges prior to my trip, simply to introduce myself, share my business card and thank her. She was very cordial but very hurried. I was not given a map of the resort, or instructions on how to navigate the system, which is different at every property. I found my room on my own and must say I was impressed.

The property is beautiful, it is spotless, the rooms are large as are the bathrooms, furnished in a very minimalist modern way, yet with much storage space and thankfully several USB ports for charging electronics ( something I expect these days, particularly in newer hotels). There are 6 buildings, three on each side separated in the center by two very large pools. Each building has four floors with a mix of swim up ground floor jr suites as well as regular jr suites and large two room suites. There’s also a premier section of the hotel with upgraded amenities and separate pool area which can be accessed only if  your room is booked in that category.

I don’t know about you, but when on a vacation, I don’t want to have a schedule or be compelled to jump through hoops to get certain basic things accomplished. After all they sell themselves as a 5 star property. For example, at arrival everyone is given a towel card which allows you one beach or pool towel. You need to go to a booth (which was inconveniently located) to exchange the card for a towel, and then return the towel to the same location at the end of the day. The process is then repeated each day you’re there. I find that annoying…is it just me?

There are signs throughout the property indicating directions in order to make it easier to find restaurants and bars. I found some of the bars were non-existent. The bar serving the main pool also served the entire beach, so it got a bit crowded compelling one to wait. There is no waiter service. The swim up portion of the bar was unattended the entire time I was there. To access the bar menu, you had to download a barcode which I found cumbersome and at times inaccessible. There is no premium liquor that I could find anywhere and the drinks were unimaginative, watery and overall disappointing. On a positive note the staff around the pool and beach was pleasant, friendly and helpful.

Food is what at times cements the memory of a resort either in a positive or negative way. Unfortunately in the case of this resort the food throughout was memorably unappealing and remarkably mediocre. For lunch you have the choice of two buffet restaurants: one large one and another a “ Mexican” one which was smaller and surprisingly offered very similar food, just fewer choices. For dinner there is the same large buffet restaurant, or a sports bar which features the usual offerings you might expect at any sports bar. This one, once again, disappointing ( I’m trying to be kind here!). Worst hamburger I ever tasted….I’ll leave it at that.

To access the speciality restaurants you have to find the desk where two young ladies will help you make a reservation. I found the desk by chance especially because there was no sign anywhere indicating that it was the reservation desk, rather a makeshift folding table. However, what they don’t tell you is that if you arrive anytime after 10 or 11 am, those restaurants are full and you have to return the next morning to attempt a reservation again. I walked by the restaurants and despite being half empty, without a reservation, you were turned away. Please don’t ask me why I avoid “Italian” restaurants at all inclusive restaurants in the Caribbean…thank you! The other choices were a Mediterranean restaurant and an Asian one.  I was  able to secure a reservation at their “ premier” restaurant; a steakhouse called CUT, which everyone assured me was the very best. The ambiance screamed steak house, so I thought I scored gold! Again the menu can only be accessed online by scanning the barcode ( annoying). I chose a Caesar salad ( it was identical to the one I saw served at the sports bar) followed by churrasco. The meat arrived flanked by a tired and truly unappealing portion of mashed potatoes, over boiled asparagus , mushy mushrooms and a small slice of corn on the cob. The meat was tough, stringy and flavorless. The wine I was served was also of very low quality. After that, I avoided the specialty restaurants and simply grazed at the buffet.

I have stayed in two and three star hotels and have eaten in dives, but they never pretended to be more than what they were. I enjoyed the food in many of those places more than I did here. I am simply annoyed by venues that sell themselves as 5 star, or “deluxe” and don’t produce the quality they portray on their websites. I visit as many places as I can so that I may steer my clients correctly, depending on their expectations. I hope you read this in the spirit it was written, one of constructive criticism.

 When in Venice....

I had the pleasure of spending one night in a lovely 4* hotel called Santa Chiara in the Santa Croce area of Venice a few weeks ago.

Although its location is not what most would consider the "obvious", meaning that it does not advertise  itself as being in the  "San Marco", or Rialto Bridge vicinity, nevertheless it is within a leisurely stroll away from all the touristy attractions  and actually very well located with access to all types of transportation, including land based ones. This is especially important when needing a location which will allow a transfer to the airport that can avoid the overpriced water taxis most other hotels cannot avoid.

I was able to ambulate the small streets and alleys of the city safely and without getting lost, particularly because at almost every corner there are signs with arrows directing you towards all the major sites of Venice. What was particularly pleasant was to discover neighborhoods void of any tourists at all, yet bustling with locals and university students. Neighborhoods close to the hotel that were full of small restaurants and bars with uncharacteristically affordable prices, unlike the ones found in the areas immediately adjacent to Piazza San Marco and its annoying pigeons!

The hotel is part of Mr. Roberto Dazzo's collection of hotels and it is run as a family would when they nurture their child. It is immaculately clean, with pleasant esthetics, the rooms are spacious and welcoming and the staff is professional and friendly. the feeling of being welcomed is immediately palpable. Despite having booked clients there in the past, this was my first time overnighting there and I can assure you I would do it again.

When planning a trip to the Veneto region, or any of the other 19 regions in Italy, rest assured you will be in good hands when you allow me to create a personalized itinerary for your specific needs.

The Santa Chiara Hotel might just prove to be the right choice for you in Venice!

 MY FIRST ( very subjective) EXPERIENCE TRAVELING TO EUROPE SINCE 2020

I was very excited to have been invited to one of the first “in person” travel events which took place in the Lake Garda region in Northern Italy in October. I have chosen not to be vaccinated, so I did have some apprehension about the ability to easily navigate the check-in process at the airport, as well as being allowed to have easy admittance into Italy and Croatia once landed.

Because I did have COVID earlier this summer ( an almost completely asymptomatic form of it) I asked my personal physician to examine me, write an official letter of recovery and follow it up with a blood test showing antibodies in my system. One day before departure I also organized a rapid antigen test which came back negative. In addition to that, I had a letter from the organizers of the event I was to attend  attesting that my reason for travel was work related.

Just prior to the departure date, Delta Airlines advised that I should fill out  “Passenger Locator Form” online, which I dutifully complied with.

Armed with all this documentation both in electronic form as well as in hard copy, I approached the check-in counter at Delta in Miami. They wanted to see my passport as well as the result of my most recent antigen test. Nothing else interested them.

Upon arrival at Malpensa Airport in Milan, once again they were only interested in seeing my passport. They stamped it and I was on my way. Now I’m thinking: was I over prepared? Did I stress for nothing? I was almost disappointed that no one challenged me for not being vaccinated, particularly because I came armed with so much documentation. Yet no one seemed remotely interested. That was an eye opener!

Once my event was over, I took a train to Venice. On board the train I was asked to produce what Italians call a “green pass”. Since as US citizens we have no such thing, I showed the antigen test result I had received the day before landing in Italy. A quick glance looking for the word “ negative” was sufficient. Had they looked at the date they may have discovered that it was outdated at that point, but bureaucracy being what it is, that didn’t much matter. After spending a day in Venice never being asked for proof of vaccination or other documentation, I headed for the airport to check in to an Austrian Airlines flight flying Venice-Vienna-Zagreb. Of course while inside the airport I was wearing my ubiquitous blue mask; the very same one that had sufficed during all my travels up until that point, but Austrian Airlines had other ideas. An airline agent approached me while in line and advised me that I needed to have a K95 surgical mask in order to fly. Quite conveniently the coffee shop in that immediate area was selling them for €10 ( scam?). Now I try to check in. I was asked for a current antigen test which I did not have. The agent asked me to go back to the entrance area of the airport where I could be tested. Of  course I had done research and knew that if I had a certificate of recovery, a test was not required for travel within Europe. The agent seemed baffled once I advised her of this but she was kind enough to look up the latest rules. Once certain that I was correct, I received my boarding passes. That was the ONLY time during my entire trip that my doctor’s note became useful. From that point on, including my arrival in Zagreb, it was smooth sailing.

I spent 3 days in Zagreb and then one week sailing the Adriatic on a yacht.

No need to display any type of certificates or green passes anywhere and masks were not required indoors or out. At the end of the Croatian portion of my trip we  were all advised that in order to be able to fly out of the country we would be compelled to show a negative test. Conveniently, a doctor boarded our yacht in Split to collect €50 per person to perform a perfunctory non-test ( the swabs were just discarded after the pseudo test, something I witnessed personally). Naturally within a hour everyone in our group received a message showing an official negative diagnosis.

Again entering Italy at Fiumicino airport in Rome, only the passport was required, no other document.

Three days later I left Rome to return to the US. I went to a pharmacy directly across the street from my hotel to submit myself to the second test during my three and a half week voyage. It cost €15. Within 30 minutes i again had a negative diagnosis on my phone.

What is my conclusion after this experience? Being over prepared is cumbersome, yet advisable because one never knows who could ask for what during travels in Europe. My personal experience is that being vaccinated in order to travel is unnecessary, since you have to have a negative test whether vaccinated or not in order to leave and to return to the US. It is mostly theater in my opinion, and a way for test givers to make money. None of the theatrics are in place to keep anyone safe, rather they just want to give the appearance of doing so.

I will now travel more, and with less apprehension and stress. I can play the game, because in the end, that’s all it is. 

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