It really is amazing, because the changes in Naples crept up on me little by little by little, so I didn't notice them. Six year ago, staying in the historic center, I was traveling with someone who wouldn't even go out at night. It was dark and spooky looking. It still is that way, but is thriving with people.

Via Toledo is the main street, a little outside the historic center. It was decent then. I wouldn't say it is like Union Square in SF, or Fifth Avenue in NYC, but it's pretty darn nice, full of very smartly dressed people wearing stunning, fashionable eyeglasses, walking down the street.

I didn't mention in my previous post that the woman I had lunch with yesterday, along with her students, mentioned that among other things I should notice, was the Via Toledo train station. They said it is the prettiest train station in all of Europe, by most accounts. They weren't referring to Garibaldi, the equivalent of Roma Termini, just the local Metro stop in downtown Naples.

I blew that one off. How can that be? Naples having the most beautiful train stop in all of Europe? I didn't believe it.

Last night I noticed next door to my hotel, the Marriot Mediterraneo, a small store that said, "Vino Sfuso." Vino Sfuso is an interesting thing. You see it a lot in Venice. A way to describe it would be a store for home made wine. Somebody makes it and brings it to their small shop, in jugs. You go there with an empty plastic one liter coca cola or pellegrini water bottle, or similar container, and they pull it out of the jug, fill your container, and you go home. It's how locals economically buy their wine.

Places of Vino Sfuso are not a bar, and they don't sell by the glass, but they will give you some in a paper cup if you ask. The main thing about them is that these are frequented by locals, who know the ins and outs of the city.

So I stopped in and had a glass, and started chatting with my question, "Has Naples changed much in the last 5-6 years?" I got an earful, with them telling me to just go up the street to, "the train stop at Via Toledo." They kept saying it's been voted the most beautiful in all of Europe, and is like visiting a museum.

The one thing I forced myself to do today was to go there. I don't know if it is the most beautiful local train stop in Europe, but it has chandeliers, beautiful pictures, extravagant mosaics, gorgeous lighting. Comparing this local train stop to, for example, to the train stop at Times Square or the Embarcadero in San Francisco isn't even fair. I was saying to myself, "This is Naples?" Five years ago, I would never had considered taking the local train.

Finally, the south really is very different. It's hard to get to know northerners. It takes a while. At the vino sfuso place I entered with a small bag with a sweater I had just purchased. I told the lady at the Vino Sfuso that I wanted to take a liter back with me to the hotel (Vino Sfuso places sell empty one liter coca cola bottles for 5 cents.) I asked her if there was a way to hide it because the Marriott has an incredible roof top balcony with views to die for, but it does not have a bar service. I've been watching sunsets from there, and there are signs all over saying, "no outside food or beverage." You have to call room service and pay 10 euros for a glass to enjoy watching the sunset. I told her I'd have to sneak in the bottle of Vino Sfuso, and asked if she had a black, non-transparent bag for me to hide it in. I said that I was tired of paying 10 euros for a night cap glass of wine, because there is nowhere in Naples where you pay more than 2.5-3.5 euros for a glass of wine. A good bottle in a restaurant is less than 10 euros here.

Another lady in the store, who was there visiting her friend the owner overheard and said, "What, they won't let you walk in with wine you bought? That's ridiculous!" The lady behind the counter gave me the bottle of vino sfuso, and hid it under the sweater in my bag. The second lady, the one who said it's ridiculous asked, "They won't even let you bring in your own bottle of water? I said no, that's what the signs say. I am absolutely positive that this lady was not drinking any wine. She was just visiting her friend, the owner.

She said, "Let's go," and grabbed a bottle of sparkling water out of the cooler, and walked with me next door into the lobby of the Marriott, twisted off the cap, and started chugging down the water right in front of the check-in desk. Then, she went and ostentatiously chugged the outside water in front of security, the bellman, and even at the lobby bar. Then told me, "Don't let anybody tell you what you can and cannot do with your own money," and then she left. This lady I know, did not have one drop of liquor in her. She was just there visiting her friend. Naples is kind of crazy still.