02 - A Port of Call

Although Francesca Angelino’s promise to her family would have to wait, she fulfilled a half-promise to Sofia in no time at all.

Francesca worked as a fashion buyer. She watched fashion trends and selected the clothing to sell in all of her company’s stores. Her company sent her across Italy and throughout Europe. This often took her far from home for days at a time.

“I’m taking a trip. Would you like to join me?”

“Are we going to Milan?”

“No, but I am going to Naples. We'll stay at your Uncle Franco's overnight."

“Will I get to see cousin Lina?"

“Of course. You cousin Mario will be there, too.”

“Perfect!”

As soon as Sofia packed her bags, they headed south to Napoli – modern day Naples. Warm sea breezes blew through the car windows. Rocky outcrops and slender Sicilian cypress trees guarded the road to Sofia’s left while the wide-ranging coastline drifted along on her right. It was a mere 200 kilometers from Rome to Naples. They arrived inNaples within two hours.

The rocky coastline gave way to the cityscape as they passed under a piece of architecture Sofia knew very well. Tall stonework arches stretched from left to right, like a bridge, over the roadway.

"Do all Roman aqueducts come from Rome?"

"Heavens no!" exclaimed her mother, "They're called Roman aqueducts because most were built during the Roman Empire."

"Like Julius Caesar?"

"Julius Caesar was never an Emperor. He was an Army General. His nephew Augustus was the first Roman Emperor. The Roman Empire ruled throughout most of Europe for over 500 years and included all of Italy."

Just like Rome, modern skyscrapers mixed with buildings from all ages of Italian history. There were even columns and domes like those at the Pantheon and the Forum.

Signora Angelino cut through a side alley, passing street side merchants and balcony-level apartments. Old women hung laundry on clotheslines overhead. Meanwhile, motorcycles veered through traffic, narrowly avoiding pedestrians. Finally, the little Fiat emerged from the alley. Sofia recognized this place, too.

Uncle Franco's small two-bedroom house sat on a cliff overlooking the sea. Signora Angelino pulled the car into the small driveway next to the house. Sofia got out immediately and ran to the back fence. It had a perfect view of the Gulf of Naples. Large cargo ships lumbered into the inlet while people’s personal pleasure crafts jetted up and down the coast. Mount Vesuvius overlooked it all from the other side of the bay.

"I wish we could move here!"

"I don’t know if Uncle Franco has enough room for two more tenants."

"Oh, mom, I just mean Napoli."

A booming voice came from the doorway. It was Uncle Franco.

"You know you're welcome to stay with us anytime."

"I would like that very much," replied Sofia.

Uncle Franco took Sofia by the hand and led her inside. Aunt Angela was in the kitchen baking a cake.

“I bet you two are tired,” said Aunt Angela, “How about some Tiramisu and coffee for a pick me up?”

Tiramisu, which literally translated to ‘pick me up’ was a dessert made with coffee-soaked sponge cakes sandwiched between layers of whipped cream.

As Aunt Angela sliced pieces and put them on plates, Lina sprinkled them with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Then, Aunt Angela followed with a fresh pot of coffee.

“You won’t like the coffee,” said mother.

“I will.”

Sofia took a drink. Her face puckered.

“Let me take out the bitterness with some milk.”

“Is this cappuccino?”

“It’s an imported coffee from Egypt.”

“It isn’t Italian?”

Aunt Angela shook her head.

“Egyptians have always been known for their coffee. The Phoenicians, who lived in ancient Egypt, brought coffee to Italy over 3000 years ago. At that time, the Mediterranean Sea was like a highway. Merchant ships sailed from one port to another, trading goods, like coffee, oranges, or fine silks.”

Sofia took another sip and quickly followed it with a bite of Tiramisu. The coffee taste in the cake did little to soothe the bitter taste of her drink.

“Would you like some milk instead?”

Sofia nodded. Sofia’s mother poured the coffee into her own cup. Following a bite of coffee-soaked Tiramisu with a drink of cold milk quenched Sofia’s thirst completely.

“You ready for a road trip?” asked her Uncle.

“What?”

“We’re headed into downtown.”

“We are?”

“Not me,” said Sofia’s mom, “I have work to do. I’ll meet you for dinner. You can spend the afternoon with Uncle Franco and Aunt Angela.”

“How about me?” asked Lina.

“Who could forget you?” said her father.

Sofia and her mother parted ways. Mother worked while her daughter went sightseeing.

“How would you like to visit the Duomo?”

Sofia shrugged her shoulders.

“You’ll like it, I promise.”

Uncle Franco grabbed his niece by the hand and led her to the car. As soon as everyone was safe and secure, he backed out of the driveway and drove back into the city.

People clogged the downtown streets as Uncle Franco navigated through the heavy traffic. They passed the sports stadium. They passed the ancient fortress known as Castello Nuovo. They also passed other cathedral domes.

“Is that it?” Sofia asked.

“No,” replied Uncle Franco.

“How about that one?”

“Not yet.”

They passed the old old Archeology Museum, too. Uncle Franco knew the Dome was close. By that time, though, Sofia had stopped asking.

As the dome rose in the distance, Lina pointed to the skyline.

“Look! There it is!”

As Sofia investigated the exterior of the old cathedral, she thought its plain gray façade was nothing extraordinary. Three triangular steeples adorned the roof. The center portion was taller than the towers on either side. A simple cross sat atop its peak. Three stained glass windows ran vertically in each tower. A narrow archway led through the entry doors.

Inside, however, the church was magnificent. Really, it was opulent, with tall marble columns and high-reaching arches. Two rows of wooden pews flanked the center aisle. Gold leaf covered the wall behind the pulpit at the back of the cathedral chamber. Light streamed through the tall, stained glass windows that filled the domed arch behind the pulpit.

“This looks nothing like the cathedrals back home,” said Sofia.

“The cathedrals there are built in a Greek-Roman style. This type of architecture is called Gothic.”

“My mother said that Naples was first settled by Greeks.”

“That’s true,” said Uncle Franco, “but there were other people who settled Naples, too. The North Africans were here. The French were here, too. Even the Vikings were here.”

“That’s impossible,” said Sofia.

“It’s possible, and it actually happened. Naples is located centrally between Asia, Africa, and Europe. If you can control southern Italy, you can control most of the Mediterranean.”

Uncle Franco inhaled deeply as they walked through the streets. The smells of the sea filled the air.

“It is about that time…”

Uncle Franco herded the family into his car and traveled toward the shore. They walked along the docks. It wasn’t like nothing Sofia encountered before.

“There are so many trucks and boats!”

“This is the Naples port-of-call.”

“What’s a port-of-call?”

“It’s where ships stop on their way from one place to another. Goods from around the world get imported and exported from Naples. It’s always busy here, 365 days a year.”

Uncle Franco stopped at a bistro at the end of the bay. It was a simple restaurant, serving oven-cooked pizza and sandwiches. Uncle Franco ordered a pitcher of iced tea and two large fish pizzas, topped with sardines, tomatoes, and spinach.

The host escorted them to the back veranda. A cobblestone patio with ivy-covered grape arbors provided plenty fo shade from the evening sun.

They sat at a table overlooking the Gulf. Large cranes moved giant storage containers across the dock, loading and unloading cargo ships. Seagulls squawked in the distance as they tottered over the sailors’ heads.

Signora Angelino arrived just as the waiter came to their table with two steaming hot pizzas. As Sofia ate her pizza, she remembered what her mother said about Naples earlier that day.

“I have been looking for ruins and evidence of the Greeks or history, but haven’t found anything at all.”

“You’re eating history,” said her mother.

“Aunt Frannie,” said cousin Mario with a scowl, “we’re not eating history. We’re eating pizza.”

“The first pizzas were said to be made right here in Naples. Plus, the sardines and olives come from a hard day’s work by farmers and fishermen. These are brought in by trucks and cargo ships every day.”

“Now you just sound like Uncle Franco,” said Sofia.

“Well, he’s right. It’s all related.”

“Now you sound like Uncle Vinnie.”

“Well, we’re all related, too.”

“Oh mom,” groaned Sofia.

“I tell you what,” said Uncle Franco, “You see that mountain over there?”

“You mean Mount Vesuvius?”

Uncle Franco nodded.

“I will show you all the history you can manage tomorrow. Is it a deal?”

“We’ll see,” said Sofia doubtfully.

They finished their dinner and returned home. They played games and talked until late into the evening. At the end of the night, Sofia and her mother slept in Mario’s room while he settled on the living room couch for a good night’s sleep.

“Sogni d’oro,” called Aunt Frannie.

“Sogni d’oro,” replied Mario.

Dreams of gold are what Aunt Frannie wished all her nephews and brothers. It’s also what she said to Sofia as she kissed her good night.

“Sogni d’oro, mio caro.”

.

Dreams of gold, my dear…

…Dreams of gold indeed.

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