Ok, our experience in Naples has been mostly cloudy and rainy - not good for 
touring and very hard to see the countryside. So, I found out that I can get a 
room in the same hotel for 1/2 of what we were paying if I'd take a room 
"without a view."  hmmmm, can't see anything through the clouds and rain, 
what am I missing here?<br>
<br>
Well, we're not there for the hotel anyway - we're touring the city, right? So, 
here's the view from our room!!!&nbsp; Nasty, eh! Same hotel, same exact size 
room and other benefits, free breakfast, free Internet, $100/nite for this one, 
$220/nite for a room with a view of the rain and clouds.&nbsp; Keep the shutters 
closed and you can't even tell.<p><img src="DSC_1445.jpg"><br>
<br>
The room itself in this hotel was pretty good. A double bed for us, and a 
separate single bed for JP. <br>
Problem: he's a foot away from our bed - a real buzz 
killer!!&nbsp; Oh well, only two nights here before we move on to the next 
hotel.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1446.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1447.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1448.jpg"></p>
<p>Bathroom was a pretty good size with a full tub &amp; shower.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1449.jpg"></p>
<p>Closet - standard size, room on the desk for my computer (my priority!!)<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1450.jpg"></p>
<p>But, we're tired of that so we decided to at least get a nicer hotel in a 
better part of the city - how about a hotel in paradise? Welcome to the Hotel 
Paradiso.</p>
<p>This one is located on the side of a mountain about 800 feet above sea level. 
Once again, however, a room with an ocean view is now $260-320/nite, our room 
with a view of a street, $100/nite. Works for us since we're out first thing in 
the morning and not back until after dark!! The heck with the view, we ate at an 
expensive restaurant instead!!&nbsp; Great food and service and we still saved 
money!!</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1451.jpg"></p>
<p>So, for an extra $160/nite, this is the view you can have from your 
room....keep in mind that with all the rain we had, this is the &quot;first&quot; view of 
the mountains in the distance that we've had since we've been here. See the 
grayish mountains in the background? That's the best we've had. Didn't know they 
were there yesterday!!&nbsp; Forecast for today and tomorrow, 80% chance of 
rain!!&nbsp; So much for the room with a view.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; More 
pictures of &quot;the view&quot;......</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1452.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1453.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1454.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1455.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1456.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1457.jpg"></p>
<p>A castle off in the distance - the next picture show's what it looks like 
without the telephoto lens, thanks to Alex!</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1458.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1459.jpg"></p>
<p>So, here we are at the Hotel in Paradise. <br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1460.jpg"></p>
<p>This is the street/courtyard that we have a view of....<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1461.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1462.jpg"></p>
<p>Here's a few shots from down at sea level....<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1463.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1464.jpg"></p>
<p>Did I mention it's only about 45 degrees outside, overcast and windy!! We 
couldn't even walk around yesterday - had to wait until today to get this much. 
Glad the rest of the trip went flawlessly!!<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1465.jpg"></p>
<p>We only walked around for a few minutes and then went to eat at a real nice 
restaurant across the street.&nbsp; There are restaurants everywhere - are you 
surprised?<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1466.jpg"></p>
<p>Typical marina - in Naples...<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1467.jpg"></p>
<p>Lot's of homes built right into the hillside...<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1468.jpg"></p>
<p>Another Italian &quot;Bar&quot; - not like the US Bars!!&nbsp; Pastacceria means, &quot;come 
in and taste our sweet desserts!!&quot;&nbsp; mmmmmmm!!!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I can feel 
the fat forming around my waist. </p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1469.jpg"></p>
<p>One thing I was amazed with but doesn't show up very well in this picture was 
how clean the water was. This particular spot looked to be about 8-10 feet deep 
and you could see the bottom like there wasn't any water there. Again, the 
picture doesn't do it justice - too much glare and I don't have a Polaroid 
filter. (it's on my Christmas list!!)<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1470.jpg"></p>
<p>Downtown Naples at the last hotel was dirty, dingy and scary. This side of 
town seems to be on the &quot;other side of the tracks!&quot;&nbsp; Much cleaner, people 
dressed better, nicer stores and cleaner buildings. Now I'm really glad we 
switched hotels. <br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1471.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1472.jpg"></p>
<p>Now that I'm looking at this on the computer, I realize it came out a lot 
darker than it really was. Although you can't see them, there were street 
vendors up and down this little street, and cars and motorcycles still drove up 
and down - hence the picture!<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1473.jpg" width="565" height="840"></p>
<p>Looks like they're starting to get ready for Christmas. They were putting up 
decorations as we walked around.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1474.jpg"></p>
<p>Ok, I couldn't resist this one. So what does one purchase at &quot;Ass italia?&quot;&nbsp; 
ha ha<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1475.jpg" width="788" height="527"></p>
<p>While we were walking down a main street, a nice old man saw us looking at 
our map and came over to talk to us. With my &quot;very limited&quot; Italian, and the 
fact that he didn't know a single word in English, he told us about a place we 
needed to go see. After several minutes of, &quot;what&quot; &quot;where&quot; &quot;huh&quot; ..... we took 
his advice and walked about 7 or 8 blocks to go see it. Here's what we found....<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1476.jpg" width="425" height="645"></p>
<p><br>
<img src="DSC_1477.jpg"></p>
<p><br>
<img src="DSC_1478.jpg"><img src="DSC_1479.jpg"><img src="DSC_1480.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1481.jpg"></p>
<p>We found this church first and assumed it's what he was talking about. Nice, 
but rather plan when compared to the Duomo's we've already seen. More time-lapse 
pictures so you can see what we couldn't because it was so dark inside. 
Remember, with time-lapse photography a candle can look like a flare.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1482.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1483.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1484.jpg"></p>
<p>Charlene thought it was too dark for the camera to see her so she didn't 
bother to smile!!!&nbsp; lol&nbsp; Most of the lights behind her were as bright 
as a typical night light!!<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1485.jpg"></p>
<p>Looks like special people get entombed in these churches. Must be special???<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1486.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1487.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1488.jpg"></p>
<p>You can kinda get an idea of how dark it was here - it was hard for the 
camera to pick up this part of the church when set to automatic....<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1489.jpg"></p>
<p>So, I switched to manual and slowed the camera down even more, exposing for 
about 2 seconds...<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1490.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1491.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1492.jpg"></p>
<p>We get through at that church and find another one across the street. Ok, 
this must be the one the old guy was trying to tell us about. Holy cow, 
unbelievable statues, pictures, stained glass, etc, etc.&nbsp; Absolutely 
beautiful - check it out....<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1493.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1494.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1495.jpg"></p>
<p>This ceiling was pitch black - I couldn't see it except that I could tell 
there was something up there. The camera lens was open for about 3 seconds which 
is a really long time. I didn't even know what I was taking a picture of until I 
downloaded the pictures to the computer to look at them.&nbsp; Wow!!&nbsp; 
(note: there was some repairs going on; hence, the scaffolding)&nbsp; Look at 
the detail. What would it cost to build this today - with union workers!!!<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1496.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_1497.jpg"></p>
<p>If my eyes weren't totally deceiving me, these huge candle sticks didn't look 
like brass - more like solid gold. Ya think?<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1498.jpg"></p>
<p>Down a special hallway was a small chapel dedicated to some famous 
Professor/Doctor. Not really sure why.<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1499.jpg"></p>
<p>I had to get a good picture of the Organ Pipes!!&nbsp; My favorite, of 
course!!<br>
<br>
<img src="DSC_1500.jpg"></p>
<p>Friday we're off to Salerno and then Roccadaspide to seek out some Rubano's.&nbsp; 
Please Lord, no more rain!!</p>
<p><br>
</p>