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| Napoli and the volcano. Boom! |
My mamma always says that I have this urge to try new things. So I did the Ultimate Napoli Fan Experience. I went dark side and took an illegal taxi.
Not that I really wanted to, but because it happened. My bus arrived at Napoli around 2 am, I was very tired but prepared to walk around 30mins alone to the Hostel. But then a man came when I was going out of the station and told me "For 5€ my taxi will take you anywhere in the city". I was like "Ok va bene, I'm too tired anyway". And I followed him.
As we get closer to the "taxi" I started to feel that something was not normal. The car was a... normal car. Like those old black Fiat that you see everywhere. He had already asked me where I wanted to go. But before we entered the car I had to say it: "Sorry but this is not a taxi".
And he was like "Yeah, it's not. Lets go."
And I was like "Omfg Filipe... what are you doing pazzoooooo..."
The guy was completely that movie stereotype about Mafia. And I've heard the stories about Napoli, about the Camorra (Mafia) and its illegal activities, about how people without a job started inventing ways to make money (like being an unexpected taxi driver).
But I entered. The driver started the car and we went on our amazing trip. Of course that we also had to stop in another street to give a ride to his friend, that entered the car joyful and greeting me cheerful. Believe me, this was so normal being in this city.
This guy was even more that (wrong) stereotype about the danger. We started talking about Italia (in italiano, of course!) and about how much I loved Napoli; that it was my second time in the city, etc.
And then out of nowhere they started speaking napoletano (another language, so different from italiano, that not even most italians can understand it. Imagine me!).
And that was the part where I honestly thought "Ok. They are talking about how I'm going to get kidnapped." But the strangest thing is: I was not even scared, I was excited, I was smiling.
So I just literally asked what was the best way to go to a beach near the city the next morning. And they went so proud, telling me how to get there, what to avoid, etc.
As we ride trought the city and talked a lot, I was seeing places where I had been before and I was so emotionally touched that they fully understood.
So when we arrived at our destination, the driver stoped the car and I payed and was preparing to get out of the car, but they just continued talking about things with me... they even asked If I would like to go with them and other people to the beach the next day. For real! I already knew. People from the south are just so open to everyhing, so strangely kind, so lovely. But I kindly refused.
In the end they were thinking that I was really italian... from Milano (they have kind of a different way of talking, that's why!). Really! They didn't believed when I said I was from Portugal. And that made me really proud, because it means that my italian isn't so bad after all.
I had to go, so I went out of the car. And then la magia napoletana came. They stepped out also to shake my hand, to give me warmful thanks, to wish me good luck with my staying, etc. It was like we were friends for so long... or like I had just saved them from something.
I know I shouldn't pact with this illegal things, I could have taken an Uber (!) or a real taxi, and call the police and report this. But I also know that these things are part of the Napoli soul. This city is a lot about what you LIVE there, not about what you see (and I'll writte another post about that too!). In this city you can really see people striving to survive. That's it!
And I know, I know, I shouldn't act this way. I know, I know good boys don't misbehave, but i'm a bad boy anyway.
And after all I did a good thing. Maybe one day I will be volunteering for... the Mafia?
And right now I'm putting la mia anima napoletana and honestly not giving a f* about how this sounds. :D
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