We decided to go first to the Vodafone shop around the corner, get a SIM card, and start trying to make contact. But when I opened my laptop, I found I had an email from CFA Memberlink, to say that David's wallet had been found.
They had had an email from an Aussie currently in Bari. He had been in Peppo's restaurant last night, when someone had produced a found Australian wallet. He had searched through it, and found David's CFA Memberlink discount card, and so emailed CFA to see if they could help. The CFA had looked David up in their files, phoned our home number and got our email addresses from the answering machine message we had left. We couldn't believe our luck.
So we emailed back to John, and to Peppo's restaurant, and decided that the best thing to do would be for David to go back to Bari to collect the wallet, and I'd stay and go nativity hunting which was programmed for another day. So by 10:30, David had a new SIM card, and was at the bus station ready to go.
Solo in Naples ...
I spent the morning doing mundane housework - washing, shopping, and buying my own SIM card - I got the handle of our small wheelie bag fixed (it had fallen and jammed in Patras, so it couldn't be wheeled by an upright person), and I started collecting cardboard boxes so that we could send some spare stuff home.
After lunch I went to find Via San Gregorio Armeno, the street of nativity makers. It took about 30mins to walk there.
On the whole, I was disappointed in what I found. Most of the shops that had nativities had all the same Neapolitan style, multi-level hills with swarms of renaissance-dressed villagers, which did nothing for me. They also had figurines of footballers and trendy people, villagers and animals for making up your own period-style nativity, fridge magnets and other tourist junk.
A butcher to add to the villagers at the bottom of a nativity hill.
I walked up and down, sat in a couple of churches to rest and cool down,
and bought some souvenirs. I had several phone calls from David, letting me know how he was progressing in his quest. I had McD for tea, and waited.
Meanwhile ... Solo in Bari ... (David writes) ...
The 10:30 bus to Bari never came but eventually a substitute bus arrived and masses of disgruntled passengers (and I) piled aboard and we started our 3 1/2 hr journey about half an hour late.
At Bari I walked to Peppo's restaurant, about 1km from the bus station, to collect my wallet and was met by a very enthusiastic and helpful lady who told me "there is a problem ...". It had been given to the police last night so I would need to go to the police station and "it is far, need to take boos", so back to the bus station armed with my story, written out by her in Italian and about a 3.5km bus trip.
Police were very helpful and directed me to a senior officer who spoke excellent English and could not do enough for me. He established that the wallet was not there but found out which of his officers would have been on duty in the area, tracked down the one involved and called him in to the station where he duly arrived, wallet in hand. Huge relief all round! A form to be signed and the wallet handed over, it was time for me to get back to town (which I walked).
My return bus had long since gone so I bought another ticket and after an anxious time trying to find where the bus would be leaving from, left Bari again, arriving back in Napoli after 10.00. The countryside is very beautiful, but after three trips across the Italian peninsula from coast to coast I think I have seen enough for now. I have been struck on several occasions on this trip by the kindness and helpfulness of people, but today's experiences really blew me away.
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