The tourist coach slows as it approaches the outskirts of Naples, heavy traffic impeding its progress to the night’s accommodation. Shops line either side of the road, mostly family-owned businesses selling a range of foodstuffs, both fresh and factory produced. Slivers of late afternoon sunlight protrude from the narrow gaps between shop awnings, giving the pavement a striped appearance. Curious British tourists peer from coach windows, eager to digest their first sight of ordinary Neapolitan life, some remarking on the unusual produce piled on the pavement beside open doors, vegetables and fruit rarely seen at home. Others note two middle-aged women engaged in conversation, loud voices and extravagant gestures implying disagreement, while those in the front seats watch a group of small c
