The Italians of the South live, just as Africans do, on bread dipped in olive oil. - Norman Lewis

All things in Naples are arranged with as much civility as possible.

A problem has arisen. Although I handed in my army rations to the cook, with the intention of living on these, nobody has taken me seriously, nor believed that any human being in his right mind and able to eat pasta would refrain from doing so.

There is an inherent Mediterranean austerity much in evidence in the Naples area, in Sorrento and Capri, which seems to come from the sea, since it is hardly to be found inland.