Italy: North vs. South

In response to my Napoli email, my friend Elaine (who's married to an Italian -- Marco you rule! -- & has been living in Milan for the past few years) wrote me:

"You're definitely getting a taste of Italian efficiency and 'Italian time.' I swear it's the thing that bothers me most about this country....everything is late, delayed, postponed, etc. I liked your comparison of Japan and Italy, it really is true! But keep in mind you're not in the 'European Italy,' you're in Naples where everything is corrupt, mafia, and dirty. All other Italians make fun of Naples saying it's the 3rd world because it really is more like Cairo than other European cities."

There most certainly seems to be a huge North-South divide (not to mention regional divisions) in Italy.