Thursday May 2: Today Sandy and I took a group tour leaving from downtown Rome to Pompeii. Located near the modern city of Naples in southern Italy, is an ancient Roman city frozen in time by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Once a bustling commercial hub and resort town for the Roman elite, Pompeii was buried under many feet of volcanic ash and pumice in a matter of mere hours, preserving its streets, buildings, and artifacts for nearly two millennia exactly as they were. Rediscovered in the 18th century, Pompeii has since become one of the world's most significant archaeological sites, offering a remarkable glimpse into daily life in the Roman Empire. We wandered through its remarkably preserved streets, and explored ancient houses, temples, theaters, and public baths, all providing insights into Roman architecture, art, and culture. The site continues to be a source of fascination and study for archaeologists, historians, and tourists like us, offering a vivid window into the daily lives of this past civilization and reminding us of the devastating power of nature.
Originally a Greek Theatre, later part of Roman Pompeii
Casa dei Vetti, the home of two wealthy bachelor brothers. Best preserved residence in Pompeii
Fresco of the Hunt
Oxcart wheel grooves worn into the pavers
A large house
A bakery, most houses did not have a cooking oven, the community bakery supplied the bread. The same with prepared foods. Many residents simply went out and purchased already prepared meals to bring home.
It is easy to imagine this crowd wearing togas and speaking Latin. With that adjustment this scene has not changed much from the day Vesuvius erupted
An erotic fresco in the brothel
When excavators discover a void where a body had been before it decomposed they will pump a special plaster/plastic into the void. After the plaster has hardened the ash and pumice is excavated and there is the body just as it was during the eruption.
At first interesting to think about, but it doesn't take long to appreciate and feel the anguish of these dying souls
A mother and child
Statues recovered from Pompeii
A statue that almost looks sad as she sees Pompeii, now a dead city
This is the best picture we could get of Vesuvius, the cause of all this death.
We also toured the dramatic Amalfi Coast on the way back to Rome. Much of the time it was in a driving rain.
We stopped by this Lemoncella production facility
Destined for the Lemoncella bottle
Removing the pulp from the lemons, only the pith and zest are used
A break in the sky and a view of the Amalfi Coast, towards Sorento
Another view down the coast
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