better describe what we saw today than my words.
We started the adventure with 5 of our troop walking through downtown
Naples looking for the "commuter train" station ... think Subway or "El"
in Chicago ... our group leader Woodie knew where it was back in the
1970's but surprisingly things have changed in 30 years so to say we
walked a "bit" out our way ... is like saying the Italians are a "bit"
crazy when they get behind the wheel of a car ... we did eventually find
the station and Woodie purchased 5 tickets that I was convinced were NOT
what going to get us where we going (Pompeii/Sorrento) but we bravely
boarded the train anyway and off we went.
This train run can justly be called a "milk run" ... between our
starting point and our end point (Sorrento) there were 34 stops to let
people on and off ... and we traveled about 50 miles round trip.
Our first departure from the train was Pompeii ... about half the way to
Sorrento. Pompeii is about 12 or 13 miles South of Naples.
What can I say to describe the experience of walking around Pompeii that
can possibly do justice? Simple answer is nothing ... I'll try but do
go to the weblog gallery and you'll get a better idea of what this
place is all about. (I'll post pics as soon as I can never fear -
probably tomorrow as it is a "sea day").
What you learned in school about Pompeii is that it was destroyed by a
volcano (Mt Vesuvius)... what you don't learn is how BIG the resort city
actually was. We started the walking tour about 9:30AM and walked until
we couldn't walk any more ... about noon ... and seriously didn't really
look at half of the site ... I was expecting something the size of
downtown Bulverde ... try about the size of Eden ... the population was
easily in the many thousands. The excavated sites revealed incredible
mosaic floors, beautiful and colorful frescoes painted on plaster walls
depicting a very grand and exotic lifestyle. There were hundreds of
"storefronts" that indicate a bustling economy with several very grand
houses with large gardens, fountains and columned vestibules. Pompeii
could I suppose be compared to Palm Springs ... wealthy families,
gladiators with a full coliseum and training area, a huge outdoor
amphitheater, several large and ornately decorated temples and an
incredible sewage system with sidewalks on both sides to help keep the
citizens from wading through sewage water.
Most school age children see pictures of the "people covered in lava"
... and that did indeed happen ... but the "lava people" in pictures
are actually plaster casts of the voids of ash the excavators discovered
and filled with plaster ... kinda a "lost wax" technique.
It's hard to imagine what it was like that day in 79A.D. ... Vesuvius is
an imposing mountain towering above the citizens of Pompeii ... to see
that mountain start belching molten lava and ash completely without
warning is mind bending ... there were apparently people very much like
modern day hurricane victims ... many of the Pompeii citizens did escape
with their lives ... but sadly just like today there were many people
that didn't believe they needed to leave until it was too late ... in
one form or another those people are still there today.
We boarded the train going further South at about 12:30pm ... 30 minutes
and about 16 stops later we came to the end of the line in Sorrento. We
went there with two primary objectives ... eat ... and to shop a bit.
Sorrento is an upscale artisan community with an emphasis on inlayed
wood items ... Carolyn bought several beautiful and unique items...
chaching!!!
We returned to Naples via the train (about one hour and fifteen minutes)
and hoofed it back to the ship. We figure all tolled the 5 of us walked
over 6 miles today ... a good workout and we are all glad for the
upcoming "sea day" to recoup before we invade Athens day after tomorrow.
Bade
4 comments:
Well, it is 11:30pm here, so you are probably about to get up (7ish??) and what a sight you had yesterday! I never thought about the "lava" people being reverse kinds of casts but I suppose that makes sense! An interesting comparison to modern day hurricane victims, and I would think that the volcano would have had SOME sort of warning - especially if they were as sophisticated a society as indicated by their artistry and such. Just so you know - I have attempted to see pictures on your photo gallery, but realized you probably haven't had a chance to actually post them yet - your public awaits!
What an amazing archaeological site you saw!
The Art Historian in me LOVED how you described everything!! The floors, the mosaics, the art on the plaster walls. In the hist. books it never described the city being that populated. I always felt sorry for them , thinking they were farmer type folks. Never Had i imagined they were bustling with a well economy. You think they would have reacted better then. Oh no! WE're ganna die. I feel like a 5 yr old the nite before christmas waiting on those pictures!
Just checked out your photos - AWESOME... I left several comments over there. Where to now, World Travelers? I am enjoying my journey with you!
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