Pompei, Campania, Italy, Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Touch It and Die

We are going to Pompei today. Another fairly quick breakfast followed by a walk to the train station to catch the 0852 train. The ride is about 35 minutes and even this early, we get the accordion players on the train.
When we arrive at the station it is a very short walk to the entrance of the park. We get our tickets and enter. Even though the shore is not that close to us now, we are standing where the harbor was in 79 AD. The city was founded in 600 BC and became a thriving Roman trade city. There were over 20,000 people living here and it was a bustling and busy city.

Crossing the Street

Then Mount Vesuvius erupted on August 24 in the year 79 and that was all she wrote. The town was wiped out, covered in 30 to 50 feet of ash. Those that weren’t killed by the ash and falling lava stones and rock, were later killed by the poisonous gas that followed. The town site was only discovered around 1600 and excavations started 300 or so years ago and continue still. As we walk through the town port, we enter the town as the Romans would have. The street we walk on has stepping stones across it. Theses stones were placed to allow chariot wheels to fit between them and the chariots themselves to go over them. One stone indicated a one way street, two stones a two way street, and three stones, a major thoroughfare. The streets were filled with rushing water on a daily basis to clean them. The sidewalks are elevated and paved with broken pottery and bits of marble to help people navigate them at night.

The Forum

The main square is straight ahead and stands at the intersection of the two main streets. It is flanked by the Temple of Jupitor, the city hall, courthouse, and was also the market place. This was the typical Roman layout of two main streets converging on the religious, political, judicial, and commercial center of town known as the forum. The columns that line the square were topped by statues. Most statues, artwork, and personal items found here have been moved to a museum in Naples to protect them from the elements.

Temple of Jupiter

Today, we are lucky to stand in the square and enjoy a great view here of Mount Vesuvius. When it erupted, it sent a cloud of ash, dust, and rocks 12 miles high and the winds blew it southward over Pompei. This continued for 18 hours straight. Most people fled, but two to three thousand stayed behind. The closer town of Herculaneum was spared because of the winds. However about 12 hours after the first eruption, a column of rock and hot gas collapsed, which sent an avalanche of lava, ash, and gas down the mountain at 100 miles per hour. This wiped out Herculaneum, burying it with 60 feet of hot material. The next morning, another similar eruption and flow engulfed Pompei sealing the remaining residents fate. Most who fled, and many people in close surrounding towns also died, not as a result of the lava and ash, but rather from the poisonous gases that blew in the wind.
We start to explore the city. Looking down the main street from the top, we immediately notice how large the city is. We did not expect the excavated part to be so big and it really brings out the size of the city. We check out the palace of justice and the fish and produce market. Frescoes on the wall indicate what was sold here.

Trying to Stop the Horror

There are also two of the famous casts of Pompeiians that died. When archeologists were excavating, they detected hollow spaces in the lava below them. These spaces were created when the victims bodies decomposed. The archeologists gently filled the holes with plaster and were able to create the molds, eerily capturing the last moments of the victims life. One has his hands up as if to try and stop the flow and horror that was happening to him. You can make out the outline of the other victims belt. Even though they are now enclosed in glass cases, this is the spot where they perished. We also come across some skeletons lying as they were found.

Food Guy

We continue our tour of the site, visiting the well preserved baths of the forum complete with ancient stone lockers and a fountain engraved with the names of the two politicians who paid for your public pleasure. We visit one of the thermopoleums or snack bars that were located throughout the city. It has holes on the counter which held pots of different types of food for sale, the original fast food joints.
We pass an arch that was part of the hundred mile aqueduct system here. These arches usually held water tanks which used gravity to help improve water pressure for the neighborhood residents.

Fresco in a House

We also visit several homes which have mosaic works, frescos, and gardens. The site maintainers are planting some of the gardens and vineyards with the original types of plants that were there, trying to recreate the look of the garden for visitors. They are able to do this because they can identify the roots of the plants that were encased in the hot debris with molds and casts similar to how they recreated the victims bodies. It is pretty interesting.
We visit a bakery and mill with its pizza like ovens still intact. There are many of these scattered through town. We search for and find one of the 30 brothels that have been found here. This is the only open one and is packed with a long line of tour groups because everyone needs to see it, and being small, congestion is the name of this place.

Brothel Art

Unknowingly, we approached this from the exit street, so we go in backwards avoiding the long line in front. There are small rooms with rock hard beds. They are rock hard because they are made of rock and even have rock pillows. Could be hard on the knees! A way of teaching that love hurts! I could go on, but I am sure they had cushions. Above each door are mosaics showing sex acts, probably what was available for the clients. 2000 year old pornography. We exit through the back door as I am sure most clients did and walk away from all the commotion here.

Premier Gladiator Athlete

We walk the quieter side streets getting further away from the main section and the large groups of people. We enter the roman theater which sat 5000 people. We find a nice shady seat and have our picnic lunch here enjoying the new show called, watch the tourists come and go. Very entertaining and highly recommended! From here, we walk along the edge of the excavated site to the old arena. This is where the gladiators fought wild animals and each other. It is cool as we get to walk the field level of the arena instead of being up in the seat section. Across the street is a hugh training center for the gladiators.

The Streets of Pompei

We slowly wander back toward the forum, stopping along the way at several more sights. The place is really amazing. You can almost feel the hustle and bustle around you. Shops selling their wares, food vendors enticing you with their culinary delights, chariots racing through the streets ( their tracks carved into the stone streets), people hanging out in their homes, beware of dog mosaics in the entry ways, to keep out the unwanted. Bakeries, brothels, spas all make you realize how little people have changed in spite of all the increases in technology and such. Pompei is really an amazing place worthy of a full days visit.
Completing our visit, we take the train back to Sorrento. We have a snack of marinated artichokes and bread along with some wine. Then it’s rest time until dinner.

Pizza and Calzone

On our way to eat, we pass a pastry shop and buy a rum baba for later. I am feeling a little funny, perhaps from the sun today, and so we decide to just order a pizza and a calzone with water at the owners restaurant. They bring complimentary prosecco and while Carol is sipping it, Alan and Kay walk up to the restaurant. They were going to eat here so we ask them to join us.

Alan and Kay

                                We get along great and before we know it, have been sitting for over two and a half hours. We firm up plans for Friday night dinner and they have to rush out as they are staying at a place above the town that has scheduled shuttle service and they need to catch the last one. I actually feel better than I did before and we head the short distance back to our room. Hanging out with new friends was a great end to our amazing day.
CNC
“Adventure is Worthwhile”- Aristotle

Expenses
8.40E- 2 circumvesuviana train tickets to Pompei
22 E – 2 tickets to Pompei
1.50E – Rum Baba from Bar Veneruso
16.50E – calzone, margerita Pizza, water from Da Gignio, no coperto
65E- Casa Dominova

Miles Walked – 8.5 Miles