AMALFI COAST AND POMPEII
We had to pass through the Strait of Messina. It is only about two miles wide. It is the passage between Sicily and the coast of Italy.
We didn't really see that much of Naples. Here are a few views of the city.
Our bus ride took us through the Tuscany countryside and beautiful cities of Sorrento and Positano.
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| Sorrento |
Positano
We drove the Amalfi Coast's spectacular (and sometimes a bit scary) cliff drive.
We tried to figure out how they got their boat up here.
The road was narrow and we got quite close to other buses.
We made a quick stop above the Emerald Grotto. Too bad we didn't get a photo. It is a cave that goes back in under the mountain. We didn't have the time. You can see from the picture found on the internet why it has that name.
We also caught a glimpse of the Virgin Mary Rock.
The road winds around a great deal and there was heavy traffic.
Could this be the Cliffs of Insanity?
At last we reached the town of Amalfi. We had time to wander about and have lunch.
Piazza Duomo and cathedral.
They are famous for their pizza and their extra large lemons.
Many rich and famous come here to visit or have homes here.
We leave now and drive down the Bay of Naples to visit the ancient city of Pompeii.
We could see Mount Vesuvius in the distance.
Mount Vesuvius erupted for two days in 79 AD and buried the city of Pompeii under 20 feet of ash forever preserving the evidence of the tragedy. It is estimated that around 20,000 people died. Pompeii was once a bustling metropolis and now we see only ruins of a beautiful but decadent city and society. It was fascinating but in some ways disappointing because we expected something different than what we saw. The city was walled with nine entrances. About two-thirds of the city has been excavated.
We saw statues, a public bath, frescoes and mosaics.
We saw the ruins of the Forum, paintings, walls of houses, and statues.
There were some magnificent houses like the House of the Tragic Poet (top) and the House of Vetti (bottom). In some cases the colors are really amazingly vivid. Of course the plant life is not original.
This is one of the theaters.
The roads had wagon ruts and stepping stones and sidewalks so people didn't have to walk in mucky roads. Found another hint of ancient Legos.
There was a bakery with mills for grinding the flour. Loaves of baked bread were found in the oven.
This is a thermopolium, a place where people could buy hot meals. Jugs and pots and dishes were found on the counters.
This was the disappointing part - the lack of body molds, furniture and other items in the places where they were discovered. Most of them are now in museums.
And so ends our visit to Pompeii. It was incredible!
Four things you may not know about Pompeii
Mount Vesuvius remains the only active volcano on mainland Europe
Scientists suggest the volcanic eruption in 79 AD released a hundred thousand times more thermal energy than was released in the Hiroshima bombing
The molten lava reached a temperature of about 1300 F and flooded the city at a speed of 68 mph, there was little chance to escape
In total, more than 1,000 casts have been made of the dead bodies found in Pompeii, including whole families, groups of friends or couples who died in embrace
We also caught a glimpse of the Virgin Mary Rock.
The road winds around a great deal and there was heavy traffic.
Could this be the Cliffs of Insanity?
At last we reached the town of Amalfi. We had time to wander about and have lunch.
Piazza Duomo and cathedral.
They are famous for their pizza and their extra large lemons.
Many rich and famous come here to visit or have homes here.
We leave now and drive down the Bay of Naples to visit the ancient city of Pompeii.
We could see Mount Vesuvius in the distance.
Mount Vesuvius erupted for two days in 79 AD and buried the city of Pompeii under 20 feet of ash forever preserving the evidence of the tragedy. It is estimated that around 20,000 people died. Pompeii was once a bustling metropolis and now we see only ruins of a beautiful but decadent city and society. It was fascinating but in some ways disappointing because we expected something different than what we saw. The city was walled with nine entrances. About two-thirds of the city has been excavated.
We saw statues, a public bath, frescoes and mosaics.
We saw the ruins of the Forum, paintings, walls of houses, and statues.
There were some magnificent houses like the House of the Tragic Poet (top) and the House of Vetti (bottom). In some cases the colors are really amazingly vivid. Of course the plant life is not original.
This is one of the theaters.
The roads had wagon ruts and stepping stones and sidewalks so people didn't have to walk in mucky roads. Found another hint of ancient Legos.
There was a bakery with mills for grinding the flour. Loaves of baked bread were found in the oven.
This is a thermopolium, a place where people could buy hot meals. Jugs and pots and dishes were found on the counters.
This was the disappointing part - the lack of body molds, furniture and other items in the places where they were discovered. Most of them are now in museums.
And so ends our visit to Pompeii. It was incredible!
Four things you may not know about Pompeii
Mount Vesuvius remains the only active volcano on mainland Europe
Scientists suggest the volcanic eruption in 79 AD released a hundred thousand times more thermal energy than was released in the Hiroshima bombing
The molten lava reached a temperature of about 1300 F and flooded the city at a speed of 68 mph, there was little chance to escape
In total, more than 1,000 casts have been made of the dead bodies found in Pompeii, including whole families, groups of friends or couples who died in embrace
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