Rome Day 6...August 8, 2011

WARNING...This post is LONG!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also...some pics may not be suitable for children...sorry!

On our last full day in Rome we decided to make the trip south to check out the excavated remains of Pompeii!  I’d read about the event throughout grade school (Dave in high school) and we really wanted to make a point to see the area. 

Getting there – Since Pompeii is about 30 minutes outside of Naples it was a little more challenging to get to…not to mention Rick Steves expresses major caution if you take public transportation (and because I’m a flake and didn’t plan it all out to well that was what we would be taking)!  We took an early (well early for us…7:30) train from Rome to Naples.  Then a commuter train (think the metro) from Naples to Pompeii.  The entrance to the ruins is just a few minutes walk from the metro station so we weren’t worried about that.  We managed just fine and were there in no time at all!  Since we took the early train, we paid a little more but it was an express train so it was only an hour rather than the 2-2.5 hours it typically would take.  Both trains were just fine and we didn’t really see what all the worry was about!  To save some dollars we took the long train home…and it was delayed by 30 minutes!  Grrr…but oh well…nothing we could do about it!

The ruins –in a word…WOW.  It was incredible!  I kept thinking…can you imagine being the person to discover these?!?!  Crazy!  They were out of the free guidebooks in English so Dave went and got a real guidebook from the bookstore.  We also picked up a map (which we actually didn’t end up using as we just followed Rick Steves and his guidance).  Here’s the rundown of the things we saw…

**Porta Marina-once a town directly on the water you could actually see the brass rings and holes in the brick-work where they would tie up the boats at the marina!

**Streets-the cool things about the streets of Pompeii are the markings in the middle of them.  There were large stepping-stones that acted both as pedestrian walkway and as a marker of which type of street they are.  The markers (or stones) were large enough to stand on and small enough that the carriages and carts were able to go over them.  One stepping stone meant that it was a one-way street.  Two stones meant it was a regular two-way street.  Three stones signified that it was a major thoroughfare.  It was neat for Dave and I to try and identify which streets were which! 

**Forum-the center of it all!  Churches, political offices, large stores, court type system offices, etc.  This is where it all happened on a daily basis.  Where people came to make deals, get married, sell goods, and gather to chat (maybe!).  It is the most ruined area of Pompeii and it’s still fantastic to stand in. 

**Basilica-this was the court…not a church!  Interesting.  It was once a large building with concrete and marble pillars.  You could actually see how the pillars were formed as some of them we ruined in an earthquake and were being repaired. 

**Via Abbondanza-Pompeii’s main street…like the “Main” Streets in the US or the “High” Streets in the UK.  It was lined with shops and stores.  It was a pedestrian-only street. 

**Fish & Produce Market-a large rectangular room with lovely frescos on the wall depicting fish and poultry and produce…kinda like a menu or ordering board.  Very cool!

**Plaster Casts-these were humbling.  A little creepy at times but very neat.  We actually got to see the remains of victims whose lives were taken by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.  We saw 3-5 actual individuals and then a plaster cast of a dog.  There was one cast that was particularly interesting; it was the one we got to get the closed to as it was encased by glass.  You could actually see some of the bones in the feet and a few of the teeth as well as a portion of the skull.  Dave’s not a huge fan of mummies and I think was a little weirded out by the fact that I was taking as many pictures as I was.  But it was fascinating!  I think it’s the bio-major in me.  I couldn’t get enough of it.  The bones were porous and just what I expected the inside of a dry, old bone to look like.  But how do they know what these victims looked like?  And how did they get the casts?  Both good questions…and both ones I asked…good thing Rick knew what we were thinking and was able to answer, “When Vesuvius erupted 2,000 Pompeii citizens suffocated under ash, their bodies buried in volcanic debris.  While excavating, modern archaeologists detected hollow spaces underfoot, created when the victims’ bodies decomposed.  By gently filling the holes with plaster, the archaeologists were able to create molds of the Pompeians who were caught in the disaster.”  Very interesting!  It was really neat to be able to physically see the casts that I’d seen in pictures so many years ago. 

This one's tough...it's the dog...you kinda gotta look at it upside down...
The top of the dog's head is resting on the bottom of the case if that helps!

Yup...he's (she's) real!  

Not people...but still really neat things they've uncovered!

This one got to me.  They were trying to cover their mouth to
prevent the ash from entering their lungs...found in this crouching
position...just sad... :(

One hand was covering their mouth the other was reaching
what we presume was up...to pull themselves up out
of the ash

Ignore the creepy stare from the lady...this one has teeth!!!

real teeth

arms up...possibly climbing...got that presumption b/c
the hands are gripped around something

actual skull

**Baths-Every good town has a good gym!  Complete with a work-out exercise area, a steam room, cool and hot bathing areas…not a bad deal.  There are 6 public baths that have been uncovered throughout Pompeii.  It was really a neat building!

**Fast-Food Places-many ancient Romans didn’t actually cook for themselves.  They would stop at these store-fronts to pick up their meals.  And…get this…they knew about the danger zone!  The pots that would store the food would keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold!  Can you believe that?!?!?  CRAZINESS!  But it made me quite happy! 

Short door!  

**House of the Tragic Poet-LARGE home that you can actually walk through (unlike a lot of the homes in Pompeii).  Visitors can view tiny bedrooms, simple bathing rooms, wood-burning kitchens and interior garden areas.  This home begins with side-by-side storefronts that the family probably owned.  Really neat…it was also two stores and built near a well.  

Notice how the roof is still in place!  Crazy!

Kitchen!  Hmmm...leaves a little something
to be desired...

**Aqueduct Arch-an aqueduct carried fresh water down to the town from the hillside.  I’m not really good at understanding how this arch works…but it stores water (kinda like todays water tower I guess) and helps regulate water pressure.  There are three areas fresh water was provided throughout the town.  1-private homes  2-court and official buildings  3-public water fountains.  If there was ever a water shortage they would turn off the water allotted to 1 & 2…but always allowed water to 3.  It was the believe that even the poor should have fresh water.  What a noble idea! 

**House of the Faun-This is Pompeii’s largest home…with super grand views of the hillside.  That’s about it!  There was a fake bronze statue…the real thing is in the museum.  This house has 40 rooms and covers 27,000 square feet.  It takes the space of an entire city block…but this time around it doesn’t have a roof…so it looks even larger.  The home also has two beautiful mosaic tile floor-pieces.  And great frescos on the walls. 

Hard to see...but it's a battle scene

Because everyone needs a grotto in their yard...duh 

Oops!  No more roof!

**Bakery and Mill-what foods teacher wouldn’t like this area!?  I had to grab pics by both the mills and the wood-burning stove (think original brick oven style cooking!).  It was fantastic. 

**Brothel-Yup…even Pompeii had one!  And surprisingly (or maybe not) it has the largest crowd.  I’ll keep it PG but lets just say that the paintings on the walls displaying potential “orders” were quite vivid!  The stone beds and pillows though don’t look very inviting!  It was neat…and well preserved!  We missed it (due to the large tour group following us) but apparently there are names of some of the women who worked there on the wall…and notches above the rooms that identify how many “orders”(?) each room had taken.  Such a system…I guess. 

**Amphitheater-just like the Colosseum only…without the under-ground area.  It was large and you could easily identify the different seating areas for the different classes.  You can even see the boxes for special guests!   

Side-note…a lot of the major findings are no longer located in the actual ruins as they have been moved to the museum in Naples.  Frescos, statues, sculptures, mosaic tiles, etc.  You could see replicas of the actual ruins but it wasn’t really the same. 

The guidebook said to allow 2-3 hours…it took us 5 and we didn’t even see everything we could have.  Of the entire city of Pompeii only about ¾ of it have been uncovered and only about 2/3 of that are included in the guides…but with the detailed map you are allowed to go anywhere you want (within reason!).  You shouldn’t go down blocked roads or climb on the ruins (but there really aren’t people there to tell you not to!).  It would be very simple to get lost there if you didn’t have a map…or even if you did as all the walls and columns kinda begin to look the same.  But no worries…with Steve and our maps we were just fine!  Plus we stayed on the well-beaten path.   

My sentimental moment – All of a sudden I was standing there…surrounded by thousands of years of history, looking up at this mountain (volcano as Dave kept having to remind me) and it hit me!  This bustling town of 20,000 something people had no idea what was in store for them.  They really didn’t.  They went about their daily lives with no awareness that they were looking up at a massive volcano…not a mountain!  It’s so sad.  After the plaster casts of victims and the dog and walking through the homes and business I just couldn’t really take it.  Dave was off filling up the camel back (best decision ever made…bringing it…we drank 6 liters of water between the two of us that day!) and I began to lose it.  I could feel my eyes welling up at the thought of it all.  Dave got back, looked concerned, and asked me what was wrong.  I couldn’t even say it…I just pointed towards the volcano and made what I’m sure looked like a crazy person trying to land a plane gestures around me…and HE GOT IT!!!  He gave me a big hug and just smiled.  He totally let me have my moment.  And that ladies and gentlemen is why he’s a keeper!  He was so patient and told me that it’s okay.  I knew it was but it was just kinda sad.

Oh the dogs!  There are TONS of stray dogs just roaming around Pompeii.  And even more signs that say please don’t pet (very difficult for me as they come right up to you and are quite cute) or feed the stray dogs.  However, you CAN adopt them!  But I’m not sure how they would clear customs in the US and I REALLY don’t know how Tucker would react if I came home with a puppy.  I think they want Italians to adopt them…but I THINK you can give them a donation…which we forgot!  Bummer.  I would have definitely given a few euros to the “Save the Pompeiian Dog” foundation!!!  But I’m sure you’ll all be happy to know…NO…I didn’t get a dog…but they really were sweeties. 

A note about Naples – not a place I’d want to spend my vacation!  Unless you found a place on the beach where you didn’t have to leave…then it’d be fine…but the area we saw of Naples (around the train station) was less than desirable.  Dave’s Italian friends gave him some pointers on Naples…are you ready?

1.Don’t go out after dark (comforting I know!)

2.Keep your valuables close

3.Don’t go down side streets or streets that give off a funny vibe…I wasn’t sure of what this meant until I got the heebie geebies from a street…then it made TONS of sense

SO…needles to say…although pizza was invented here…not really a place I’d like to make my home-base for a vacay!  Give me the coast any day!  Yes please!  But I think I can forgo a full Naples vacation.  Now those Napoli-loving readers out there…please feel free to change my opinion!  I’m fairly open…and I don’t mean to knock something I haven’t really tried…I’m sure there’s loads of history and lovely things to do and see…please…someone…comment and change my mind!  :)

OTHER RANDOM PICS FROM POMPEII THAT I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO POST: 

Back at home in Rome we were greeted with live opera music!  It was a preview for later that evening…and they were FANTASTIC!!!  I couldn’t believe the voices on those individuals.  We made a purpose to go home, shower, clean ourselves up a little (I kept saying I felt like a beggar I was so incredibly dirty…it was actually driving me insane!) and headed back out to eat and listen to the music.  We found a cute little restaurant near the Spanish Steps (where the concert was to be held) and ordered our meal.  We were savvy travelers in Pompeii and had packed sandwiches and chips (actual chips…not fries) for lunch so we wanted to splurge a little on dinner.  As we were about ½ way through our meal an older (well not OLD…but a few years older than us…think 40/60…yup…age difference) couple sat next to us.  We ended up striking up a great conversation that lasted well into the concert…the 4 of us left and headed for gelato…by the time we had all gotten our gelato the music was just ending…so we ate outside and chatted a little while longer before we said our goodbyes and parted ways!  It really was a fantastic evening!