Roma Day III
21/06/2009
Trip Report – {Rome 4 Nov 2008}
We awoke to the murmur of early morning shower pattering against the windows, we were so tempted to sleep in and hit that snooze button for the umpteenth time. However, Pompeii, one of the major highlights of our Rome trip, was calling our names.
We raced towards the subway station, drenched in the rain and barely made it for our scheduled train. We rode towards the city of Naples and boarded another train that took us straight to the ruins.
The regional Circumvesuviana train ride towards the ancient Pompeii site was an experience in itself.
We had to hold on tight to our belongings (hence no pictures inside the train) as there were suspicious characters and child beggars roaming the aisles, as the train traveled away from the city and towards a more derelict countryside.
After just a short 10 minute walk, we arrived at the tourist centre of the ancient city of Pompeii. We purchased day passes for 2, each at 11Euros and headed towards Porta Marina, the entrance to the ruins of Pompeii…..
Pompeii used to be a bustling city, rife with prostitution and politics, and also, a favourite amongst Romans for summer holiday getaways.
All of the city’s roads were polygonal blocks made from the lava of Mt Vesuvius….
On a warm day in AD79, Pompeii was entirely destroyed, and approximately 2,000 people were buried during a long catastrophic eruption of Mt Vesuvius over 2 days.
The volcano collapsed higher roof-lines and buried the entire city of Pompeii under 60ft of ash and pumice, and was lost for nearly 1,700 years before its re-discovery in 1748.
A heart chilling plaster cast of a Pompeii civilian in a prayer position…
One of the water fountains….
Us at the Arch of Caligola at the main intersection of the city…
A house/villa…
Columns of the Pompeii Forum..
An old amphitheater…
The entire day was downcast with dramatic clouds overhanging from the sky.
This is a picture of Leo with Mt Vesuvius in the background…
We left Pompeii absolutely in awe at the destruction left by the quiet Mt Vesuvius, overlooking the entire excavation site. Even though the whole town was wiped so many years ago, with nothing left but ruins, artifacts and charred remains, it was a hopeful sight to behold that some things did survive, and Life, still goes on…
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