Tenth Day - Pompeii

September 29th, 2008

It is a long day, but you can visit Pompeii while staying in Rome. We got up quite early and caught the first Eurostar at the Rome train station. My Mom was too tired to make this trip, so it was just Melanie and Rose with me on this adventure. We zipped down to Naples, and then changed trains to the Circumvenusian train line (Follow the directions in the Rick Steve's guide book). The Circumvenusian trains are much slower, so their trains leave Naples on different tracks, but they are located in the same giant station as the Eurostars. We found the correct train without too much trouble, and got off at Stop #19, the Pompeii Scavi (Ruins of Pompeii). We had made it down from Rome by 10:30 A.M.

Pompeii is a huge place. I was not expecting such a large site. It takes a determined sight-seer to get to all of the main attractions. Pompeii was one of the rare places in Italy that handed out information about the attraction, we got a small multi-page guide that explained the known history of the most significant buildings. We tried to plot an efficient course to all the major buildings, and ended up spending the whole day. We didn't get back to the train station until 4 PM.

Pompeii can be hot, and there was only one modern establishment on the grounds selling food and water, so bring your water bottles. We had a lunch with us.

It is surprising to me how well preserved some of the stuff at Pompeii is. I expected that anything buried under hot ash for a bunch of centuries would be charred and destroyed. But mosaic floors, marble carvings and even some fragments of murals survived intact. I know some of the buildings have been reconstructed, but it is still neat to walk over the ancient doomed city. Mt Vesuvius is easily visible from Pompeii, but it looks to be a long way off, so it must have been an epic explosion to send that ash to suddenly engulf the city.

We took the trains back to Rome and had dinner in the apartment. Afterward, we took another evening stroll - this time we crossed over the Tiber and walked down to the Piazza Navona.

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Pompeii

Circuvenusian train stop Entrance into Pompeii Basilica in Pompeii Basilica of Pompeii Statue of Apollo in Pompeii Statue of Diana, Pompeii Pompeii Bakery Bakery Grindstones Pompeii House of the Baker, Pompeii Street ruts of Pompeii Baths at Pompeii Rooftop view of Pompeii Pompeii City Ruins Quadriporticus, Pompeii Quadriporticus of Theaters Pompeii Entrance to Great Theater of Pompeii Pompeii Great Theater Pompeii Great Theater Carved column in Pompeii Pompeii Fast Food Joint Pompeii Forum Temple of Isis Pompeii Temple of Isis Temple of Jupiter at Pompeii Temple of Jupiter in Pompeii Temple to Aedes Genii Augusti House of the Cithara Player House of the Small Fountain in Pompeii Mosaic of a dog in Pompeii House of Pansa in Pompeii Pompeii mural fresco wall art House of the Faun Pompeii Alexander the Great Mosaic, House of the Faun, Pompeii House of Octavius Quartio Mount Vesuvius Necropolis memorial Pompeii Necropolis Great Palaestra Pompeii Amphitheater Pompeii Amphitheater interior at Pompeii Trees Pompeii Bodies of victims of Pompeii Skull of a victim of Pompeii Apartments in Pompeii Flowers at Pompeii station Pompeii Sign at Train Station