Pompei, Naples, Amalfi Coast and Capri

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Now in Italy for the last 3 weeks of our winter escape. As our friend Lorraine says, "2 of my best friends are Italian...pasta and vino!" We would add a third friend, pizza!

Pompei has always been on Marlene's wish list (having taught about it in geography classes) so we started there with 4 nights in a hotel right by the walls of the old city that was destroyed by Vesuvius in 79 AD.

We did it right and hired an archaeologist/guide; with just one other couple it was a very personalized tour and Lello kept us involved with many questions of what we thought we were seeing along the way.

The following day we took the local train into Naples to visit the Archeological Museum where all of the treasures and artifacts recovered when Pompei was excavated are displayed.

Marlene is now satisfied to cross Pompei off the "To Do" list!

We then winged it a bit and rented a car to drive the Amalfi Coast, having read so much about it. Certainly spectacular scenery as the photos will show but requiring total concentration by the driver.

I had read a comment "you are more likely to find a gold bar lying in the street than a place to park on the Amalfi Coast" ...True! If you do find one, it is guarded by a local ready to extort you.

Capri was a 1 hour ferry ride out from Naples. We stayed just one night in a lovely b&b; it was a challenging 300m uphill slog to reach on foot, no taxi or bus access. A very mountainous, scenic island with lots of high end jewelry shops and cashmere sweaters for $450 a pop.. Window shopping only.

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Photos

Pompei
Originally built by the Greeks it was a very prosperous Roman city until it was totally destroyed by Vesuvius in 79 AD. It lay covered by over 20’ of ash until excavations began in the late 1700s. 1/3 remains covered.

Vesuvius looms
I have seen many photos of Vesuvius and assumed it was the conical mountain to the left...I was wrong, when you include the slope on the far right you can see how big it was before it erupted and lost 60% of its mass. Pompei was a seaport with a harbour before the eruption. The Mediterranean is now 2km away!

Horse hitches
This split image shows how merchants provided a convenient and permanent hitch for mounted customers in front of their shops. What appears to be a stray stone in the roadway is actually a “chock” to stop a wagon from rolling downhill. These were the little details that made Lello first class.

Storefront
Large terracotta tureens kept soup etc warm while marble ones kept beer, water etc cool.

Original lead water pipe
Romans also added drops of lead to their wine to clarify it....not one of their better ideas.

In the bordello
This is the least racy illustration I could include, so as not to offend....private showings available on request...Pompei, being a seaport had a thriving red light district. Apparently the “ladies” were known to howl to attract clients. They illustrated their various services on the walls.

Body cast
When bodies were discovered during excavations casts were made of many in the positions in which they were found.

Gladiator training ground
Big strong captured slaves were trained here to slaughter each other for the amusement of the audience.

Naples museum
Where all of the (not looted) treasures of Pompei are displayed. Here Marlene is admiring an impressive fresco taken from a villa wall of a wealthy family (there were many.)
The frescoes were painted onto thick plaster; so they could be carefully removed intact from the stone walls.

The blue vase
This beautiful glass vase was found intact, unlike most of the other fragile artifacts.

Tapas, Italian style
Presented with flair and very tasty too!

Amalfi coast
Magnificent scenery for the passenger to enjoy...White knuckles for the driver!

Uh, oh!
This is where the driver hopes we are not going to meet a full sized tour bus and a bunch of pedestrians in that 2 - way tunnel ahead.

We were there!
Too bad we are in the way of the picture postcard view.

Capri harbour
We took a ferry from Naples to Capri. First impression was that it was very upscale compared to Naples and “New” Pompei. Unfortunately for us we could only stay one day as storms threatened to shut down the ferries and we couldn’t miss our train to Florence

on top of Capri
We took the chairlift to the top shortly after arriving knowing that the weather was worsening.

Top of Capri
Just lucky to see this before the storms rolled in.

Great view!
Capri in the foreground, Sorrento on the mainland in the background with the Amalfi Coast curving off to the right.

from the opposite direction
Upper Capri Town; our B&B was on the far side of the cliffs; you can just make out the only road (to Anacapri) half way up the cliff face on the far right.

Comments

[Lorraine Runstedler]

Saved the Best for Last
Good Morning .... How beautiful are those pictures - Wow - Glad you are enjoying My Best Friends in Italy - so no shopping Marlene - You probably spent enough on your silk rug - buy the cashmere yarn and I'll knit you a sweater(ha) - so nice to wake up to your Blog - take care of you - keep sending - xo

[Tim Wilson]

another great blog !
What a wonderful visit to an area I'd love to see. Thanks for the tour from those of us still stuck in the snow !

[Rowan Hollingworth]

What a great area of Italy to visit!
Hi Ian & Marlene - This certainly is a wonderful area to visit in Italy isn't it? And the Museo Arceologico Nazionale in Naples is full of the most fantastic artworks and artefacts. Those mosaics are mind blowing! The huge one of Alexander in battle is amazing, but many of the very small ones are so exquisite as well. I'm not sure if it's OK to cross this off your "To Do" list though Marlene. I'm always wanting to go back to most places we have visited in Italy for another dose. We are going to the music festival in Spoleto this year for my big birthday celebration in July. Enjoy however much you have left of your trip. I hope we will catch up again sometime in the next couple of years. Rowan

[Garry Rasmussen]

Hi
More great scenery and 'significant sites' - and the weather looks a little friendlier than Sauble's sub zero forecasts!!