The Bay of Naples is a very large bay. It takes us nearly three hours to sail across it, with Mount Vesuvius on our bow, but the move from Cantieri Sud in Pozzuoli to Circolo Nautico in Torre del Greco is well worth the effort. We trade the industrial environment of Cantieri Sud for a dock lined with flowers. We are now much closer to Pompeii and the Amalfi coast, and the facilities of the beautiful yacht club are just a few steps from our bow. The port area is ringed with a series of restaurants and fish shops offering an impressive variety of fresh seafood. There's an attractive town square and a wonderful fresh market. It is exactly the kind of place we love.

The streets around the port are another matter. Run down and grimy, they are surely a horrifying sight to Lyn and Kevin, who arrive the next day after spending a week in manicured Tuscany. I can well imagine their dismay on the afternoon of their arrival, when they become lost driving through the area that Lyn dubs "The War Zone". It takes Rick half an hour to track them down and bring them to the boat, but they take it in stride. After watching the sunset from the yacht club, we spend the evening onboard Aisling, catching up on each other's news, eating pasta and drinking good wine. Rick and Lyn have much to discuss, since their father is in hospital at home. It is reassuring that their brother Rob is in Halifax and brother Al is on the way.





After a late start the next morning, we decide to visit Pompeii. This decision is taken after some discussion about whether we should instead go to Herculaneum, a nearby town that was destroyed in the same eruption that destroyed Pompeii. Herculaneum is smaller but supposedly better preserved, having been covered in mud rather than ash. Our Blue Guide sums it up by saying that "Though Pompeii is the most important and more famous site, those who are pressed for time ...would do well to visit Herculaneum. The whole site can easily be seen in half a day, and you will be spared the nagging fear of having missed something, which is a persistent companion at Pompeii." But wouldn't the nagging regret of having missed the entire site of Pompeii be worse? Rick and I decide to leave the decision to Lyn and Kevin, but I am glad when they choose Pompeii.

With Kevin at the wheel , we make our way through the confusing maze of streets that will take us out of Torre del Greco. A small slip-up costs us 2 euros when we unwittingly go through the same toll booth twice, but from there it is smooth sailing. We arrive at the gate to the ruins shortly before noon.

I won't go into a lot of detail about the history of Pompeii, since I'm sure most people know the basic story. There is some debate about the date of the eruption, the number of people who lived and died in Pompeii, and the manner in which they died. But it seems generally accepted that the population of the city was approximately 20,000 at the time of the eruption of Vesuvius that began on 24 August of 79 AD. The eruption continued over a period of time, raining clouds of ash and tiny fragments of pumice called lapilli down onto the town and surrounding area. It seems that the majority of people did escape to safety, but roughly 2,000 people died from the gases and intense heat generated by the eruption, or by suffocation from the ash and lapilli that eventually buried the town in several meters of ash. One wonders why the 2,000 stayed behind while others left. Perhaps those who spend their lives at the foot of a volcano become complacent about the danger. Currently, 3 million people live in the Vesuvius area, with 600,000 in the most dangerous "red zone", which by the way includes the town of Torre del Greco. (A nice place to visit, but...)

Pompeii lay hidden under ash until it was rediscovered during construction of a canal in the 16th century. Systematic excavation did not begin for another 150 years. This long burial left the town remarkably intact. The scope of the site is far more extensive than I had imagined, with the excavated area covering nearly 50 hectares. We spend over 4 hours exploring the ruins, yet do not see everything. With excavation and restoration work ongoing, many roads lead to dead ends. The streets are a bewildering, poorly marked maze, and I am confused about my whereabouts for a good part of the visit. Luckily, my travelling companions are all good navigators.





The photos below cover just a few highlights:

Here Lyn, Kevin and Rick are standing near the forum granary, which is now used to store various archeological materials.



Some poignant plaster casts taken from indentations made in the ash by victims' bodies are on display here.





As we peer through the grate to look at the artifacts, I overhear a guide telling her clients about a recent theft from the site. A fresco had been stolen and then returned, presumably to make a point about the inadequacy of security. Other items have been stolen and not returned. Underfunding, environmental damage, vandalism and the wear and tear caused by over 2 million visitors a year are also taking their toll. Later, I read that Pompeii's status as a Unesco World Heritage site is threatened due to the degradation of the site. A national disgrace for Italy, some say.

These photos show the proximity of Mt. Vesuvius to Pompeii.





After an hour of wandering the streets, Rick and Lyn seek out a quieter corner to call their brothers while Kevin and I visit the bakery and a few other houses.



Then we sit on a wall, check the guidebook and develop a plan of attack for seeing the remainder of the afternoonn. When Lyn and Rick return, we fortify ourselves with a round of "Magnum" ice cream bars, and then resume our explorations.

At the entrance to the House of the Tragic Poet, we see the famous "Cave Canem" mosaic, a 2000 year old version of today's "beware of the dog" sign. Unfortunately, our only photo, taken through the protective grate, doesn't show the inscription.



We visit the Lupinario (brothel) but I won't display photos of the naughty frescoes in case children are reading this! The House of the Fawn, named for the statue found on the grounds, is one of the most impressive on the site. This statue is a replica. Rick and I later see the original in the archaeological museum in Naples, as well as the Alexander mosaic shown below, which was also found in the house.





It's easy to imagine the people of Pompeii enjoying performances in the Grand Theatre.



The Garden of the Fugitives, with more plaster casts of bodies discovered on the site, is located near a vineyard. These images really drive home the immensity of the disaster.



We think we have almost covered the site, when another tourist tells us that the Villa of the Mysteries is a must-see. To our dismay, we will need to walk another 2 km if we want to see it. We waiver, but then, fearing that we will regret missing it, we decided to go. It is impressive, although this is an unusual situation where the photos seem more impressive than the reality. In real life, I remember the colours being more muted, but it is a good finale to our visit.



It is already 4:45 p.m. when we arrive back at the car. We've walked for miles and had a very full day, but everyone is still keen on taking a drive along the Amalfi coast. Hopefully, we'll find some food along the way. But we'll save that story for tomorrow's blog!