Vacation Day 3: Pompeii and Sorrento

our neighborhood: Sunday night vs. Monday morning

Monday was an early start-out the door by 6:20am. We had a train to catch to Naples (so, remember this is the walk to the tram, the tram, then subway to the main station, Termini). From Termini we took our first high speed train to Naples. In Naples we hopped on their local train to take us to Pompeii. Thankfully we went on the day we did, because there were signs that the trains were going to be striking the next day. Phew! Apartment to Pompeii was about a 3.5 hour trip. There was a little family tension, because we hadn't really eaten breakfast, so by the time we got to Pompeii we were hungry! After sandwiches and lemon granitas we were good to go.

Pompeii was a thriving city that was buried in over 20 feet of ash and lapalli on August 24, 79 A.D. It wasn't until the mid 1700's that the city was found by explorers. In 1860 a scientist named Giuseppe Fiorelli invented a system of pouring liquid plaster into the spaces left in the bed of ashes, which reconstructs organic material. So, we can see what some of the people (and animals) were doing in their last moments of life.

sitting man, a dog, and a pregnant woman

Pat and I had been here before, so we just followed a Rick Steves self guided tour. We did well for a while, then we were lost. And right before we were to get to the brothel! Pat was able to get his bearings on a map, and we found our way to the brothel. It is an interesting site.

After wandering Pompeii, we took the train (with a kinda creepy Italian guy eyeing Kelsey and I) to the coast town of Sorrento. We figured since we were so close, we should dip our toes in the Bay of Naples. We had a nice lunch at a beach bar. And, then we just wandered the orange tree lined streets until we needed to catch the train back to Naples, followed by the fast train to Rome.

Time back at the apartment: 9pm. It was a long day. And a memorable one. Oh, and this was how we celebrated the 4th of July!

7/4/11: The Tiber River: 6:30 am and again at 8:45 pm