Meeting Point
To join our tour we had to meet at the Star Hotel Terminus in Garibaldi Piazza. As it was a Sunday we weren’t sure how frequent buses would be. It was a very long walk, so we decided instead to get a taxi. The hotel thought we should leave at 0900 for our 1000 tour and booked a taxi for us. The taxi actually arrived early, traffic was light too, so we were at the meeting point by 0920 and so had to wait.
First to Pompeii
Our tour leader was Mario and we were a group of 12 mixed nationalities. After a short drive to Pompeii we met our new guide, Alex, who was a Pompeii specialist guide and an Archeologist. Alex was very good.
The 20,000 inhabitants of the Roman city of Pompeii were killed by the huge pyroclastic explosion of hot gas, ash and rock fragments during the 79AD eruption of Vesuvius. They were suffocated. At that time the city was beside the coast. The coast is now 5 kms away due to the accumulation of material thrown out by the volcano. It was apparently a city of merchants and sailors with a thriving red light district. For poor women and girls prostitution was the only way to survive. There were rich members of society with beautiful villas owning many slaves.
The eruption smothered Pompeii due to the direction of the wind. Naples on the opposite side of the volcano was unaffected. As pompeii was buried in ash, the upper floors and roofs collapsed, but everything below was preserved.
Some shots of Pompeii
The new cone overlooking Pompeii
The Forum (Main Square)
Bakery
Mould of body buried in ash
I have been to Pompeii and Vesuvius before. A long time ago, 59 years to be precise, at the age of 18. I remember Pompeii being very much less crowded. I came with a friend and her parents and younger sister. We were told there was an area only men could visit. I always wondered if this was really true, or just a way of preventing us from seeing what were considered erotic pictures in the brothels. This time this area seemed to be the most popular place to visit, with lengthy queues.
Vesuvius
After a lunch stop we drove for about half an hour up the slopes of the volcano. We came to a point where we had to change vehicles to a smaller taxi which took us further up the mountain side. Then we had to get out and walk for the final kilometre. This was hard work in very hot sun. We stopped several times to get our breath back and for our guide to explain that the cone we were walking up was a new cone. The original having been blown to smithereens in the 79AD explosion.
This cone was built as a result of another eruption, the last one, during the Second World War in 1944. Difficult times for the local population. This was small compared to the 79AD one, but still a significant eruption. The volcano is now well monitored in case of another event. It is expected when it happens it will be large, as magma has solidified in the cone. Hopefully, monitoring is accurate as there were hundreds of people on the volcano.
Once at the crater we were joined by an expert geologist guide who explained more about the eruption. We then continued to walk for another 750 metres around the crater. At one point a tiny wisp of steam was being emitted. Not enough to vent what must be building up deep underneath.
I remember it being pretty deserted when climbing up before, without all the fencing along the paths and around the crater. I have some photos somewhere. It will be interesting, if I can find them, to do a comparison. Interestingly, there was an ambulance positioned at the bottom of the walk. Looking at some of the intending hikers, I’m sure it is kept busy.
We enjoyed some interesting dialogue with Wim & Kitty from Holland, both BZN fans.
Some shots of/from Vesuvius
Hazy view over the bay of Naples
Looking into the crater.
Hot and tired!
Back to our Hotel
After returning to central Naples, we found a restaurant for an early dinner. After all the walking we had done on the tour, we decided to catch a bus to our hotel. Once back at the hotel, Dennis realised he had left his phone on the table. We had been chatting and laughing with a Danish couple on the next table. It was her birthday trip to Naples too. I tried calling the restaurant, but the phone remained unanswered. Dennis quickly got a bus back to the restaurant, but they said no phone had been found. What a disastrous end to our trip.
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Perhaps that missing phone was snaffled by a pickpocket between restaurant and home? Naples has a reputation for these.
Yes John, that’s completely possible. I sensed the restaurant people were sincere. It could have been pocketed by another diner when we left the table. It’s not the end of the world, though it’s getting closer..:)
Dennis