Venturing onto Vesuvius - November 6, 2017

As the sun rose up over the Italian peninsula on November 6, 2017 we began the last full day of the epic 2017 Mediterranean vacation. Overnight we had sailed around the toe of Italy and were about to spend a full day docked in Naples, on the shin of Italy.

Apparently, the intrepid couple did not get volcanos out of their system when they scrambled around Mount Etna in Sicily, the previous day. They needed more volcanos.  Fortunately, the next next stop on the cruise was below Etna's famous and fiery sister, Mount Vesuvius. It loomed ominously over the port. Gym and Mrs. Gym would summit the volcano in the morning and then tour Pompeii in the afternoon.

If you thought it was bad that so many people lived near Mount Etna, a much larger population lives in close proximity to Mount Vesuvius. Three Million Neapolitans go about their lives right beside the mountain. This is a bad thing indeed because this strato-volcano is pretty violent when it goes off. The trouble is that most Neapolitans weren't around in 1944, the last time the volcano erupted and they have been living next to a sleeping monster all their lives. Perhaps the biggest single problem is the general complacency of those born after WW2. That is unfortunate because it is hard to get three million people evacuated from any city that has limited egress, let alone a coastal city and city with a preponderance of Italian drivers. Let's hope the scientists can give everyone lots of warning when she begins to blow.

You can drive within a few hundred meters of Vesuvius' summit and hike up a rather steep path to the rim of the caldera. Mrs. Gym beat all comers on the race to the top and was on her way back down when she met her dear husband coming up the trail. On the top of the mountain, a well fenced path runs about 75% of the way around the rim and there are great views in all directions of the surrounding countryside as well as the inside of the caldera. There is steam rising from a fissure somewhere down below the rim and there was a hint of sour gas in the air but Gym was not concerned with SO2 or H2S because there is a vast array of equipment on the mountain monitoring the air. There were also several unconcerned people up there manning souvenir and snack kiosks. Summiting Vesuvius was both exhilarating and a darn good workout.

Most of our group made it to the top but were slow coming down. The bus had to wait for everyone to make a careful descent. It would have been easy to twist an ankle or worse. Eventually, the bus started down the mountain and was on its way to Pompeii to see what Vesuvius was capable of doing when it erupted. A lunch stop across the street from the ruins was factored into the day. It was a chance to try Neapolitan pizza. Neapolitans claim to have invented the pizza. Forget what you think you know about pizza because the real Neopolitan product is all about the hand-made dough, simple ingredients and a very hot forno oven. The pie comes out hot and the ingredients are liquid but soon cool down as the cheese and tomato sauce congeal onto the dough. Gym had a pie with some ham and Mrs. Gym simply topped her's with fresh basil. Both were quite good but the restaurant is nothing to write home about. Everything across the street from Pompeii is a little too touristy.

Pompeii is enormous. Gym envisioned a much smaller area of ruins but you could spend several days there. To get the best results, it is a good idea to have a good guide who can show you some of the highlights when you have only half a day. Also, you need to wear good shoes and be prepared to climb a few stairs because Pompeii is not level and the stone streets have high curbs and rough surfaces.

We entered the city through the Stabia Gate in the south and we immediately found ourselves in the Gladiators' Barracks. Next, we explored the large outdoor Theatre directly north of the barracks which is apparently where Julius Caesar was stabbed by his buddies in 44 B.C. After that, we hiked all the way over to the House of Octavius Quartio situated on the far eastern side of the ruins and saw how the rich romans lived. Then we swung around and veered north to visit the Stabian Baths and then Lupanar, the famous brothel, with pornographic frescos. Finally, we checked out the Forum of Pompeii which was intended to be the central town square around which all of the grandest religious, civic and commercial buildings were built. The Forum paved in marble and surrounded by public art,  was closed to cart traffic. On the west side of the Forum you can view the castes of the of the objects both inanimate and animate that have been recovered by the archeologists, including several human castes. We exited the ruins on the west side at the Marina Gate.

Once you get over the colossal tragedy that occurred here, you marvel at a well preserved Roman city that is being painstakingly dug out of the volcanic ash. Uncovering a Roman city of 11,000 inhabitants which was buried under 82 feet of volcanic ash has been difficult. Funding for the enormously expensive project has been hard to obtain and coordinating the 200 scientists and technicians is a massive job. Gym believes the investment and hard work are paying off and hopes that when he and the lovely Mrs. Gym return in the future, there will be even more buildings open for exploration. Gym trusts that he will get back to Pompeii before it is covered in another 82 feet of ash.

The sky had darkened as dusk settled over the Neapolitan docks and as we returned to the ship the natives were leaving work and going home, protected from the rain by long coats and umbrellas. As we looked out from our beautiful stateroom windows, the blustery weather amplified the sadness we felt because our vacation was coming to a close.

We had a great final dinner in the Polo Grill and then retired to our suite. It would be a short and fitful sleep that night.

Stay tuned for the rousing conclusion of the 2017 Mediterranean Adventure in Gym's final blog post.

about a quarter of the way to the top of Vesuvius, looking
down to where the parking lot was

the ascent

the caldera

the summit

this is where Gym met Mrs. Gym who was coming back

sulphur staining

looking down the slope

Grab a souvenir or a bite to eat on the summit

looking down the mountain to the south

The well-fenced trail around the rim of the caldera

Looking down from the parking lot to tt
he area where the lava flow was diverted in 1944 by the allied
troops that blew off a side of the mountain so the lava flowed away
from Naples.

Looking out on the open area in front of the Gladiator's Barracks

The Theatre 

vivid colors on the walls of Octavius Quartio

re-created gardens at the House os Octavius Quartio

A beautifully preserved fresco at the house of Octavious Quartio

a typical stone street in suburban Pompeii.

The site of an early fast-food place. The terracotta-lined basins
held the clay containers of hot food. It was kept warm from underneath
the countertops.

Public fountains at intersections provided running water
to all the People of Pompeii 

A Roman bath

The Stabian baths are extensive a number of different treatment rooms
for both men and women

Lots of Romans 'got some' on this uncomfortable
looking rock bed in the famed Lupanar brothel. Above the bed
is a pretty descriptive bit of fresco showing what kind
of sex act you could do in this room. 

The Centaur guards Pompeii's Forum

As if asleep, this was one of the thousands of victims of the 465 degree
Fahrenheit ash that encased the city in a few hours.

A cast of a 2000 year old man cart

The marble pavement of the Forum that was lined with columns

Casts of man pottery and furniture as well as at the contorted
body of a roman dog that obviously died a very painful death.