Italy Day 4, Pompeii

INFORMATION FROM ROADSCHOLAR
Day Four: Friday, April 18 - Explore Pompeii
                  Note: The ruins of Pompeii reveal cobblestone streets, sidewalks and dirt paths. Pompeii was a city, so be aware of the size of the archaeological site. Its uneven terrain with inclines and steps makes walking a challenge. The stone pavement can be slippery when wet. Note there are few benches to stop and rest.

Breakfast: Buffet breakfast at hotel

Morning: Guided visit of Pompeii archaeological site. Explore the streets of the city frozen in time in August of 79 CE. Walk into the amphitheater, see where the gladiators trained, walk down Via Abbondanza, the main street, observe 1st century political grafitti. Notice the similarities between Pompeii where bars, restaurants, shops and bakeries line the streets, and that in any modern city in Italy.

The original of this map is found at:  http://www.unicocampania.it/files/mappe/mappa_scavi.pdf

Lunch: Lunch at a restaurant in the archaeological park.

Afternoon: Coach back to Sorrento. Late afternoon classroom session on Customs and Traditions of Sorrento.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.  on your own.

Today is Good Friday.

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NOW HERE'S MY DAY

We had to be on the bus at 8AM for the bus ride on twisty hill roads.  That was an adventure in and of itself!

The weather was cool and pleasant as we began our four hour walk.  We had a professional guide as well as the group director.  20 of the 23 of us went on the excursion.  The walk was doable because there were many pauses for information, and not many hilly parts, but the footing was, as you would expect, interesting, with large stones, sometimes sandy, and uneven footing.  

This was the closest we got to my childhood picture, but it's not the same place.

It was certainly much more crowded than I remember.

They have put the body casts together, protected by glass.  The casts were done in the 1800s, when they noticed they had "hollows" filled with skeletons.  They tapped the ground listening for a hollow sound.  When they heard that sound, they drilled holes to pour in plaster.  When they chipped away the volcanic material, they had the shape of the body at the time of death.  

The skeleton is still in the casts.  This is not where they were found.  They were moved here for display.

In the storeroom, you can find the only dog found.  All the other animals escaped, but this dog was chained.

There is a pregnant woman.

There may be more posts from Pompeii. . . 

Tomorrow is Herculaneum.