July 29 2018

Another great day being tourists.

We walked the short distance from our B&B to the entrance of the Pompei ruins. We spent almost four hours wandering around this very large archaeological site.

STREETS IN POMPEI

As we entered the site from the main ticket office, we entered the amphi-theatre.

AMPHITHEATRE

Pompeii was covered by ash in 79 AD. As we wandered around we would listen to some of the tour guides. The City of Pompeii ruins covers over 44 hectares (100 acres) and there are still ongoing archaeological digs and renovations to the various houses. The population at the time of the eruption was approximately 16,000 to 20,000. It is unknown how many people escaped the eruption. However, the remains of only 1,500 people have been found, there could be many more undiscovered bodies. Only recently in Herculenum 300 remains were found.

Pompeii was a large Roman City with an amphitheatre, large square, commercial buildings and public baths which are all visible and restored. There was even a “red light district!”

On the map (first photo) there is a blue dotted line, that is the route for wheelchair accessibility! What do you think James?  It is the top sidewalk that is supposed to be accessible!  We didn\’t see anyone in a wheelchair.

The tour guides would show the highlights of the City, we walked up and down the streets and found some interesting places.

Some of the larger houses covered one whole block, with ornate murals and mosaics.

MOSAICS

Some of the houses were only open at set times, some from 9:30 to 1:30 and others 1:30 to 5:30.

MURALS

EXAMPLES OF CEILING DECORATIONS

There was one house and garden that we could not enter in the morning, it was open in the afternoon as we were leaving and we were able to see the mosaics and gardens.

There were a few plaster casts on display of the people who could not escape the explosion.

However, one tour guide said that most of the wealthier people of the area were able to get away. Only the slaves, servants, and disabled people could not escape from the cataclysmic event.

As we were leaving we spotted the directions to the red light district of ancient Pompei and the advertising sign for the house.

This is a major archaeological site that is still undergoing excavations.  To put things into perspective, Vesuvius is rumbling, the last major eruption happened in 79 AD, there were approximately 16,000 to 20,000 people living in the area (including Herculaneum).  The photo below shows the area of modern day Pompei with a population of 25,400.  Although when this volcano erupts again, it could effect up to 3 million people, depending on the wind direction.

The temperature soared again by mid-morning, 35-38 degrees. We were melting, thank-goodness for Merino wool t.shirts – we don’t stink (too bad).

We stopped on our way back to the B&B for a late lunch and went back to the B&B for a cool shower.

I was able to change our return flights. Air Transat was really helpful. We couldn’t get on the week-end flights, our flight leaves on Monday August 6 and arrives in Montreal at 16:50.

We will spend a night in Dorval and then cycle home from Montreal. I checked for trains, but there are no bike trains after August 6. Ontario has been having a heat wave this summer, I hope it has cooled down a bit by the time we are cycling home.