Overlooking Pompeii

Ann and I have decided to venture once again, next year to Sorrento/Italy… and stay at our previous hotel… the superb Grand President on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the town. This got me looking at my posts of the time. as we are going to be there for the week of my birthday, and we have decided to visit the ruins of Pompeii on my birth day… Gawd, I love Pompeii !!! Although we were on a guided tour of the site last time and found it rather rushed (2 hours in-and-out) This time we are planning on making our own way there and back by local train… to make a real day of it… Here is my post from earlier this year… to remind me of this truly photogenic archaeological site. I hope you enjoy the post as much as I do….

It seems strange, now that we are home, from a week’s break in Sorrento, and looking back over our time there, that it is in reality, just over a week, since we were walking around the large archaeological site of Pompeii, and all the gems it has to offer.

I’m sure everyone is aware of the facts around the Roman City of Pompeii, where in the year A.D. 79, the active volcano of Mt. Vesuvius, erupted, covering the city and many of its inhabitants in the hot volcanic ash, causing devastation to surrounding area on towns within the bay of Naples.

In the shadow of Vesuvius

Although we, had been to Pompeii some 14 years ago, introducing our daughter to the gems of Europe, but in particular, Italy… I can remember being at Pompeii when it was 40+ degrees C. not nice !!! Although warm this time, it was nothing to the last visit in August 2003.

There was a showing at Pompeii of work by the renowned Polish born artist Igor Mitoraj who sadly died in October 2014 at the age of 70. Ann and I had seen his superb work before in Florence a few years ago, but it was good to see his work once again, but in such a fantastic backdrop as Pompeii.

The ‘Ludus’ of the Gladiators

Although there were crowds of tourists everywhere, as Pompeii is set out over quite a large area, it did not seem as packed as when we visited Herculaneum a few days later. It was a really great visit this year, especially to see the sculptures set out at the site, and our guide was first rate, making the visit even more memorable.

Sculptures by Igor Mitoraj

When, and if we go back again, I must admit, a private visit to Pompeii, will have to be on the cards, making our own way to the site, via local transport (train), as the ‘organised’ trip by coach, took us nearly 2 hours, just to get out of the bay and onto the motorway, leaving a mere 2 hours at this great and important archaeological site.

Research leads me to believe, if we catch a local train to Pompeii, it stop right by the site, and this will allow us more time to explore, stopping wherever and whenever we want, and staying as long as we wish…