RED RIDING HOOD

From Naples we took the train to Pompeii.

The mount Vesuvio, the volcano was next to us and fertile land just a bit above. We could imagine the catastrophy in 79 CE.

Pompeii

Pompeii was an ancient Roman city near modern Naples in the Campania region of Italy.

Pompeii, along with Herculaneum and many villas in the surrounding area was buried under 4 to 6 m of volcanic ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Many of the inhabitants were also buried before they could escape.

Our visit was quite respectful.

I have to admit – I did not expect that the city of Pompeii will be so big and spacious. And well designed.

The entire city has squares, streets and houses or should I say – villas – well preserved: doors, frescoes, atriums, gardens, mosaics, painted walls… it is so melancholic and it takes back in time.

The central baths are very well preserved. The complex is big and you can see heating system, the bathing system.

Some of the frescoes included the nudity. Pompeii was famous for it. 🙂

The Romans of that time used to trade with Greek and Phoenician sailors as they used the location as a safe port.

As mentioned, Pompeii were known for its erotics and taxed prostitution. In fact, there were many brothels with nude photos and statues. The feluses were indicating the direction to these places.

The old Romans had a very good social life. The taverns were existing already that time.

But the most beautiful house for me was the one with the painting of Venus coming out of shell, in the atrium (garden) of the huge villa – obviously belonging to some politician.

As the people were running out of the city, many of them stayed trapped and died of breathe suffocating. The ash covered their bodies and they remained untouched.

The amphitheater remained almost in-tactile as well, with acoustic atmosphere, of course.

The last statue was the Agamemnon – in all its glory. What a times!

Let’s eat! 🙂

Herculaneum

Herculaneum is one of the few ancient cities to be preserved more or less intact, with no later accretions or modifications. Like its sister city, Pompeii, Herculaneum is famous for having been buried in lava and ash.

Unlike Pompeii, the heavy blanket of lava that covered Herculaneum carbonized and thereby preserved wood and other organic-based materials such as roofs, beds, doors, and food.

Although most of the residents had evacuated the city in advance of the lava, the well-preserved skeletons of 300 people who perished near the seawall were discovered in 1997.

Indeed, sad and shocking.

However, you can guess what was our break about.