Cantina del Vesuvio at Trecase 2 - 7 October 2022

Some of the reviews had mentioned lots of dogs barking throughout the night - they weren’t wrong! It doesn’t bother us, it’s just sad that maybe there are some unhappy dogs…

We never did find the sneaky mosquito last night, but she certainly found me! More misery for days! Seems like we’re not alone, you see many people with angry red lumps on legs and arms.

So, our laundry wasn’t totally dry, but certainly was when we came back to Dave this evening.

Today, our free minibus took just us to Pompeii. Not really sure how it’s good business sense, free minibus, electricity if you want it, use of washing machine if free - you don’t even have to buy wine or do a wine tasting - but I expect most people do.

Glad he was driving and not us! It’s an experience being driven by someone else - it’s like no rules apply - you see a vehicle coming, but you go in front anyway, you push the situation to squeeze through instead of waiting, you beep your horn, you stop wherever you like - fascinating!

So, no real queue - really miserable woman at the desk - I gave €50, she was asking for more, but couldn’t hear her behind the glass - there’s no price list anywhere. Turns out, gave her another €2, so she could return €20 - €16 each.

Rookie error, off we walked, then decided we could really do with a map, so walked all the way back. Why they don’t offer them when you get the ticket is a mystery to me!

Anyway, we’re listening to another Rick Steves audio, but he started from a difference entrance, so had to find that first!

Mount Vesuvius peaks at 1,281m, and forms the backdrop to the Bay of Naples. On the lower slopes, 13 communities house over 750,000 inhabitants who all choose to ignore the threat that looms over them.

Pompeii is the world’s best preserved Roman town, frozen in time by the catastrophic eruption of Vesuvio on 24 August AD79. Founded as a Greek colony, the town became part of Rome in about 200BC, thriving as a chic holiday resort for rich Romans and as a trading place exporting wine and fish products. It was severely damaged by an earthquake in AD63, and the volcanic eruption 16 years later was the final nail in the coffin. Of the 20,000 inhabitants, it is thought that about 2,000 died, including Pliny the Elder.

Excavations began in earnest in 1748, and continue today.

Vesuvio last blew in 1944, and generally thought to be well overdue for another eruption.

The pavements were elevated to hide the plumbing underneath. They were also studded with white marble - these so called cats eyes helped people get around after dark. They were very forward thinking 2,000 years ago!

Three raised stones in the middle of the road were a kind of ancient crosswalk. Every day the streets were flooded with gushing water to clean them. The stepping stones allowed pedestrians to cross without getting their sandals wet.  Chariots traveling in either direction could straddle the stones, as they all had standard size axles. A street with a single stepping stone in the road meant it was a one way street, a pair of stones indicated an ordinary two way lane, and three stones signified a major thoroughfare. Three stones jutting up from the pavement are traffic barriers, no chariots - pedestrians only!

The Forum is a huge area where Romans gathered to shop, do business and socialize. The piazza was surrounded by two story buildings on all sides. All the statues which were on the pedestals are all in the museum in Naples - much like everything else of value.

The Temple of Jupiter, king of all the gods is at the far end.

The Basilica (palace of justice) is filled with stubby columns.

The day after the eruption, it happened again - the red hot avalanche - a pyroclastic flow sped down the mountain at nearly 100 miles an hour - it engulfed Herculaneum, 4 miles away, burying it in nearly 60 feet of hot mud, which cooled into stone.

The city of Pompeii served its 20,000 residents with some 40 bakeries, 30 brothels and 130 bars, restaurants and hotels.

There were a couple of casts of victims (sadly in cases which were hard to photo due to reflection). They’re captured in their final moments - they would have been quickly suffocated by a superheated avalanche of gas and ash. Archaeologists were able to create molds, which they filled with plaster.

Pompeii had 6 public baths, each with a mens and womens section. They could have a hot bath, warm bath, or cold plunge.

They had fast food joints! Served from rectangular marble counters. Most ancient Romans didn’t cook for themselves in their tiny apartments, so these places were common.

The grooves on the floor was for the shop’s folding accordion style doors.

You can see wheel groves in the streets, worn down through centuries of chariot traffic.

The word HAVE at entrances is Latin for ‘Hail’ or ‘be well’.

Back in the day, a prostitute was nicknamed lupa - or she wolf, alluding to the call they made when trying to attract business.

The brothel was a simple place, cell like bedrooms. The faded frescoes above the cells may have been a kind of menu for services offered! Women were always shown with white skin, which was considered beautiful and contrasted with the darker skin of their horny customers!

The theater is built in Greek style, built into the curve of a hillside. It could seat 5,000 people. Behind is the colonnaded courtyard which housed the gladiator barracks.

We walked on another 10 minutes to see the amphitheater - not that impressive!

Overall, wow, to think that it’s all been so beautifully preserved for 2,000 odd years, and been painstakingly restored.

It’s also amazing to think that life back then didn’t really seem that different to today. Some of the brightly coloured frescoes and mosaics are great to see. We spent about 4 hours wandering around - but there’s more to see if you want to.

We messaged Mariella, and our private minibus came to collect us about 20 minutes later.

There are two other campers now! In the little van, a lovely couple from Denmark, traveling with their cat - they were in the Agricamper in Rome too. It’s the lure of free, safe parking, and a washing machine! The other couple are a German couple in a Mobilvetta Krosser.

Another lazy day planned for tomorrow - having a wine tasting and food here…

Dean, the drone had an outing at sunset so here's a few pics.