Up Pompei -- with Frankie

It's the Frankie on the left not the one on the right --Sadly he has passed, whereas our Frankie has been enjoying the sights that Europe has to offer, including visiting Pompei.

Ok so I don't think Lynda nor I had any concept of just how extra-ordinary the ancient city of Pompei is today and that there is such a vast amount to see that has in many cases been exceptionally well preserved.

 

For anyone who does not know the story of Pompei's destruction and the inhabitants killed it kind of goes like this---

- Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD

- it killed 2000+ inhabitants

- it also destroyed Hercalenium and many Villas around

- It was not covered in Lava which I had thought.

- It was covered by volcanic ash which burnt all the flamables

- the volcano eruption was 17 years after a not so powerful earthquake took place in 62AD, where there was damage but this was repaired.

- Most deaths were not from asphyxiation but by a kind of flash heat that immediately burnt them and kind of froze them.

 

So we were here as much as anything to learn about a place that we had only really scratched at in history in school or had a laugh at with the marvellous Mr. Howard.

 

So what follows are a huge amount of photographs as there was a picture worth taking every ten steps of so and this is after finding out that Pompei was sharing its history with an exhibition on when Pink Floyd performed here in 1972 and 2017.

It was started to be properly excavated in 1946, although it had been discovered way back in the 1790's by an engineer. You have to remember that there were around 6 Metres of the ash and pumice to excavate without damaging what might be hidden below and this was a very large area to cover as well so I figure on a street by street basis it is no wonder that excavation continues today and they continue to discover new areas.

Lynda and I had a discussion about the brick columns that are shown supported by scaffold as to whether they were real or not but the Romans were making these red clay bricks back in BC.

Everywhere you look there is evidence of a city that appears to have just been left by the inhabitants, who might have just walked away-- actually they should have ran like hell. But things like the door above and walls painted in ochre colouring still evident in many places. 

So much of what we saw was so well preserved and you have to admire the tenacity of the archeologists and the work that they did and continue to do for the benefit of all visitors.

 Incredibly graphic and visible portraits on the walls of high end owners.

Incredible detail everywhere you look -- original columns , walls statues streets -- even the occasional bread oven or pizza oven.

The big statue of Apollo looks down over the modern town now

 

One thing is -- and there are more than a couple of amphitheatres -- they are all getting used for recitals, concerts , and plays. 

 

I think the ladies expression says it all when the lid was lifted off of Vesuvius

I am not sure who cooked for who at this time but some very large vessels still laying around

And we know that they liked a Roman Bath

Below through the opening is the Lady who did all the damage

There is great restoration going on , some of it reminded us a bit of Kusadaci -- I am sure that the spelling is wrong -- in Turkey where they have covered villas that protects the archeologists and ruins alike -- it would be great to come back to see it when they finish -- if we live that long of course.

This was either the stores for wine or for Olive oil -- either way nectar of the Gods

 

 It is also really great to see so many of the gardens growing again

Including this huge Pine tree below amazing roots

So finally this is where the majority in normal circumstances would have ended up , sealed in these tombs in the wall which are located in a moat like gulley outside the city walls -- of course this didn't happen for 2000 odd and I daresay that the undertaker was gone as well.

Comes to us all I guess.

 

All around are also visions of the scene in Gladiator where he rides to his villa up the long avenues of Cyprus trees only to find his wife and child killed -- well we do have vivid imaginations, some more so than others.

 

Great hotel called -- what else -- The Forum dead opposite.

 

Right then , next stop the Amalfi Coast -- mad roads and even madder drivers -- hold tight Frankie.

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