May 30, 2023

May 30, 2023

We had a leisurely breakfast on the hotel deck. We are thinking it is a good idea to head out for a couple hours while the day-trippers overwhelm the narrow lanes of this little village of Positano. While we waited for the public bus, Aimee was fascinated by this little gecko that scoured his territory for one insect after another.

We took the bus east along the World Heritage Amalfi Coast. The road, carved into the sheer cliff, is carefully designed to be a little narrower than two cars side by side. The ride was hair-raising for us. I can’t imagine how the bus driver does this day after day. I felt like I needed to give him a tip afterwards.

We got off at the eponymous town of Amalfi, which is the main economic and historical city on this coast. We tried to learn more about this history by visiting the Arsenale Museum. The Republic of Amalfi had the early lead in developing maritime trade with the Orient after the first Crusades. This museum is housed in the old shoreline caves where these merchants built their great oared vessels. Amalfi developed the first ‘rules of the sea’ that the world still abides by. They also refined the first compass to aid navigation. Unfortunately having volcanoes in your back yard is not good for business. In 1343, the Stromboli volcano generated a tsunami that destroyed the town ceding maritime leadership to Genoa, Pisa, and especially Venice.

We walked into town past the Cathedral sitting atop a monumental staircase. We plowed through the tourist crowd uphill along the main drag. We can hear the rushing of water below the pavement. The street covers the river that runs through the center of the town.

After an hour we head back to the port and buy a ticket for the ferry. We want nothing to do with the coast road. The boat ride is faster, smoother, and comes with fresh air, and great scenery.

Back in Positano, we make another late lunch reservation at the same spot as yesterday. We have almost the same table and meal. It is great food and wonderful scenery, above the tourist fray below us.

For dinner I sip some wine by our window. Aimee and I toast our Italian holiday. Tomorrow we start the long journey home. I am going to miss Italian Tiramisu.

May 29, 2023

May 29, 2023

We checked out of our Naples accommodation. It was a cross between a hotel and a B&B. It resides in an old elegant turn of the century high-rise with open stairwells and original elevator. The rooms are very modern and are an oasis away from the cacophony of Naples. Breakfast was delivered to our room every morning.

We met our next driver and he took us past Vesuvius and out onto the Sorrento Peninsula that is the southern border of the Bay of Naples. Off the tip of the peninsula is the island of Capri. We get nice views of the cliffs of Sorrento as we make the turn. In Sorrento we cut across to the Amalfi coast. We soon reach Positano. Between the traffic of Naples and the winding coastline, the journey is hair-raising for the driver.

We dropped our bags at our hotel and set out to explore Positano. The village clings to a cleft in the rocky sea cliff. Positano is packed with tourists and shopping. I watch as Aimee stops in every store. This is our little vacation from touring so I am wanting to sit in a peaceful spot and have a drink with a view; but that seems to be impossible. We search around and find a nice restaurant above the street and make a reservation for 2:30.

We checked into our hotel and relaxed for a while. When we return to the restaurant, we are overjoyed to find a few of the early lunchers have finished and we get an ocean-side table with a primo view. We settled in for a lunch of sea bass followed by an awesome Tiramisu with whole coffee beans. We drag out the meal to take full advantage of the ambiance.

We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the town. We buy a bottle of Vesuvius wine and have a picnic dinner at our sea-view window.

May 28, 2023

May 28, 2023

This morning we awoke and took the same Circumvesuviana train as yesterday. This time we got off earlier at the Herculaneum ruins. This is another town that was buried by the 79 AD eruption. The area excavated here is much smaller. Many modern houses surrounding the site would have to be razed to uncover more. We spent two hours walking up and down the small grid of eight city blocks. There seems to be fewer surviving wall paintings here compared to Pompeii. This city was buried quicker and twice as high. As a result many upper floors have been preserved. Some ceilings and stairways are visible.

It is interesting to now see how tall the ceilings and the central atria were. Roman houses had plain exteriors with no windows. To keep an open Impluvium and Peristyle garden secure, they needed these high walls that would be difficult to scale. For Romans the focus was interior courtyards like we have seen in Morocco and other Arab communities.

Herculaneum has more surviving wooden structural elements, albeit very charred. In one house we saw not only wooden beams, but also a dining room sliding door and a bed frame.

Color has survived in a few interesting spots in Herculaneum. I knew Greek temples were painted; but one Roman house shows how this Peristyle courtyard garden had brightly colored red columns. Nothing like I would have expected.

Another cool spot was a wine shop. Since many people were illiterate, there had to be a sign telling people what they offered. In this case, it was four wines of different colors and their price.

After two hours we made our way out of the ruins, and walked uphill back to the train station. We returned to Naples and found the Metro line. We took it across Naples to Pozzouli, the hometown of Sophia Loren. Its harbor was the main port of Roman Italy. Just around the corner we find the Flavian Amphitheater, the third largest Roman arena. We flew over it on our approach to the Naples airport.

I wanted to visit this Roman arena because it is renowned for having the best preserved underground. This is where the gladiators and animals would have been kept. The lions would have been raised on wooden cranes coming through holes in the arena floor. While the vast underground is mostly intact, we really didn't find it too interesting. Probably because the wooden apparatus that raised the animals didn't survive the centuries.

We made our way back to the hotel and rested. Before dinner we walked to Capella Sansevero. We tried to visit it earlier and found that tickets sell out days in advance. This reservation was the only one available. After presenting our ticket we were allowed in this tiny chapel a few minutes early. It is all Baroque and totally filled with statues. The centerpiece is the Veiled Christ.

I actually found two other artworks more compelling. Most of the sculptures represent allegories or virtues. I liked a female standing statue called Veiled Modesty. But my favorite hands-down is another called Disillusion. It has a man entangled in a fishing net. It had to have been one of the hardest sculptures to carve.

For dinner we had pizza again, but this time with a tasty Caesar salad. We had a long conversation with our tablemates from Australia. It turned out they are staying next door to us and they also came to this restaurant three times.

May 27, 2023

May 27, 2023

From our hotel, we walked up Corso Umberto to the main train station and bought tickets for the Circumvesuviana commuter train. Like the name implies it goes right past this volcano. Vesuvius at only 4000 feet height doesn't look dangerous compared to her much bigger sister Etna. In some parts of the world it would barely be a hill, but in 79 AD she probably had a peak that exploded and rained terror down upon nearby Pompeii completely burying it. The city's rediscovery in 1748 made it an instant must-see tour stop and kicked off a Neoclassical Revival. The wealthy all redecorated ala Roman.

We arrived in Pompeii shortly after opening and entered this World Heritage city through the Porta Marina city gate. In 79 this would have been at the harbor. Lava flow pushed the shore a mile away.

From the gate we arrive in the public space of Pompeii, the Forum where people would gather to visit the market. Surrounding it are the Basilica Law courts, temples, and public baths. Not far away are the theaters for entertainment. The last time I visited this spot almost forty years ago it was raining.

We turn north to visit the residential sections. It looks very eerie, like a bombed out city. To add to the creepy feeling, voids were found in the pumice while excavating the site. When they were filled with plaster, they turned out to be body molds of those who didn't leave Pompeii in time.

The streets are all cobblestone lined with sidewalks on both sides. Ruts from chariot wheels are all over. Rain was directed down the streets to wash them, so there are stepping stones at strategic spots to get across without getting ones feet wet.

Pompeii is very large, with every street looking similar. It is easy to get turned around. The list of houses open varies day to day so we have to keep checking the map to determine where to go. Interestingly the Romans put polished stones in the sidewalk that would glow in the moonlight to provide direction.

On many corners there is a marble fountain where common people would gather drinking water.

We visited dozens of houses including the spectacular House of the Vettii that reopened just a few months ago after twenty long years of restoration. Roman homes all have a common design theme. There was an entrance hallway that was tiled with a greeting. Oftentimes simply Hello, but famously a few with a mosaic dog with the Latin inscription for Beware of Dog.

This hall opens into a tiled atrium with a small marble pool (Impluvium) to catch rainwater for personal use. The tiled roof would have been slanted to funnel the rain into it.

Surrounding the atrium were several small bedrooms and opposite the entry a large dining room. In one house we saw the table they ate at. It was just an L-shaped couch. The Romans ate while reclining! 

The great draw of Pompeii is that many of the mosaic tiled floors and wall decorations survive giving us a detailed idea how ancient Romans lived.

The quantity and variety of painting that has survived in Pompeii is so great that art historians have been able to classify it into different styles that were prevalent in each era. First-style mimics fine stonework, others are decorative, and some have mythological themes and architectural elements.

The dining room usually looked out onto a garden that was surrounded by a peristyle hall (colonnade). The garden would sometimes have a fountain. Adjoining it would be a richly decorated great room where business would be conducted.

One house had a piece of polished obsidian in the wall by the entry door. It was used as a mirror. I wondered why aloud, but my smart wife informed me it was to check how you look before answering the door.

The Romans were very practical so they had exterior rooms that were rented to vendors selling products and services. This is like our big cities that have stores on the first floor of residential buildings.

We started exploring these homes mostly by ourselves, but as the morning progressed the crowds thickened so we walked east thinking most tourists won't stray far from the entrance. We saw a bakery, which had large grain milling stones and pizza-like ovens. We also saw a laundry with large fire-heated lead pots.

I made a special point to find a Thermopolium. This was the fast-food restaurant of the Romans. It consisted of an L-shaped marble counter top with several large clay vats containing wine and various foods. It turned out I didn’t need to look hard. There seemed to be one nearly everywhere I looked. Apparently Romans never ate at home.

On the far east side of Pompeii, we toured the Amphitheater where Romans watched sporting events, like lions eating Christians. This arena is believed to be the oldest still in existence.

Next-door is the Grand Palestra. We walked through the encircling columned portico of this YMCA of Pompeii. The huge interior courtyard of this gymnasium even had a swimming pool. The Palestra is used for special exhibits. One set of displays shows the foods that Pompeiians ate. Their Last Supper included Peaches, Figs, Walnuts and a loaf of bread. Unfortunately, all are over-cooked, by the volcano!

There is another exhibit on erotica. Apparently it was prevalent in every house. Some is tame, but surprisingly explicit images of Priapus were on prominent display in common areas. He was the God of Prosperity and Abundance, in particular male abundance. Interestingly, the notorious side effect of Viagra, Priapism, is named after him.

We were getting tired and the crowds unbearable so we quickly walked back across Pompeii towards the exit. Our last stop was the Brothel. It consisted of many small rooms with stone bed platforms and erotic wall paintings. Not far away we found a very explicit sign carved into the pavement pointing in this direction.

To finish the day, we left the walled city of Pompeii out the north gate. Tombs lined both sides of the road as Romans always buried their dead just outside the city walls.

Our last stop was a country estate called Villa of the Mysteries. Most of the villa is closed for renovation except for its famous Mystery room that has some brightly colored frescoes illustrating an initiation rite of women into a mysterious cult. We walked to the train station for the trip back to Naples.

May 26, 2023

May 26, 2023

After seeing all the Pompeii artifacts yesterday, we wanted to visit the site, but the Italians scheduled a nationwide general strike today. So we have to punt and stick local. Strikes in Italy are as common as Mt Etna erupting and both play havoc with life.

From our hotel on the main drag of Corso Umberto, we walk southwest toward the port and Historic Center of Naples, a World Heritage Site. Once there we see two cruise ships anchored, one of which, owned by Royal Caribbean, was the largest in the world until eclipsed this year.

Also at the port is Castel Nuovo, a squat medieval stone fortress. When Alfonso of Aragon added Naples and Southern Italy in 1443 to his dominions he had a marble triumphal arch added to the otherwise ugly castle.

A block away we visit the Galleria Umberto I. This beautiful old Victorian-era shopping mall is almost an identical twin to the Vittorio Emanuele Galleria we visited in Milan a few years ago. Except this one has Zodiac signs in the central floor. Aimee is not too enthused as it has none of the upscale stores Milan did.

Instead we walked to Piazza del Plebescito. This large public space is dedicated to the 1860 vote that added Naples and Sicily to the new united Italian Kingdom. Unfortunately most of the plaza is set up for a temporary open-air concert. The piazza is flanked on the west side by a Pantheon-like church. On the opposite is the Royal Palace. The palace facade has a series of eight statues representing Naples' royal dynasties starting with Roger of Normandy and ending with Victor Emmanuel, the first Italian king.

We walked north along Via Toledo window-shopping, but there is a throng of humanity; probably from the two big cruise ships. We were very lucky there were no ships in port the day we toured tiny Valletta. Also Naples is a dirty city. While Neapolitans, like Indians, are clean and well-dressed, they care less about their living environment. Almost every surface is filled with graffiti.

We ran into one of the funiculars. Despite the strike, it is running, so we take it to the top of Vomero Hill. We walked with some Australians who, seeing a sign for Floridiana, mentioned Ron DeSantis. I am always amazed that foreigners know far more about the US than we do about them.

We buy tickets to walk the ramparts of Castel Sant’Elmo on the hilltop. It is a huge, very tall castle with many long ramps to finally reach the top. From this lofty perch we get great views of Naples and its harbor, with Vesuvius looming in the background.

Back at sea level we continue up Via Toledo, before veering back into the historic center. We try to visit Chiesa Gesu Nuovo, but it is closed till this evening. It has the strangest church facade we have ever seen.

We continue on Spaccanapoli St. past one tall plague obelisk to another one in Piazza Domenico. We have been looking for something small to eat but there is little besides pizza. Here we stopped and ordered Taralli, a southern Italian snack that looks like a flavored pretzel. This time the cover charge also came with some snacks.

We had a pasta dinner near our hotel and then returned to finish off the Marzipan I bought in Palermo at the beginning of the trip. It is so rich I can only eat a little at a time. Sicilian Marzipan or Frutta Martorana is a sugary almond snack that is glazed and dyed to look like a real fruit. According to legend the Martorana nuns made these fake fruits to beautify their monastery for an off-season papal visit.

May 25, 2023

May 25, 2023

We awoke early, checked out of our hotel and Ubered to the Malta airport. Check-in was a breeze. Our flight to Naples was only supposed to be an hour. After passing the island of Capri and Mt Vesuvius to begin our approach, we turned and headed back out to sea. After what seemed ages we circled around and again made our final approach into the Naples airport. Just as we were to land, the pilot made an abrupt nose-up at full throttle. Either a near-miss or the runway was still occupied. I can handle turbulence but emergency evasive maneuvers make me nervous. After circling around landward we made another approach and landed. Phew. On the plus side I got the grand aerial tour of Naples.

Back on Terra Firma, finally, we met our driver and he took us to our hotel in the heart of Naples, the old capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilys. Our room is not ready, so we dropped our bags and started walking to a pizzeria. We weren't really hungry, so we kept walking through the historic district. It is packed with tourists. Plus everywhere is covered in blue and white banners. Apparently Naples just won a soccer championship.

We continued on to the National Archeology Museum. We saw they had a cafeteria, so we had a bite to tide us over. Aimee picked a Focaccia con Mortadella. It was good, but I didn't have the heart to tell her this was the Italian version of a Bologna sandwich. It is what I ate every day as a kid!

This museum is famous for having the treasures collected from Pompeii. We start on the top floor with the many household items one would have in their home if you suddenly had to flee. This includes lamps for lighting, scissors and other personal hygiene products, and pots and pans for cooking and serving. Pompeii must have been upscale as many of the items are bronzeware as opposed to simple ceramic.

Many museums have collections of monumental Roman statues, but the uniqueness of Pompeii and this museum is the astounding collection of the Roman mundane. It is amazing how advanced the Romans were and how much like ourselves they were. They even had a metal folding table.

I liked the collection of glassware on display. There is a lot of it in many intricate and sometimes beautiful shapes. Glass would be one of those many skills lost in the post-Roman Dark Ages. I had to laugh a little when I saw some water glasses that looked exactly like ones I used as a child.

We next moved into Roman wall painting. When Pompeii was first excavated, the standard practice was to remove the painted walls and bring them to the King's museum here in Naples. It ranges from the simple decorative to elaborate scenes to personal portraits. Pompeii is one of the few places where this fragile art was preserved.

We quickly walked through a large section on Magna Graecia (Greater Greece). Besides Sicily the Greeks colonized much of the coastline of Southern Italy. Napoli, or Neopolis (New City) started life as a Greek city. We have already seen lots of Greek treasures, but this section has lots of wall paintings found in ancient nearby Greek tombs. They are centuries older than Pompeii.

What is also impressive about this Magna Graecia section is that the floor is all mosaic tile that was removed from Pompeii. You have to wear booties to peruse this exhibit.

The museum is preparing a special exhibit on the first floor. Disappointingly the most famous object, the Alexander Mosaic, has already been moved. Shockingly I watched as they took the famous Dancing Faun statue off its base and carried it away.

There is a rather large collection of erotic art. This used to be kept hidden away from public view. No longer. Sex was important to the Romans. Some of it is erotic but much of it is just plain odd, even hilarious. You will have to come to see it for yourself.

We finished on the first floor with the large sculptures found in Pompeii and the neighboring town of Herculaneum. While impressive, it is stuff we have seen at many other sites. The Romans decorated every public space with sculpture.

We walked back to the hotel through the historic district again. We passed a statue of the Nile River god. I have no idea why that is here. We also passed a street full of Presepi (Nativity Scene) vendors. Many are monumental and amazingly elaborate. They also seemed to have branched out to rustic scenes.

For dinner we went to a Pizzeria and had one with spicy Calabrian sausage. Delicious, but then again Naples is the birthplace of pizza. The waiter talked us into after dinner drinks of Limoncello. For variety I had a creamy Meloncello. It is made from Cantaloupe. We liked it so much we bought a bottle at a grocery store on the walk back.