Pompeii and Positano

After two days in the Eternal City we decided to venture south. We caught a train headed for Naples, prepared for a day in Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast. Although the weather wasn't ideal, the little rain did not slow us down.

Pompeii is a captivating sight. Once a thriving port and trading town, it is now the most famous and one of the best preserved Roman cities. Covered in 27 feet of ash after the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79 AD, the city has been slowly excavated and is now an excellent example of life in the Roman Empire. Our pictures don't do it justice, but they're a glimpse of the wonderful sights of Pompeii.

Looking down a road in Pompeii. The large stones
served as both crosswalks and ancient speed bumps.

Linda in her native habitat... an old bakery with flour
grinders still standing.


One of the most interesting things we saw... this is an
ancient lunch counter where Romans could sample the
soup du jour.
Us in the amphitheater.

The four of us in the town center.

From Pompeii, our guide drove us to a little restaurant in Positano. He assured us it would provide the perfect setting for an Italian Thanksgiving feast; we were skeptical, but he was driving, so we were more-or-less a captive audience. Five courses of the best food we've had in Europe, many bottles of great wine, and an indescribable view proved him correct. It was a Thanksgiving to be remembered.

The view from our table.

The entrance to the restaurant.

The beach in Positano

Stuffed to the rafters, we walked off some of the dinner in Positano and Sorrento, a town farther up the coast. It was still chilly and somewhat drizzly, but the weather could not dampen our time on the Amalfi Coast. Looks like we have a vacation spot for better weather next summer!

Ciao

Roma!

November gave us a lot to be thankful for... Linda and Lee came to visit! They arrived the Sunday before Thanksgiving and we picked up the travelers at Marco Polo airport. No rest for the weary as we left for Rome bright and early Tuesday morning. We boarded the fast train and introduced our guests to the ambiance of Italian rail travel.

We arrived in Rome that afternoon and, after dropping our things off at the hotel, set off to explore. After a scheduling hiccup, we decided to walk and familiarize ourselves with our corner of the Eternal City. With Rick Steves as our guide, we were able to see many of Rome's most picturesque sights, including the Pantheon, Trevi fountain, the Four Rivers fountain, and the Spanish Steps. We finished the day, tired from walking, with a good dinner and an early night to bed.

In front of the Spanish Steps

Lee and Linda throwing their coins into the Trevi Fountain

Refreshed, we awoke Wednesday morning to conquer ancient Rome. Our first stop was Victor Emmanuel's monument, Trajan's column and the adjacent market. Trajan's forum was an extension of the old forum, built when the city of Rome outgrew the original city center. Across the street the glory and intrigue of the once-great empire met us in the forum. We strolled the ancient grounds as we viewed buildings dating from 497 BC. A bit of imagination and Rick Steves' guide allowed us to imagined what it must have looked like in its prime. We exited the forum and made our way past the arches of Titus and Constantine to the Colosseum.

The Victor Emmanuel Monument (The wedding cake building)

Trajan's column and forum

Once home of gladiator games and pitched (albeit man-made) sea battles, the Colosseum remains impressive even in its decay. During its time, 51,000 roaring Romans packed the stands. Only 1/3 of the Colosseum remains, but the remains allow you to visualize the grand construction of the ancient world's most famous sporting venue. From the colosseum we caught a cab back to the hotel for lunch and a quick riposo before the afternoon's activities.

In the Colosseum

Shortly after lunch, we met our tour guide at the Vatican for a private tour of the Vatican museum, the Sistine Chapel, and St Peter's basilica. Lucky for us our tour guide, had 42 years of experience and was able to give insights and details that made the whole experience spectacular. We made our way through the museum and entered the Sistine Chapel, completely renovated and beautiful. Our final stop was St Peter's basilica, where we were blown away by the size, wealth, and beauty of the church. Interestingly, all the works of art on the walls and ceilings are mosaics, though they could easily pass for frescoes. We exited through St Peter's square and walked out of one of the world's smallest countries to find a taxi.

The alter in St Peter's basilica

St Peter's Square

St Peter's square at sunset

Back in our neighborhood, we strolled by the Trevi fountain at night to see it illuminated. A few glasses of wine and one excellent meal later and - basta - we were ready to hit the hay. Thursday included a day trip (which we'll cover in another post) and was another great day of sightseeing.

The Pantheon at night

Lee and Linda at the Trevi Fountain at night

Friday morning we returned to the ancient city center, this time to see the Palatine hill. As we toured the gardens and palaces of the Caesars, we enjoyed the lofty position (literally) to see the Circus Maximus and gaze down upon the forum. There, we also saw the caves and huts of Romulus and Remus, the birthplace of Rome. We hurried back to our hotel and then to the train station to catch our train just in time. A short train ride later we arrived in chilly northern Italy with good photos and great memories.

Ave Cesare! Lee standing in the location of Caesar's throne

View of the Colosseum from the Palatine

The splendor of the Forum from the Palatine

Rome wasn't built in a day, but it can be toured in three. Our whirlwind visit allowed us to see the best Rome had to offer and gave us a better understanding of Italian history.

We came, we saw, we conquered... Ciao!