Yesterday we arrived at this wonderful hotel in the heart of Pompeii. As we have been here 24 hours, I have come to love it more and more. It just ticks all my boxes. A hotel that is in the centre of the action, overlooking a busy road where there is lots of activity; a tiny balcony, with double glazed doors which makes it completely sound proof. The hotel is one of courtyards and gardens. It’s lovely. This is me on the balcony, with the photo taken from inside and out…
The bistro below has become a favourite haunt for 1-50 euro cappuccino, if you stand…here are Mike and Julian doing just that…
So yesterday was the first Sunday of the month and so free entry into the Pompeii ruins. It was a fascinating journey into antiquity. Christianity was in its infancy and had not yet reached this part of the world. Idolatry and a whole lot of other vices were rife. In AD 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted and spewed molten lava down onto Pompeii, burying it in ash and killing the 2000 people who had not fled for their lives. Over the last 100 years more and more of the ruins were excavated and amazing information brought to light about life in those times. The gymnasium and baths for example date back to 2BC and some large parts of them are still standing…
The same goes for a main market which had large murals drawn on the walls…
This is what the walls of a particularly rich Roman family looked like…
The Pompeii amphitheatre was the scene of many gruesome games…
While the theatre provided entertainment for both the rich and poor…
Perhaps the most sobering was the Forum itself. A massive square where people gathered, business was done and was overlooked by various temples, such as the temple of Jupiter and the temple of Apollo. And it was all the shadow of a seemingly harmless mountain…
That mountain was to be the downfall of the entire city. Mount Vesuvius last erupted in 1944, and yet even though it is ‘smoking’ it remains dormant and open to visitors. We went there today and lumbered up the hill…
…it took 20 minutes to get to the first view point…and soon we were able to look deep into the crater.
Here is the smoke rising from the inside..
Some of the rocks felt warm to the touch, making it rather eerie. It looked safe but seemed that beneath the innocence lies a terror waiting to get out. There are various stories regarding when it will next erupt. There are a number of volcanic measuring machines around the crater monitoring activity so that scientists can predict the next eruption. It will be good to not be around for that. Here are Mike and I at the top of Mount Vesuvius…
I made a little video.. I’ve got to figure out how to compress it.
As we returned to the hotel, I felt so privileged to be able to do this.
#434 of my 1000 thanks is for the opportunity to travel and to see this beautiful historic land. There is something about the Italians….their joy for life, their family friendly society and their faith are all to be commended.
Tomorrow, we leave Pompeii and head on up to Bologna.
That will be another adventure.
Today I read the last chapter of Isaiah.
Isaiah 66:1
This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you build me a temple as good as that? Could you build me such a resting place?
These are the days!
Keep the smile going.
God bless you.
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂