POMPEII

I have always wanted to go to Pompeii. The site of Pompeii is located in western Italy in a region called Campania, near the Bay of Naples. Campania is a fertile plain, blessed with soil rich in phosphorus and potash. In ancient times, the region's crop yield was six times higher than the average of the rest of the peninsula. Pompeii was under Hellenistic influence and was the center of Greek administration and Rome took control about 290BC.

You can find many tours from Rome to Pompeii, it will costs between Euro 100 - 120. We used The Appian Lines - quite a good pick. The tour lasted 13 hours (moved early in the morning) and lunch is provided in Vittoria Hotel (I think the only hotel in Pompeii). Wealthy Roman citizens looked to Pompeii and the Gulf of Naples as a relaxing vacation area.

Earliest self service (above)
the house of a rich man with elaborated marble entrance (below)

A typical middle class family house (above)
Earliest laundry. The tour guide said they used urine as detergent (below)

Roman Bath (you will notice that the male bath is much better than the female's)

The destruction of Pompeii was solely contributed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius at 79AD. Mount Vesuvius caused an earthquake at 62AD. Quite a devastating one. For the next seventeen years Pompeii concentrated on repairing the damages the earthquake had caused, determined to make their town even more splendid than before.

One of the earliest brothel - catalogues painted on wall for clients to choose - uncomfy bed
The sign of the penis and the scrotum meant brothel

Signs of the upcoming eruption began at 79AD. Small tremors shook the ground, but the quakes caused so little damage that few paid any attention to them. Springs and wells also dried up, which in ancient times was often interpreted as a sign of the gods' displeasure. Then the earth began to rumble and crack, and the usually calm sea gave way to giant waves. The volcano burst open early one morning with an earsplitting crack. Smoke, mud, flames and burning stones spewed from the summit of the mountain, sending a rain of ash and rock through the surrounding countryside. Pompeii was covered in a layer more than 30 feet thick of volcanic ashes.

One of the morbidly fascinating results of the 79 A.D. eruption of Vesuvius is the large number of holes found in the volcanic deposits around Pompeii that represented corpses of people and animals that were buried by the hot ash.

This person apparently saw the end was imminent and curled up to wait to die.

Then, the memory of Pompeii and Herculaneum faded into a legend. The Renaissance (14th century) were quite interested in antiques, thus the realisation of the legend. They began to dig ancient writings about Pompeii and what lay beneath were also unearthed.Pompeii was found during an excavation that began at 1748.

When you enter the city of Pompeii, you will be awed. It was amazing to see early civilisation so connected to our day to day living today, only today we make it more sophisticated, but the principles are ancient. Sometimes in conversations we tend to say "Tem pai tu oo lor!" - last time already got! But actually seeing something which dated back more than 2000 years ago was really an experience. If you are in Rome, do try to come to Pompeii or Ortia.

Our Italian trip is a very educational and humbling experience. Wishing family and friends a blessed and prosperous 2010 - May this year bring inspiration to reality through hard work, perseverance and determination.

Love,
Loon & Cindy... and Gon :)