There were other noises, too, Italian swear words and the crashing of pans from across the way. Luciana was awake, too.
Jack got to evaluate his shaving skills in the dark. I quickly showered fearing the dreaded surge of ice water just when my head was full of shampoo. We both survived.
At 9:30 Luciana swept into the room, again with the huge tray of food. We learned the source of her discontent as evidenced by the Italian swear words and pan-crashing. "We never have this problem when my father was-a running the house. Never! My brother takes over, you see-a what happens! No electric! How can I make-a the espresso for my guests!" She shakes her head and puts down the tray, which frees her hands to speak as all Italians do - with animated gesturing and waving.
I thought of explaining to her that it was a power hit due to the electrical storm, not her brother, but then thought better of it. I remembered the pan-crashing and Italian swear words.
When I was in the 6th grade I remember reading about Pompeii. In 79AD Mount Vesuvius erupted without warning and entombed the entire thriving city. I remembered photos of people that had been excavated from their volcanic tomb. "Man," I thought, "I'll go there one day and see for myself." Today was that day.
Pompei in 2014 is once again a thriving city. We drove into the city center. Jack remarked, "Man, this looks way more modern than I'd expected." After being lost a couple more times, we found the excavation but not parking. It would appear that parking is a priceless commodity anywhere in Italy.
We pulled over across the street from the excavation in what looked like a good place to park. No signs saying we couldn't...that we could read. I was suspicious and went into a restaurant. "No, signora, you can't-a park there. The city, they make good living a-towing tourist cars!" I was directed a few blocks down the street.
A very jovial rotund man waved us in to a restaurant parking lot. "Now, you've come-a to see the ruins? You can-a park here for free if you'll have-a dinner or a snack at my restaurant! And iffa the food, she is no good, you pay nothing! And here, here is a beautiful book about Pompei ruins, you see it sells for-a 12 euros? I sell it to you for 10 euros!"
A hustler! And a damn good one. We bought the book and the meal. During our meal, the weather finally broke from the incessant rain. We were off to see ancient Pompeii.
It's bigger than I thought it would be. It would take about five days to see all the ruins. We walked down the Main Street.
Main Street, Pompeii
There were two colluseums, side-by-side.
In the Colosseum
There was a modern-day equivalent of a fitness center, with mens and ladies changing rooms, a weight room, a running track, and two swimming pools.
The running track was in the center and other buildings ringed it.
We saw a laundromat. Several restaurants dotted the street. You could tell they were restaurants because they had counters with numerous sink-like depressions in them. This was where the food was stored. Stacked, I guess, on plates. Some of the restaurants had back rooms where the patrons could lie down and eat in true Roman style.
A Pompeiian eatery
I’m guessing these stair step-like things held the various kinds of wines
Pompei was thriving in 79AD.
Advertised services in the brothel.
One of the brothel rooms. Man, that looks uncomfortable.
The main industry was the sea and shipping. There were numerous wealthy people living there.
Table in the home of one of Caesar’s assassins.
Pompeiian water fountain.
I guess when Vesuvius started rumbling that day in August, it was no big deal to the inhabitants. History shows the mountain had trembled many, many times before. I can imagine the shock and disbelief of the inhabitants when thousands upon thousands of metric tons of scorching hot ash and poisonous gases blanketed the city. I imagine they thought it couldn't possibly happen in such a nice place as Pompei. That was probably their very last thought.
2014AD Pompeii is trying to make 79AD Pompeii more tourist-friendly. (What? It's already wall-to-wall people in the summer!) Here's their ad campaign's catchy slogan: PompeiiViva! Ancient Pompeii is a model of a vibrant, growing community!
Do you see the irony in this? I'll bet my last euro that wasn't the thought going through the residents' minds when they were choking to death on way-more-than-boiling-hot poisonious gases. Or in the minds of those that managed to flee, only to return the next day to be entombed in molten lava. One story I remember reading in the 6th grade was that some of the residents that were excavated had their house keys in their pockets. They thought they'd be going home.
It was starting to rain again, and not just a sprinkle. It occurred to me that Vesuvius could erupt at any time without warning, even today. Time to go.
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