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I just spent a week in Naples for a conference. That was not the most fun I've ever had, but who can complain it took me to Naples and someone else paid for it! I managed to get out a bit to hit highlights of Naples. I took some extra time off and stayed around 2 extra days to catch up on my anthropology/archeology and visit Rome. When you see the pictures you'll get a much better history lesson but I went to Pompeii one of the best preserved exhibits of a city constructed in BC times. It was buried when a volcano erupted and the entire city was covered in about 12 feet of ash to be discovered about 1700 years later. It was amazing. The society was booming as it were and beautiful... until a giant mountain of burning rock exploded and hid it for almost 2 thousand years... still it was amazing to be walking the streets that were that old and know it is the exact same road as Romans were walking on. Paintings were preserved and so many other things. I guess you could look at the pictures and say all I see is a bunch of stacked rocks, but to think they built something that size (and things like the colosseum) without cranes, autocad, or powertools well its kind of impressive.
I went to Rome on Saturday. I only got to spend a day there and had to travel from Naples with is about 2 hours one way so I didnt have a whole lot of time. I can say I touched almost all the highlights. I didn't get to see the Sistine Chapel which I of course really REALLY wanted to see but I have to go back so that will be number one on the list. It is a beautiful city. Again, amazing! There is so much ancient history there. Considering in the US we dont have any structures that are more than a few hundred years old and certainly nothing the magnitude of the Colosseum from over a thousand years ago. I'm not dissing the known indian archeological sites in the US by any means, but find me something constructed in BC times that is still standing? Wow, thats about all I can say. Just wow.
Inside the Vatican City was beautiful. Thousands of people there too. I got there towards the end of the day so I didnt get to see much more than the square and St. Peter's Basilica but still gorgeous. I kept my eye out for the Pope. You know, I would hate to accidentally bump into him or something. :)
Getting back home from Rome proved to be interesting. I got locked inside a train and had to try to break out, somehow managed to dropped off in the wrong city, had to talk to a cab driver who knew as much English as I knew Italian.. about 3 words.. and the day was finally saved by another cab driver who I could at least speak Spanish to and have him understand what I needed. 150 Euro cab ride later and about an hour before I needed to be leaving to go to the airport I finally made it home. What an exciting way to end my day.
Can't wait to go back.
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