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After our arrival to Naples I was on one of the first trips off the ship heading to Pompeii. Pompeii was only a short bus ride from the ship which was nice. I also lucked out because several of the other grad students were on this trip.
Our first stop was a little town where we got to see cameo making. I didn't know they were made out of shells. I took a few pics that you can see in the album but it was really cool but looked incredibly hard to do. One must have a lot of patience and attention for detail to have the skill of cameo making. However, I think our tour guide took us to this little place to use the restroom, lol, but still a neat thing to see. Off to Pompeii!
Who knew the Romans were so smart. Pompeii is filled with things that we still use today. Plus they had a working water system, crazy or just really smart. I felt like I was stepping back in time and could truly close my eyes and picture how these people lived. Pompeii is beautiful and looming over the top of it is Mount Vesuvius. Our tour guide was telling us that researchers say that not that many people actually died from the volcano explosion, she said that she doesn't believed anyone survived, they just haven't found them buried in the ash yet.
I walked around in the heat trying to stay to the shadows or embracing the small breeze that would come through. Pompeii is a site to see for sure. I was with a tour but I did take a few moments of taking my time and really envisioning how people lived and the skills and trades. What would it have meant for me to live in this time period. We visited a brothel within Pompeii and it made me think that this is how some women lived. Inside the brothel there are pictures across the top of "things" that you could order because this city was a port city so many sailors that came to stay in the city didn't speak the language so this was how they order what they wanted.
Other part of Pompeii show us the thought that the Romans put into building the city. There are huge stepping stones over the streets so that the people didn't have to step into the street garbage, after there was no plumbing right. Well they have also found a lead pipe under ground that was used for their water system, they just didn't know that they were probably getting lead poising. They also had what looked like to be a wood fire oven (can we say Pizza in 89 BC :). You walk around knowing that what you are looking at is exactly as it was in it's time. That people today haven't moved or destroyed what is there, the ash and pumice covered it all up to rest and to be discovered again. They also had an aqueduct system that supplied water to pubic fountains, public baths, restaurants and businesses as well as some private houses. If that is not crazy I do not know what is. It really just made me realize that not much has changed and though we think we are new and inventive, we really are not.
The Romans really knew how to live and I can now see why it was such a strong empire. It is hard to deny this when you see it and can feel it with your own eyes and hands. You can even hear it when you stand in the middle of their amphitheater and speak out. The projection without actually speaking into a microphone is nearly heart stopping. Someone built and figured the design and shape to make the human voice carry so that the audience could hear you. I guess you can say that Pompeii really opened my eyes and amazed me.
- comments
Carrie It truly is an amazing site. I Couldn't get over the frescos that are still so clear on the walls.
J I'm so proud of you, look at how you embrace and soak up HISTORY!!! Hahaha. So cool you get to experience such a marvel with ALL of your senses, as opposed to simply reading about it all. You KNOW I wish I woulda seen Pompeii, but it's prolly better that I wasn't with you guys, otherwise I prolly woulda asked so many questions, the boat would've prolly all left us behind! Best blog yet, I loved it, then again, I'm pretty biased to any and all things history related ;) Keep having the time of your life... PLEASE!!!
Dad I like the way u tell the story of Pompeii