DAY 157 - 160: Pompeii and Ercolano

After Germany I spent 2 weeks in the South of Italy. First stop was Pompeii where I stayed 4 nights. Pompeii is not only a ruined city covered during an eruption of Vesuvius in 79 BC.... it is an actual town still today, with a beautiful basilica, many, many eateries, accommodation and everything else you would expect in a town. I stayed a 10 minute walk from the entrance to the Scavi (excavations). I spent a full day walking around the ruins. Another day visiting Ercolano (Herculaneum - half way between Pompeii and Napoli). The 3rd day was supposed to be a trip up Vesuvio but due to a landslide, the roads up that way were closed. So I visited the basilica and just walked around town and did laundry. 

The culprit - Mt Vesuvius

From the basilica in the current town of Pompeii

Weird how you walk down the street in a modern day town and across the fence are the ruins of an excavated city...

The Sfogliate were really not as nice as they looked... quite a let-down! 

No idea why there would be an Eifel Tower in the middle of the town of Pompeii?

That was great ice cream.

Where I stayed

At the Scavi - Pompeii Excavation

Ercolano is only a few kms from Pompeii. The excavated area is much smaller and the homes are mostly in a better condition, more of the frescoes and mosaics are still intact. I found it very enlightning to look at the ruins of what once was and right above, life goes on, people live, laundry hanging in the sun, children playing.... 

The Mediterranean in the background. That is how close Herculaneum is to the coast.

This dude is Fortunato, my stray for the day! I may have encouraged him to leave his job and find something that makes him happy....

Modern town on top of the old town...

The skeleton of a boat.

A bodega - there would have been oil and grain  and spices in these containers.

The material that covers Ercolano

Those are human bones!