Pompeii

Start where you are!

Sitting in a pasticceria/bar in Sorrento. We are in the part behind the railway which seems more like where the locals gather away from the tourists. Waiting for the vodaphone shop to open to try to get an internet stick for Maria. The sun is coming out for the first time today and it is still cold. 13 degrees was the predicted. A brusque waiter appears after about 15 minutes so I order an espresso. He looks at me with suspicion. You really want an Italian coffee? Of course I reply. 5 minutes later a short black and a glass of mineral water appear for the princely sum of $1 Euro. I love Italy.

this morning we went to Pompeii.

 It was cold and wet and windy. Gusts of dust mean I will bring part of Italy back with me as dust in my lungs. It is easy to understand how the citizens of Pompeii asphyxiated to death. Still a wonderful experience to see this well preserved city.

 The frescoes surviving are still colourful.Amazing considering they are more than a thousand years older than the ones we saw in Rome 2 days ago.

 The engineering of the Romans continues to amaze me. A tour of the baths with steam pumped into cavities between the walls to warm the room is inspiring.

 The organization of the city and the modern conveniences like the fast food restaurant make us realise that nothing is really new.

The city was buried for almost 2 millenia before it was found almost by accident. The closest to an original Roman city in layout with streets oriented East/West and North/South. Our guide concentrated on the sexual life of Pomepian citizens and pointed out the brothel with the frescoes identifying what position was offered and whether it was a transvestite or woman available. Phallic symbols in the streets around point the way to the important house. Obviously our adolescent male students are very interested in this information.

Further on we see some of the plaster casts of the citizens caught on that dreadful day. The one of the dog in agony and the pregnant woman trying to survive are poignant reminders of our shared humanity.

 But the weather gets the best of us and Michael Maria and I decide to leave after lunch. A very convenient train takes us from Pompeii to Sorrento through tunnels in mountains in about 15 minutes! A journey that took 3 hours yesterday took 15 minutes. What a relief.

We arrive in the streets of Sorrento at siesta time. Many of the shops are closed which is probably just as well as there are designer shop fronts to admire with no option to buy. We wander down the alley ways with tourist shops selling their bright wears. I have honestly never seen so many lemon trees in my life. They line the railway line and occupy any square foot of space. Thick skinned and sweet. No wonder Sorrento is the home of Limon cello. Many of the tourist wares are reflective of the glut of lemons. Ceramics and linens decorated with pictures of lemons. Numerous bottles of lemoncello in amazing shapes like the boot of Italy and the classic cello shaoe. Tea towels and aprons beckon. But there are also beautiful linens and silks, pashmina scarves and LACE. I have to get back to the lace shop. My old love beckons me.

  There is a colony of artisans in Sorrento and you can walk past them working in their workshops. The most beautiful craft here seems to be the inlaid wood boxes available in many shops. There are wonderful jewelry boxes and music boxes. I am so tempted. They cost about $80 Euro but the workmanship is so wonderful and they are not mass produced. thankfully I have another few days to consider this and a very small suitcase to consider.

afternoon gelato

Eventually we return to the hotel on foot, noting the proximity of a laundromat as we pass. One hour for email and showers. Michael is having trouble with the internet and so I miss out. Thankfully Maria has extra time and I use her computer. Catch up on a little news from home. Dinner in the hotel was abysmal. The pasta tasted like macaroni with campbells soup as a sauvce and the fish and chips were ust wrong. Thankfully the afternoon’s gelato meant I was full so was able to push awat the food.

I wonder to myself if the look on the waiter’s face is shame at the poor representation of his country’s food or disdain for the Aussies who he assumes don’t know any better. We decide to get our washing done and sit in a dodgy looking bar while we wait. I have a Negroni. Have decided that even though I like bitter drinks, campari is a little too bitter for me. Michael has what is called the Italian Connection. A mix of Amaretto and brandy. I could drink that one over and over. Beautiful. It is only when we got up to walk back to the Laundromat that I realize that a Negroni packs a powerful punch Especially when you didn’t eat dinner. Hopefully I will sleep well tonight.

Tomorrow we vsit Herculaneum and Vesuvius.