The second day of the field study we went to Pompeii. This was literally my favorite day. I have always wanted to see this place. I wanted to see people encased in ash and plaster and walk where the Romans walked before me. I wanted to see a bath house like the ones I learned about in 7th grade world history and a theatre in the round like I’ve learned about in my many theatre classes at Chico State. But more than that, I wanted to get to the top of Vesuvio that afternoon.
We started off on the tour and I realized I had forgotten the silly little one ear phoned radio we use for the tours so you can be wherever but still hear the details of what we are looking at. This forced me to literally stand right next to the tour guide, who by the way I found hilarious. We went through the theater first. It was amazing. The steps that people sat on to watch the dramas and comedies rose around us in more than a half circle as we walked into the area the stage was. As I took pictures of everyone else there, all of the sudden Stefano and Simone were urging us along because the tour needed to continue. The only photo I got of myself in the place I was most excited about was the selfie I took quickly before they rushed me away.
We continued through the streets and though the walls were broken down almost beyond recognition, I could imagine what it was like with men and women walking through the streets. They would be going to buy their bread and heading to the bath house to beautify themselves. All the while there would be a basic river of biological waste running down the street. Thank goodness they had raised stone crosswalks so they didn’t step in it.
I also found out that Pompeii had been known for having the best prostitutes. Sex was apparently a favorite pastime for the Roman men. There was even a stone arrow in the street shaped as a penis directing you to the house of the lupanare, or she-wolves (aka prostitutes). When we finished up in Pompeii, we had a lunch of margherita pizza that was much better than in Napoli and then had the option to go hike Vesuvio. Of course, I went.
We arrived there and I realized I had not come prepared. I was literally wearing fashionable boots (not high heeled thank goodness) with tights and a skirt. As we started up the trail, I was slapped in the face by my ridiculously out of shape self for A) wearing boots and B) not ever working out. However, I made it to the top with a lot of huffing and puffing and pain in my feet and it was gorgeous. I literally hiked up into the clouds and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
At the top I took a limoncello shot with three of my friends and took a ton of pictures. Gina yelled into the smoking crater repeatedly to hear herself echo while I contemplated taking a rock. I didn’t, but I wish I did. I stayed up there at the top long after most had started walking back down because it was just so amazing.
When the wind sent a thick cloud our way to engulf us, I was so excited. I don’t know what it was about literally having my head in the clouds but it was exhilarating. Hannah started taking video for her blog and even though she had announced that she was going to do that, I didn’t realize and got caught saying “I’m in a cloud!”
When we went home that night we had yet another five course meal at the hotel. After that, I was so exhausted that I plopped on my bed and drifted right off to sleep.
L'Italia Avventure 