In April, we drove down to Napoli, got stuck in pre-soccer game traffic including cars, scalpers and fans (hence no photos) so we diverted to Sorrento and with that as our base, daytripped to Pompeii.

For this excursion, Ryan & I were joined by a friend from LA, Janel Steinberg. For some Pompeiian background, life ceased to exist after Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. Given that it was covered under 30 feet of hot mud and volcanic ash, it is extremely well preserved. It was discovered in the 1600s and the first excavation was in 1748.

Take a look down the street & note the indentions in the road -- chariot tracks!

While most of the artifacts from Pompeii can be found at the National Archaelogy Museum in Napoli (we took the train back after the attempt to drive there was snafued & it was great), the ruins do feature a few human casts and pottery.
 
for more info: www.pompeiisites.org
 

View of the forum -- the center of commercial, religious & political life
 

Here's the amphitheatre in Pompeii
 
 
 

 Courtyard of the House of Vetti (Casa dei Vetti), Pompeii's best-preserved home. It was owned by two wealthy merchant brothers.


Tamra with a great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great... granddog of the Pompeiian canines.