Napoli e Pompei
Enjoying lunch in the amphitheater
The “fast train” from the Termini station to Napoli Centrale took a little over an hour. Mountains lined the route – some snow-capped, other cloud-draped – while spring bloomed around us. We nearly missed the connection to the Circumvesuviana line which dropped us at the Pompei Scavi station about forty minutes later. My pocket was picked somewhere along the line, though fortunately only some Euro bills and coins were taken. Using another of Rick’s audio-tours, we wandered through the evocative ruins against the backdrop of the volcano that buried them in 79 CE, while the sun warmed us and gale-force winds pelted us with grit.
Retracing our route back to Naples, we made our way to the Archeological Museum where most of the best artifacts from Pompeii were displayed, including the Dancing Faun, the Battle of Alexander mosaic and numerous other mosaics and frescoes. The bawdy images in the “secret room,” the life-like bronze dancers, racers and fauns, and the famous Doriforo (spear-carrier) were also highlights.
By that time, we needed to make tracks back to the main train station for our reserved seats on the return trip to Rome. We watched a colorful sunset from the speeding train, a fitting conclusion to an art-filled tour of Italy.
After snacking on some not-so-good pizza from a shop near the hotel, we ordered a middle-of-the-night wake-up call, settled our bill, and tried to get to sleep early after another full day.
By that time, we needed to make tracks back to the main train station for our reserved seats on the return trip to Rome. We watched a colorful sunset from the speeding train, a fitting conclusion to an art-filled tour of Italy.
After snacking on some not-so-good pizza from a shop near the hotel, we ordered a middle-of-the-night wake-up call, settled our bill, and tried to get to sleep early after another full day.