Day 2 started with a tour of Mt. Vesuvius. My friend’s 20 year old granddaughter was my hiking buddy. My husband and my friend decided to sit this one out.
I decided to make the hike up to the crater with the 20 year old. I was told it was 1300 feet and it certainly felt like it when I got there. Not being a frequent hiker but being fairly active, I just assumed it would be easy. NOT! Thankfully, my little buddy had the foresight to bring a bottle of water, which I snatched and consumed about halfway up. We made it to the top and as I looked into the crater, I found myself hoping it would stay quiet. Again, memories of my dad came back. He was in Naples when Vesuvius last erupted in 1944 and remember my 5 year old self thinking I had the coolest dad in the world. He actually saw a volcano erupting! Luckily, Vesuvius slept the day I was there. Next stop Pompeii.
On the way, the bus pulled into a rest stop where the guide pointed out the monastery on the cliff behind the rest stop was Monte Cassino. For anyone familiar with WWII, this was one of the deadliest (55,000 Allied casualties) and most famous battles fought in Italy. My dad fought in this battle. There’s a very detailed history of this battle in Wikipedia.
Seeing Pompeii is like stepping back in time to 79 AD. Excavated from under 70 feet of volcanic ash, it is remarkably intact. Anything you may have seen or read doesn’t prepare you for the experience of being there. The city was very well planned. What Roman city wasn’t? There were streets for carts and chariots with obstacles at certain points to prevent them from going into pedestrian areas. There’s an amphitheater, mosaic courtyards, bakeries, blacksmith shops, public baths and even a bordello.
Seeing the tragic figures of the souls that died that day brought home the fact that looming over Pompeii, with its own schedule, is Vesuvius.
The two days of tours had been pretty intense and since we were staying in such a beautiful location, we decided to spend the next two days wandering around Lido d’Ostia where our hotel was located. I feel we made the best decision to stay outside the city. Along the beach there was a walkway, marina, shops and great restaurants.
Perfect weather, perfect location and perfect two days. Our last day in Rome we had scheduled a tour through the cruise line that was billed as “Highlights of Rome”. My friend had desperately wanted to see the Trevi fountain and this seemed like the best and most convenient way to accomplish this. Who would think that the Trevi fountain would not be considered a highlight? It would be another five years before she finally got to see the fountain. Aside from missing the fountain, it was the perfect end to our time in the Eternal City. We had specifically chosen this tour because at the end, it took us and our luggage to the airport. After another comedic episode which later involved returning our rental car, causing a traffic jam at the airport with luggage carts and me sprinting (did I mention, I don’t run) to meet the tour bus. Once on board, we saw the Roman aqueducts, the Circus Maximus (think Ben-Hur chariot race) and many other sights we hadn’t yet visited. We also went back to the Vatican which was very interesting. They were setting up for the canonization of seven new saints which included the very first Native American, a woman, Kateri Tekakwitha. This was such a memorable few days that all I could think of on the way to the ship was returning to Rome.
One last thing, the trees. I’m not an arborist nor do I have an extensive knowledge of tree species but I would love to know what type of trees these are in the photo above. They are all over the city and are all trimmed to perfection. You see them wherever you go. Who trims them? They are really tall but a perfect backdrop for this eternal city.
After this trip was over, my husband and I seriously considered moving to Italy but since then, life has taken me in a completely different direction. My next post will cover how to navigate Rome (or any international city) with companions who have additional needs whether medically or mobility challenged.