POMPEII

Pompeii

We are ashamed to admit that we avoided Pompeii the first two trips to Positano - we were driving a rental car and were told it was a bad idea to park in Pompeii with one's possessions in the trunk of a rental - the license plate was a giveaway. Indeed, we met a couple who had lost everything. But in 2005 the rains had come to Positano in September, and it wasn't raining in Pompeii; so we hired a car and driver for the one hour trip.

We didn't want to spend the amount of time and walking a regular tour would have required, nor did we want to miss something through our own failure to follow a guidebook successfully; so we hired a local teacher, waiting to conduct a tour, for an hour, at 80 euros.

It was a most successful and efficient way to see Pompeii.

You have to go, when you have the chance.

Upper left - the forum; upper right, a long shot view from the usual tourist entrance.
Lower left - part of the temple of Apollo; lower right, one of several frescoes showing dramatically that the Romans knew the art of perspective long before it was 'rediscovered' in the Renaissance. Russ' high school art teacher lied to him.

Before you go, be sure to read Robert Harris' novel POMPEII, available in hardback. You'll have a much better time - Pompeii is a lot more than the volcanically preserved bodies of the unfortunate citizens of this ancient city.