Originally we scheduled to go to Capri today, but the forecast predicts rain and wind so not the ideal weather for a boat trip to an island. Furthermore, Zeno has a bad cough so we should take it easy today. Everybody takes it easy while Tim does some additional research. We found a pass for the whole Campagnia region which is cheaper than a ticket to Pompeii even though that’s included.
So although we wanted to take it easy, now we have even more places to go to. We start with Herculaneum, an ancient Roman town between Naples and the Vesuvius, covered in 19 meters lava after the eruption of 79. It was preserved nearly intact, when we enter the site, we immediately see dozens of skeletons, from people the were hiding from the lava in the boat houses on the former shore.
Herculaneum was not big, but a wealthy town, a seaside retreat for the Roman elite. We see it straight away when we visit the big houses with court yards, fountains, mosaics on the floors and painting on the walls. It’s incredible how well preserved it is. We can walk the streets, visit the restaurants and explore the neighboorhood as if we’re Romans ourselves. It’s very special, and Olga already concludes after the third villa that she never has to visit other Roman sites, as this gives such a good impression of Roman life.
Because of the way this town was covered by lava, wood has been preserved as has bones. So beside some extraordinary artifacts, there are also much more architectural elements which have survived. We see a house with wooden partion doors, pieces of wooden stairs, wooden lintels and beams and even a wooden balcony. Almost all the rooms here have painted walls, some with still live paintings painted onto the walls. As we make our way down to the original seafront where the boathouses are, we see the dozens of hurdled skeletons of the people who tried to shelter from the lava here next to the sea. Sadly they all died, only to be found in the 1980s together with their most precious possessions which are on display at the museum here.
In the museum they have more artifacts of the things they found inside the houses, wooden bedframes, a small wooden crib with a baby skeleton inside, wooden three-legged tables and various bronze objects. It has been an eye opening tour which will be hard to top. And since it’s only a 10 minute drive from our holiday home we can even enjoy a decent lunch at home.
As Zeno is a bit under the weather and the rain clouds have moved in, we put Zeno to bed and play some games and read books. Just like a proper holiday..
