14/04/2012

The day started with clouds filling the sky of Naples, and with a different kind of smell in the air we readied ourselves for the day. With four of us being Ancient History students, we were looking forward to this day very much, as we’ve studied a number of the artefacts that were on our schedule. The trip included seeing Mt Vesuvius through the cloud, and trying to comprehend the devastation it caused. We arrived at our destination of Pompeii with our guide, Nadia, from the previous day. The traffic was typically Italian with buses and cars and scooters going every which way.

The Gladiator Barracks were our entrance and we saw where they trained and slept. We then entered the Odeon, the small theatre, and the larger theatre where the group photo taken. We visited a number houses and public areas and buildings which included mosaics on the floors and frescos on the walls. Many of us were surprised by the quality of the artefacts and how well the volcanic material preserved the town.

Walking along the roads that were made over 2000 years ago was quite an experience as we could imagine being back in those times. The roads were bumpy and uneven and many of the paths were worn away due to the great number of tourists that visit the site each day.

For lunch we enjoyed salad and chips, along with a whole entire Italian pizza to ourselves and Pompeii finished with the buying souvenirs to take home.

On our way to Herculaneum we visited the place where Cameos were hand crafted and made into beautiful pieces of jewellery. A few people bought earrings and necklace pendants to wear or take home for family.

When we saw Herculaneum we finally realised the difference between the two places, as Pompeii was covered in pumice and ash and Herculaneum was covered by hot lava. It was quite amazing seeing the wood of ceilings and doors in their original place as the wood in Pompeii wasn’t carbonised. We saw fully intact houses and we really got a feel for how they lived their lives and how they decorated their houses.

When Mt Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, many people were caught out on the beach and they sheltered in the boat houses. 300 bodies were found burnt from the hot lava and seeing this was quite moving as the Ancient History students studied this particular place.

After a wet and soggy day in both Pompeii and Herculaneum we enjoyed a delicious dinner with an entrée of tomato and Boccioni, a main of another beautiful Italian pizza, and dessert of traditional Baba. This was greatly appreciated after a long day in the rain and many felt warm afterwards.  After another Metro experience, we made it back to our hostel safe and sound.

By Charlene and Eliza

Maddie, Eliza and Charlene at the House of the Faun

At the Ancient Theatre

Luke, Millie & Grace at Herculaneum