I started Wednesday the 20th off early with a 7am train. Three hours later I arrived in Napoli, bought a ticket to Pompei (the wrong Pompei) and ended up riding the train all the way to Salerno waiting for my stop that never arrived. I had to wait about an hour until I could take a train back to Napoli and figure out what went wrong. In the Napoli station, you must go downstairs to the Circumvesuviana station and buy a different kind of ticket to a different Pompei. At this point I was wary and doubting my skills at traveling independently. But I made it to the waiting area and about another half hour later I got on the right train and thirty minutes after that I FINALLY make it to Pompei Villa Dei Misteri (The right Pompei)! I decided not to worry about the problems that I had had and just to be happy that I made it. I find my hostel easily, Easy Bed Hostel by name and I highly recommend it. I meet the owner and get settled. By now its a quarter to three and I decide to walk to the ruins that are only five minutes away.
Pompei is the one place in Italy that before I came, I knew I had to visit. I can now check it off my bucket list! If I could only remember where I'd put the darn thing.. Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD destroying the cities of Pompei and Herculaneum. It is just simply incredible to see what is left of the city after thousands of years. Many of the ruins looked similar to each other, long rows of crumbling houses but mixed in there are large amphitheaters, rooms that are still full of color, and random statues that couldn't help but make me wonder what life would have been like. I was most fascinated by some of the walls that still had paint and pictures on them. They were beautiful to look at and I enjoyed walking around to find painted spots, writing on walls, and stone pictures in the floor. I felt like an explorer, searching through the rock and rubble to find the magnificent. I stayed until it closed. The only thing that was disappointing was that I thought I would see the plaster people and animals as they were when the volcano erupted but unfortunately, I saw none. They must be too fragile and are in some sort of museum or lab. Too many people had the map that told them the main buildings to see, and in between one to the next they walked quickly, without taking the time to see that although the map may have the biggest things, there were still many amazing things to see on the way! And sadly they went unnoticed by most. I watched the sunset from just outside my hostel and then went in to meet another girl in my room named Constanza. Dinner was some cold pasta I had put in a ziploc bag that morning! And the rest of my evening was spent talking and then reading until I drifted off to sleep.
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| Amphitheater |
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| Snake Painting |
The next morning at breakfast, which was yogurt with a doughnut and pizza, I invited Constanza along with me to Mt. Vesuvius, so we set off just before nine. I thought the bus service to Vesuvius was running but apparently it stops during the winter. The taxi drivers said they would take us but wanted to charge a hefty fee. We decided to go back and ask the hostel owner. He told us to take the train to Ercolano and then take the bus from there. We did as he said and shortly after receiving his advice we were in a van with an older english couple headed to the mountain! I couldn't contain my excitement. The closer we got, the more bouncy and bubbly I became. When we reached the drop off point, we put on all our layers as there was snow outside, got our tickets, and finished the hike up to the crater. Wow, even on a bit of a foggy day the view was wonderful, I could see all the cities below, some that I knew including Pompei (new and old), Napoli, and many others as well as the coast. The crater itself was magnificent, smoke rising in a few different spots, and plants growing on the floor. We spent lots of time looking into its grand mesmerizing vastness and wondering just how far down it went. I decided that we should walk all the way back to town instead of going with the bus, so off we went! The next couple hours were spent walking and learning about each other and the culture we grew up in, as she is from Argentina. During that time we found a trail and decided to follow it, eventually making it to a different small town and started walking in the direction we thought we should be going, using the mountain in the distance as our guide. After asking a few people for directions, and one short bus ride, we were back at the station and made it back to Pompei. I'm told that Mt. Vesuvius is the most dangerous volcano in the world and I'm very thankful that it proved safe for me and my friend.
Friday I tried to sleep in a little but that proved impossible so I got up and packed my things to leave. Again we had pizza with breakfast, and I know it's Italy but that's just not normal! Very glad that I brought my rain coat, it was coming down pretty good outside. After check out I caught a train to Napoli and when I arrived, I went straight to the information office and asked the guy what I should see since I have to be back to the station for an evening train. He was very helpful and drew me a route on a map. Off I went! Straight out of the station I could already sense the enormity of this busy dirty city. I'd only been walking for a few minutes when I had my first experience with pickpockets. As I was walking, an older man on a moped pulled over and started honking and yelling at someone who was trying to get into my backpack. I felt a little pressure on my bag but hardly noticeable, when I turned around there was nobody there. The culprit fled, thankfully without any of my possessions. I am so grateful for the man on the bike. From then on, I felt a little silly but I turned my bag around and wore it on my front instead of my back. I walked with confidence and with a face that, I hope, said don't mess with me! I went into the first church that I saw and just sat for awhile. I prayed for courage and protection to conquer this city on my own. I decided the best thing for me to do to was find the popular churches and spend time looking around inside and also find the archaeological museum. So that is just what I did. Napoli does have some really beautiful and extravagant churches just as many cities in Italy do. With life size paintings, numerous candles, and dozens of statues. The museum was very interesting also, it was full of statues and pictures too delicate to remain in Pompei so they were all brought here. They even had a "secret room" that was full of all the sexual paintings and sculptures created in that period. After looking at all the museums pieces, I went back out into the rain with my front-pack. Through the maze of city streets I followed my map trying to find where all the streets stop and the sea begins. One of my biggest moments of relief happened then, as I was walking and getting slightly frustrated with the crowds and the noise, I see in front of me an endless blue. My face burst into a huge grin. I spent quite awhile walking down and then back up the coast. Wind in my hair, no sound of cars, only the sea and me. Along the way I walked past a couple of really amazing old castles, one out in the water and the other just a street inland. The last few days I had been reading the book Eat Pray Love (which is a really wonderful book) and in the story she tells of the best pizza in Napoli, so the last thing on my list was to find this place and order the extra cheese margherita pizza. Thankfully finding this place wasn't very difficult so I bought my pizza and walked with it back to the station. I then spent the next couple hours reading and writing and eating my pizza with a crust like clouds! Pizzeria Da Michele has been in business since 1870 and their crust is better than any I have ever had. I got the last train back to Florence and arrived just after 10pm.
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| Sea with the Castle in the Background |
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I proved to myself over these last few days that I really can make it on my own. I can be independent and rely on myself although I very much enjoy having company. Many times this trip brought me an incredible sense of relief, especially in Napoli and I know it is important to forget those moments of frustration and focus on the easing of those situations. I thank the Lord for this incredible opportunity to be here in Italy and to get to have this small little trip as well as for keeping me safe. I know I made mistakes and got frustrated a few times but life is always a learning experience.
Ciao Ciao! :)
Eat Pray Love book: http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/books/eat-pray-love/
Pizzeria Da Michele: http://www.damichele.net/
Easy Bed Hostel: http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Easy-Bed-Hostel/Pompei/60567?sc_sau=sfab&sc_pos=3
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