Pompeii

Our trip to the Amalfi Coast began with a half day in Pompeii!  We left our school this morning at 7:45 AM. We arrived at the ruins of Pompeii around 12:30 PM and were immediately taken to a school sponsored lunch. They served us pasta with some type of fish sauce, lemon chicken, and a hazelnut vanilla cake.

After lunch, our tour guide met us for our 2.5 hour tour of the ruins of Pompeii – we saw the gladiator‘s living quarters, the theater for comedies and dramas, a rich person’s house, a brothel, a few petrified bodies (three people and a dog), and Mount Vesuvius. It was one of the most interesting experiences of my life.

The gladiators lived behind the wooden doors

Theater

One of the restored murals on the walls of a wealthy person’s house

This is similar to our kind of “Fast Food”. A person would use the holes in the countertop to store warm food. People would walk up & grab a bite to eat!

Pompeii catered to many sailors & voyagers that didn’t speak the same language. Due to this, the brothels painted murals with various sexual acts so customers could just point at a picture depicting what they want to do.

Mt Vesuvius in the background

Mold of a petrified body. Many servants & slaves were left to tend to the houses when Mt. Vesuvius erupted.

Mold of a petrified dog

Main square in Pompeii where all the residents gathered

After our tour, we boarded the bus & headed to Sorrento!

Note: This post was originally published on April 15, 2011 in a blog entitled “Romeing Around Europe” which chronicled my study abroad experience.