I stood on the empty platform, in Naples, looking for Victoria as our train pulled up. She had run to the bathroom while I got our Eurail tickets stamped. There just wasn’t enough time in our 25 minute lay-over for us to do both together. So we briefly split up and agreed to meet at the train platform to Pompeii. The train unloaded. The crowd moved past. She was nowhere in sight. I turned on my phone and began to return to the last place we had been together, as is protocol. She picked up my phone call immediately saying “Where are you? Our train is about to leave!”. I replied, “What are you talking about. I just watched our train leave.” Turns out there were two different trains on two different platforms both leaving for Pompeii minutes apart, and asking somebody who doesn’t speak your language for directions is full of pitfalls. I hurried across the station and we barely made it onto our train in time. Lesson learned. When we arrived in Pompeii we realized our new train had taken us much farther outside the city than our original train would have, so we had the tourist office at the station call us a taxi. We flew through the tiny streets of modern Pompeii, were dropped off at a small bicycle shop, and met by a smiling Italian named Francesco.
Francesco owned the AirBnb above his bicycle shop, and was excited to practice his English. He took us next door to a cafe, treated us to a drink, and waved bye to the barista as if he does this every day. After dropping off our bags and being introduced to several members of his family, Francesco rolled out two bicycles and pointed us down the road to the main Piazza.
Traffic in Italy seems to have no rules. Everyone is aggressive: the cars, the cyclists, the pedestrians; and right of way is determined by whoever got there first. So we hoped on our bikes and began riding through town: over a bridge, across a railroad, through a roundabout, u-turn on a highway and finally into town square. It was a little frightening for both of us, but will definitely be one of my favorite memories. Riding a bicycle with my wife through small Italian roads and alleyways.
From the square we walked to Ancient Pompeii. Nothing can prepare you for walking the streets of this ancient city. No other place has ever spoken to me about the truth of history. It really changed my perspective on looking at history, and seeing it as the story of real people. People with families and jobs. People with favorite plays and foods. People with dreams and entire lives all of their own. These people have been preserved and a few of them are able to be seen around the ruins. When the archeologists would come across a space in the ash and debris they would fill it with plaster. This allows us to see people huddled up covering their mouths and faces. It is definitely powerful in capturing their last tragic moments.
Pompeii is a complete city. We walked through the town square where we saw temples, government buildings, shops, and the baths. Traveled over to the theatre district, and beyond to the gladiator arena. Then doubled back to go out to the outskirts of town where a wealthy family lived. Many of the floors and walls have been preserved so you can see the frescos that adorned the people’s homes. There’s only so much I can say to describe this city – and pictures are only slightly better in helping to capture Pompeii, but I’ll try.
