Pompeii!!

Sunday we jumped on the Circumvesuviana down to Pompeii. Mount Vesuvius dominates the landscape of the entire region, the land rising gradually from the coast to this one tall and broad peak (the only still-active volcano on the European mainland apparently, although it was reassuringly still when we were there). Even before we arrived I could imagine how terrifiying it must have been as the mountain rumbled into life, causing the ground to shake and water supplies to fail.

And apart from the fact that it was baking hot - and that 20 minutes after we arrived, Ants decided that he was 'a bit over Roman stuff' and ready to leave, Pompeii was one of the most amazing places I've ever seen.

Top: The temple of Apollo, just off the main Forum or civic square, and

Above: The public bathhouse, complete with unrestored frescoes on the walls

Pompeii in the first century was a thriving town of 20,000 people, weekend playground of the rich and famous, busily rebuilding after an earthquake in 62AD. The three day eruption gave lots of people time to leave, and 'only' about 2000 people - a relatively small percentage - died in the town as it was buried under hot pumice and ash.

Above, the 'small theatre', capacity about 500 people; and

Below, one of dozens of Roman 'takeaway joints' - the food was served from these pots in the counter, kept warm by a fire underneath.

Bottom: aptly enough - Pompeii's most infamous brothel - clients would be lined up in the street outside for their turn in one of the rooms upstairs...

It seems likely that excavators over the past couple of hundred years have done far more damage than the eruption did. In those houses that were exposed later, such as the villa of mysteries, even the frescoes on the walls are still bright with vivid reds and greens and dramatic black, and roofs and shutters sit frozen in position, protecting inhabitants long since fled or turned to dust.

Above: Frescoes in the Villa dei Misterei

Below: Two shots from the largest private house in Pompeii, now dubbed the House of the Faun, thanks to this litle guyWe didn't make it to the other Roman ruins around Vesuvius- the Villa Oplontis and Herculaneum, which are said to be much better preserved. Sometime when Ants is off doing stuff with the Company of Chivalry, I'll just have to go back!