DAY 4: February 12
We had our first full day of walking today! Upon waking up early at 6:15 am, we got breakfast at the hotel and headed out toward Mount Vesuvius, the first of our adventures for the day. We were advised to bring extra shoes and a plastic bag to put our muddy Vesuvius shoes in, as it had rained the day before and the trails were expected to be muddy. We were also advised to take medicine before the long drive up the mountain, with turns that can only be described as, "hairpin". However, it seemed like the worst part of the drive to Vesuvius was in fact the highway on the way there...unfortunately Michael threw up on the bus but soon was feeling great again, as pictured below. :) It was kind of a wild bus ride.
The hike was challenging, but incredibly rewarding. I felt as if I was on top of the world looking over the picturesque scenery of Italy and the Mediterranean Sea. It was one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen-the pictures don't do it justice! As we started our decent down from the crater, the wind really picked up and soon we were all running to the bus seeking warmth and shelter! It was a little brutal at times, and they actually almost sent us home because it was too windy and a bit icy but we braved it and it was amazing!
After Vesuvius, we went to a real, preserved Roman villa called Oplontis. It was a bit like a "fangirl" moment for me because it's so well preserved and it really felt as though we were living the Roman life.
We met a dog there named GioGio! He was super friendly and loved getting pets while we waited to go into the villa.
The courtyards and greenery of the villa are replicated to look like it would have in Roman times! They planted the same plants in the same spots to enhance the authenticity. I attached a picture of the walls of the villa, which sort of look like a chain-linked fence. Ms. Green told us that the Romans built their homes with this "net" style of wall, as it was known to be sturdy and hold the buildings up for longer! I was struck that it looked so similar to the fences we see today.
After this, we went to lunch and had amazing pizza! The ingredients were so fresh (as can be expected from Italy), and we went to Pompeii! I can say with confidence that visiting this ancient, half-preserved city was the coolest thing I've done. We were able to go inside the buildings, such as the bakery, Cornelia's domus, and other remnants of the city. There was a mosaic put in recently that we were able to get premium access to-so you can guess we took tons of pictures! The city was unbelievable and the sun was setting right as we left, which again, made for excellent pictures! We learned about the dynamics of the city and why it was laid out the way it was, such as how one of the fountains points toward the theater to help as a compass for visitors.
Soon we found ourselves back in Sorrento where we spent a nice evening exploring more of the city and eating dinner at our favorite restaurant! We have also began to play cards every night in the lobby which couldn't be a better way to spend the nights-it's amazing here!
Happy non-sick Michael! :)
The hike was challenging, but incredibly rewarding. I felt as if I was on top of the world looking over the picturesque scenery of Italy and the Mediterranean Sea. It was one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen-the pictures don't do it justice! As we started our decent down from the crater, the wind really picked up and soon we were all running to the bus seeking warmth and shelter! It was a little brutal at times, and they actually almost sent us home because it was too windy and a bit icy but we braved it and it was amazing!
Our path up the volcano!
This is down in the volcano-the crater where the lava will come out of when erupting! Known as a "cork" waiting to pop.
The glorious view from the top of the world
After Vesuvius, we went to a real, preserved Roman villa called Oplontis. It was a bit like a "fangirl" moment for me because it's so well preserved and it really felt as though we were living the Roman life.
The beautiful Villa Oplontis
We met a dog there named GioGio! He was super friendly and loved getting pets while we waited to go into the villa.
GioGio!
The courtyards and greenery of the villa are replicated to look like it would have in Roman times! They planted the same plants in the same spots to enhance the authenticity. I attached a picture of the walls of the villa, which sort of look like a chain-linked fence. Ms. Green told us that the Romans built their homes with this "net" style of wall, as it was known to be sturdy and hold the buildings up for longer! I was struck that it looked so similar to the fences we see today.
"Net-walls"
After this, we went to lunch and had amazing pizza! The ingredients were so fresh (as can be expected from Italy), and we went to Pompeii! I can say with confidence that visiting this ancient, half-preserved city was the coolest thing I've done. We were able to go inside the buildings, such as the bakery, Cornelia's domus, and other remnants of the city. There was a mosaic put in recently that we were able to get premium access to-so you can guess we took tons of pictures! The city was unbelievable and the sun was setting right as we left, which again, made for excellent pictures! We learned about the dynamics of the city and why it was laid out the way it was, such as how one of the fountains points toward the theater to help as a compass for visitors.
AMAZING PIZZA!
Astounding, well-preserved Pompeii
Soon we found ourselves back in Sorrento where we spent a nice evening exploring more of the city and eating dinner at our favorite restaurant! We have also began to play cards every night in the lobby which couldn't be a better way to spend the nights-it's amazing here!
Sounds wonderful!
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