We arrived in port just in time to see the amazing sunrise. It was a perfect moment.
Neither photos have been digitally altered. This is what that morning really looked like.
Natural instagram.
Naples - Castel Nuovo
One of the few glimpses of Naples I saw on the trip. The castle did look pretty cool though. Did you know that Naples is where pizzas originated from? You may have also heard of a popular little ditty called O Sole Mio? There are so many great places to visit in Naples. It was a real shame that we didn't get to visit any of them.
On the way to Pompeii. An unknown church on top of an unknown hill.
PompeiiIt's incredibly easy to become overwhelmed in the ruins of an ancient city such as Pompeii. The city is organized in grids and highly compact; there are just so many things to see and absorb.
Trying to figure out the walking route and identifying the buildings/subjects in my photos has been a real pain. Luckily, I found this wonderful site - here. A Mr. Peter Clements has taken the time and energy to carefully map out the city, complete with detailed descriptions. It's absolutely wonderful.
I don't know how, but the site even has detailed interior photos of some houses/structures which were closed to the public when we visited. It also made me realize that my visit barely scratched the surface of Pompeii and that there are so much more to discover in this ancient city.
Terme Suburbane (Suburban Baths)
Porta Marina (Marine Gate)
One of the gates into Pompeii. Notice how there are two entrances - one for pedestrians and the other for horses and carriages. The pavement stones here are very different from the ones we saw in Ephesus. I love the look of the Pompeian roads - so rustic. It actually reminds me of squamous skin cells (yes I'm weird like that.) It would be almost impossible (well, not impossible, but prohibitively expensive) to try to recreate this nowadays.
One of my favourite photos from the trip.
Along the Via Marina...
The Pompeian certainly knew something about convenience and quality
of life.White pebbles/ceramic pieces were embedded in the roads to act as reflectors at night.
The indentations in the curbs are a little more mysterious (right). One
hypothesis is that they were used as anchors for horses or canvas awnings.
There is even a sewage system under the streets as seen by the sewage drain.
And when things get muddy, there are nice LEGO-like indentations on the steps to scrap the mud off your sandals.For crossing the road without getting your toga dirty/wet.
Nice crosswalk right?
Temple of Apollo
The Forum (with Mount Vesuvius in the background.)Before the eruption, Mt. Vesuvius was twice its current height. See the two peaks of Mt. Vesuvius? A volcanic crater now sits inbetween. That gives a small sense of just how much volcanic matter rained over the city of Pompeii.
Artist's Rendition of the Forum
Edifici Amministrazione Pubblica (Municipal Office)
Sighted: A Pompeian stray.
Original brick walls.
Granai del Foro (Forum Granary)
The archeological site is divided into nine sections, each further divided smaller sections and subsections. You'll see (Reg [Roman Numeral], Ins [Number]) on the street corners, which identifies the street block you're currently on. Of course, there are actual street names as well. 
The head of Mercury on the public fountain (one of many throughout the city) identifies the street where it is located as Via di Mercurio.
Commercial Area - Shops & Porters
In ancient Pompeii, there were porters/slaves who would deliver the various goods purchased across the city. Kind of like UPS. The ceramic tile shows two porters carrying an amphorae of wine/olive oil.
Arco Onorario (Arch of Germanicus)
Terme del Foro (Forum Bath)
The Pompeian men certainly knew how to relax and pamper themselves. I wouldn't be surprised if they had exceptional skin, sweating out all that toxin on a regular basis.
Terme del Foro - Frigidarium (Cold Room)
The details on the frescoes are absolutely wonderful. I mean, just look at them galloping horses! The mosaic floor is not too shabby either. This place was definitely for the creamiest of the cream of the crop.
Terme del Foro - Tepidarium (Tepid Room)
Incredible! And unless the Pompeians had the plaster mold technique, the Atlas(?) statues were most likely to have been handcrafted individually. Either way, it's darn impressive!
Just look at those abs!
Terme del Foro - Caldarium (Hot Room)
The basin on the right was donated by several benefactors, whose names as well as the amount donated were inscribed along the edge. I wonder what 5,250 sesterces is worth in today's money...
The design of the Caldarium is quite ingenious. The grooves on the wall allow for the steam condensate to trickle along the wall instead of falling on the patrons' heads. So smart.
The grooves on the road left from the carriage/wagon wheels serve as a reminder that once upon a time, thousands of living breathing people lived and worked in this city... Sort of brings everything into prospective.
Casa del Paquius Proculus (House of Paqulius Proculus)
A primitive, but highly-ornate, version of the "Beware of Dog" sign.
Bakery
Casa della Fontana Piccola (House of the Small Fountain)
Random shots of the city...
The equivalent of the modern pub, this was where the Pompeians could grab a quick mean with some wine. The jars in the counter would likely have held dried figs and whatnots.
The building next door showed that the Pompeians were advanced enough to have built multi-storied structures. The joist holes on the wall are easy to spot.
A small, discrete room off to the side of the Thermapolium. Based on the frescoes, it was likely a place for gambling/prostitution.
Macellum (Marketplace)
The frescoes on the wall show fish, meat, and grains, products likely to sold here. The floors are slightly slanted for easy cleaning. Again, ingenious.
One last glance of the ancient city.
If you have spare time, go check out the website on Pompeii I mentioned at the beginning of the post. There is so much more in the city that I didn't get to see on my visit. Some of the mosaics are simply beyond words. The mosaic technique had gotten so advanced that rich Pompeians had their portraits made using mosaic.Next time, I would love to climb Mt. Vesuvius. Now wouldn't that be something!
Until then... bye for now, Pompeii.
