North and South Italy

25th Jan – 2nd Feb, 2008 More Italy and Heather

Other pics at http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/findthebinghams/36ItalyBlogPics

Pompeii was everything and more - what an absolutely fantastic, amazing place! We were completely overwhelmed (and exhausted ) after 6 hours walking along the boulder flag-stoned streets, round the remains of theatres, shops, bread ovens, taverns, sports grounds and sumptuous villas and gardens. We marvelled at its 2000 year old infrastructure (fresh water plumbing, drains, rubbish, baths, brothels) and at its standard of living. We also rather liked the Ancient Roman idea of working hard to achieve a state of ‘otium’ (idleness)...

Herculaneum was smaller, but its finer state of preservation gives a much better impression of buildings and ordinary life. Houses retained their second storey, with richly decorated walls and mosaics. We even saw 2000 year old window glass still in situ, and wooden window frames with iron grilles. We were impressed with the thought that for 90 years, it was excavated from tunnels through the pyroclastic ash – no mean feat, as it’s 16m below the modern town.

People warned us not to go to Naples....now we endorse that advice! What a place – we smelt it well before we saw it (binmen strike still on), and witnessed the mountains of festering and often moving, rubbish. The centre is actually being kept clear, but not necessarily clean – grime, crime and corruption go hand in hand here. We saw the infamous ‘bassi’, the one-roomed, windowless ground floor flats that still house families in the Spanish Quarter...

What was worth braving the anarchy that’s Naples? - the artefacts found in Pompeii. The mosaics in particular were just spectacular, so detailed and beautifully crafted.

Equally worth it was the trip through subterranean Naples (cleaner than above!). We walked around a little of the 400km of First Century aqueduct and cisterns . At one point, we went through a very thin passage (60cm wide and 100m long), lit with candles – scary stuff!





Wonderfully, we met up with Heather for a few hours (by highjacking her college trip to Rome). It was so brilliant to see her! Our wandering along the Via Condotti (a very expensive street) confirmed the fame of Sheffield....... We visited the Gallery of Modern Art, which houses some interesting pieces, although Rick’s visit to the Borghese Gallery left him waxing lyrical about marble sculptors and the Canova exhibition (I’ll have to see the one at Chatsworth).

Rick also got very excited about the fountains at Villa d’Este, in Tivoli – one of them inspired a recent water feature in Sheffield. I don’t know where he’d put a Organ Fountain though......


Hadrian’s Villa is a misnomer – it’s really a town. It was also a very complex complex so we should have bought the guide book..... Hadrian had a rich and splendid palace for his retirement - we too; a Hymer B544 van....



We can only handle so much Culture in a week, so are now headed for a quiet lake on the Tuscan border for some R&R.

Have just realised how much water features in our travels!