After departing Savona on 4/15, we wake up after our first night on the boat. Boy, did we need that sleep! We find the beautiful port of Naples. Every port/city apparently needed their own fort at some point in the past. Many have castles on hills. Makes for a great, if not almost generic, picture.

Foregoing the city of Naples itself, we head to Pompei. (Ruins on the way into the walled city.)

Entering the Marine Gate, we encounter a large square of the city.
In these pictures, you will notice some stone and some brick. There was an earthquake 7 years before the eruption of Vesuvius that veritably petrified the city. The brick is from the repairs done in that 7-year period. (They plastered over the brick to make it look like uniform stone.)

Me with my mom. Yes, I have a hat. I'm pastey! What do you want??
My sister, Bridget, said that my niece, Kelsey, doesn't recognize me without my hair showing.

Me/Jill.

Bill and Carey.

(dead guy in a box)
Come on! It's been 2000 years. That's WAY past the statue of humor limitations.

This scary, Ghostbusters-like dog was found preserved in the pummus.

Most of the Pompeians were preserved covering their mouths.

The evidence of the earthquakes was apparent everywhere, since they filled cracks and re-built walls with bricks.

We walked through the house of a well-to-do family. The tilework everywhere is impressive.

The family who lived here actually had a pretty kickin' garden. Archeologists studied the seeds and plant remains in the area so the garden could be recreated.

The entrance hall of two bachelors is decorated with an interesting mural. Dunno if that was a self-portrait by one of them, if so, but he certainly does think a lot of himself!

The concept of the gentleman weighing his penis on a scale depicts how it is worth its weight in gold...

We checked out the local Roman bath. This is the tepidarium, where the poorer bathed in colder, used water.

Very impressive ceiling in the bath house.

Seems out of order, but they have preserved peeps everywhere.

Another mural on the wall. I like it.

The streets are mounded where trickles of water run along the edges. This is their sewage system. SOOOO... when it rains, the sewage and water run together and make a river of nastiness. To get across the street without getting it all over your toga, they had stepping stones. Great for walking, but bad for carriages.

Leaving Pompei, looking back at the city.

After a long day, we head into Naples to find a dive to experience some local culture. We had two carafes of house-red (which was stronger than mornal wnie - oops, still feeling the effect a little, I think) and a prosciutto (pro-skoo'-do) and "rocket" pizza. (Rocket is how Italians [and Greeks] think we translate 'arugula.')

Anthony is a nice guy. Used to work on cruise-lines (for 20 years). Showed us a picture of him waiting on Walter Cronkite.

After pizza (and wine), Jill and Carey "pose" for a picture.

Alas, leaving the port of Naples.

One thing about the Mediterranean other than the deep blue water is the islands... they are EVERYWHERE!

That night, it was on the cruise-newspaper that we would be passing through the Straight of Messina, which separates mainland Italy from Sicily. Since this was as close to Sicily as we would get (though we would have to go back through this straight 10 days later), I woke up to see it, then stayed up to see sunrise.

Sicily. The bright light in the middle is a lighthouse. I need to look up which one. It took 3 pictures to time this exactly right (because tuba players can't keep a beat - they drag).

Still Sicily in the background. I just think this shot is cool.

After Naples is two days at sea before the next port.