Arose again at 0615 and had breakfast brought to the room at 0645. We are anchored in the Bay of Naples.
Sorrento is a coastal town in southwestern Italy, facing the Bay of Naples on the Sorrentine Peninsula. It rises sharply out of the Mediterranean with steep cliffs. It is on the opposite side of the bay from Naples, Herculaneum, Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius.
We journeyed to the Riviera Lounge just before 0800 to pick up our tender tickets and sat around until about 0815. The tender to the coast was smooth.
Once on shore, we were put into a small minivan and driven up the sheer cliff to another parking lot where we were transferred to a mega bus. There were 34 people on this tour. Both T and I agreed that, compared to the smaller group we experienced yesterday, using Oceania Exclusive (OE) option, we would opt for the smaller group in the future.
It is about a 90 minute drive around the bay to Herculaneum.
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| Mount Vesuvius |
Once there, we walked through the city. It was very interesting. Herculaneum was covered by mud and lava by the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius. This is different from the fate of Pompeii which was quickly “devoured” by ash and pumice. Herculaneum was “sealed” and they found skeletons and charred wood. Pompeii on the other hand was covered in porous ash and everything that could decompose, did. They found no wood or human remains. They did however find the cavities left by human and animal forms from which they made plaster molds. Herculaneum also had a functional sewer system. As opposed to Pompeii, which relied upon stepping stones to cross the streets during heaving rains, Herculaneum's drainage system even had manholes to maintain the subterranean sewer system.
They estimate that only about 1/2 of the ancient Herculaneum has been excavated. The other half is still buried under the current city of Ercolano. Strangely enough, the current inhabitants of Ercolano are resistant to having their homes razed so that more of the ancient city of Herculaneum can be excavated. Our guide however said the Government is working to find a solution. They obviously see the benefit in the additional tourist trade. Maybe they need Donald Trump to teach them the art of Eminent Domain. Herculaneum would be great again, he would promise!
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| Herculaneum |
The current surface level can be observed around the perimeter of the excavated site. The next few photos are of the sea port of Herculaneum. At the time of the eruption in 79 AD, these arches were store houses on the pier of the sea. This is where they found the majority of the human skeletons. Apparently, the inhabitants, who did not escape, were trapped at the edge of the sea, awaiting rescue. While, reportedly, the Romans sent a fleet to help, the earthquakes and unsettled waters of the bay prevented them from evacuating the last inhabitants. They were preserved for us to see today (at least castings of them as the actual skeletons are in museums).
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| A street in Herculaneum |
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| Vine Fermentation Jugs |
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| Temple of Hercules with Frescoes |
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| Temple of Hercules with Frescoes and Charred Wood Beams |
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| Temple of Hercules with Frescoes |
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| Temple of Hercules with Tile Flooring |
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| Temple of Hercules with Original Charred Wood Beams |
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| One of the Three Main East-West Streets |
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| Herculaneum Side Street Showing Columns for Sidewalk Cover |
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| Bakery Mortar |
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| Bakery Pestle |
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| Steam Sauna Floor Tile |
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| Steam Sauna Seating |
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| Steam Sauna Floor Tile |
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| Wine Merchant's Bottles |
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| Mount Vesuvius |
Lastly, I was very interested to learn that Herculaneum had a lead water distribution system. You The lead pipe maker made a killing as the magnitude of his house attested. Our house in St. Louis used the same lead piping technology almost 2,000 years later.
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| Lead Pipe Water Distribution |
After leaving Herculaneum, we went to lunch at some place. It was OK. We sat at a table with a couple from the UK and another couple from Australia. I did not understand a word spoken during the entire lunch.
Then we were off to Pompeii. Much more widely known than Herculaneum, Pompeii is much more "commercialized" but still very interesting. There were many modern art sculptures throughout the site which, to me, detracted from the historical impact. It did not have the sewer system that Herculaneum did and there for there were "stepping stones" across the streets for rainy days. There were also wheel guide ruts cut into the stones of the streets to keep the chariots from running into the stepping stones.
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| Entry Plaza to Pompeii with Some Modern Art |
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| Restored Theater |
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| T waiting for the show to begin |
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| Street Crossing Stepping Stones with Wheel Ruts |
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| Wheel Ruts Made, Not By Wheels, But For Wheels |
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| More Wine Vats |
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| Courtyard of Nero's Second Wife, Poppaea Augusta Sabina |
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| Fresco in house of Poppaea Augusta Sabina |
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| Fresco in house of Poppaea Augusta Sabina |
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| Fresco in Pompeii Brothel |
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| Pompeii Public Latrine |
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| Collection of Artifacts from Pompeii |
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| Collection of Artifacts from Pompeii |
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| Plaster Mold of Small Child |
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| Plaster Mold of Asphyxiated Man |
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| Plaster Mold of Asphyxiated Dog |
We got back to the ship about 1700 and enjoyed happy hour in the Martini bar. Then we attended the Grand dining room for dinner.
We are turning in early tonight. Tomorrow, we dock in Taormina, Sicily. We have a short four hour shore excursion.
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