Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Pompeii and circumstance
After a day off from history and culture, we picked up the effort by spending the entire day at Pompeii. (Pompeii is a forty-minute train ride from Naples.) Overall, I was impressed with the remarkably well-preserved condition of the site, and even more, its size (160 acres). It's easy to get disoriented in such a place, but my strategy, which was to go quickly away from the horde of visitors at the main entrance and find a peaceful spot to begin the tour, seemed to work.
Pompeii
Necropolis
My favorite sights were the Terme Stabiane, a sporting complex, the southern necropolis, and a house that contains intact frescoes depicting Greek and Egyptian myths. Unfortunately, several sights were closed during my visit (including the subterranean baths and their collection of erotic art), but some closures are bound to occur, no matter what time you visit. Further, most of the interesting sculptures and artifacts that have been found in Pompeii were carted away long ago to the Archaeological Museum in Naples. It would have been nice to see them (or even copies) in their proper context.
Couldn't get away
Frescoes
 Viagra schmiagra |
 Archaeology ain't like the Indiana Jones movies |
I am Adonis. Succumb to me!
You found another priceless artifact? Toss it in the back
Train to Naples
We ate dinner in Naples, at what many say is the city's best pizzeria, Da Michele. Here they serve only two pizzas: the classic Margherita and the marinara. Either one is astonishingly cheap. As far as taste goes, the pizzas' fresh ingredients amount to a truly great pie.
After dinner we swung by Fantasia again for gelatos and then looked for a place to watch the Euro championships. This night would be special — Italy's last match of the first round. This important game (for Italy to advance, Italy needed to win and Sweden lose their respective matches) was shown on a massive screen in Piazza Dante.
Watching the 2004 European Cup
 Tense match |
 These are motorini, not scooters |
A large, tense crowd came out to watch. Loud cheers erupted whenever Italy or Denmark (Sweden's opponent) scored.
Goal!
Italy would go on to beat Croatia, but in vain, as Sweden tied Denmark. The sounds of the Piazza Dante after the match were not of soccer fans screaming at the top of their lungs but of scooters taking them home sooner than anyone wanted.
