I enjoyed walking a short distance away from the Forum and away from the tourist congestion for a bit of time. In these areas, it was possible to see not only the unkempt side of things but also possible to see how various designs had been build into the construction of the walls and the rooms of the old city.
Although some areas of the ancient city of Pompeii had clearly undergone reconstruction activities between the time of the earthquake and the time of the volcanic eruption, there were plenty of other areas where no reconstruction efforts had been undertaken and fallen columns and cornices remained where the violent shaking had left them.
A more comprehensive visit to the ancient ruins of Pompeii would likely take a day but we were on a more typical tour bus schedule and this blog provides but a glimpse into what a typical guided bus tour tourist visit might reveal.
Many people still live within a short distance of the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius and many sensors are expected to provide sufficient warning to evacuate the area if this volcano decides to rumble again. I am happy that I visited the Pompeii ruins and our guide was very informative.
For the millions of tourists who visit this World Heritage Site, there are plenty of road side stalls at the entrances to provide maps, stories, trinkets nd fridge magnets 🙂
A bit of historical trivia: the tall flat-topped pines at the end of this road are known by various names such as Stone Pines and Roman Umbrella Pines. The written account of Pliny the Younger of the 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius described the plume and the cloud of the eruption by comparing it to the shape of the Umbrella Pine. In the local area they are also referred to as the Pompeii Pine and the Vesuvius Pine for obvious reasons.
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