A Visit to Pompeii...

Our last port before returning to Rome was Naples...

We rented a car...

TheChief drove to Pompeii...

We got a tour guide who spoke English...

Who also turned out to be the best ever!!!

The first stop was in an amphitheater...

if you stood in the middle of the stage area...the sound amplified 

naturally...

those ancients were pretty darned ingenious!!!

Now we all know that in these ancient times, there weren't any cars...

instead, carts...

these stones were placed at intersections of roads with 

a dual purpose...they protected the pedestrian from 

stepping in mud, water, sludge, etc...

but also were protective in that only carts with certain  

sized wheels could pass...

Now, believe it or not...even in ancient times

life was busy and take out food was available...

They had indoor plumbing...

Now here's something you're not going to find in today's world...

at least not that I'm aware of!!!

The paintings are a menu of what the occupant of the room is willing to 

perform...get my drift???

They were also quite graphic on their street markings...

The group (minus two)

In 1860, Guiseppe Fiorelli realized that spaces were left in the 

ash layer...he realized that these were often spaces left by decomposed

human remains.  He devised a method of injecting plaster into the 

space...the above are examples of that recovery...

Work is still being done...

The group relaxing again after the tour...at the tour guide's mother's 

eating spot!!!

She was delightful!!!

A little late...but finishing up the Mediterranean Cruise!!!

The trip is winding down...

After returning from port, the group congregated at our favorite 

outdoor bar, where cigars could be smoked, drinks drunk, conversation

and rehashing the sights seen...

Our friend Sean's lovely young teenaged daughter Maddie

said that this was her favorite part of the cruise...

getting together with everyone after the port....

Sean had a new iPad...

And Art was checking it out!!!

Leaving the Greek islands with...what else?  But Greek music!!!

Even the crew is having a good time!

The Celebrity Equinox also had an actual glass blowing exhibit

throughout the cruise, when on board, we hung out here watching 

these very talented gentlemen create some magnificent pieces.

On to the next port...Naples...and a visit to the ancient city of Pompeii...

The Vatican...

If you ever go to Rome, a must-see is the Vatican.  St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel to be exact.  Our hotel, the Atlante Star, was within walking distance.  As a matter of fact, we could see the Vatican from the dining room where we had our delightful breakfasts, and an elegant, delicious, (and expensive) dinner!!!   All around the Vatican are "hawkers" trying to get you to buy one of their tours.  When we found out that you bypassed the long lines trailing alongside the wall of the Vatican, we decided to spend the extra for a private group tour.  We really lucked out...our tour guide was fabulous!  Excellent English and an artist in her own right...she also was mindful of the heat and crowds when and where she grouped us so that she could give us her spiel.

We started out in the Vatican museum...

You have to keep your eyes peeled, look up, look down, look all around...because every inch of space is fascinating and oh, so beautiful...

The blue tile in the floor is done with Lapis Lazuli...very hard to come by in the days that this was built.  It was considered royal...

On the way to the Sistene Chapel...but alas, no cameras allowed in the Chapel...no talking either...funny thing though, we were about the only ones who felt it appropriate to show respect for their rules...

This again is another example of my thinking that the closer to off season you travel to Rome the better.  It was incredibly crowded in the museum and the Chapel...literally wall to wall people.  Never the less, it should be on everyone's bucket list...it's a must!!!