The last time I was in Rome in 2011, it was my first trip across the Atlantic and in 3 nights I was criss-crossing all over town trying to absorb as much of the city as I could before being pulled back to work and reality. Seven years later, Rome was calling me back with cheap flights from London and the opportunity to head over to Pompeii.
So wheels up and off I went. Back in Rome and it oddly felt a bit like coming home after a long departure. I’m lucky enough to have a decent visual memory, so even though seven years had past from only one visit, I could still walk around the city with some familiarity, remembering the turns and directions of the sprawled city. It’s oddly, and a bit unexplainably, like going back to a childhood neighborhood after years away, and you can remember where the old ice cream place and playground used to be.
I couldn’t have been more thrilled to be back and I was just as excited to see the Colosseum as I was googley-eyed in 2011. Outside of spending a day at Pompeii, I had nothing else really planned so with my camera in tow, I was able to just wander around.
One of my favorite travel pictures that I had blown up, framed and hung on my living room walls for five years, was a shot of the Colosseum. Now with the luxury of time and the absence of plans, I was thrilled to spend more time photographing this monolithic wonder from every angle and different lights. For me, these are kid in a candy shop moments. Slowly doing laps around and clicking away. The only drawback that I had forgotten, and seemed to have become worse since my last visit, were the peddlers. Peddlars are abundant in any major city and tourist attraction, it’s the nature of the beast. That said, as someone who’s fairly well travelled, coming here is like being mobbed by kids hopped up on sugar and caffeine. Except these are adults with selfie sticks in tow. I couldn’t get 10 feet without getting approached to buy a selfie stick. After the twentieth time, it gets really, really old.
I look down in my hands at the real camera I’m holding, not a phone and then look at the seller. Nevermind that I think selfie sticks are one of the worst inventions ever made and now taint almost every travel experience I have with people waving them around like morons, but know your audience. If I’m carrying a fully fledged camera body, does it make sense to ask me if I want a selfie stick? (If you still aren’t sure of the answer, let me give you a hint, the answer is “no”). I just want to be left in peace with my kid in a candy shop moment enjoying my one-on-one time with the Colosseum.
By mid afternoon and a growling stomach, I go off searching for a place to take a break with some food and vino and land at Palle Carrette Pizzeria Fornio A Legna. I get my half bottle of wine and pizza on the patio and crack open the kindle. Ever the people watcher, I noticed what appeared to be another solo female traveler join the patio. For me it’s like seeing a rare animal in the wild, I just never see other female solo travelers! I was soon going to need to download another book so when I saw her open up her own book, I was absolutely curious what the good read might be. Having no problem striking up conversation with random people, I turned around to ask what book she was reading and we ended up chatting for a while.
Although complete strangers, it almost felt like we had known each other for years. One of those friends you have where after five years of not seeing each other you can just pick up where you left of, and have actual meaningful conversation. It was such a delight! We ended up moseying around the city the rest of the day, finishing up at Campo De’ Fiori for wine aperitifs at Verso Sera and a mouth watering dinner at Ristorante Ditirambo. I’ve never been much of an octopus fan, but the grilled octopus pasta was one of the most unexpected and scrumptious treats I’ve had in Rome. I’m an official octopus convert!
The next day it was all about Pompeii. I grabbed the metro to the termini station to then take the 2 hour fast train to Naples and then transfer to the Circumvesuviana commuter train that goes around Mt Vesuvius. I don’t think the local commuter train had been through any updates in the last sixty years. The slow pace and wooden benches seemed to creak with each sway in the train. About 40 minutes later I popped off the train at the Pompei Scavi station for the quick walk to the excavation entrance. Not a single line, I had my ticket in hand and inside within minutes of getting off the train. Have I said recently how much I love travelling off season? In the middle of January, there was hardly anybody around.
The footprint of Pompeii is enormous and I have to remind myself, this was a full city. Spending 3-4 hours there until the sun was setting for the day and the site was closing, I was only able to tackle about half of the site. For the dead of winter, the weather was quite decent, about 45F and the sun breaking out through the clouds. Walking through stone streets, it had a slight eeriness to it, especially when I found myself the only soul around. It was so quiet and a little foreboding looking out thinking what a beautiful view at the volcano, yet the effects of the horrific volcanic destruction is why you are here. You remind yourself, you are in essence, walking a gravesite. Although excavated, you walk through the shells of homes. The excavated pots and pans have been moved to another area, where you just find them catalogued in rows. Nearby, protected in glass, you can also see some of the victims that were mummified by the lava, their last movement frozen in time.
Still, there is an undeniable beauty to Pompeii. The earth has taken over and now brazenly green grass now carpets the interior shells of buildings. A select couple of homes somehow persevered and you can see the incredible and intricate mosaics aligning each wall, something that would be rare to see even in today's time. The Roman columns, architecture and engineering are impressive and can’t be missed.
In the winter, opening hours are in line with daylight hours and as the dark shadows grow larger onto the columns at sunset, it’s time to say goodbye to Pompeii. Until next time I think as I head to the train ...
