Caves and conflicts and cars

Yesterday when we checked in here at the Guesthouse Franjkovic, there was a notice on the wall stating that the Babac cave was the underground equivalent to the grandeur of the Plitvice Lakes above ground. We had initially thought to go and take a look at them yesterday before the worsening weather saw us hurry to see the lakes.

We leave the guesthouse where Lillian and her husband made us very comfortable in a large ground floor room (yay, no stairs) and saw us on our way with a large jar of their own honey. We are headed in to the Croatian capital Zagreb today to have a look before Donna flies out at some ungodly hour on Monday morning. Can't believe that her two weeks is almost up!

The day is still damp although thankfully a little warmer than yesterday and we all have dry clothes :-). We program Kate for Zagreb avoiding the motorways - I mean, there is no real benefit to getting anywhere in the wet. We head north on a road that is a highway but thankfully it is not restricted by view detracting safety barriers or divisions or huge sound shields on the roadsides. So we get to see lots of the countryside as we travel, a little slower than normal to take account of the weather conditions.

And just a little time after we leave the guesthouse we see the signs for Barac's Cave. Well hey, gee - at least it will be dry in the cave huh! We turn off and travel the 7.8 kms along a narrow winding road up into the hills and then down the other side. At the parking place it is still 500 m to the cave down a rocky path. Taking the umbrellas as a precaution against the heavy clouds bursting down on us, off we head. At the base of the path is a kiosk where you register for the cave tour. Turns out that they are only operated on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at this time of the year - thank goodness it is Friday! BUT, it is still a climb up the hill in the forest to get to the mouth of the cave. Michael goes to suss it out and comes back to say that the path is uneven on timber log steps with lots of autumn leaf litter. Well - I know my limitations, so I walk back up to the car disappointed not to see the cave. But the most important thing is that Donna gets to see inside her first cave - I had not realised that she had never been in a cave before. I am nice and warm and dry in the car, reading, when they come back up the hill under umbrellas in the rain that has started to fall again. A good stop!

The report back to me? Spectacular for Donna and even Michael was impressed. Caverns with stalactites, stalagmites and stalacnites (columns), a mound of guano (bat droppings) that was over 300 years old in a cave system that houses more than 10,000 bats all balanced by stories of prehistoric bears with teeth up to 20 cms long and a human skeleton and military machinery next to it that appears to date it to one of the wars. Turns out that the shell of the cave is very thin with tree roots growing through and they think that the next major shake could bust another entry through into the cave. However both Michael and the guide concur that our Jenolan Caves back at home are far more impressive.

So we head back to the highway and north again for Zagreb. We are stunned at the number of buildings even out here in the rural countryside that show the damage of the Croatian War for Independence, known locally as the Croatian Homeland War. We can't imagine what it must be like to either be evacuated in the time of war from a peaceful life in the country, or worse still, to be in your home as it is being fired on or shelled. In every town we pass through there are multiple buidlings - civic as well as homes that are pock marked or have holes in walls from mortars. Some buildings are abandoned with large holes or collapsed roofs, or holes that have broken right through walls. Others though are still being lived in - even with this daily reminder of horrors that are still so recent - the war was resolved in 1995 - my god, that is in OUR recent past.

It is so sad to see the evidence of intolerance town after town after town.
When we reach the towns that make up Karlovac - especially Turanj the damage is the greatest we have seen. We pass a collection of military hardware - tanks, guns, planes in a park but are passed before I can turn in. So we swing back around to stop and have a look, despite the rain. Despite the rain, Michael gets out to have a better look.

The park is a collection of the carcasses of buildings, tanks, APC's, pontoon carrier and aircraft. This is a forlorn place, I suppose more so due to the persistent downpour and to a banner which proudly lauds: "Location of the Collection Future Museum of the Homeland War". These relics are the remnants of a struggle which ravaged this beautiful country between 1991-1995.

The buildings are just shells, pockmarked by bullet and shell impacts; walking through them is eerie to say the least. I won't dwell too long on this visit, as the signatures of the "Homeland War" is evident throughout Croatia. However, I will state from the four days I spent touring Belgium, the Somme Valley and visiting the remnants of the 1914-18 conflict and those forests of marble has provided me with a different perspective on military sites and monuments.

Michael returns to the car, and we prepare to move onto Zagreb. Well, we weren't going anywhere - the car wouldn't start! Stupid me has left the headlights on which had obviously sapped most of the available power to turn the engine over. I guess it was light enough for us not to notice they were on while we sat in the car waiting for Michael who was gone for only about 10 minutes. We had interior lights, but as for momentum we weren't moving. Michael sets off in search of assistance, and heads for a cafe/bar located next to the park.

The proprietor speaks very little English, however Michael makes himself understood that we were in need of help. The proprietor gets on his mobile and phones a friend who will be around in "5-10 minuta". Anyhow, this fellow (who also speaks no English) turns up in a blue VW Combi, and after much gesticulating and hand signals 'jump starts' our car. He indicates we should leave the engine running '5 minuta', then he disappears into the cafe/bar. Michael follows him and shouts him a beer or two to follow the earlier one we could smell on his breath when he arrived. Our gallant knight reappears and checks the car again, Michael slips him a handsome reward for his trouble whereby the fellow sets off back to where he came and we resume our journey. Such accommodating and helpful people in a land that is so beautiful. Lets hope that conflict in this part of the world is done - just look how lovely it is.

I'm not taking any more chances at this point of being stuck on back roads, so on to the motorway for the last 50 kms to Zagreb. Its not long before we are driving through the outskirts. Lots of high density apartment blocks reminiscent of those we saw in Slovakia. They are grey, drab, appear to be covered in mould or with concrete render peeling off. What is it about these countries that use cheap render? Or is there some hidden nasty that we are breathing in that causes concrete cancer????

We don't actually go in to the city en route to the Hotel Paradise. And as we check in the 'boss' (owner?) tells us that his daughter is living in Sydney and that he talks to her on Skype regularly - seems like nearly everyone has a link to us all!
The hotel staff recommend the nearby Zelen Dvor Restaurant for dinner and so in a light drizzle off we set. They are quite busy - always a good sign, and there are plenty of staff to tend to your every wish.
Entrees:
Njoki s gorgonzolom (Gnocchi with gorgonzola cheese) Michael
Njoki u umaku od škampa (Gnocchi with scampi sauce) Donna
Pohovani sir lokalne (Breaded local cheese) Maria
Mains:
Paprika Ramstek 'St Petersburg' s votke i vrhnje (Pepper rumpsteak 'St Petersburg' with vodka and cream) Michael
Pileći file s umakom od tartufa i rezanci (Chicken fillet with Truffle sauce and pasta) Donna
Weiner šnicl (Weiner schnitzel) Maria
Without a doubt, Donna's entree was the best meal of the night - actually, it came close to being the best meal of her trip with us - certainly one of the top two. The bill was very reasonable as well - what a bonus.
After coffee we return to the hotel in drizzle.

Exploring old and wild places in Umbria

Another glorious morning here in Umbria! We greet the day with another good breakfast and wonderfully strong coffee. The coffee in Italy is so satisfying, unless your request for "espresso dopio" (double espresso) is mistaken for 'Americano' (large coffee) which is disappointing for a better word. However, here at La Sarale the coffee is just "Stupendo"! Alessandro tells us that they will pick the grapes for wine making next week and harvest their olive trees - so as usual, a week too early or late! Anyhow, we've decided to head into the country for a drive into Gubbio east of here. We had intended this tour yesterday, however, our cooking class and tasting our creations for lunch, put paid to that decision! So, we set off...

Gubbio is one of the oldest settlements in Umbria, in the province of Perugia, and there is still plenty to see of the Roman occupation of the area over 2,000 years ago. I suppose the three prominent Roman examples in Gubbio are the Amphitheatre, the Roman Domus (residence) and the Mausoleum of Pomponio Grecino a suffect Consul under the Roman Republic. I have programmed Kate to the centre of Gubbio and think nothing of it when as we reach the city, she directs me to make a left turn through one of the narrow city gates.

Too late we realise that this road heads out of town and through to Scheggia and the Bottacione Gorge where we had planned to go after visiting Gubbio. So we just turn the order of things around! Gubbio is also famous among geologists as the discovery place of what was at first called the "Gubbio layer", a rock layer enriched in iridium that was exposed by a roadcut outside of town. This thin, dark band of sediment marks the K–T boundary, between the Cretaceous and Tertiary geological periods (65 million years ago), and was formed by debris from the gigantic meteor impact responsible for the mass extinction of the dinosaurs. Its iridium, a heavy metal that is rare on Earth's surface, but is plentiful in extraterrestrial material such as comets and asteroids. It also contains small globules of glassy material called tektites, formed in the initial impact. Driving through to Scheggia we pass through the gorge where all of this is very easy to see. The earth is 'banded' and because there is such a varience in the hardness of the layers, and also because of the karst formations here, the area is riddled with caves.

Once we have reached Scheggia we continue to climb up into Parco del Monte Cucco - home to amazing peaks and is dominated by Monte Cucco at 1,566m. Known for its cave systems, we see the edge of one of them from the road. As we move higher into the hills we pass lots of Franzione (hamlets), often with just half a dozen buildings. And yet there is life in these remote little places and today we pass lots of cyclists punishing their bodies climbing up or down the winding road. The whole area is marketed as a natural one for sports - cycling, climbing, free flying (hang gliding) amongst them. We follow the road through the park all the way out of Umbria and in to the region of Marches where we reach the much larger town of Sassoferrato. The town is found on the Via Flaminia, an ancient Roman road whose route is still followed and by us today. As we came across through the valley between the jagged hills, we can see the town above the valley floor. At its highest point is a large church that positively gleams in the early afternoon sun. But of course, its Sunday afternoon. The church that we have seen from so far off is closed, there are two nuns, one aged and bent shuffling in to the convent that is attached but otherwise there is no sign of life - residents are locked behind their house doors enjoying the weeks end. Recently we have seen the use of lots of those ribbon bows that we use for decorating wrapped gifts - and nothing else. They are used here to announce the birth of a child in the family, or to attach to cars associated with weddings. All in the correct colours of course. Here is one in the quiet backstreets of Sassoferrato.

From here, we turn back for Gubbio. I search for a different route back, but to do so will take us around the outside of these mountains and a trip of many hours, so we have to settle with going back the same way we came. There is quite a lot to see in Gubbio. It was settled in the time of the Roman empire and has a number of interesting ruins. From a distance you see the town dug into the hills with an imposing church sitting much higher above it - up where the hang-glides play. You can get a cable car to the top - well, they call it a cable car, I'm not sure what we would call it - they are small cages that you stand in for the trip up the mountain! They hold 2-3 people only!! Moot point, we don't have time to do it today (phew).

However, the most interesting of the ruins is the Amphitheatre. When we arrive back at Gubbio, we park near the Amphitheatre and stroll over to join other curious visitors. Now, the Amphitheartre was built during the 1st Century AD and constructed from local limestone - there is not a sliver of marble within its construction! Any Roman polis is easily identified by having a stadium, theatre or both - depending upon its importance. Gubbio, (or 'Iguvium' its original Roman name,) must have enjoyed some importance due to the size of the theatre; which represents the one of largest surviving Roman theatre in the world, and it is still being used for performances during the summer months.

After giving the theatre a good 'once over', in Michael's case - several, we drive and park in a parking area within the Gubbio's walls and then stroll up the steep and cobbled Via Della Repubblica, making our way towards the Consul's Palace. The sheer size of the palace gives some indication towards Gubbios' prominence during the Middle Ages. However, before reaching the Palace, we detour for a visit to the 12C AD church of San Giovanni with its views back down the hill to the market arcade. The church is quite unimposing from its external appearence, internally it is demure with the exception of the alcove containg the font. The walls and ceiling of the alcove are decorated by rather unique frescoes.

We eventually arrive at the Palace, which is quite imposing, a fact attested by the number of stairs required to negotiate the structure. The structure is now occupied by administrative offices, and museums which outline Gubbio's history. Without dwelling too much on the museums, suffice to say the palace's interior justifies Gubbio's importance. The elaborate, and at times, simple paintings and frescoes bespeek of grandeur and oppulence. Regrettably, photography was not permitted so there are no images to illustrate the palace's immensity. However, the most impressive amongst museums' collection are the 'Tavole Eugubine', the Eugubine Tables. These are bronze tablets where the ancient script has been chiselled onto them ....and... these tablets represent the largest collection of ancient Umbrian or Italic Language! Well, Michael almost wets himself when he set his eyes upon them!

To enter the museums is by way of ascention, ie. street level and numerous stairs - no elevators here. Albeit, one's efforts are rewarded by a panoramic view from the high parapet at the palace's summit - the view is quite awesome!

We say farewell to the palace and Michael makes a bee-line for the Duomo (catherdral), which is a level above the palace! Haste is required as the Duomo closes at 17:00, and it is now 16:45! Fortunately for Gubbio's system of elevators this time the journey upwards is lessened in part. Still, there is still a bit of a climb after alighting from the elevator. The cathedral is not one would expect when viewing the exterior. As with most of the places of worship in Gubbio, the structures reflect an aspect of austerity. However, it is quite unique from the inside...once again, no images as photography was forbidden within the Duomo as well. Although, the interior does reflect a time during Medieval Europe - well, why wouldn't it; it was constructed during the 12C AD as well! When Michael returns from his visit to the Duomo, we make our way back to the car - but not before detouring for a Gelatti....

Another day in Umbria draws to a close and we head back for Il Sarale. What was Sarah offering for dinner tonight? Antipasti of meat, pastry with potato slices, pastry wrapped basil and grilled eggplant. This is followed by torn pasta with parmesan reggianio and fresh walnuts (omg it is soooo good) and then a beef stew with mashed potatoes. She rounds dinner off with fig and almond tart - gosh, the simple pleasures don't get much better than this!

Lost in Pompei and lost in time

The morning began well enough, albeit a little later than we had originally planned. After sitting up until 2 am'ish, it was 9 am before we lifted the weary eyelids. The staff at the Hotel Piccolo Sogno are really lovely - very helpful and friendly and full of good advice, but this morning there was no hot water in the shower and Helen did not have a good night's sleep on her 'Rock of Gibraltar' (although we loved our very firm mattress) - not a good combination! We are late for breakfast - in fact I didn't even go to have any - I'm suffering with a tummy bug. But the staff are really obliging and make fantastic coffee and bring Helen and Michael croissants and juice. Hels is happy - coffee is good.

We leave and head to the Tourist Information Centre where the lady who served us could not have been prouder of her city or more helpful. Not only that, but the amount of information in her head was amazing. She knew the times that all the places were open, the prices and the best ways to get to them. Not only the local attractions either - she gave us just the right information for our trip to the Isle of Capri in a couple of days. She knew where to buy the Buffalo Mozzarella locally that arrives twice daily from the processors in Caserta - one of the two traditional areas of production, the best and the best local bread shop to get supplies for our day in the ruins - there is no restaurant inside and she explains a little exasperated that if we leave the site we cannot return without buying another ticket.

We thank her, leave the office and turn left to find that bakery, almost walking past it. The shopfront is tiny and there is a curtain of beads covering the door. When we walk in it is very obvious that this is not an establishment that caters to the tourist trade, having prostituted themselves for the almighty dollar. No, this is a local bakery meeting the daily needs of it's population. Popular by the number of people dashing in and out while we are there trying to take it all in and decide what to buy. There is such an array of delicacies that we have trouble choosing. First up is a pastry encasing a wurst, patate and fromaggio - kind of like a hotdog with chips and cheese that smells just divine. Next, a packet of dry biscuits with chocolate (that later turns out to be savoury biscuits with nuts!), and the BEST choux pastry balls with little dots of icing on them. Peach juice in small popper boxes (so nice!) and chilled water completed our purchase, oh and a packet of chips - all for the pricey sum of €8!

So, set with our provisions, off we set. First stop is in the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary in the main square. It sits within the area known as Pompei Mariana and is bordered by the Campanile Il Santuario. We enter in awe as the whole church is covered in the most amazing frescoes - some of the nicest we have seen. As I sit here typing the blog, we are amazed to learn that the church is a very modern one - having been built from 1934 at the express command of Pope Pius XI and was completed in 1939. Surely this can't be correct! But after checking a few sources, I guess that it is. Now THAT is amazing as the church in its entirety displays many baroque elements that I would have thought would have been lost in today's arts. For more info click here! All in all though, it is a magnificent example of the work of artists and builders. While we are here, 12 noon strikes on the campanile bells and The Angelus devotion begins in the Church. We stay for a while and Helen and I get the feeling that this is something that we have heard before (dredging up memories from Catholic school days), but as it is in Latin, we can't follow it. Anyhows, there are sites to be seen and time is marching on.

As we leave the Church, we pass the Campanile. Michael gleefully reports that there is indeed a lift to the top, so we all ride up the 80 metres to see Pompei from above. And what a majestic site it is. Below us we see the cupolas and dome of the Church sitting in the square with the modern city (as referred to by the locals) spreading out across the plains to the foothills of the Appenine Mountains. And there, in the middle distance is the Old City of Pompei with the remnant of Mount Vesuvius, clearly showing the top that it so dramatically blew off in the eruption of AD 79. This is what has brought us to this part of Italy. How truly amazing it is to stand here and see with our own eyes the evidence of everything that we have read about. I never studied Ancient History so I can only imagine how much more special it is for Michael and Helen who both studied it right through high school. And to add to the experience we are accosted by a friendly Italian who tells us that Pompei is the place of his birth and spends some time pointing out the local sites and explaining all about the eruption that made the city famous in the first place. It certainly makes us want to get down and in it.

Back down in the lift to the street, we walk towards the closest entry gate - Porta di Nocera (stopping for a dopple espresso, iced coffee and granita on the way given that we won't have a chance for anything else for much of the day). The entry is quite understated for what we are expecting. In fact the quote of the day is "We are not sure what we were expecting, but it wasn't this!" Maybe we thought we would see flattened ruins with an odd pot or standing column here or there. In fact, what we marveled at was the completeness of the City from the ground level to the first floor level. It is a city without roofs, without ceilings. It is like looking at an architect's floor plan model with the top removed - almost like a doll's house in many ways, standing on the outside and looking in through windows and doors.

The roadway into the Anfiteatro (amphitheatre) and Palestra Grande (Grand gym) is blocked and needs to be accessed from the outer perimeter road. At this point we decide to forgo this walk and instead head down passed the main Necropolis (cemetery) of the city with its now empty mausoleums and saved statues.

At first glance the city is a drab place devoid of much colour - a basalt grey with the under-skeleton of terracotta bricks showing classic roman building structure peeking through from a thick layer of plaster that had been applied. The road is a marvel of engineering set with large irregular rounded flagstones which as first glance look impassable but are surprisingly easy to walk on as they almost seem to be paced out in a regular walking stride width. There is shallow guttering, deep grooves where the wagons of time have passed and higher pavements for the pedestrian traffic. And at regular intervals and at the intersections of the streets there is the forerunner of the modern pedestrian crossing. They are raised blocks that are at the height of the pavement at stepping distance across the streets allowing people to cross easily when water was running and I guess it also provided some form of early vehicle control. The photo does not really tell the story - most of these blocks and their neighbouring sidewalks are about 1.5 feet higher than the roadway!

But it is not long before we begin to see signs of the magnificent decorations for which the city has become eternally known. The first real sign is of a mosaic guard dog in the entrance doorway of a home that led into more intricate patterned mosaic floors. Perhaps he is was a warning to those entering without the welcome of the home owners!

Just a little further up the street is the first of a number of bakeries that we see with their ovens still complete, awaiting the first loaves of the day to feed the population that was at its peak nearing 20,000 souls. And at the remains of the Taverns, whose counters are cased with large mosaiced pieces of coloured marble into which are set rimmed holes into which scraps of food would be thrown. Helen longs to use some of her precious water to wash the dry dust from the counters and see the marble in its true beauty of colour. But common sense prevails - the day is hot and there are few opportunities to refill our bottles from public fountains within the ancient city. Hmm, and me with a tummy bug, think I will stick to the commercially bottled water, although normally I would be very happy to drink the local water.

We continue to walk up Via dell' Abbondanza, one of the main streets through the ancient city stopping time and time again to wander into the insides of the former buildings that once played home to the people from a time long past. There are inner courtyards with atriums, building facades with layers of columns adorning the various floors in various stages of conservation works, evidence of richly frescoed internal and external walls, and gardens that would have been the private joy of the family. Some of these gardens have been restored, but as to their initial plantings there can only be guesses - these were destroyed long ago under the 10 m of ash and lava that fully encased the city in the famous eruption of AD 79.

There are thousands of tourists here right now, most being led along in big groups, tagged with their group number like sheep in a flock and following the bright umbrella or silly looking fake flower of their 'shepherd' guides. (I have often wondered at what would happen if more than one guide had the same silly flower!) And just about now, we become separated. I know that Michael is behind me with the camera, trying to soak up every littlest facet. Helen I am pretty sure is ahead of us. She will sit down at some point and wait for us to catch her up! When Helen and I do meet up about half an hour later, she was unsure of whether we were still behind her or not and as the crowds continue to grow, was getting a little worried that we might miss each other. All's good though.

But she and I are growing tired of the sore feet, the sore stomach, the sore eyes and the sore heads! We have nearly reached our fill and yet I know that Michael is really only just beginning to warm up. So we make a pact . . . we will walk with him past the Forum, the Temples of Apollo and Venus, the Basilica and the municipal buildings to the Porta Marina where we will leave him to return to the hotel. He on the other hand will stay and drink his fill!

These are all remarkable buildings that can only just start to give us a glimpse into a time of great wealth and prosperity for the old city. And as we explore around the around surrounding the Forum we come upon the store of excavated articles that can be seen within their covered and enmeshed enclosure. In this little treasure trove there are included the casts of some of the discovered corpses, caught during sleep in the middle of that terrible night so long ago when more than 10,000 people perished. There is even a dog, twisted in the throes of its pain trying to stop the burning.
And so at about 4:30 pm we reach the Porta Marina and turn to walk dwn through the exit to either try for a bus or to walk the mile and a bit back to the hotel (and you guessed it, no bus, so we walked!)

Now I'll hand you over to Michael to continue with his tale of discovery - I'll get him to keep it short-ish (given that I have already taken so long)!!
After saying farewell to Maria and Helen I strike forward along Via della Fortuna towards two Villas we were encouraged to visit: Villa di Diomede and Villa dei Misteri. The frescoes in these villas are regarded as being the best preserved in Italy. Turning right into the Vicolo di Modestro the vision is one of amazement as the street is wide and with the heavy signature cobblestoned roadway.

The street then forks at a 'Y' junction named the 'Angulus Tabernus' (Corner of Taverns), where the remains of five taverns indicate a time when trading was brisk with patrons. Taking the left fork, I venture onto Via Consolare where dwellings change from humble lodges into residences of opulence. There are too many to provide adequate descritions, suffice to say I was entering an area which once boasted wealth.

Continuing along Consolare, I arrive at the remains of the once splendid Porta di Ercolano (Herculaneum Gate). Built of brick and marble, it would have looked magnificent gleaming under the sun with its ubiquitous 'sentry boxes' on either side of the portal. Passing through the gate I entered the Via de Tombe and Necropoli di Porta Ercolano which represents an avenue of tombs of the wealthy including the remains of a Morticians residence and workshop!

I eventually arrive at my first port of call: Villa di Diomede...it's closed for restoration! Oh, well, one can't help bad luck? So I walk on further to my next destination: Villa dei Misteri ... it's closed as well - yep, for restoration? Both are locked up as tight as drums... Not a problem, I'll just make my way south toward the Amplitudo Theatrum (Grand Theatre) and the Ludus Gladius (Gladiator School).

I retrace my steps whereby I make a left turn into Via delle Terme for a look at the Terme de Foro (Forum Thermal Baths). It's either an awkward time of the day or year; regrettably the baths are closed as well due to an archaeological dig which is presently underway ... Undaunted, I push onward and repress my disappointment towards the theatre. As I continue my journey, Via delle Terme becomes Via delle Fortuna and on my left is a splendid looking villa called Casa del Fauna (House of Animals). The gods are smiling - what a splendid residence; from its mosaic threshhold to its frescoed walls depicting daily life and obeisance to a pantheon of Roman gods. Midway within the structure is the remains of a central courtyard which would have been adorned with shrubs and/or poplars.

Leaving this gem, I retrace my way back through the Forum and visit the Marcellum (great food market) which I had previously overlooked. Adorned with two communal altars, large quadrangle and restored frescoes; this marketplace must have been a hub of industry and close brokering. However, the clarity of Pompei's demise is brought into stark reality with the remains of two victims displayed where they had met their end.

Finally, I arrive at the Amplitudo Theatrum (Grand Theatre) and the Ludus Gladius (Gladiator School).... AND THEY'RE BOTH BLOODYWELL CLOSED DUE TO RESTORATION! Ah, shit happens - took a couple photos of the exterior of each of the buildings and headed off to the Anfiteatro (Amphitheatre). Time is getting on, so I have to hurry and return the audioguides by 7 pm as it's now 17:45. If you've ever walked the streets of Pompei, then you'll understand the need to have ample time up your sleeve.

Hop-scotching my along the via's and vicolo's I arrive at the Anfiteatro and considering this IS the oldest structure of its kind (older than the Colosseum at Rome) it is in a good state. Most of the original seating for the 20,000 spectators has gone and replaced by grass, however, this doesn't dilute the structures original use - hosting bloody Spectaculums (spectaculars/events). It was built with the private funds by two of Pompei's leading notarians Quinctius Valgus and Marcius Porcius - their generosity flamed through mercenary needs. So, saying farewell to the amphitheatre and ancient Pompei, I make my way to the stall and return the audioguides.

(Me again) As I am working on this blog, Helen is soaking her feet in the bidet, giggling as she does it, and planning to shave her legs there as well! Think she must have more than a touch of the sun today!!! Tonight we are again heading up to the Pizza and Pasta Restaurant. It is close, we have done enough walking for the day and the food is great!
We begin with the house special Antipasto Piazza with fresh Buffalo Mozzarella, Proscuito, bresaola (dreid beef), olives, fresh artichokes, tomato slices, roasted aubergine and peppers.
Then Michael gets to eat the Pasta e Faggioli con Cozze (Pasta with beans and mussels) that he wanted last night but was told took too long to cook while Helen and I settle for lighter dishes - she for the Spaghetti alla Carbonara (spaghetti with egg and bacon) and I had the Scallopinne a Limone (Veal with lemon sauce). We added an Insalata Mista (mixed salad) and a serving of Patate Fritte (chips). And when we ask for dessert, there is only one on offer - small pieces of pizza dough baked so that they puff up which are then drizzled with melted choclate and dusted with icing sugar - gosh, who needs choice when this is on the go?!

Back to the hotel where the owner Fabio is watching Napoli play the International team at football. He of course follows Napoli! And his team is losing. We chat about Australia and he tells us of his friends on Melbourne. Off to bed some time later - and Fabio reports that Napoli lost!