Leaving today for Europe

And another street. I did say Pompeii was huge, didn't I? LOL

Some frescoes. Many of the frescoes of Pompeii are erotic/sexual.

More frescoes.

Enough eroticism for one day.

yeah rome traffic is terrible

enjoying your trip ci (and mrs Steve )

Herculaneum in Ercolano:

At the same time when Mount Virsuvius covered Pompeii with volcanic ash, it also rained upon Herculaneum. The big difference between the two are that the condition of Herculaneum far exceeds those of Pompeii.

Herculaneum was named for the Greek hero Hercules,

When we arrived by train to Ercolano, we had no idea which way to go, because there are no English (or any other as I recall) signs directing tourists from the train station. As we walked towards town, we kept asking "scavi?" and they would point towards our destination.

Herculaneum was discovered in the early 18th century when somebody dug a well. When you approach Herculaneum today, it sits below ground level, so one can see all of the city from the entrance. It's a compact city that was probably one of the wealthiest in the area.

If Pompeii is a diamond in the rough, Herculaneum is the Hope diamond. It's just amazing to see how well this city was preserved over two thousand years.

Rather than banter on about this grand city of the wealthy, I'll just post some pictures - as they say "pictures worth a thousand words."

That'a way.

BTW, the above sign was right next to the entrance.

Street in Herculaneum.

Nook.

Sculpture.

Fresco. #1 of 2.

Bigger rooms.

Fresco #2.

I've known I've wanted to go to Ercolano, but now it's especially appealing to see these in person.

A two thousand year old patio?

Actually, what I posted as fresco #1 is actually tile art - more common with Roman artworks found in most parts of Europe.

Seems right...

CI
Please keep a posting this is very cool stuff, but one thought did occur to me about what sort of things you think of when in a place like St Peter's basilica? Not meaning any religious argument here just your POV.

We landed at the port at Messina, Sicily, on November 14, 2005. This is the first picture of Taormina.

Messina, Sicily

We really didn't spend any time in Messina, the port for Sicily when approached from the mainland.

Our bus took us straight to Taormina via Mt Etna, a resort town located on a plateau below Mount Tauro with its winding narrow, hilly streets, nooks and crannies.

Each side street has a surprise for the nosey. It's an enchanting place where romance is in the air. D.H. Lawrence wrote Lady Chatterly's Lover here as well as other stories about local events.

It has its share of shops, churches, restaurants, coffee and ice cream shops, and tourist sites, the main one being the Greek Theater.

Everybody visit's the Greek Theater built in the third century BC; it's a not-to-miss attraction.

What I enjoy most about Taormina is the medieval ambiance. The "Duomo" is not a cathedral, but a Norman-Arab church, built over an earlier Christian structure, and dates from the 12th century. The Badia Vecchia (Old Abbey) is a 14th century construction. A medieval Byzantine mosaic icon of the Theotokos ("Mother of God") is preserved under the Clock Tower. There are also some Baroque structures.

One cannot help but fall in love with this place; I know I did.

Our optional tour today was to a local winery. It's only fitting, since Pliny the Elder praised Taormina's wines. We visited the Murgo Winery for wine tasting.

http://www.murgo.it/