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It was a cloudy day, our trip to the ruins of Pompeii. As we strode through the excavated site, light drizzle eventually began to kiss the top of our heads as noon drew closer. Our guide said we were lucky to have such cool weather, otherwise it would be a torrid morning trampling through dusty ancient trodden streets.

The city of Pompeii lay near Mount Vesuvius, a volcano nestled in the Bay of Naples in Italy. The famous Mount V is so old that it has erupted more times than the number of zits on a 15 year old boy going through puberty. Its most notorious outburst took place in the year 79 A.D., where the volcano’s lava and ash covered the ancient Roman city under a thick black carpet. We were told that the naturally mummified residents of Pompeii in the center of the disaster never stood a chance, and mercifully felt nothing when the lava flows washed over them. Many lay as they were hundreds of years ago. Ash shrouded the city in extended darkness. Thousands perished and the city had to be abandoned for generations. When Pompeii was discovered in the mid-1700’s, archaeologists were surprised to discover that beneath the thick layer of dust and debris, Pompeii was preserved remarkably well.

We also found out and interesting little tid bit – it would take approximately 2 weeks to cover the entire ruins of Pompeii on foot. It was that vast!

The steps of the amphitheater in the center of the ruins. Built in such a manner whereby a microphone and speakers aren’t required for the speaker.

The ruins of Pompeii. The many houses which were excavated.

  These three extra-large slabs in the middle of the street served as ‘stepping stones’ for pedestrians to cross from one side of the street to the other. These ‘stepping stones’ were required as human excrement and other household waste were disposed off by pouring buckets of said slosh down the main street, which flows out to sea.

Below are more photos of the ruins of Pompeii.