Pompeii the ancient city is a short train ride away from Naples city, whereby the ancient city is protected under UNESCO and fully converted as a tourist attraction. The ancient city is now an excavation site and outdoor museum. In my memory, Pompeii left a very deep impression on me as the remnants left behind were just too strikingly sad.
Pompeii is located nearby Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano (still active to-date!) which exploded in AD 79 and totally enveloped the surrounding ancient cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, Stabiae and other nearby settlements. The site in ancient Pompeii managed to preserve everyday life on the fateful day of the eruption. Some of these are in display, providing a glimpse of the daily life of people near 2000 years ago.
Italy has a long coastal lines, whereby driving along the western coast of Italy near Naples will lead towards the Amalfi coastal town.
Beware for those with motion sickness (me that is!). We took a bus to from Naples to Amalfi whereby the ride had to maneuver through a winding section, while the bus was full with almost no standing room. This was years before pandemic, mind you. Half-way, nausea took over and someone offered a seat to a young me. Although, during that episode, I was just asking for plastic bag please, plastic bag. Pretty embarrassing, and trust my travel companion to be busy taking picture of me retching on the floor of the bus. 😀
On a rainy day, the clouds enveloping the ray of sunshine was a sight to behold. Reaching the town, come down for a short walk along the coast to take great pictures of the terraced houses along the coast. Explore along the narrow alleys of the houses, find a souvenir shop or better still a café to have coffee while people-watching.
It was a pity we didn’t get enough time to run to the shores to take a quick dip. As it was a rainy day, the waves were relentless. But surrounding views are beautiful.
Along further south of the coast, there are more coastal towns welcoming visitors. Positano, Ravella, Scala, and others too. Take your pick for a less crowded place to fully immerse in the local flavors.
Cheng's Musings 