Amalfi Coast - Day 4 - Pompeii

I first visited Pompeii 45 years ago. Then the ancient ghost city was almost deserted in the late afternoon when we arrived; there were no pedestrian sidewalks, no gift kiosks, no gelato stands. We wandered at will, looking into the ruins of houses and marveling at the plaster casts of bodies caught at the moment of death, mouths open in silent screams, limbs twisted, even a mother covering the body of her child.

• Today we visited the same Pompeii, but so different. First, there were at least 10,000 other folks there at the same time. The very narrow streets were packed with live humans. We had to wait in line just to gaze into the windows of what was once a house, or a shop, or a brothel. The plaster casts are all in acrylic cases behind a fence. Many of the homes are closed to tourists; many of the remaining columns are encased in metal supports, so weak that the danger of their falling has made the protection necessary. 

This wasn't actually disappointing, but I'm glad I saw it when I did, back in the early '70s. That memory still is transcendent to me.

Our trip, including time on the bus, took about six hours, so we were back in our hotel by midafternoon. After a brief toes-up, we ventured out to just wander. Looking for a few small things to bring home with us, we poked our heads into a small paper shop and a donkey store.

Paper, as I have mentioned, is very important in Amalfi Town. There is really only one actual paper manufacturing operation nowadays, but paper-making was once a thriving cottage industry here. Amalfians are quite proud of their beautiful papers, which they bind into journals, make into delicate cards, and use to fashion wonderful hats. The little shop we explored was our favorite kind in Europe - tiny, a little dark, and mostly deserted. The very nice lady who took our money and wrapped our purchase threw in a little scratch pad decorated with lemons. Have I mentioned that the Amalfi Coast is the lemon capital of the world? This, no matter what Minute Maid might have to say about it.

Donkeys are also a big deal. Real live donkeys are still used to haul building materials and other goods from suppliers to the villages. There are winding trails that no motorized vehicle of any size could maneuver, and the donkeys are still the most efficient tools available.  We have seen a number of them standing patiently by the roadside being loaded or unloaded. Consequently, the donkey is pretty much the Amalfi spirit animal, and they appear on everything from cups and plates to marvelous avant garde works of art costing many hundreds of Euros.  We now are the proud owners of two donkey coasters and a little sheet telling the story of the donkey in both Italian and English.  (The proprietor of the donkey store is prepared for most of the tourists who swarm these narrow streets.)

After our leisurely shopping, we chose a little sidewalk taverna where we had a coffee (me) and a beer (the hubs.)  The entrance to the little bar was framed in small lemon trees. We sat outside and just took in the passing crowd.  When we were rested, we walked back to our hotel, joining OLLI friends for a lovely dinner, then to bed. Tomorrow, Ravello!