"E" is for Eruption

When standing in the archeological site of Pompeii near Naples I cast  a wary eye at Mount Vesuvius, shrouded in low-lying cloud. I think of the eruption in 79 AD that destroyed this ancient Roman town and the thousands of people who were killed by the pyroclastic flows of ash and hot gases. Could such a disaster happen again?

Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii

Rome's Jewish Ghetto and Pantheon Neighbourhood

While visiting Italy this summer, major restoration projects on the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain altered a planned walking tour, taking us instead through Rome's Jewish Quarter and then on to the ancient Pantheon. 

Theatre of Marcellus

Colossal Rome

Rome has been called the Eternal City. Its citizens are surrounded by centuries of history. From ancient ruins to the splendour of Baroque artwork there's something special around every corner, like Largo di Torre Argentina where Julius Caesar was assassinated or the fountains in Piazza Navona. So why haven't I bonded with this great city?

Largo di Torre Argentina, Rome

Pompeii Today

The movie Pompeii opened in theatres recently and tells the story of the ancient Roman town destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Archeologists have unearthed the remains of this civilization beneath the layers of ash and rock, giving us an interesting look at the lives of the ordinary people who once lived here.

The Forum and Mount Vesuvius

St. Rémy de Provence

St. Rémy de Provence, July 2012 - We arrived in St. Rémy yesterday on the Provence extension to our Rhone River cruise with Avalon Waterways. Once again the weather promised to be hot -  35 Celsius by afternoon. Unlike my previous visit to Europe when my sun hat travelled around in my luggage, mon chapeau is being worn every day.

"R" is for Roman Ruins

This is Day 18 for the

Blogging from A to Z Challenge

for 2013.

The topic for today is the Romans and the ruins of their ancient settlements found outside the walls of Rome.

The town of Pompeii south of Rome was buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, preserving extensive ruins under layers of volcanic ash.

The Ruins of Pompeii