20 February

Up early for some work, for both of us as Mandy had a phone interview with someone, then a great morning with a visit to Pompeii. Delightful, & incredibly knowledgeable, Andre took us through the ruins, simply stunning place & made even better via his insightful commentary. It's really hard to believe that it was made in the 8th century BC, when it was a port; now the coast is 8 kilometres away. AD79 was a disastrous year with Vesuvius, hovering over us throughout and then swallowed by mist again, exploding and throwing 4-7m of ash over it, effectively burying it. But the reclaimed ruins depict an amazing Roman civilization.
Back in Naples for a waterfront pizza, & wines in Mandy's case, & now she's having a nap before the Vino & Pastafest continues in about 2-3 hours. Being over the road from the sea is so special & such a treat; the hecticness of the main town area is lost to us. Instead it's quiet, restaurants, cafes & Mediterranean Sea with pot buoys reminding me of a frenzy at any wave-less beach. Heaven.