Why are archaeologists always doomed to failure?

Their career lies in ruins from the start!

Okay, that was terrible. But archaeology was definitely the theme of my trip further south along the peninsula- I headed down to Naples for a couple of days, and then hopped over to Pompeii for a daytrip. Before going to Naples I had been warned so many times about how it was a terribly unsafe city, full of pickpockets and trash, but I have to say, it was one of my favorite cities. Perhaps I was just really lucky - I caught the weather during warm spell so people were out in the streets, grandmas were taking their grandkids out for a stroll in the park, lots of people were chatting in cafes (bundled up in coats, but still) and walking through the pedestrian part of town, and there was an ice-skating rink set up next to a HUGE castle. Lots of awkward teenaged hand-holding going on there too, it was really cute and reminded me of middle school awkwardness.

For dinner, I had an ENORMOUS pizza margherita - when in Napoli, right? This thing had to have been at least sixteen inches across, it was ridiculous. And I had a terrible stomachache after I finished it (eating an entire pizza, and only an entire pizza, for dinner will do that to you), but it tasted soooo gooood ... I'm never going to be able to look at Domino's the same way again.

The best thing about the pizza though, was that they made it right in front of me. I placed my order, then the guy pulled out a big chunk of dough and rolled it out, then spread the tomato sauce and the basil (?) leaves and mozzarella. There was this groove that had been cut into the edge of the counter, and another guy who had been stoking the fire in the wood-burning stove put a paddle up to this groove and in one smooth motion transferred my pizza from the counter over to the paddle and shoved it into the oven. He turned it around after a while, so the other side could cook, then pulled it out, boxed it up, and sent me on my way! I couldn't resist how good it smelled, and snuck a bite before I got back to the hostel ... mmmm, delicious!

The next morning, I got up bright and early to catch the train to Pompeii. Walking through an entire Roman city is SO WEIRD. It was really easy for me to imagine daily life there, and really difficult at the same time - the buildings are all still standing, and much better preserved than most Roman ruins, but I can't even imagine an entire settlement being covered in ash. There were a couple displays of the plaster casts of the hollows made by people's bodies in the volcanic ash/rock mixture, and one of a dog. I could see the imprint of their shoes' straps, and even the folds in their clothes - it was sobering, yet completely surrealistic.

The Farnese Group is an ENORMOUS sculpture in the National Archaeology Museum in Naples. It was described as a "mountain of marble" back when it was first commissioned ... and I'd say that's pretty accurate. I also saw a small exhibition of the Farnese Cup and the jewels and cameos in the Farnese collection!

Hands down, THE sexiest Aphrodite I've ever seen. I don't really like the Aphrodites in the Capitoline style, I think Aphrodite should and can be much more badass. Yay goddesss of sexiness!

Oh Europe, with your enormous old castles next to parking lots. I love the juxtaposition of Olde and new.

And here's the beginning of my pizza: rolling and flipping the dough ...

Tomato sauce and basil ...

And into the oven!

The restaurant smelled AMAZING. I was about thisclose to drooling the entire time my pizza was baking.

The most delicious 3.80 euros I have ever spent.

The buildings in Pompeii are all VERY well preserved; many still have their original frescoes!

And here's me, on a Roman crosswalk!