Day at Sea

A relaxing day somewhere in the Ionian Sea.

A little spot of rain in a blue sky.

Me and mom checking out the view.

Mom and I spotted a waterspout in the distance under the clouds (between the pink and blue pavilions).

As the sun set some land masses appeared faintly in the distance, almost lost in the hazy evening.

Dad and mom.

Jenny.

Liz.

The first glimpse of the Greek coastline.

Naples

After visiting Pompeii we spent the rest of the afternoon in the port of Naples.

Myself and mom.

Enjoying a late lunch at Ristorante Da Annarella.

Jenny, mom, and Liz.

Castel Nuovo.

We came across a lovely little succulent garden next to the Romeo Hotel.

Jenny.

On the way back to the ship we stopped at Caffetteria e Pasticceria Marsicano for some treats. We got little cups of chocolate and the traditional sfogliatelle; a crispy layered pastry sprinkled with powdered sugar and a creamy filling that has a hint of citrus.

Myself, Jenny, mom, and Liz.

Rain clouds behind Mount Vesuvius open to reveal a patch of blue sky.

Mount Vesuvius with the sunset over Naples reflecting in the glass.

Photo by Liz Kasper.

Posing in front of a flower screen on the ship.

Much to our surprise the ship sailed past an active volcano that night. The island of Stromboli has a small population and the volcano has been consistently active for several thousand years. It is nicknamed the “Lighthouse of the Mediterranean”. It was absolutely astonishing to see the neon eruption late at night, highlighted by an almost full moon. Incredible to think that the first time we saw an active volcano was the same day we walked through the streets of Pompeii.

Pompeii

Our first port on the cruise was Naples. My maternal great-grandmother was born in Naples and had immigrated to America as a young adult. I believe she was the last of our relatives to have been born overseas. Because of that family connection, I wanted to make sure we got to see the city. The first part of the day was spent visiting Pompeii. Unfortunately, my father was a bit under the weather that day. He stayed behind on the boat to rest while we had a girls day out.

Early morning rainbow over Naples.

Jenny enjoying the view of Mount Vesuvius.

The Suburban Baths.

After a short cab ride we found ourselves at the ancient city of Pompeii. Destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 79 AD, the city remained largely untouched until excavations began in the late 1700’s. 

Mount Vesuvius still looming over Pompeii.

An intricate mosaic floor, still in its original location.

The view of the Bay of Naples through the ruins.

Remnants of a once vibrant wall.

Jenny peeking through a locked gate.

The Temple of Apollo.

Liz and Jenny.

Liz.

The Forum.

Jenny, myself, and Liz.

Photo by Jenny Kasper.

Jenny.

Jenny, Liz, and mom.

Myself and Jenny.

The Centaur statue.

Myself and Jenny.

The Basilica. 

All the damage reveals the layers of construction.

Jenny checking out the maps.

Via dell’Abbondanza, one of the main streets of Pompeii.

Myself, Jenny, Liz, and mom.

The beautiful and delicate wall of a building in the Stabian Baths.

A plaster cast of one of the victims at Pompeii. During excavations they would find human bones surrounded by air pockets. They would fill the empty space with plaster and once it was hardened they would remove the earth around it. What remained was a cast of the victim in their last moments.

The Stabian Baths.

A delicate painting on one of the walls.

Liz (to the far left) and mom taking it all in.

Mom.

A flower growing in one of the excavated rooms.

Jenny walking down one of the streets with Liz and mom behind her. Pompeii busy now, much as it was 2,000 years ago.  

Myself, Liz, Jenny, and mom.