Port: Naples (Pompeii)

Going to Pompeii was my number one place on my list! I have ALWAYS wanted to go to Pompeii. I have always been so interested in it. As a child I wanted to read everything I could get my hands on about Pompeii. I would have been devastated if we had ended up missing this port like we did Khios. 

Mt.Vesuvius is a dormant volcano in constant monitoring

This was the only shore excursion that we did not do with our the rest of our group. They decided that since we disembarked in the morning that they were only going to go to Pompeii and then back to the ship to pack. My husband's choice was to hike Mount Vesuvius. He told me I could come with him or go with his parents. I was willing to hike. Hiking isn't my favorite thing but I can do it and I did it. It kicked my rear-end though, but I went up and came back down. I was freezing, but did it.

Pompeii was cool. There was so much of it preserved. It made me wish we had also made it to the Naples Archaeological museum also. That's where all the best frescoes, statues, and artifacts. I was a bit disappointed. I don't know if it was just a tour guide and where she took us in the city, but I didn't see what I wanted to see. That's all I'm going to say on the matter.

We were rushed through the tour and then rushed to the bus and back to the ship. We made it to the ship on time. But a number of tours didn't and the ship left port over an hour late.

One last thing. Mt Vesuvius use to be one Large mountain. Now it is two mountains that are connected peeks. While we were on Vesuvius and our Volcanologist guide was explaining this to us, I had a hard time

envisioning this and understanding it. But when were in Pompeii and looking at Vesuvius from a distance, it is so obvious that you are looking at a huge mountain that literally "blew its top" off. The last time Vesuvius had an eruption was in the 40's (want to say 1944). It is considered a dormant volcano. There are evacuation plans in place and constant monitoring of the volcano's under surface activities.