Sunday, June 19, 2016

Pompeii Concluded

Regarding Photos

For any one having annoyances with photos here recently, I am sorry. I am having them too, because my lessons have not continued in the last few days. I need to learn how to size pictures on the pad so they are not huge. I hope that happens tomorrow. I am slow on all this stuff, but do know that certain things need fixing.  My young people are pulling me along, ready or not.

Speaking of which - can you visualize me on a scooter, whizzing up the road at 15 km/ h, imperiling neighbors and little girls on bicycles? Meaning, Florian got an abandoned scooter that he says I should learn to use and I tried it today. 
No such thing as rusting away around here.

Concluding Pompeii

Next is a grand villa complex with a very important and famous floor mosaic. It shows the battle between Alexander the Great and the Persians, the oldest representation of that event. It is superbly done in tiny coloured stones. The light was leaving, so I don't have a good photo (not surprising from me), but it was impressive to see a work that every comprehensive art book includes.

This is the entrance to the grand villa. The mosaic is behind the row of round pillars in the center. A German tour group was getting a guided talk at that time, so I listened.
This was the ancient walkway around the atrium.

This is the preserved remnant of the Alexander mosaic. Here you see the head of Alexander and his horse Bucephalus.
These are the battling armies in the same mosaic. Note the quite sophisticated perspective, anatomy, and colouring. If you want to see the work properly you can easily look it up. Do; it is worth a look. (Somebody can maybe add the link here?)

This smaller mosaic, about 3x3 feet, was in the entrance to a house. It says "Beware the dog." Cave canem. It is a picture you probably saw in your Latin book; it is frequently used in beginner books.

This was randomly lying along the service road toward an entrance, a gorgeous piece of stone carving, probably from the nearby burial area..
You see the above piece in its setting here. The large stones in the foreground are the road.
Then it was time to take the train back to our abode, to cook a swordfish and salmon dinner, with fresh fish procured that morning from a tiny fish shop on the way to the train station. Then we watched the sun go down over the bay.

 


Some wanted to swim the next day, so we were looking for a way to one of the very small beaches at the base of the very high cliffs. Hotels reserve such prime real estate for themselves. This beach was accessible by a very old, winding, descending tunnel through the cliff. Fishermen made these ages ago to get their boats to the water.


An opening to the outside in the tunnel. These were built to let light in long ago.
The is same evening looking in a different direction where the sun was still casting light.


Looking across the water from the beach to the docks. The lights in the back are on ships anchored in the bay.

 Next: tour pictures from the Amalfi Coast.

Blessed Sunday to all.

2 comments:

  1. I'm trying not to let my envy take over but it's going to be really hard with the next post.

    Did you eat fish every day or just watch the Floridians? Sounds amazing.

    A scooter?? No. I cannot imagine since it's hard to even imagine you driving a car (and I'm one of the three people who have seen you do it.) And- photos or it didn't happen. Seriously, I've wanted a nice little scoot forever!! Please ask Florian to find me one too.

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  2. I did not eat fish every day, but did sample the salmon, since I cooked all the fish. As to scooters, photos were taken, so it happened. I will send you one when I get my helper. And, Florian has two more scooters for which he would like to find homes.
    Amalfi coming soon.

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