After finally arriving in Naples after a delayed train and nearly missing the Circumvesuvina (local train) and waiting nearly an hour for the bus, I got to the campsite!!

I met three young English boys on the bus and we ended up in a dorm room together.

Sorrento--- The track down to the beach

The beach with the City in the distance

......and the "ramp type thing"

We went straight to the pool then wandered down to the beach.
It wasn't exactly a beach but some rocks that you can jump off or there is a ramp type thing that you can use.

The boys thinking about jumping (two photos) and in they go!!! (two photos)

The boys of course jumped off rocks and I didn't want to be left out so I did too!
It was fun.

Sorrento--- The City at night

We then went to the shop and got pasta and sauce and cooked our own dinner together which made it a cheap night!

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius----on the 24th August of 79AD

......and postcard views of the sites Tanya will be visiting

I was up early and caught a bus and a train and I was at Pompeii by 8.00am.
I got the audio guide and was going round on my own avoiding tour groups where I could.

I was in the Forum Baths taking photos when a guard asked me if I was okay.
I said that I was and he left.
As I was leaving he was coming back and he had a book for me - "A brief guide to Pompeii"
He showed me that I was near the House of the Faun so I headed that way.
I thought it was a real sweet guesture - he could hardly speak any English but still wanted to help me out!

I also went to:-
------Porta Marina and the City Walls,

Pompeii - The Temple of Jupiter

The Temple of Jupiter - with Mount Vesuvius in the background

------Temple of Jupiter,
------Temple of Apollo,

Pompeii - The Basilica

The Basilica---------Tanya visiting the site

------Basilica,

Pompeii - The Forum

The Forum (two photos)--------Tanya in the Forum

------Forum,

Pompeii - The Forum Baths

(three photos)---The Forum Baths---(two photos)

......and is Tanya contemplating having a bath???

------Forum Baths,

Pompeii - The House of the Faun

---- The House of the Faun---Tanya inside

------House of the Faun,
------House of the Small Fountain,

Pompeii - The Forum Granary

---The Forum Granary---

------Forum Granary,
------House of the Tragic Poet,

Pompeii - The House of the Baker

The House of the Baker

------House of the Baker,

Pompeii - The House of the Vettii

The House of the Vettii - "a big willy!!!"

------House of the Vettii,
------House of the Ancient Hunt,

Pompeii - The Temple of Isis

The Temple of Isis

------Temple of Isis,

Pompeii - The House of the Venus Marina

The House of the Venus Marina----------Tanya visiting

------House of the Venus Marina,

Pompeii - The Amphitheatre

(two photos)--The Amphitheatre--(two photos)

------Amphitheatre,

Pompeii - The Great Palaestra

The Great Palaestra (two photos)

------Great Palaestra,

Pompeii - The Thermopolium of Vetutius Placidus

The Thermopolium of Vetutius Placidus - "The Take-away Shop"!!!

------The Thermopolium of Vetutius Placidus, and the

Pompeii - The Memorial Arches

Tanya with one of The Memorial Arches

------Memorial Arches.

I was quite surprised at how intact everything was.

Pompeii--- One of the roads - and another (this pedestal means ???)

......and Tanya strolling down the avenue

The roads and buildings were just as they would have been before the eruption.

Pompeii---Some of the bodies - "plaster casts"-------------

The plaster casts of the people were quite gruesome!!
The archeologists had filled the cavities they found with plaster and then chipped away the outside.
What was left was the expressions of people as they died - the anguish on their faces was particularly moving - they seemed so frightened.

(two photos)------------------ (two photos)

--------- (two photos)---------

A postcard from Tanya--- After her visit to Pompeii

I enjoyed my few hours there wandering around a very intact ruin but found the volcano looming in the background quite eerie!!

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I took the train back to Sorrento and then jumped on a bus to Amalfi.
The Amalfi Coast is said to be the most spectacular in the world so I got a seat by the window and we headed off.
It was a lovely drive and the towns perched on the hillsides were pretty.

The City of Amalfi-------------

......and a walk through the streets ----------

We got to Amalfi and I wandered around a bit and had some lunch and wandered some more and had some gelati.

The City of Amalfi--- The beach and the sunbeds "cool!!!"

I wandered a bit more and found the beach.
It had great sunbeds that have their own shade attached - cool!!

I was pretty stuffed so I got back on the bus to Sorrento.
There was an Italian guy sitting near me and he pointed out a few things along the way - particularly Barbara Streisand's villa and Robert De Niro's hotel.
He was quite friendly and funny.

Then it was back to the cook dinner and bed.
I had the the eight bed dorm to myself!!

Sorrento--- The view from Tanya's window (two photos)

I had a great view of Sorrento from the window so I was able to get some nice shots.

Sorrento--- An early morning fisherman near the campsite

---------- Tanya ready for her trip to Capri

I had booked a trip to Capri through the campsite and the boat collected me from the beach the next morning.

A map and all the details of Tanya's trip to the Island---

The trip to Capri--- The boat --- and Tanya during the trip

Capri------The island from the boat--- (two photos)

......and more shots of the island--------------- (two photos)

The ride was nice and the first glimpses we had of the island didn't make it look very habitable!! - it was really rocky.

Capri--- (two photos)---The White Cave--- (two photos)------

We went by the White Cave which was big and scary looking - lots of stalactites and stalacmites - it was quite cool!!

Capri------A natural arch---

We also went by a natural arch which was pretty amazing.

Capri--- The islands of Faro, Stella and Saetta (two photos)

We went by three islands called Faro, Stella and Saetta.

......and "The Tunnel of Love"---------------

There was a hole in one of them called the Tunnel of Love and we went through it.
I thought it looked like it was going to be a tight squeeze but we managed it.

Capri--- (two photos)---Looking towards Marina Piccola---

We were dropped off at Marina Piccola.

We had about five hours to explore Capri.

Capri--- The bus transport - and they get "very full!!!"

Capri-----Views from the City of Anacapri-- (two photos)

I took a tiny bus (seven seats) to the town of Capri and then another one straight up to Anacapri which is a town high on a hill on the island.
It was a cute town!!

Capri------Doors and stairwells in Anacapri--- (two photos)

I wandered a bit and got some nice pictures of doors and stairwells.

Capri--- An Anacapri taxi

The taxis were cool too - all funky convertibles but they were very expensive!!

Capri--- View of the City-------Tanya looking around ---

I got the bus back to Capri and looked around a bit more.

Capri--- A visit to the beach------------ Tanya's feet say 'hello'!!!

Views along the beach on Capri------------------

Then I got the bus back down to Marina Picola and hit the beach - what small amount there was of it anyway!
I had some lunch and baked and swam and baked and swam until it was time to get picked up.

Capri--- A yacht and helicopter - "it was massive!!"

While I had been chilling I could hear a helicopter going back and forth over the island, and when we came around the marina we saw a yacht with the chopper on the back of it.
It was massive - that kind of money just boggles the mind!

Capri--- The Green Cave (two photos) - and the brilliant water

We went to the Green Grotto which reminded me of the one in Lagos.

Tanya's ticket to The Blue Cave

The Blue Cave--- The only way to get in!!! (four photos)

Inside the Cave------------- (three photos)

......and Tanya--- (three photos)- (three photos)- (two photos)

From the inside looking out---

Then we got to the Blue Grotto.
I had to get in to a wee row boat to get into the grotto, and the dude had to time our entry on the wave and pull us into the cave by a chain - it was a bit hairy but so worth it!!
The colour was like nothing I have seen before.
It was twenty metres deep and you could see the bottom.
The blue was so bright - my photos don't do it justice but you will get an idea.
I can't believe it was natural.
It used to be the private swimming pool for the Roman Emperor Darius.

On the boat heading back to Sorrento--- The road to Anacapri

(two photos)--Marina Grande--(two photos)

--"A Boy on a Rock"--

Then it was back on the boat and we went by Marina Grande and a statue of a boy on a rock.
I thought the statue was a real person from a distance - oops!

Capri--- Tanya enjoyed her time on the Island-- Postcard views of Capri

......and click on this logo----to go to the Official Capri Web Site

Capri was cool but definately a place where you need a lot of money.

On the boat and coming in to Sorrento (two photos)

......and the beach at the campsite (two photos)

We got back to the beach and I climbed the hill up to the campsite.
I had a roommate when I got back.

I went and cooked dinner and got back to the dorm just as a massive thunderstorm hit!!
It was great to hear and it reminded me of home.
I fell asleep to the sound of the storm.

A last look at Mount Vesuvius

Sorrento was excellent as a base - for the ruins of Pompeii, the beauty of the Amalfi Coast and the money of Capri!