The Lost City of Pompeii

En route from the Amalfi Coast to Tuscany, we stopped at Pompeii to view the ruins of the city destoyed and buried by 13 to 20 feet of ash after Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79. Today, 2.6 million tourists visit the site each year and to take a peek at Roman life in the first century, until Mount Vesuvius erupted.

Mount Vesuvius in the distance

When the volcano, located near what is now Naples, erupted, ash and dust poured into the city like a flood and killed 2,000 people. The volcano did not produce lava but instead involved superheated gas and volcanic ash. Ash fall was detected as far away as Africa.

Fifteen hundred (1500) years later, Pompeii was rediscovered and explorers found that most of the objects laying beneath the surface did not deteriorate and instead were well preserved due to lack of air and moisture.  Excavations produced skeletons, buildings, cobblestone streets, pottery, artifacts, mosaic floors - an entire city underground.  

Pompeii was a thriving commerical business center and community until the eruption.  The city includes several restaurants, a food market, baths, a mill, a hotel, a bar, a brothel, an ampitheatre and two theatres and a sophistcated aqueduct system that provided water for the town - even the houses.

We visited Pompeii on a sweltering day in October.  We could have spent days exploring this site but due to the heat and a long drive ahead of us, instead spent about four hours walking around.  We rented audio guides, which helped us navigate the carefully mapped grounds. I highly recommend carrying water and wearing a hat as there is very little shade! When we visited, we paid 11E each to enter the ruins and 10E for two audio guides.

Here are some photos of the ruins. To learn more about Pompeii, click here. Thanks for reading!

A Trip to Poggio Antico in Montalcino

While staying at the lovely Palazzo Ravizza in Siena, the front desk person recommended a visit to Poggio Antico to taste some of Montalcino's famous Brunello wine.  We drove south on SR2 through small villages, enjoying the rolling hills and soft scenery of Tuscany for about an hour.  As we approached Montalcino, the scenery became much more amazing, almost jaw dropping, whichever direction we looked.  After spotting the sign for Poggio Antico, we drove down a long, unpaved cypress-lined driveway and arrived at the 500-acre estate which was spectacular!

We joined a very small tour group (six people) in the winery's office and set off to learn how how wine is produced at Poggio Antico.  The grapes at the winery are of the Sangiovese variety, which are called Brunello in Montalcino.

First stop: choosing the grapes, which go through a three-step pruning process during the growing year. During the third step, staff actually inspect every bunch of grapes and decide which ones will receive the last days of sunshine and nutrition.  We admired the grapes along with a few thirsty bees, and we each tasted one or two, which were absolutely delicious!

Next, we went indoors to learn about how the grapes become wine.  Our guide explained the winery's process for producing its wines which include the following wines:

Brunello di Montalcino D.O.C.G.

Altero - Brunello di Montalcino D.O.C.G.

Brunello di Montalcino D.O.C.G. Riserva

Madre, I.G.T Toscana

Lemartine, I.G.T Toscana

Rosso di Montalcino D.O.C.

We were surprised by the very modern technology in the cellar with its 23 cone-shaped stainless steel tankes with removable lids.  We followed our tour guide up a ladder and she explained the fermentation process in depth. 

After leaving the cellar, we then learned about how the wines are stored, corked, bottled and then stored again. 

At the end of the tour, it was time for the tasting! We headed to the La Bottega di Poggio Antico, a small shop on the propery which serves as a sun-filled tasting room.  Each taste was better than the last, and we bought a special bottle which we recently enjoyed on our first wedding anniversay.

There's a restaurant on the property, with some very amazing views, but we wanted to explore Montalcino and headed into town for some lunch.  After reading reviews about the Ristorante di Poggio Antico after, I wished we had stayed for lunch, what an amazing place. Here's the view.

While in Montalcino, I highly recommend a visit to Poggio Antico.  To learn more, click here. To read more about my travels in Tuscany which include Orvieto, Montalcino and Siena, click here.

Thanks for reading!

Photo Blog: Amsterdam's Canals

Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, has been called the "Venice of the North" for its more than 60 miles of canals, approximately 90 islands and 1,500 bridges. The three main canals, Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht, dug in the 17th century during the Dutch Golden Age, form concentric belts around the city, known as the Grachtengordel. Alongside the main canals are 1550 monumental buildings. 

Below are some photos I took of various canals during my week-long stay in this wonderful city. I look forward to staying in a house/hotel boat on a canal when I return to Amsterdam someday!  

Enjoy, and to learn more about Amsterdam, click here.