Archaeological Museum -
We drove down to the Naples Archaeological Museum. I drove and I did not like it. It was narrow and busy and there were people and random cars and scooters everywhere.
I have heard great things about this museum, but I just wasn't that impressed with most of it. Maybe my upbringing and attendance at many a museum has made me a museum snob.
Gladiator Helmet circa 2 BC - 79 AD
Franken-Bacchus!
I mean look at him. He's had more parts replaced and glued back together than Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas.
This was the floor in one of the display rooms.
I'm not sure if it is from something, or just stylized to look like a Roman floor mosaic.
"Ptolemy Apion" - or sweet bronze curls.
The hall of inaccessible paintings and empty space.
Ye olde Roman keys! (possibly from Pompei)
Ye old Roman dice! (possibly from Pompei)
Rare depiction of a black person in statue form from early 1st century AD.
Okay, here come the really impressive things.
SUPER AWESOMELY DETAILED MOSAICS FROM POMPEI!
Roosters!
This crazy Lion mural thing!
Something about a Lion and cupids between Dionysus and Manadi (whom/what ever that may be).
Crazy tiger riding Dionysus!
Flying penises! Flying penises with penises, because.....why not?!
Apparently they are Tintinabulum, which are wind chimes. Wind chimes warded off evil and penises were a symbol of good fortune (double whammy). It's essentially a lucky charm.
I tried not to take photos of and then post the images of this, I really did, but this is like the 6th statute/painting/artwork I've seen about Pan screwing a goat. So now you all get to share in that.
You're welcome.
This also concludes our Archaeological Museum adventure.
Pompeii -
We left the Archaeological Museum and headed down to Pompeii, despite the rain. I don't remember if I told y'all this or not, but in Italian it's "Pompei" but in English it's "Pompeii". Apparently we need the extra "i" to feel important or something.
I put a USB travel speaker in my purse and we listened to the Rick Steves walking tour. At least when we could. It periodically poured down rain. The thunder was a nice touch. Made it feel more like we were in Pompeii when Vesuvius was erupting. A few times it hailed.
I just really like the Asian tourists and all their colorful umbrellas.
Lots and lots and lots of old pots and things. Oh! And a cast of a dead body.
Roman baths. As it was cold AND wet, we really could of used their heated floors/rooms about now.
A dark and an abandoned street in Pompeii.
(I mean they're all abandoned, but this one was particularly empty at this moment.)
Jim pointing out the "postcard view of Vesuvius" that the walking tour told us about.
It's there, somewhere behind the clouds.
The Faun statue from the House of the Faun.
This is where the mosaic of Alexander the Great used to be. In the house, not under the Faun.
Weee! another empty street! But you can see the populated current Pompeii in the background.
A stone for each person!
The training grounds for the gladiators.
Looking over the leveled upper stories of the buildings of Pompeii.
The white building is the bathroom for visitors.
Amphitheater flooding! Oh NO!
I was trying to see if we could get out from the gate over on this side. Dan and his parents happened to be standing in the only sunny spot. I thought it would be a good picture.
This concludes our Pompeii adventure.
Dan's parents left a few days later. It turns out that because of their trouble getting here, their return flights were cancelled. Nothing like having to purchase a last minute trans-Atlantic flight. They did eventually get home. I hope their terrible travel experiences won't stop them from coming back.
