Ruined by Pompei

  Pompei, Italy
Sunday, March 17, 2002

I had been waiting the entire trip for today. Pompeii is fascinating. I was sure that this was going to be the best part of the trip for Cory also. We started the morning with cappuccino and pastries at the hotel. They dusted little chocolate hearts onto coffee. So cute. Mr Borelli insisted on one of his staff driving us to the ruins today. We were traveling in the off season so I don't know if it is an offer he usually makes, though in 99 he also made the same offer. Riding in a car in Italy is always an experience and this was no less of one. The gentleman driving was whizzing through the streets. When a parked cars door opened he slammed on his breaks and started shouting and waving his arms. Making lewd gestures. Cory and I sat wide eyed in the back seat cringing with every yell. The guy yelled back and I was sure we were about to see a brawl. Then they both started laughing... Seems that they knew each other all along. Just screwing with the tourist.  








We arrived at Pompeii's ruins and our driver let us out. Pompeii is so well preserved that you can see every piece of daily life from the baths that they relaxed in, to the bakery and laundry's that they worked in. Cory and I watched as the crowd flowed to the left following each other as if they were part of a chain gang and we headed in the opposite direction. We wandered down streets completely devoid of people. Alone you feel like an explorer that has wandered on to an undiscovered forgotten city. We eventually ended up meeting the crowds. It was difficult trying to ignore the large loud tour groups and their guides with portable sound systems and once you got to the more popular sites of Pompeii is was hard to avoid them. Visiting the ruins in Pompeii  www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZciRbkgAhY

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We had been told by Mr. Borrelli to call him and he would send a car to pick us up. It was only a 10 minute walk so we walked back. When we arrived Mr. Borelli exclaimed "What? You don't know how to use the phone?" and gave us a little shake of his head. He seemed to be okay when we reminded him "You are very busy and it isn't a long walk"

We passed the cafeteria located in Pompeii and I tried to get Cory to get a bite to eat but we were having such a good time he didn't want to stop. I wish I had made him. By the time that we were ready to leave Pompeii he was having a huge migraine. We stopped at a stand outside the ruins and picked up a piece of Pizza from a food cart. That didn't help

We decided to have dinner at the Hotel again. We really over did it. From antipasti to desert and cordials. Unfortunately half way through the dinner Cory's migraine got worse and he had to go back to our room. Mr. Borrelli really was so sweet. Asking if I wanted to take his meal back up to the room or if there was anything that he could do. I definitely learned the first lesson of our marriage... Don't ask Cory if he wants something to eat.. Tell him we are eating. Had he eaten something at Pompeii he wouldn't have gotten sick. Wish I had learned that one sooner.