Here at the Iron Tourist, we've taken four epic family trips (of longer than a week), and learned Iron Tourist Laws on each trip. Pompeii was the occasion for this year's classic Iron Tourist Blunder:
1. Spain 2001: Turn down your travel agent's advice when they suggest a bus tour upon arrival in Madrid to better acquaint ourselves with the city. Instead, apply hot poker repeatedly to own eyes. At least we left the tour part-way through when it stopped for lunch.
2. Ireland 2003: Don't go to Dublin. Nice enough city, but there is so much else to see and do in Ireland that Dublin is a disappointing appetizer in the Moveable Feast that is Eire.
3. Hawaii 2005: Don't expect to be allowed to go windsurfing when the wind is blowing straight out to sea. Yes, they close down WINDsurfing when there is TOO MUCH WIND! (OK, that seems like a lame Iron Tourist law, but our Hawaii trip was flawless otherwise and I had to come up with something.)
4. Italy 2005: Don't turn control of your day over to someone else.
Don't get me wrong -- Pompeii was great. Amazing. A definite can't miss. And, we enjoyed our lunch and "shopping" visit to Sorrento. It was the travel to and fro that drove me nuts. Nuts, nuts, nuts.
The internet has too much venting and not enough happy. This blog has tried to -- in it's own small, insignificant way -- turn down the vent quotient and increase the happy quotient. Well, it's my turn to vent. We'll get back to our previously scheduled happy in a bit.
At the advice of others, we hired a car/driver to take us down to Pompeii, at which point we would be met by a private tour guide. One person boasted that his driver took his family down in less than two hours, at record speeds. Given the Roman driving skills, I figured that was likely to happen again. What's that phrase I can never say? That's it -- I was wrong.
We met our driver, Stefano, at 8am. He had a nice Mercedes Benz van for us, comfortably seating eight people (five of us, plus him, so plenty of extra room). As we drove off in morning traffic (and there was a bunch even going out of the city), he noted in halting English that while some people drive to Pompeii in two hours, that's not safe and it would take three. I was only half listening, and I was fully confused at that point -- figuring that the traffic in Rome added time, but we would make it up on the highway.
No. Wrong assumption. He pretty much refused to go over 100 kph (62 mph). He was content at points to do 90 kph. Meanwhile, cars are streaming by at nearly twice the speed. Sheep in the nearby fields were racing us (and beating us) until the fence line. I couldn't take it any more, so I leaned forward and noted that he should drive faster. He claimed the wind was too much on this higher profile vehicle at higher speeds. Meanwhile, there were delivery trucks the same size shooting past us (admittedly, not as fast as the cars, but still. . .). He took it up to 110 kph, and once in a while hit 120 kph, but found plenty of reasons to slow it down.
I was fuming. If it was a cartoon, I'd have had steam coming out of my ears. At one point (as all men do), I fantasized about being James Bond, knocking him out, and taking over the wheel all while barreling down the A1 (I coulda done it, you know -- and I'd have been really suave and cool in the process). In real life, I leaned forward point out that we should really be going faster. Carol pretended to sleep as to let me stew in my own juices. Ah, well. With one stop to use the bathroom, it took us nearly 3.5 hours to get to Pompeii. I am not fond of Stefano.
I shoulda rented a car, but thought I would save on the hassle. Wrong, dogbreath.
Once we got to Pompeii, things got immensely better. Nello, our guide, was very interesting. After the Colosseum tour, Torie had not wanted to do any more tours, but this was one she loved. She's been wanting to go to Pompeii ever since reading about it in a book last year, so she was very excited. Maddy brought her video camera, so she shot a fair amount of film, repeating back to the camera pertinent facts and info that Nello had just shared with us.
The amount of information learned about Pompeii is staggering, and the details uncovered are quite interesting. The forum, the temple, the homes, the roads, the businesses, the "fast food" places, the baths, the theaters. A private guide is definitely the way to see Pompeii (just drive yourself, or use someone other than Stefano!).
The two hours for the tour flew by. Among the highlights -- the house of the world's oldest profession, which had been closed to children until five months ago. Couldn't figure out why, until we went in. Each of the five rooms has a bed, but up high, on the walls, were frescos of early scenes that are only on American TV on HBO, and only during the late night hour if you know what I mean and I think you do. Mercifully the girls were too busy looking at the beds (made of stone, mattresses would have been put on them) and never looked up at the "art" work.
Maddy and Torie both asked what the house was for. I noted it was for men to hang out with women who were not their wives. Torie said -- "Well, you would never do that." Well, she is more correct than she realizes.
The baths -- with their steam room, swimming pool, hot room, cold room -- and the theater complex were also highlights of a pretty incredible place.
Despite the forecast of rain for the entire time we are in Rome, Pompeii was the only place we've been rained on so far. And that was only intermittent and not so bad -- occasionally I needed sunglasses. Mt. Vesivius (sp?) was shrouded in clouds, but sometimes it would clear slightly and we could see just how close it is.
Afterwards, we all piled on the bus (including Nello and his assistant) and drove to Sorrento for lunch. Nello's a very interesting fellow -- he owns and runs the guide business (has 20 people working for him), and spends his winters in America (a month in Boston, and four months in Bradenton). He loves America. Says it is the best country and the best people in the world. He used to give tours of Salerno, Cassino, Anzio and other areas to WWII veterans -- which was very moving to him. "I tell my friends who think I like America too much -- it's because of these Americans that you are free today." Very interesting fellow.
We got good looks along the coastline of the cliffs of the peninsula, as well as being dazzled by the many lemon, orange, and olive trees in virtually every yard.
A bit more on the Pompeii trip in my next post, but it is 6:05 am Rome time and I've got to go for a run through the uncrowded streets. The chance to run past the Colosseum is too stirring to pass up.
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