Stabian Baths

Of course Romans liked to exercise. The Stabian baths provided a place to exercise, sauna and bathe.

A large courtyard was available for games.

There were lockers for your belongings

A suana was available to loosen up the muscles, as was a pool.

Victims of the eruption are on display here.

Recreational Facilities in Pompeii

Romans vacationing in Pompeii had several opportunities for recreation. These included public baths, which were similar to our athletic clubs, various amphitheaters for plays and gladiator contests and of course the red light district. Interestingly enough, the house of ill repute is the best restored building in Pompeii.

There is a sign on the door. My Italian is rusty, (or non-existent) but I believe this sign is warning you of the suggestive nature of the intereior decor. If you are offended, I would skip to the next post.

The interior was arranged in semi-private room or stalls. The upstairs was not accessible, but the guide explained that the beds were likely more comfortable since the upper levels were for the more affluent.

Since variety is the spice of life, especially in ancient Pompeii, you could shop for a particluar skill or position. Painted on the wall above each stall is a picture depicting that girl's particular technique that was available.

Open house - Pompeii Style

Welcome to the house of the Faun. In the courtyard is the statue that gives the house its name.

It is an upscale residence dating back to 200 BC. The houses had many rooms, most decorated with mosaics and 3-D false architecture painted on the walls. The rooms were somewhat open and airy to let in natural light. Check out the detailed frescoes on the wall. It was easier to paint wood work than to really nail it up. The detail is exquisite for it's time.This was painted 2000 years ago.This was believed to be a cistern for storing water

Of course you would need to go to the bathroom. Check out the old plumbing!This is the mosaic depicting the battle between Alaexander and Darius. It is hard to see, but the detail is amazing.

Relics from Pompeii

One thing that I noticed that was different from previous trips to Pompeii was the amount of relics that have been removed or stored. Off the main forum is a storage area where many recovered artifacts are kept. Pompeii is so cool because it was frozen in time. Bread loves were found in ovens, wine bottles were recovered and silverware and plates were on the table. These are just some household furnishings. I would imagine they didn't move stuff around too often.

This individual was found laying in a bed.
These are more victims that were not able to be recovered using the plaster cast method.

The victims from the 79 AD Eruption

The following photos are of the eruption victims from 79 AD. When the bodies were buried during the eruption, a void formed after the flesh decomposed. By pouring plaster into the void, a casting is made of the victim. The skeleton is trapped in the plaster.

This little boy was found hiding under a table.

This woman was pregnant.

Scenes from Pompeii - the Forum and Mount Vesuvious

Scenes from Frascati

These are just some interesting pictures taken on the grounds of the Villa and in Frascati. The first picture is Rome from the courtyard of the Villa. Other than the very first day, we had hazy, humid and mostly cloudy weather all week. It really never slowed us down, but it made getting good pictures tricky.

This is one of the many Villas in Frascati. The areas is south of Rome and famous for the white wine that bears it's name. Originally settled in ancient times, it became a place for the wealthy cardinals to build beautiful villas during the 15th and 16th centuries. The town was occupied by the Germans during WW II, and it was heavily bombed in 1944. Over half the town was destroyed. The Villa we stayed at was undamaged in the bombing and used to house refugees. The area is now a suburb and weekend destination for native Romans.

It was always more comfortable, temperature wise, in Frascati. Things were a little cheaper than in Rome and we had our best meals here. It was quiet at night and although we were constrained a little by the train schedule, I would stay here again.

There were several cats that roamed the grounds of our hotel. I squatted down to pet this guy and he hopped into my lap.

One thing I love about Italy is the stucco homes and the clay tile roofs. This picture was taken at sunset. You can really see the reflection of the setting sun on the pink stucco homes.

Sunset over the Mediterranean Sea

Rome by night as seen from the balcony of our villa.

Haunted tree at Villa Grazioli

This tree was on the Villa grounds. It looks like a prop for Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter.
Diann looks east toward the Med and the city of Rome.
This tree was hollow through the center. Diann was chicken to get inside.

The Aqueducts

These pictures were taken from the train we would ride every day from Frascati to Rome. the train ride took about a half hour and was one of the best deals in Italy. In the morning, we would grab some breakfast in town and hop on the train. In the evening, we would rest our tired legs and just talk about everything we saw. The aqueducts ran from the mountain lakes south of Rome into the city. The train tracks actually passed under the arches.