The Ruins of the City of Pompeii
Pompeii is a breathtaking city of memories. The city is a melting pot for all times of human history. Ruins of magnificent houses and statues lined the eroded streets. Just touching the beaten stones of these old structures sent a chill up my spine. Little did I know that this was going to be one of the best days of my life.
The city of Pompeii is one of much history. This ancient civilization was buried by Mount Vesuvius over 1,900 years ago. The story began with people deciding to build their homes on the side of a mountain for fresh air and good crop soil. Little did the residents know that their homes were being built on a volcano. Several years later, the great mountain decided to blow its top and bury the small town in a thick layer of ash, and has erupted over 50 more times to this day. Over 2,000 people died in the disaster. Some of the preserved people can still be seen on this great mountain. Today, Pompeii is mostly intact and is a place for people to learn about life in the ancient times.
The sights out the window that went by as the bullet train flew through the countryside were amazing. The terrain varied from completely flat grasslands to enormous mountain ranges. The train went so fast that your ears popped as the train rushed through the dark and deep tunnels. As we neared the station, my heart fluttered with excitement as I stepped out of the doors into a new world that was just waiting to be explored. Words and images are powerful, but experience can be so much more, so don’t hold back, dive right into the world and see every aspect of life.
Walking through Pompeii was like strolling through an elaborate storybook that never ended. On one side was something from around A.D. 480 and on the other was something from 6,000 B.C. The artifacts ranged from clay cups to amphitheaters that held 500 people. As my feet stepped on the wagon tracks of the original residents engraved into the cement, my life changed. So many thoughts rambled through my head like giddy children on a playground. I craved to learn more about the history of this great and mysterious world that we live in. If only the stones of Pompeii could tell us their many stories, they would probably never be able to stop talking.
Ok, so the weather here was one of the weirdest natural phenomenons that I have ever experienced. It would get dark, cold, and rain for literally ten seconds and then be bright, sunny, and warm for about five minutes, and then it would rain for another ten seconds! This cycle continued all…day…long. I now know to dress in layers for ANY trip that I go on. So, if you go out of the country (no matter where) pack for every form of weather, because you never know what is going to hit you.
Stepping out of the ruins, there was a market. Everything smelled amazing, but I guess everything smells amazing when you are as hungry as I was. Anyways, we decided on an Italian pizza restaurant (get it, Italian pizza and I was in Italy). All jokes aside, the pizza here was literally one of the best things that I have ever tasted in my life. The crust was a crisp golden brown, the ham was cooked just right, the cheese was soft fresh mozzarella, and the proportions were exact. I will never forget the taste of that astounding ham, tomato, and cheese perfection.
The world is filled with skyscrapers and castles and everything in between. There are so many stories of this world that none of us know them all, so don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and go see how the rest of the world lives and what it has been through. History is not just part of the past, but it is what can change the future.