#323 Living on the side of a volcano

We've arrived safely in Egypt, but here's one last look back across the Mediterranean to Italy.

In southern Italy, three million people live within a stone's throw of one of the world's most historically explosive volcanoes, Mt. Vesuvius. The volcanic mountain looms near the port in Naples and was clearly visible from the MV Explorer during our stay.

Photo credit: Dominque

While others climbed to the top of the cauldera to see steam spewing from active vents, we visited Pompeii, the site most famously impacted by the 79 AD eruption. Earlier we'd seen beautiful Pompeii mosaics at the National Archeological Museum in Naples.

Quite a contrast to the rutted stone streets, deserted homes, and desolation of the excavated city of Pompeii.

Pompeii was never resettled, but millions of people still choose to live nearby making this the most densely populated volcanic region on earth.

Yours in keeping one eye on the cone,
Kelly

#321 The Most Popular Maps on Earth?

Having just experienced the Vatican Museums in Rome, I nominate the works in the Gallery of Maps there as the most viewed (and photographed) maps on earth.

In 2007, 4.3 million visitors walked through this 400-foot-long gallery where 40 detailed maps of Italy were painted on the walls in the 16th century. On the day of our visit in 2008, I'm guessing about 4.2 million people, all with cameras pointed mapward, joined us there.

Yours in mass map appreciation,
Kelly

#320 Our Roman Holiday

Have you seen Roman Holiday, the 1953 film starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn? One of the many good things about this Oscar winner is that it was filmed in Rome. We didn't have long in Italy, only 4 days, so we rushed to see all the filming locations of Roman Holiday. Saint Peter's Square - featured in the film's opening sequence

Saint Peter's Basilica - not featured in the film's opening sequence, but when in Rome...

Ponte Sant'Angelo - the pedestrian bridge over the Tiber River near where Greg and Audrey danced on a river barge

Trevi Fountain - near where something romantic happenedt

the Colosseum - near where something funny happened

the Pantheon - our night-time photo doesn't show it, but this looks a lot like the Rotunda at UVA.

and the Spanish Steps at the top of Via Condotti - where Greg 'accidentally' bumps into Audrey eating gelato!

Yours in wondering if we should design all our city explorations around film,
Mary