Pompeii (Pompei Scavi), Italy

The ruins of Pompeii (Pompei Scavi), located SE of Naples, is a ghost town. The volcanic ash from an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD wiped out the town's 20,000 population, but the city buildings were left intact. It's an incredibly well-preserved town, offering visitors a glimpse into life 2,000 years ago. Until I visited Pompeii, I had no idea how large the city was. It literally spanned miles with everything from a forum, private residences, bath houses, a brothel, theaters, and a stadium. Kinda spooky with all these empty buildings around. If it weren't for the thousands of tourists, I would have felt a little volcano-phobic.

Nice tree in Pompeii with Mt. Vesuvius in the background.

The Forum in Pompeii, which was the cultural, political and religious center of the town. No, the sky wasn't THAT blue! Damn that scanner.

Dead dude in glass case. You can see the skull and the plaster reproduction of the body and facial expression. Would have sucked to have a volcano erupt a few miles from your house! Poor sap...

House of the Faun. Named after the statue of the prancing faun in the courtyard. What do you think? Am I even close?

Uh... That's a big one. A fresco of Priapus (god of fertility) weighing his fertility. This was on the wall of the Vettii House (Casa dei Vettii).

Nice wooded area in Pompeii next to the amphitheater.

Too much walking! Must rest. Carol, Doug, and I taking a break in the Pompeii amphitheater.