Campania

Campania

As we drove West the landscape started to improve and we emerged into the region of Campania. In this region we look forward to the delights of the Amalfi coast, Sorrento, Pompeii and Naples.

Pasteum

We make our first stop at Pasteum – a small, almost deserted campsite with a nice stretch of beach. It is so strange here in Italy – once the season finishes at the end of August the place seems to severely ease off, a completely alien idea to us since the weather is still in the high 20’s, low 30’s which is more than hot enough for us!

Pasteum has an interesting history; it was founded by the Greeks in the 6th century BC and later in 273 BC colonised by the Romans. In the 9th century, the population was destroyed and buildings deserted due to a combination of Malaria and Saracen raids, the place becoming overrun with thick forest. Not until a road was being built in the 18th century was the site rediscovered and restoration began. Today it is a large site of Roman ruins, much of it unrecognisable but with 3 temples that are apparently amongst the best restored in Europe.

Week 14 – 3rd to 7th September

From Pasteum, the plan was to drive along the Amalfi coast, which we had been much looking forward to; however, after queuing down a narrow street we were turned back. Since the traffic cop didn’t speak much English we assumed (having read it in the guide) that the road must be closed due to landslide or forest fire, which sometimes happens. Having to make a slight change of plan, we decided to head for Sorrento and then take Amalfi from the other direction. We later learnt that motor homes and caravans are not allowed along the Amalfi coast at all, since the road is too narrow and weak.

Vico Equense

We base ourselves at a camp in the small harbour of Vico Equense; from here we can easily get to Pompeii, Naples, Amalfi and Sorrento, plus it has a nice little beach for a few chill out days in between.

Pompeii

Pompeii, which of course was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD (just sixteen years after much of the city was obliterated by a severe earthquake), gives a great insight into ancient Roman life and architecture. The site is huge with much to see and some very well preserved buildings, murals and sites.

Down the main street, it was common that each corner housed a shop where women sold their wares (as modelled by Andrew in the photo) and provided salty snacks to accompany beer and wine; once the men were sufficiently drunk they ventured above the shop to indulge with ‘ladies of the night’ – so not much changes really! Pubs selling salty snacks so you drink more, not men going upstairs at the local.

The local brothel had women from across the Roman Empire who could not speak the language of their punters, so they took to painting a mural above the respective door for which a specific act took place, this way a client could simply point at what he wanted…

For several days before Vesuvius actually erupted, it was spouting smoke and ash and many people were successfully evacuated. However, there were those who did not survive and were asphyxiated by the toxic fumes; the ash then covered them over making a sort of mould within which the bodies then decomposed. When the site was later excavated, archaeologist kept finding these voids and eventually filled them with plaster and then chipped away the exterior, leaving a cast of their bodies, including agonised faces, which provides a harrowing insight into the way in which they died.

Naples

Reading guidebooks etc, this city is large, dirty and a crime infested, lawless place; not exactly enticing, however on the other hand we read this is where lies its charm and most people grow to love the place. Regardless of what we read, it is of course somewhere we have to see for ourselves.

On arrival, our first instinct is that its run down, dirty and uninspiring. After an hour or so of wandering round we start to like it; it is dirty and frantic but indeed it does also have a certain charm. Shops and stalls flank the narrow, cobbled streets, which are busy with people, mopeds and cars and entertaining places to people watch. The moped drivers in particular are completely crazy, right up to each others bumpers, on the pavements or wrong side of the road – anything seems to go so long as they get wherever they are going and fast. Drivers all over Italy have absolutely no patience!

There are some beautiful old buildings, churches and monuments…

We only gave Naples a day but certainly did warm to the place, we agree that if you stayed a while its likely you would grow to love the place.

Sorrento

A holiday town with many British and Americans but a nice place all the same, perched on top of the cliff with quaint cobbled streets

Views of Mount Vesuvius and Naples across the sea

We spent an evening in Sorrento to watch the England – Israel football. However, since it was on the BBC and so difficult for Italian venues to locate the channel, for the first half there was only one little pub showing the game; absolutely crammed inside, the owner found a portable tv which he sellataped on to 2 bar stools stood on top of each other on the pavement outside, so a group of us could watch from the street with him bringing a constant supply of beer – would never be allowed in England and have to admire his initiative

Amalfi

We travelled to Amalfi by boat so got to see the coast, said to be the most beautiful in Italy, from the water.

Positano, a small village along the way with its houses heaped up in a pyramid shape

Amalfi itself was nothing too special, being pretty commercialised, but a short bus trip up the mountain to Ravello revealed a sweet little village with the best views over the Amalfi coast