On Saturday, I took my much-anticipated tour of Pompeii.  This day trip was the first trip I reserved for myself before I left the United States, so you can imagine my level of excitement after having researched the site in my travel books, and seen other friends’ photos of their time in the ancient city.  I woke up bright and early, excited to hop on the tour bus after a quick bite to eat and that oh-so-important morning jolt of espresso. I met up with my tour group and tour guide and we found ourselves at the entry gate to Pompeii.

Here in front of us stand the massive city walls containing the ruins of an ancient seaside village, located only 9 km from the base of Mt. Vesuvius.  In 79 AD, as the residents of Pompeii were cleaning up from a previous tremor that occurred in 62 AD, Mt. Vesuvius erupted unexpectedly and only a few short hours later, the entire village was covered in ash and rocks from the volcano (estimated to be around 24 feet deep!), leaving all of the village’s residents dead.  What was left of the village was discovered years later and is now a time capsule of this fascinating former seaside village.

Even though these remains are over 2,000 years old, it is hard not to think how modern the society of Pompeii was for its time.  You get such a vivid picture of their day-to-day life when you visit these massive ruins—everything from a theatre, to a Forum, a collection of brothels, and even several Stabian baths organized by the class ranking of the villagers.  Original marble floors, a beautiful fresco, several deity-adorned aqueducts, and even fast food booths with pizza ovens are among some of the other everyday relics on display.  Not to mention a couple of ash-encrusted corpses eternally laid to rest on site.   It is very easy for time to escape you in Pompeii as you weave your way through the captivating details of this ancient society.

But alas, four hours later we began to board our bus back into Sorrento.  On the ride back into Piazza Tasso I began formulating the plan for the rest of the day.  I found a quaint bookstore right off of the square where I purchased a delightful cookbook dedicated to the pastries of the region.  Beautifully photographs of everything from cakes, tarts, semifreddos, gelato, and cookies adorn the pages of this special book—recipes that I cannot wait to make once I return home to Atlanta.

 I decided to sit at one of the many restaurants right off the main square of Sorrento for a refreshing glass of white wine and an early dinner.  The restaurant I chose was Sedil Dominova on Via S. Cesareo; the ceiling adorned with painted frescos, the bar covered in blue and yellow tile from the region, and the menu filled with plenty of traditional Italian fare. I chose the Prosciutto e Melone to start with, followed by an Insalata Mista of lovely greens, sliced fennel, carrot coins, and tender tomatoes, and Scaloppini a Limone—a veal cutlet dish lightly dressed with a creamy lemon sauce.  The waiters were very attentive and friendly up until my steaming hot cup of espresso.  Another unforgettable day filled with local sights, local hospitality, and local flavors.

Tagged: cooking school, day trip, excursion, externship, Italy, Mami Camilla, Pompeii, Sorrento