# Ciao!



## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

Out and about is right! Made it to Naples, Italy this morning. Our oldest daughter is here with her husband and family. He's in the USAF, stationed here for now and we decided to come visit. We were greeted with a nice plate of local meats and cheeses. 

Ok, I was going to post a pic, but I'm having issues here, may have to wait until I get home..
Well, you'll just have to believe me for now, it was awesome. Three different kinds of salami, bologna, prosciutto. A buffalo milk mozzarella, parmesan, and some other names I don't remember. Delicious!!

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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

Haven't done much today. Went to the kids homeschool group where I was the presentation for two of the four grandkids. Can see Mt Vesuvius from the back balcony. Wish I could post pics...

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## Blaze (Oct 13, 2005)

It sounds like you are having a good time, thanks for taking time to share a little bit of Italy with us.


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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

We went out to eat tonight for my birthday to Salvaris restaurant. Ordered a fried fish plate that wasn't just fish. In fact, besides the dish full of fried minnows there were only four fish on the plate. The rest was octopus, kalamari, shrimp and some other unknowns. My son in law had a shellfish dish that had multiple unknowns, much better flavor than mine though. Will post pics when I can. 

Went back home and my daughter served up sugar free peanut butter and German chocolate cheesecakes. Yes, I'm watching my sugar now... She did an awesome job with those, couldn't tell there was no sugar but also no artificial sweeteners.

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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

Tomorrow we head to Vesuvius and Pompeii

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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

Made the trek up Vesuvius today. If you ever get a chance, make sure you use a bathroom right before. There is one toilet on that mountain and there will be a long line..

We had a great lunch at Hortus Pompeii before we visited the city. They had excellent service, a great menu and most importantly .. a decent bathroom, with a seat and everything.

Pompeii was very interesting, lots to see there and just as much that is not available to be seen. Not sure about tomorrow yet. 

Pic of my grandson and I on Vesuvius near the south crater rim.









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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

Some wildlife art from Pompeii























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## capper (Sep 3, 2015)

I guess you know - that the Pompeians made ashes of them selves.


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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

Smoke, steam, something from Vesuvius. The crater is very interesting to look at the rock formations inside









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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

capper said:


> I guess you know - that the Pompeians made ashes of them selves.


Yes, about thirty feet worth of ashes from what I understand. There were several plaster casts made from cavities where people an animals had died and then deteriorated inside the ash. Very interesting if you like history


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## capper (Sep 3, 2015)

Thanks for sharing with us. That is a very interesting place.


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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

We may visit Herculaneum also. Much smaller but even better preserved apparently.


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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

So today we made it to Capua to see the amphitheatre there. It was apparently second in size only to the Colosseum in Rome. It does not appear that large because it was partially destroyed to prevent it's use as a fortress.






























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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

We also toured the Royal Palace at Caserta. Much newer than the ruins we had been visiting, very elaborate and intricate artwork and interior design. The sheer volume of the works was incredible. Apparently the king who started it never spent a night there as he abdicated and became king of Spain. The original architect died during it's construction and his son finished what was started but not all of the original project was completed.

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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

I didn't have my phone, my daughter has only sent me these two pics from the palace.
















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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

We had dinner and gelato afterwards at a nearby mall. My grandson likes to give some goofy looks, lol. Son in law got his photo bomb in there also.
















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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

After church this morning we went to Vietri on the Amalfi coast. We picked up some sea glass and some interesting rocks. There was a couple fishing from a stone jetty but we didn't see them catch anything. While we watched the fishers a wedding party came out and the couple was dancing on the jetty.

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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

Some pics of the beach, wife and grandkids























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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

We are going to Rome tomorrow, will try to post plenty of pics when we get back. 

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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

We made it to Rome, the Colosseum was not as interesting as I thought it would be. Probably because we had already visited two amphitheaters. We were able to walk through the lower levels at Capua, which was more interesting for me. For my wife it was all just a bunch of old rocks..

We really stink at taking selfies, lol. I only posted the pic because the sky looks like a painted background























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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

A few more pics






























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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

Some of the mountains on the drive back to Naples. The valley extended for the entire drive and beyond. Lots of bare stone on the mountain sides, some of it is very steep and rugged.I better understand why everything was built from stone, they have quite the abundance. Concrete??, gotta do something with all those stone chips..























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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

We made it back home Wednesday night around midnight. Long day, we got up around 1 AM home time landed at O'Hare about 8:30 PM then had to drive home. I have some more pics I'll post later on when I get some time. 

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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

The meats and cheeses that greeted us









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