From my summer in Europe - amazing Pompeii

Without a doubt, Pompeii should definitely not be missed if visiting that part of Italy. I knew quite a bit about it before I ever saw it because I studied Latin in high school and it is Pompeii that gave us such a good knowledge of Roman life. I had no idea, however, how big the site is and how well preserved some buildings and artifacts are.

Here are some pictures from our day in Pompeii... (you can click on any image for a larger version)

If this peaks your interest definitely read wikipedia's Pompeii page for a good overview of the city's life and demise

From the town forum

A courtyard in a villa

A view of a street in Pompeii. Amazing no?

In a building they've been collecting artifacts they find to put on display. These are mostly wine vessels, but they've included a few plaster casts of the indentations left be people who died in the eruption.



A small shrine of some sort

On the outskirts of Pompeii is one of it's most famous sites - the Villa of Mysteries

This amazing fresco depicts woman's transition from a girl to a married woman. This initiation chamber is what has made the Villa of Mysteries so unique and important.

A porch in front of the Villa of Mysteries

A typical paved street of Pompeii.

An interior

A mosaic tile floor in a villa

The amphitheatre

Another theater is still used for performances

Hope you enjoyed! Anyone here been to Pompeii? Thoughts?


Here's a list of all my posts from our travels that I've published -

Spain
•Introduction to my European backpacking trip and a list of places we visited
• Galicia - Baiona and Isle de Cies
• Galicia - the coast, some charming vineyards, and Pontevedra
• Santiago de Compostela and gorgeous hidden beaches
• Gorgeous mountain lakes of Picos de Europa
• Stunning mountains - Picos de Europa
• Bilbao and San Sebastian
• Beautiful Barcelona
• The amazing Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona
• Art Nouveau dream house by Gaudi in Barcelona

Italy
• Not to miss - the gorgeous rocky coast of Italy's Cinque Terre
• More from my summer traveling Europe - amazing Rome

Read More

Morocco Series: Marrakesh by Night

Marrakesh becomes an even busier, more stimulating place by night. The food vendors fill Djemaa el-Fna and the souqs are lit with lanterns and the reflections of all the metal work, ceramics, leather goods, jewelry, wood crafts, and so much more.

*please be patient during photo upload - I've specially uploaded higher-res images so you guys get extra detail! :)







A beautiful street in the Medina adorned with Moroccan lanterns

I tend to find beauty in older things with a bit of patina and wear.


It was a treat to watch this young guy making wares and other wooden objects using what he called "Moroccan black and decker;" his feet, a chisel, and a bow and rod.



An upscale restaurant entrance


The square at night from a rooftop cafe - quite different by night right?


Back down in the square entering the food stalls - everyone asks you to eat at their stall, and you can get so many delicious foods - vegetables, meats, fish, soup, fresh squeezed juice...the list goes on.



*All photos taken by my boyfriend, Chris

** I am by no means an expert and after 7 days of running around Morocco please feel free to correct me if any information I give in the Morocco Series is incorrect!

Read More

Morocco Series: Marrakesh by Day

We arrived in Marrakesh a bit frazzled after taking a 2:30 am train from Fes, and arrived at 11 Am. We arrived at our riad, decompressed a bit after some tea and consulting good map, and within the hour were back out to trek about the city. I'm splitting Marrakesh into a few posts, and will start with some of the sights we saw during daylight hours.

*please be patient during photo upload - I've specially uploaded higher-res images so you guys get extra detail! :)

I don't remember where this is - I believe the train station, which just goes to show how everything in Morocco was beautifully detailed!

Our bright pink riad was a welcoming hostel - geared towards youth.

A pretty ceiling in the riad.

Unlike Fes, Marrakesh has a large main sqaure in the Medina - Djemaa el-Fna. During the day it is full of tourists buying fresh squeezed orange juice, snake charmers, henna artists, and the like. It bothered me to see men with what I assume are Barbary apes, who for a fee will let you hold the animal and take a photo. I imagine they're captured from the wild. :(

By night the square really comes alive, and I'll share the photos with you in an upcoming post!



Below are images from the Koutoubia, the most famous monument - with it's 70m tall minaret, the calls to prayer echo across the whole city. It's a classic example of Moroccan-Andalucian architecture.


On the left you can see excavations of an earlier Almoravid mosque which was knocked down because it didn't align with Mecca.





The remaining photos are from Palais El-Badi. It's one of the most popular palaces (and now a ruin), and what "...you can see today is only a fraction of the whole as the private palaces and apartments of courtiers and family are now incorporated in the current royal palace....All that is left are the towering pis´e walls taken over by stork nests, and the staggering scale to give an impression of it's former splendour." - via Lonely Planet "Morocco," pub. 2007

The storks they mention

The massive courtyard taken from the top of the walls





What remains of the guest houses

Unfortunately the palace has been stripped bare by plundering, and all we're left with is a sense of the scale of this place.

Stay tuned for my post on the Marrakesh Medina and square my night, as well as another GORGEOUS Medersa!

*All photos taken by my boyfriend, Chris

** I am by no means an expert and after 7 days of running around Morocco please feel free to correct me if any information I give in the Morocco Series is incorrect!

Read More

Been itching to travel?

So have I! There are so many places on my list - I was supposed to go to Ireland this summer but with my marathon that's not going to happen. Also top on my list is Rome, Paris again, India, England, and Morocco, and Australia, among others. So, for now, I'll just have to dream via these gorgeous photos from Domino and Traveller photographer Max Kim-Bee. If you could take a trip anywhere this summer, where would you go?

*drool*


endless secluded beach= Heaven












Okay, so I'm thinking....a gorgeous secluded beach with my man and the house in the first photo just a stone's throw away. And masseuses on call. And some pups to play with. And horses. :)

You?

via Warren Tricomi Management

Read More