Italian Pine Trees | Pompeii, Italy

Pompeii, Naples Italy
Guided Group Tour

The Pine trees in Italy caught my attention. The trees, because of their shape, are called Umbrella Pine, Italian Stone Pine or Parasol Pine. I've been seeing these trees all over, so I was curious.  The tour guide explained: "They do not grow like these on there own.  Look closer and you'll see where branches were cut as the tree grows.  Maintaining the shape of the trees like this had been a tradition since the Renaissance period."  Frankly, I think they are gorgeous this way.  I wonder if the pine-trees in my native home, Baguio City (Philippines), could also be pruned like this?  There's an abundance of these trees in the Mediterranean and is quite popular because of it's delicious pine nuts.  I was not introduced to pine nuts until I came to New Brunswick and lived with a family of Macedonian descent.  So, the pine tree we have in the Philippines is probably of a different kind?

Excited crowds were moving along the narrow cobbled pathway in Pompeii.  Like everyone else, I was eagerly taking pictures.  Hubby felt something fall on his head... bird poof?  We were alarmed.  He touched it and it was sticky like super glue - pine tree sap!  I teased, "you can keep it, smells so good."  I was not lying.  But he was too uncomfortable to admire it - "Hubby got sapped," was the joke of the day :)

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Frozen In Time | Pompeii, Italy

Pompeii was a great example of Roman life - neither rich nor poor - it was a booming trading city. 79 AD marked its cataclysmic end.

Of all the archaeological sites and museums we were visiting in our Mediterranean adventure, I looked forward to this the most.  How were the remains of the people preserved like that?  What was life like back then?  How does it look like in person?  The internet is overflowing with Pompeii pictures. I even found an  intriguing documentary on You.Tube; and of course, the movie that dramatically portrayed a love story that made its inhabitants so real.  I want to be there.  I want to see it for myself.

The wind was nippy, the day cloudy.  Once in a while the sun peeps through the clouds and we'd see some blue sky and nice sunshine. There were many tourists, everyone excited, most people snapping pictures just like me.  Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and humorous.  I think that played a lot in my enjoyment of the experience.  Without consciousness of the past - the story behind, the meaning of a certain ruin or a remain - I think it would have been just pile of stones.  What an eerie perspective turned out to be the most enjoyable part of my tour.

Next: Pompeii's Warning

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Stairs | St. Peter's, Rome

St Peter's Basilica, Rome

For the sake of a great view in Rome, we tackled 320 steps in the very narrow staircase of the St Peters Basilica.  The steps were so narrow that once you start on the path, there is no going back, literally! There's just no space to allow for two way traffic.  It's a real test of endurance.  [Warning:  It's not for those afraid of enclosed spaces.  Is claustrophobic the word?]  Oh, those shell shaped stair cases are fun...  and dizzying, I can't tell the end of it.  Hubby at times needed to dock or bend his head on one side so that he can pass through.  He has a really funny photo going through the shell stairs but he doesn't want me to post it :p  Thankfully, somewhere along the straight narrow staircase, there are windows with a little landing where tiny me could fit and recollect some strength.  Hubby has to block the way for a bit, but the others behind didn't mind.  I guess they are also glad to breathe a little without being blamed for stopping traffic.  You know you've come to the top when finally, the stairs widen out.  If you made it on top, going down is a walk in the park :-)

It was hard, my knees were really trembling after (oooh, need some exercise, they're screaming "not fit!, not fit!")  But I think that it's really worth it in the end.  The view was spectacular. {Yes, even on a cloudy, rainy day.}  You know that surreal feeling when you say: "I can't believe I'm here?"  That's me! each breath at that lovely height.

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This post was inspired by Our Beautiful Word - Theme: Stairs

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