Pompeii is a must-do. It is one of the closest links we all have to an early natural disaster that still offers evidence of existence and demise of civilization. It is at one time, amazing, beautiful, sad and ancient. But today, Pompeii was hot, dry, and dusty. All I can say is CHECK! Not my favorite. Yes, very sad. But I was done with it many hours before we actually were finished touring.

To establish a bit of perspective, the first city walls were built in the first half of the sixth century. It became a Roman colony in 80 BC, and suffered an earthquake in 62 AD. The city was still in the midst of being rebuilt when 17 years later it was buried by ash and ruble with the sudden erruption of nearby Vesuvius.

The very thought that the site is so old, and and the city was so advanced for its time was simply amazing. I felt privileged to touch the columns that so many hands built so many centuries ago. Much of Pompeii was built in a time before Christ. Just breathe that in for a moment. Many aristocrats lived there in that time. There were temples and statues all honoring the emperial families. There was evidence of governments that were the seed-types to our own governments today, tribunals, justice systems, etc.

Still I was ready, I mean very ready, to leave when it was finally time. It was unbelievably hot, unbelieveably dusty, and more and more of the same, same, same. Enough was enough.

I'll say it once more, CHECK! Done that.