Day 1: Ostia Antica & Sorrento

After our eight-hour flight, we arrived in Rome.  One of our intrepid travelers was more focused on his extensive collection of snacks and left his passport on the plane.  Fortunately, Alitalia retrieved it for him quickly and we caught up with the group.  We met our excellent tour director, Richard Bowen and he led us to our coach bus, piloted by the fearless Mariano.  We set off to see Ostia Antica, the ancient port city of Rome.

Here we are stopped outside the city on a portion of the main east-west road.  This area was the Necropolis.  Romans were quite superstitious and would not allow the remains of dead people in the city.  Therefore, just outside of cities and towns on the main roads they built tombs for the (usually cremated) remains of their relatives.  The Romans had an element of ancestor-worship in their culture, so honoring the dead was a serious obligation to them.

A bit further along the Roman road, we were able to peer through the grate (on which you see some boys standing) to see some of the lead pipes that provided fresh water to the main bath complex in Ostia from the aqueduct that brought fresh clean water to Ostia.  Though Ostia was located on the Tiber River, being downstream from Rome, the water was not drinkable.

Here we see a portion of the Baths of Neptune.  Bathing was something the Romans felt made them civilized and the baths served a hygienic and social purpose.

This courtyard is the palestra area of the baths--think of it as a health and fitness club.

Ostia also had a theater.  Off camera to the left was a great deal of modern stage equipment (lighting stands primarily).  This theater was recently used for a modern performance.

Here you see the lads listening intently despite the rain as Richard points out something interesting.

Behind the theater is the Piazza delle Corporazioni--the Plaza of the Guilds.  Surrounding the open area (with the remains of a temple in the center) is a mosaic sidewalk.  The different mosaics show the different businesses that were housed in the plaza.  The trees which you see in the picture are Umbrella Pines.

Here is part of one of the mosaics.  Unfortunately, most of them were covered due to being restored.

We then proceeded to the Forum of Ostia.  The Forum was a combination open air market and law courts, as well as general meeting place for the citizens.  Dominating the Forum in Ostia is the Capitolium--a temple dedicated to the three gods most important to Rome: Jupiter, Juno and Minerva.  It was the tallest building in town.  The marble facade of the building was looted in the 15th Century.

Here is the open area of the Forum.  One of the most important functions of the Forum was to host the law courts.  Trials were public entertainment to the Romans, long before the days of Judge Judy or Judge Wappner.

Here is another view from the Forum area.

After getting thoroughly soaked in the rain, we were happy to return to our comfortable coach bus.  Mariano drove us expertly, stopping for lunch at an "AutoGrill" (vastly superior cuisine compared to any American service plaza) and down to Sorrento where we checked in to our hotel.

Sorrento is on the southern tip of the Bay of Naples.  As you can see, things have begun to bloom.

Also visible is Mount Vesuvius, which looms over the city of Naples.  Today it is shrouded in cloud.  Tomorrow the boys will climb to the top, so we hope to have better pictures in that blog entry.

Our dinner tonight at La Fenice.

Stay tuned for our big day tomorrow!