Naples and Pompeii

We wanted to get to church while in Italy.  So we headed to Naples early on Sunday morning.  It was actually the Castallamare Branch, south of Naples.  The GPS took us on the craziest routes.  The rains had been really heavy the night before so roads were flooded and the whole trip was nuts.  THEN, we couldn't find the place.  No where.  We drove around a bit and decided to try one last time.  Then out of nowhere we spotted this tiny little sign, right where the GPS told us it would be.  See the sign above the big blue door?  Then you walk in the little tiny door, up a flight of stairs and two apartments across the hall from one another are converted into a little LDS church.

Picture with the missionaries of course.  One from AZ and one from NV.  One had only been out three weeks.  Poor guy.  Italy would be a TOUGH mission.  Especially in the south!  We went to primary and sacrament meeting.  Always so fun to attend church in a different country and language.  (we got really lucky this day - the primary teacher was English married to an Italian, and one of the Elders translated sacrament meeting)  I'm so glad we found it.

We decided to attend church here because this is the only day we could get a visit to Pompeii in.  So here we are heading that way. 

Pompeii was AWESOME!  I don't care what people say - totally worth the trip.  BUT, once again, get a guide.  We had the greatest guide!  He brought the place to life.  Every one of us hung on his words.  He painted such a great picture of this place.  At the end of the tour I asked him, "Is Pompeii so famous because it was this amazing, unique city - or is it because it was preserved so well, due to the volcano, and so now we know what cities were like during this time?"  He said, "Pompeii was nothing special during this time.  It was just like any other city.  Trading, banking, daily life, bath houses, etc.  Every where was like this.  It's the preservation that makes is so unique."  I can't believe how advanced and creative these people were.  So cool.  Put it on your list.  (btw, without of guide, I would have left saying, This place is just a pile of rocks.)

I won't give you all the historical details, but for instance - you see the kids standing in the street above?  They are on a 'crosswalk'.  The streets were low like that so the 'toilets' could run through the streets.  And the space between these rocks is so that the chariots could pass through the streets.  And that distance of the chariot wheels is still the same distance that the railroad tracks in Europe are.  Since these were the roads the Romans used.  Pretty cool.  That's Mount Vesuvius there behind us.

After seeing all of the beautiful Catholic history, and amazing Roman ruins and temples.  We were SO excited to see a little of our own religious history being made.  On our way out of Rome, heading north, we stopped by to see the new Rome LDS Temple being built.  This is truly history in the making.  This will be 'our' temple when it is finished.  Or should I say, we will be in the Rome Temple district.  Can't wait!