After a post-Pompeii-pizza, we boarded the little yellow bus again for the short trip to the Mt. Vesuvius kick-off point; we would hike from there up to the crater.  It was about 25 minutes to the first vantage point – hey, a gift shop!  Just in case you wanted an “I Survived Mt. Vesuvius” t-shirt or obscene Naples postcards featuring other local “peaks”.  (just keep walking, kids!)

Mt. Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, completely covering Pompeii and the neighboring areas in burning ash.  Scientists now believe it was the intense heat that killed the Pompeiians; temperatures were estimated to immediately surge to over 400 degrees fahrenheit.  Its last eruption was in 1944, and it remains active today.

Starting the climb….

 

The crater!

Selfie into the blazing sun!

See the steam coming out of the crater?

 

Naples

Here we are sampling the local wine, “Tears of Jesus”.  Um……….I know why he was crying.  Blech.

 

Headed back down.

 

 

Mt. Veselfius.