Vesuvius Volcano

VESUVIUS WORLD

About 30 miles south west of Avellino lies the infamous Vesuvius Volcano, dormant it seems at least for the moment. Steam vapors puff out of vents along the crater wall. It historically erupted at about 50 year intervals. This last interval, however,  is long ago extended. Pompeii and Herculaneum were buried by Vesuvius and will be buried again, except next time there will be many more lives and property affected. Meanwhile we can only watch and wait...

On a clear day across the Bay of Naples the beauty of Mount Vesuvius is self-evident...

Pompeii: Digging where no man has dug before...A dirty job but somebody has to do it as this is an ancient garbage pit... That which the mighty volcano buryeth we digeth up...

Lo and behold! How brave can people be? There are small villages along the upper crests of Vesuvius where people live full-well knowing the next eruption is long overdue.

There is a path to the summit for the crazy at heart...

 

Vents inside the crater continue to spew steam as Vesuvious calmly sits waiting for for another day to erupt again...

Avellino"s National Vintage Auto Rally

Lovely old European autos gather vie for trophies.

Sky Falls Over Avellino

A Nat Turner burning sky gives for dramatic scenes at dusk in the valley of Avellino. The sky is all at once so hot and so cool... A forbidding polar wind blows through. It’s not clear that spring will ever come. The solace that winter brings...

For consecutive months, days, hours...the weather has been harsh bearing storms, rains, flooding, snows... We're now in Spring and no end in sight for this situation. But the sun fights back.

MATERA: Jesus Movie Stage

Nary a street or road, simply stone paths with treacherous

inclines. A real torture to walk through...

A city carved out of a solid stone mountain that is purported

to be the oldest inhabited city on the planet...

Surrounds challenge the most hardy to visit and explore.

Yet we dare by the thousands to come to the famous

land most likened to Jesus sufferance...

Tourists love and adore the dramatic architecture of the

site...

Breathtaking as it is picturesque...

There are many, many churches and religious shrines

cut from stone...

At the top of an ancient world and culture...

Afternoon sun gilts the hillsides in gold...

Perhaps the most exciting and adventurous city in Europe

Inside Montevergine Church

Beautifully elegant and ornate is the standard for the basilica of Montevergine. 

View of  apse 

View of second apse

These are but a couple of samples as there are many more within the

basilica.

The sanctuary is nestled atop the Partenio Mountains at 1300 meters on the eastern end of the

chain and about 35 miles east of Naples. It is best reached by driving to Avellino then following

the roadway up the mountainside town of Mercogliano.

Paths to Montevergine

Sunday Stroll

Icy cold...

Everywhere...

All around...

From all corners...

Can't be avoided...

Earth's climate warming should kick in any time now...I wish!