The Tombs of Tarquinia: An Etruscan City of the Dead… Mediterranean Ports

April 17, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 11 Comments

This beautiful pair of winged horses was found in a temple near the Etruscan tombs of Tarquinia. They are housed in the National Museum of Tarquinia. I immediately thought of Pegasus, the winged horse of Greek Mythology.

The Crown Princess sailed through the Tyrrhenian Sea into Rome’s port of Civitavecchia during the night. We had to make a decision; would we explore the region around the port or would we take the train into Rome.

Since we had flown into Rome at the beginning of our trip and already visited the major sites, Peggy and I, along with her brother John and wife Frances, decided to stay local. Our other two travelling companions, Kathi and Lee, opted for the hour train ride into Rome.

I had read in Rick Steve’s book on Mediterranean Ports about the Etruscan town of Tarquinia with its necropolis of 6000 tombs dating from 700-200 BC. I was eager to explore it. The Etruscans were precursors to the Romans… i.e. ancient. Also, in this age of movie vampires, werewolves and other creatures of the night, how could we resist visiting a city of the dead?

We scarfed down a quick breakfast onboard, grabbed the shuttle to town, and were soon knee-deep in cab drivers offering tours. Ninety euros bought the four of us a trip to the tombs and a visit to the National Museum of Tarquinia. Thirty minutes later we had made the short trip north of the port and were preparing to visit our first tomb.

Walking out to the site, we passed a number of large mushroom and hut shaped stone objects that had served as funerary urns for cremated bodies. Apparently these strange-looking urns, as well as more sophisticated sarcophagi (coffins), were found buried in the tombs.

These funerary urns found in Tarquenia were used for cremated remains and buried in tombs. The contrast of the green grass, dark clouds and bright sun made a colorful photo.

These funerary urns found in Tarquinia were used for cremated remains and buried in tombs. The contrast of the green grass, dark clouds and bright sun made a colorful photo.

This type of funerary urn shaped like a house was apparently for the remains of women.

This type of funerary urn shaped like a house was apparently for the remains of a woman. The more ‘mushroom’ shaped urns were for men.

The tombs were dug into stone and covered by small mounds, creating what might best be described as a bumpy hill. A number of the burial sites contained elaborate paintings. Small, modern buildings covered the stairs leading down into tombs. We switched on lights for our trip into the darkness. The tombs were sealed to protect the paintings. Miniature windows provided viewing for one person at a time. It was best to be first in line, rather than last and left alone with the dead… especially when the automatic lights shut off.

This photo shows one of the 2500 year old mounds beside the small modern that covers the stairs down to the tomb.

This photo shows one of the 2500 year old tomb mounds beside the small modern building that covers the stairs leading down into the tomb.

Stairs into an Etruscan tomb in Tarquinia

Peggy and Frances follow the stairs leading down into an Etruscan tomb.

The paintings provided a fascinating look into early Etruscan life. The Etruscans, it seems, believed that the soul remains with the body after death. The dead were stuck in their tombs for a long, long time. Make that eternity. With this in mind, people did what they could to make the tombs pleasant places to live. Family and friends were painted on the walls, as were parties and dancing and music and feasts and sex. Who could ask for more? At least that’s what the living hoped. The dead were dangerous if they started wandering around outside. Best they have fun in their own little underground houses.

The following examples are from the Lioness House.

This photo is taken looking at the tomb of the Lions through the small window proved for visitors. Note the musicians, dancers and lions.

This photo is taken looking at the tomb of the Female Lions through the small window provided for visitors. Note the musicians, dancers, dolphins, lions and door to a second room.

A close up of the lioness. The lioness obviously has nursing cubs. I would call her a Leopard.

A close up of the lioness. Hopefully, she has nursing cubs. I would call her a leopard because of her spots.

One of my favorite subjects in the tomb painting is the two dancers on the right. They seem to be having a great time.

I found this painting from another tomb particularly amazing. It looked like the lion on the right was wearing shades... a cool cat.

I found this painting from another tomb particularly amusing. It looked like the blue lion on the right is wearing shades; he is one cool cat.

Visiting the National Museum of Tarquinia finished off our tour. It is housed in a handsome building, the Palazzo Vitelleschi, which was begun in 1436 and completed around 1490.

The National Museum of Tarquinia is housed in the which was built between

The National Museum of Tarquinia is housed in the Palazzo Vitelleschi which was built between 1436-1490.

This Etruscan sarcophagus from the Tarquinian tombs was one of many at the National Museum. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

This Etruscan sarcophagus from the Tarquinian tombs was one of many at the National Museum. The person on top supposedly looked like the dead person inside. Also check out the winged guys on the side and the feet on the bottom. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

This pottery taken from an Etruscan Tomb was on display at the National Museum of Tarquenia.

This pottery taken from an Etruscan Tomb was on display at the National Museum of Tarquinia.

Back on ship we were treated to a beautiful display of clouds highlighted by seagulls.

Back on ship we were treated to a beautiful display of clouds highlighted by soaring seagulls.

NEXT BLOG: We begin our visit to Rome by walking along the Tiber River and stopping off at the Vatican.

A Soap Opera Myth and the Sculptures of the Archeological Museum of Naples

April 15, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 12 Comments

A closeup of the Farnese Bull sculpture at the Archeological Museum of Naples.

Dirce, the wife of King Lycus of Thebes, had been bad. She hated her niece Antiope who had succumbed to the charms of Zeus, ran away in embarrassment, and gave birth to the twins Amphion and Zethus. (When you couldn’t explain who the father was in early Greek mythology, you always blamed a god.)

Lycus went after Antiope and brought her back to Thebes, abandoning the twin boys along the way. Lycus then gave Antiope to his wife who treated the young woman cruelly. Meanwhile the twins were raised by shepherds, grew up, discovered who their mom was, and found out about Dirce’s bad behavior. This brings us to the Farnese Bull sculpture above where Amphion and Zethus are tying Dirce to the bull’s horns for punishment.

And here you thought soap operas have twisted plot lines. Believe me when I say there is much more to the story.

Several other sculptures found in the Archeological Museum of Naples also reflect early Greek myths and Roman interpretations. Atlas holds up the sky, a brooding Hercules shows off the skin of the Nemean Lion he was required to kill as the first of his 12 Labors, and Achilles carries the body of the young Troilus, a Prince of Troy he killed.

Atlas holds up the sky as a punishment form Zeus. This early sculpture would help define our concept of Atlas.

Atlas holds up the sky as a punishment from Zeus. This early sculpture would help define our concept of Atlas. The symbols on the globe are signs of the Zodiac.

Hercules shows off the pelt of the Nemean Lion he was required to kill as the first of his 12 Labors.

Achilles shoulders the body of the dead boy Troilus he had killed in relation to the Trojan War.

Beyond these mythological sculptures, several others caught my attention including the bronzes found in Herculaneum, a humorous dog, a rather infamous satyr and goat, a powerful bas-relief and the River God Tiberinus.

This is a bronze statue that was recovered from the house of Julius Caesar’s uncle in Herculaneum, which had been buried by the Mt. Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD.

Proof that the Romans had a sense of humor.

I found this bas-relief quite powerful but I will leave the interpretation up to you. For example, what about the spear intruding from the neck of the ghostly toga?

I found this bas-relief quite powerful but I will leave the interpretation up to you. For example, what about the spear extruding from the neck of the ghostly toga?

Satyr and goat have a tete-a-tete plus in this infamous sculpture found at the Archeological Museum of Naples. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Since we will be traveling to Rome next on Traveling Through Time and Space, I thought I would conclude with the God of the Tiber River. Tiberinius.

Since we will be traveling to Rome next on Traveling Through Time and Space, I thought I would conclude with the God of the Tiber River, Tiberinus. That’s quite some cornucopia. I was also amused by his arm rest.

The Glory of the Ancient World… Pompeii and the Archeological Museum of Naples

April 12, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 8 Comments

It is impossible not to feel the intensity of this face which tops a bronze statue recovered from the Herculaneum home of julius Caesar's father-in-law.

It is impossible not to feel the power of this face with its intense blue eyes. Several bronze statues like this one were recovered from the Herculaneum home of Julius Caesar’s father-in-law.

It would be a thousand years and the Renaissance before the Western World would once again see great art like that created by the Greek and Roman civilizations. And there are few places where this art has been better preserved than in Pompeii and its sister city of Herculaneum, both buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD.

The Archeological Museum of Naples is a must see for anyone interested in art.

The Archeological Museum of Naples is a must see for anyone interested in the history of art. The building, itself, is worth a visit.

Peggy and I, along with our travelling companions, visited the Archeological Museum of Naples after our tour of Pompeii. Many of the art treasures taken from Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as other locations in ancient Rome, are on display at the museum. Some of these pieces, like the Farnese Bull, (unearthed in Rome 1546 AD) served as inspiration for Renaissance artists such as Michelangelo.

The Farnese Bull is the tallest ancient marble statue ever found. Michelangelo helped restore it by adding the dog. Photoshop and I added the blue background to better display the piece.

The Farnese Bull, where Dirce is punished by being tied under a bull, is the tallest marble statue ever found from the ancient world. Michelangelo helped restore it by adding the dog. Photoshop and I added the blue background. (It was a lot of work but I figured what the heck… if Michelangelo could go to all of that effort…) (grin)

While sculptures made of marble and bronze have a long life span, paintings and, to a degree, mosaics are much more fragile. It was in the preservation of these latter two art forms that we owe a special vote of thanks to Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius. The following four lions are good examples of the mosaics, paintings and sculptures found at the Archeological Museum.

Mosaic lion from Archeological Museum of Naples.

Isn’t this a wonderful mosaic lion… complete with necklace? He almost looks friendly, and definitely wise. Or maybe he just has a hangover.

This painted lion at the Archeological Museum from a mural doesn't look nearly as friendly.

This painted lion with his wild hairdo and conquered leopard, doesn’t look nearly as friendly. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

This big guy representing sculpture, definitely looks like someone you would not want to meet on a dark night.

I am not sure that this head with wings is a lion but I had to fit him in somewhere. I felt there was a slight resemblance to the Cowardly Lion in the Wizzard of Oz.

I am not sure that this bas-relief sculpture is a lion but I had to fit him in somewhere. I felt there was a slight resemblance to Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz.

Following are more examples of the types of painted murals and mosaics found in Pompeii and Herculaneum.

This great hippo with canine teeth, the smiling crocodile, and what may be a Mallard offering food to his lady-love was one of my favorite mosaics at Naples’s Archeological Museum. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Mosaic skull at the Archeological Museum of Naples

Mosaic worked well for this Pompeii skull with his butterfly collar.

And who wouldn't want this Lady skeleton outside to greet trick-or-treeters on Halloween? I figured it was a lady from the hips.

And who wouldn’t want this smiling lady skeleton outside to greet trick-or-treaters on Halloween? I figured it was a lady from the hips.

Check out the wine pouring technique of these two sons of Mercury. They were often found in murals in homes and had the responsibility of helping protect the inhabitants. The snakes were also common on murals as bringers of abundance.. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Paintings as sophisticated as this one would not be found again until the Renaissance, over a thousand years later.

I will explore several of the great sculptures found in the Archeological Museum of Naples in my next blog. Here Peggy admires a very big bust.

I will feature several more of the great sculptures found in the Archeological Museum of Naples in my next blog. Here Peggy admires a very big bust of a man missing his brain.

Pompeii: Where Ruins Aren’t Quite Ruins… Seaports of the Mediterranean

April 8, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 8 Comments

The walls and streets of Pompeii are amazingly well preserved.

The magic of Pompeii is in how well it has been preserved. There are fewer ruins among the ruins. I know that sounds strange. But most ruins require considerable imagination to reconstruct the original site. This isn’t true of Pompeii. Many of the streets, walls and buildings are found in close to the same condition they would have been found in 79 AD before being covered by the eruption of Vesuvius. The preservation of bodies, as shown in my first blog on Pompeii, is even more impressive. Thousands of storage and cooking vessels have also been found along with paintings, mosaics and sculptures giving us a detailed look into early Roman life. While much of what has been found in Pompeii can still be found there, much has also made it into museums around the world.

Today I am going to conclude my visit to Pompeii with a stop at the Basilica, the city’s center of government, and the market area, which has become a temporary repository of storage containers, bodies and other items found in Pompeii. (I will also slip in a few more of my favorite photos Peggy and I took but didn’t find a home on my other blogs.)

Thousands of artifacts have been found in Pompeii. Many, like these storage vessels, have found a temporary home in the area that once was the city’s market area. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

The Basilica in Pompeii was the center of government. It is centrally located next to the market and Jupiter’s Temple.

This combination fo ancient and modern in one of the fountains found along the street was amusing. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

This combination of ancient and modern in one of the fountains found along the street was amusing. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Since I use so many of Peggy’s pictures, occasionally I like to throw in a photo of her taking photos. This was along one of Pompeii’s walls.

I found the detail in this Pompeii wall decoration impressive. It had a plastic cover to protect and preserve it.

I’ll close with this shot of Pompeii ruins looking more like ruins. (grin)

NEXT BLOG: We visit the excellent Archeological Museum of Naples.

A Visit with the Gods of Pompeii… Seaports of the Mediterranean

April 5, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 9 Comments

I liked this view of the Temple of Jupiter with it's stair step columns. A massive earthquake had destroyed the temple in 62 AD. It was still being rebuilt in 79 AD when covered by volcanic rock from Mt. Vesuvius.

I liked this view of the Temple of Jupiter in Pompeii with its stair-step columns. A massive earthquake had destroyed the temple in 62 AD. It was still being rebuilt in 79 AD when it was covered by volcanic rock from Mt. Vesuvius.

It is impossible to visit the ancient cities of the Mediterranean without thinking about the importance of the all-too-human early gods.

Back before they were relegated to the status of myths, they were as alive and real to the people as say Christ might be to today’s faithful Christians. A primary difference was their misbehavior. They became involved in feuds, had affairs, became jealous, drank too much, etc. Other than the fact they were immortal and extremely powerful, they might be a neighbor… or live even closer to home. (Grin)

If they liked you, they could be your best buddy… make you healthy, wealthy and wise. But if they disliked you, watch out! They were like the little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead. “When she was good, she was very, very good, but when she was bad, she was horrid.” ( From a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

So it isn’t surprising that the ancient folks of the Mediterranean spent a great deal of energy and money trying to stay on the good side of their gods. Some of the world’s greatest art was created in their honor and whole herds of castrated animals were sacrificed and cooked to keep them smiling. Interestingly, the smoke from the cooking meat seemed to satisfy the gods. Mere mortals consumed the flesh. As the old saying goes, “Man is nothing, if not practical.”

The Romans, who lacked creativity, obtained their gods wholesale from the Greeks, only changing their names to sound more Latin. Zeus with his fiery lightning bolt became Jupiter, his wife/sister Hera, became Juno, and his daughter Athena, who sprang fully armed from his head and gave him a headache, became Minerva. And of course there was a whole pantheon of other gods.

Each of these gods had a role to play. If you wanted to kick someone’s tail, Jupiter was your ‘man.’ Juno could help you through a difficult childbirth. If you needed more wisdom, and who among us doesn’t, Minerva was there for you. There was no one stop shopping like today’s church goers enjoy.

The gods did gain more power as they aged, however. They took on the roles, and sometimes personalities, of the earlier gods they replaced. Juno, for example, was responsible for both “loosening a bride’s girdle” and protecting the money of the Roman Empire. In her latter role she was the patron Goddess of the Royal Mint.

Mt. Vesuvius provides the background for this photo of Jupiter’s Temple, which he shared with Juno and Minerva. The arch on the left was built to honor the Roman Emperor Tiberius (14-37 AD) (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

This view of the right side of Jupiter's Temple in Pompeii shows the arch of the the Roman Emperor Nero, known for fiddling around while Rome burned.

This view of the right side of Jupiter’s Temple in Pompeii shows the arch of the Roman Emperor Nero, known for fiddling around while Rome burned. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

A final photo of Jupiter's Temple, which I liked because of the massive, almost brooding sense, it gave to the columns.

A final photo of Jupiter’s Temple, which I liked because of the massive, almost brooding feel, it gave to the columns.

Jupiter, Juno and Minerva were worshipped as a triad in both Pompeii and Rome. Possibly it saved time and money. There was also a temple to Mercury in Pompeii. His earlier persona had been that of the super fast Greek God Hermes who carried messages for the gods and had wings on his feet. He was also the god of getting rich, luck, trickery and thievery. Hmmm.

Apollo seems ready to take off and deliver a message in this photo of him overlooking his temple. Obviously, he is stripped down for action.

Dark clouds hover above Apollo’s Temple caught in the sunlight. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

In this fun perspective by Peggy, Apollo seems to reach out and grasp one of the columns in his temple.

NEXT BLOG: I will spend one more day wandering the streets of Pompeii including a stop off at the Basilica, Pompeii’s seat of government.

The Ghosts of Pompeii… Seaports of the Mediterranean

April 3, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 18 Comments

Buried under a pyroclastic flow of molten rock in 79 AD, the ruins of Pompeii have been well preserved. A large harbor on the Tyrrhenian Sea was located where the grass on the far right is now seen. Today, the sea is two miles away.

I have wandered through many ruins in my life ranging from the Anasazi cliff dwellings of the southwestern US to the Hindu temples of Bali. In all of these locations, you can feel the presence of ancient inhabitants… if you allow your imagination to run a little wild.

Nowhere, however, have I had a sense of people going about their everyday life as I did in Pompeii. The explosion of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD froze the city in time. It was easy for me to visualize the dead bodies cast in plaster and found throughout the city, coming to life at night, like the animated characters in Toy Story.

In my imagination, chariots raced up and down the streets, citizens stopped to relax in the public baths, bakers produced mouth-watering bread, satisfied customers raved about the girls at the Lupanare, worshippers stopped to pay their respects to Jupiter and Apollo, and people lined up for the Pompeii equivalent of fast-food. I could almost hear the clash of weapons as gladiators practiced at the gladiator school.

Today I will take you on a walk through the streets of Pompeii where all of these activities took place on the day before Mt. Vesuvius blew its top.

The clash of wooden weapons reverberated through the air as gladiators practiced on the field at the left. The hundred or so gladiators who trained at Pompeii were housed in rooms on the right. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Pompeii’s theater, which could seat 5000 people, is located just beyond the gladiator school. Seats were separated by price and class. Poor folks got the nosebleed seats.

Streets in Pompeii were paved with large granite stones. The deep tracks were made by chariots, all of which had a standardized wheel base. As for the stones on top, you are looking at a cross walk or stepping-stones. These allowed people to avoid horse poop, and, even more interesting, to cross the roads when the streets were regularly flooded to remove horse droppings and other waste.

Large ovens such as this were used for baking bread. Can you smell it? The round object in front was used for grinding grain. Small rocks were included in the flour for free. I suspect dentists would be delighted.

Fast food, anyone? These large circles held pots of hot food. The residents of Pompeii could get a quick bit to eat here... just like we do at McDs.

Fast food, anyone? These large circles held pots of hot food. The residents of Pompeii could get a quick bite to eat here… just like we do at McDs. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

A typical Pompeii street scene featuring stepping stones, sidewalks, and shops. It amazed me how well the city was laid out.

A typical Pompeii street scene featuring stepping-stones, sidewalks, and shops. I was amazed by how well the city was planned.

Every Roman city had public baths for men and women. The baths at Pompeii are among the best preserved. Each bath came with heated floors and hot, warm and cold water. They were also extensively decorated. This bath had murals on the walls.

Even the ceilings of the baths at Pompeii were decorated. Note the details. Each circle contains a different subject including nudes, a shield and a chalice. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

I found the reliefs on this wall particularly interesting.

This close up of the wall featuring a father and child in Pompeii, shows a 3-D effect.

This close up from the wall, which features a father and child in Pompeii, shows a 3-D effect.

I close with what, at first, appears to be abstract art but was actually a coiled snake. It had an interesting story. Our guide told us snakes were painted on the walls to keep men from urinating on them. Apparently peeing on a snake brought bad luck. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

NEXT BLOG: I will visit with the gods of Pompeii, plus the market, the forum and the basilica.

Five Reasons to Travel… Wandering Through Time and Place

April 1, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 8 Comments

A whole world waits for us outside our door… including this waterfall in Milford Sound, New Zealand.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

“Not all those who wander are lost.” J. R. Tolkien

I love wandering, whether it is out my back door or across the world. And, I enjoy sharing my adventures; it is one of the reasons I write this blog. But there’s another: I believe travel enriches our lives. I hope in some small way to encourage those who read my blogs to “explore, dream and discover…”

Maneuvering a 60 foot long Narrow Boat through the Trent and Mersey Canal in England two summers ago was a very different but equally rewarding experience.

Wandering can take many forms. Two summers ago Peggy and I along with Peggy’s sister Jane and husband Jim spent a week maneuvering a 60 foot long Narrow Boat through the Trent and Mersey Canal in England. It was challenging at first, but we quickly adjusted to the beauty and peace of the trip, not to mention the great English pubs.

Here are my top five reasons for travel:

1. Life is an adventure. There is a big world out there to explore. Seeing it on TV or in the movies is one thing. Getting out and experiencing it is totally different. You can watch a TV special about a person walking down a jungle trail and seeing a python in a tree, or, you can walk down a jungle trail and see the python yourself. The first experience you will forget tomorrow; the second you will remember for a lifetime.

“Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” Helen Keller

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” Jawaharlal Nehru

“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.” Pat Conroy

There are millions of beautiful photos of the Greek Island of Santorini, but none can match going there.

Travel can be to exotic locations like Santorini…

One doesn't have to travel far. We all have places nearby where we can escape to for a day or a week. This is on the Oregon Coast three hours away from my home.

Or close to home. We all have places nearby where we can escape to for a day or a week. This is on the Oregon Coast three hours away from where I live.

2. We all need to escape on occasion. Life can be hectic. We get lost in our day-to-day existence. Traveling breaks the chain. It recharges our batteries. Even planning a trip eases the tedium by giving us something to dream about.

“One of the gladdest moments of human life is the departure upon a distant journey into unknown lands. Shaking off with one mighty effort the fetters of habit, the leaden weight of routine, the cloak of many cares and the slavery of home, man feels once more happy.” Richard Burton

As a 22-year old, I spent two years living in West Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Living in and learning about another culture expands our view of the world.

As a 22-year old, I spent two years in West Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer. The experience had a significant impact on my life and taught me to appreciate what other cultures have to offer. Here I am admiring a Kpelle bridge.

Learning about other cultures teaches us more about our own. The Peace Corps experience helped me understand that even my father had a slightly different culture than I did. He is in his 80s in this photo.

Learning about other cultures helped me understand my own better. It even provided me with new insights about my father, Herb Mekemson. This photo was taken of him in his 80s. (I believe it was taken by my niece, Marian Heintz, who now works as a master potter in Tennessee.)

3. Travel challenges and changes our understanding of the world. Not only do we learn about other places and other cultures, we learn more about our own. When I returned from serving for two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Africa, I realized that even my father had a slightly different culture than mine. He had been raised in a different time, had different experiences, and even had different beliefs. There was much I could learn from him, just as I did from the Kpelle people of Liberia.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” Mark Twain

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” St. Augustine

“The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.” G.K. Chesterton

For my 60th Birthday, I chose to backpack 360 miles from Lake Tahoe to Mt. Whitney in California. Whitney is behind me in the photo.

To celebrate my 60th Birthday, I chose to backpack 360 miles from Lake Tahoe to Mt. Whitney in California. Whitney is behind me in the photo. People who had been backpacking with me for over 30 years joined me along the route.

The perspective from the top of the 14,505 foot (4,421 meters) Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States. Over the years I have taken many people to the top of this magnificent mountain including my son, Tony, and my nephew Jay, who was 16 at the time.

The perspective from the top of the 14,505 foot (4,421 meters) Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States. I have taken many people to the top of this magnificent mountain including my wife, Peggy, son, Tony, and my nephew Jay, who was 16 at the time.

4. Travel can also change how we view ourselves and how we perceive the world around us. For 20 years of my life, I took people on hundred mile backpack trips. Few of these people had ever backpacked 100 miles and some had never backpacked at all. The sheer physical challenge of hiking up and over mountains for nine days while dealing with weather, insects and wildlife created an adventure they would never forget. For many, it was a life-altering event. It changed their perspective of who they were and what they could accomplish. Any journey can change how you view yourself and the world… but you have to be open to learn from the experience.

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” Martin Buber

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” Henry Miller

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” Bill Bryson

A towering Redwood on the north coast of California.

A towering cathedral in Florence, Italy.

5. Great beauty exists in the world. Whether it is a towering redwood on the northern coast of California or a towering cathedral in Florence, beauty is found wherever you wander. It can be as small as a raindrop on a flower, or as large as a waterfall cascading into Milford Sound, New Zealand. One doesn’t have to travel thousands of miles to find this beauty, however. It waits outside your door. Be like Bilbo Baggins: grab your pack and go charging after Gandalf. Treasures beyond your imagination await you.

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” Andre Gide

“Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken.” Frank Herbert

“Two roads diverged in a wood and I took the one less traveled by.” Robert Frost

There are always delightful surprises waiting for you when you wander. I took this photo of Four Q lakes in the Desolation Wilderness near Lake Tahoe for its reflection. Only after the photo was processed did I see the mask.

There are always delightful surprises waiting for us when we wander. I took this photo of Four Q Lakes in the Desolation Wilderness near Lake Tahoe for its reflection. Only after the photo was processed did I see the mask.

I have spent 70 years traveling the road “less travelled by.” And I shall continue. No regrets.

“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.” Jack Kerouac

R-Rated Pompeii… Seaports of the Mediterranean

March 29, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 7 Comments

The Lupanare or main brothel of Pompeii. Girls would stand in the window and call to the men below.

The Lupanare or main brothel of Pompeii. Women would stand in the window and bark at the men below.

Today’s blog is R-rated with a :). It’s for mature audiences with a sense of humor. Seriously.

I’ll start by noting that the citizens of Pompeii had a slightly different take on morality than we do; um, make that a major take. Erotic art was found everywhere in the city during archeological excavations. Think ubiquitous. It was also quite explicit.

When King Frances of Naples visited a Pompeii exhibition at the National Museum with his family in 1819, he was so embarrassed by the erotic art that he locked it away in a secret cabinet. Ever since, the collection has had a history of on-again, off-again exposure.

Early bra sizing.

Today, it’s on again. Sort of. When you visit the Archeological Museum in Naples, Pompeii’s erotic art is stored in the Gabinetto Segreto, Secret Room. You may have to make an appointment to get in… not because the subject matter is XXX, (which it is) but because the exhibit is the most visited site in the museum.

Similarly, in Pompeii, the Lupanare is included on every tour group’s must-see list. Our guide warned us that visiting the brothel was an adult activity. She also told us we weren’t allowed to linger. Our tour was to be a quickie, so to speak. We had five minutes. Other groups were waiting.

The brothel was called the Lupanare because its working ladies were called lupe or she wolves. They were called lupe because they were not allowed to solicit in the normal way. It wasn’t “Hey, sailor, looking for a good time?” It was more like “woof, woof, woooooo.”

Once inside, guests were treated to a series of paintings that graphically portrayed the various services available… and costs. Sailors weren’t noted for being literate. Each woman a small cubicle with a stone bed.

Each of the ten rooms in the Lupanare had a stone bed and pillow. I call this Lupe's Den.

Each of the rooms in the Lupanare had a stone bed and pillow. I call this Lupe’s Den. Hopefully, a mattress was included.

Graffiti was found on the walls. Those who could write were invited to evaluate their experience. It was basic. “Sollemnes, you S**** well!” one proclaimed. Apparently, she received a four-star rating.

In Naples we followed up with a visit to the Secret Room. I found the exhibition much more humorous than erotic. I mean, how can you take a flying penis with bells on seriously?

It's hard to take this guy with wings and bells on seriously.

Stepping out for the night? A friend said, “OK, I get the wings, but what’s with the bells?” I told him I found them quite chiming.

Batter up? Or maybe I should label this 17, 18 and 19.

Batter up? Or maybe I should label this contestants 17, 18 and 19 doing the Macarena. And the winner is…

I’ll close with a final view of the Lupanare. It had 10 rooms, altogether. Five upstairs and five down. The upstairs rooms were larger and had private entrances.

NEXT BLOG: Back to a G-rated look at Pompeii.

Pompeii: A City Buried Alive… Seaports of the Mediterranean

March 27, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 18 Comments

Buried by a pyroclastic flow of volcanic rocks in 89 AD, Pompeii provides one of our most detailed accounts of what life was like in the Roman Empire.

Buried by a pyroclastic flow of volcanic rocks in 79 AD, Pompeii provides one of our most detailed records of what life was like in the Roman Empire.

Their lives would have been interrupted by a series of small tremors. It had to be worrisome; seventeen years earlier Pompeii had come close to being destroyed in a massive earthquake. The city was still being rebuilt. Possibly the residents woke on the morning of August 24, 79 AD and looked fearfully at the restless mountain that loomed over them… and then went on about their chores.

Everything ended at 1:00 PM.

Mt. Vesuvius exploded in a massive eruption sending tons of ash, gas and rocks spewing 20 miles into the sky and forming a dense mushroom cloud. Winds quickly carried the ash into Pompeii, turning day into night and dreams into nightmares. The majority fled, escaping by whatever means available. Those who stayed behind died… suffocating at first under the blanket of thick ash and ultimately, the next morning, being buried alive under a pyroclastic flow of molten rock and gas that flew down the mountain at speeds close to 100 miles per hour.

Viewed from an archeological perspective, history’s tragedy has become today’s blessing. The molten rock and ash that covered Pompeii, also preserved it, providing historians with their most complete view of what life was like in ancient Rome. Over the next week, I will be blogging about our recent trip to Pompeii and sharing photographs of this remarkably preserved city.

Our early morning arrival at the seaport of Naples showed Mt. Vesuvius looming over the city on a rainy day.

While the majority of people living in Pompeii escaped, the remains of over 1000 have been found. By carefully pouring plaster into impressions left by the bodies buried under the pyroclastic flow, archeologists have created casts of these bodies. Several of these casts are on view in Pompeii.

Plaster cast of body buried under pyroclastic flow of volcanic rock in Pompeii.

This plaster cast of a body found in Pompeii looks the man merely went to sleep.

This plaster cast of a body found in Pompeii looks like the man merely went to sleep.

This body cast from Pompeii suggests to me that the person was gasping for breath.

Several of the body casts in Pompeii were in storage.

Today, a number of spectacular views of Mt. Vesuvius can be seen from Pompeii. The mountain is approximately four miles away.

Mt. Vesuvius rises above the Temple of Jupiter in Pompeii.

Window-shopping in Venice… The Sea Ports of the Mediterranean

March 22, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 4 Comments

Window shopping in Venice is one treat after another. Noted for its masks and glass work, I thought this owl caught both.

Window shopping in Venice is one treat after another. Numerous windows display masks or glass work, I thought this owl caught both.

I promised a window-shopping trip in Venice so window-shopping we will go. Staring in store windows is fun. In addition to people watching, it falls under the category of vicarious pleasure. And it’s free. Of course the shop owners have other objectives in mind.

Venice does a fabulous job with window displays. We saw mouth-watering pastries, chocolate fantasies, clunky shoes, a bejeweled rear end, and an interesting ceramic cow.

I am sure these clunky shoes are stylish but I confess to not getting it.

I am sure these clunky shoes are stylish even though I don’t get it. I do get that I would hesitate to get in an argument with the woman wearing them.

This sculpture challenged my imagination like the shoes above. I don't think a bejeweled butt would compliment Peggy and my native art collection.

This 440 euro butt sculpture challenged my imagination like the shoes above. I did find the glass beadwork fun, however.

As ads go, this ceramic cow in Venice was quite creative. Got paint?

A Venetian chocolatier created a ski scene from his product in his window. I almost lost Peggy…

What impressed me the most about the window displays in Venice were those featuring glassware and masks. Both reach back into the city’s ancient history.

How many places can claim they have been “supplying quality glass products since 1291”? That’s the year that a Venice made of wood required all of its glass makers to move to the island of Murano in the Venice Lagoon. Community leaders feared that the glass making process would burn the city down. Venice quickly became the center of Europe’s trade in beautiful glass objects.

The upside for the glass makers was that they were invited into the highest ranks of Venetian society. The downside was they were threatened with having their hands chopped off or assassination if they moved and took their talents elsewhere.

I suspect the artist who created this sculpture of glass blowers had devilish fun with his work.

I liked this Venice window display because it captured different types of glass work including the elephant and shows off various techniques of coloring glass.

Venetians apparently carried out numerous activities they felt were best done while wearing masks. For example, in 1339 Venice passed a law that forbid inhabitants from visiting nun convents while wearing masks. One can only wonder… During plague times doctors wore long nose masks they believed protected them from the disease. Not. Today masks are a central part of the Carnival of Venice that ends on Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras).

The Venetian masks displayed in shops can be quite beautiful and elaborate.

The masks of Venice can also be a bit on the scary side such as this mask of Medusa. Note the masks covering the eyes on the snake heads. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

The masks of Venice can also be a bit on the scary side such as this mask of Medusa. Note the masks on the snake heads. See no evil, hear no evil, smell no evil, speak no evil? (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

This mask making shop had their creations lined up assembly line style. Their eerie see through character made me think of them as ghost masks.

This mask making shop had their creations lined up assembly line style. Their eerie see through character of the pre painted masks made me think of them as ghosts.

Type of masks warn by Venetian doctors during the plague.

This type of mask was worn by doctors when Venice was suffering through the plague. I am not sure whether the doctors thought they were hiding from the plague or scaring it away.

I like this window display of Venetian masks because of its variety.

The fingers grasping this Venetian plague mask caught my attention.

The faun-like character of this mask is obvious. Once again, it displays the incredible detail of many of the Venetian masks.

I will conclude with this modern mask of part man and part machine… a scary prediction of the future or steampunk?

NEXT BLOG: I will take a one blog break from Europe to explore how steampunk is impacting Burning Man. (The masks reminded me of the event.) After I revisit the annual event that takes place in the northern Nevada desert, I will begin my series on Pompei.

Wandering through Time and Place

Exploring the world with Curtis and Peggy Mekemson

Wandering The World