Pompeii

You know what fascinated me most about the marvelous city of Pompeii?  The mosaics in the floor.  I can just imagine bare feet all those years ago padding across the family room before going to bed.  To me it was the most preserved piece of that city.

Can you imagine having this as your front room?  Frescoed walls instead of wallpaper, your choice of geometric designs or the usual animals/people.  I sat in awe at how well preserved these homes were.  Multiple bedrooms in the large homes with a large door/gate that opens right onto the cobblestone street.  So creative and practical and amazing.

I remember being fascinated with the story of Pompeii when I learned it in middle school.  It was every bit as amazing to be there.  I can't describe to you how HUGE it is - in our 2+ hours there we only explored a teeny little quadrant.  Every street and alleyway was decorated as you see in some examples below.  I can just imagine how thriving a mecca it was, see that middle photograph.  But to put things in perspective (it did for me):  They hadn't discovered SUGAR yet when this city was alive.  No sugar?  Maybe I couldn't live there, as much as I wanted to experience it.