Today we hurried off early to catch the train to Paestum. A bit chaotic at the station, and the automated ticket machines had decided to go on strike in response to public demand, but a nice older lady saw me standing with furrowed brow trying to make sense of the notice, and pointed me in the right direction to buy the necessary tickets.
Paestum was originally a Greek city, Posiedium, founded around 500-600 BC. Legend has it that Jason and the Argonauts, on their way back from seizing the Golden Fleece, had established a temple at the mouth of the nearby river, which led to the establishment of the Greek colony. After centuries of Greek inhabitation, which saw the construction of the impressive city walls and the temples to Minerva, Poseidon and Ceres, all of which stand to this day largely intact despite thousands of years of neglect, the city was taken over by the Romans, who added their own structures. After the decline of the Western Roman Empire the city fell into decline. Malaria from the nearby wetlands caused the population to shift inland, and the city was largely abandoned for centuries. Interest was revived by people on the trand tour circuit, and Goethe and Shelley both visited. During world War 2, the American landings were made at nearby Paestrum Beach, and the Americans set up their command posqt at a nearby villa. There is footage in the museum of an American field hospital set up inside one of the temples.
It was special to be able to walk down the streets, through the houses, some of which still have the mosaic floors and shallow marble pools which were the focal points of the courtyards. The temples are impressively massive.
It was nice to be out in the country side as well, as we've been in cities pretty much the whole way. We had lunch at the most chaotic establishment of the trip so far, pottered round the few touristy shops, then headed back to catch the train back to Salerno. It was siesta time when we got back, the streets were quiet, the shops shut, and the lift was having its afternoon nap, so we dragged our tired sorry stumps back up the hill and settled down for a rest.
We had dinner at the lovely little restaurant that we discovered our the first day - lovely fresh sea food and a nice bottle of Ravello wine, then went in search of an ATM - a Bancomat in local parlance. I think Salerno has more churches than Bancomats. We only found one, which only had 50 Euro notes and was no good to us, but we passed numerous churches and shrines. Goes to show that mammon hasn't triumphed in Salerno yet.
Tomorrow we are leaving most of our luggage here, and catching the ferry to Amalfi, and the bus up to Ravello, where we will be staying for two nights.
No comments:
Post a Comment