Pompeii and Herculanium

So today we went to Pompeii and then to Herculanium. In case you don't know, these are some of the Roman excavation sites where they dug up whole cities buried in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. It was amazing! I was REALLY crushed to find out I missed the Villa of Mysteries. It was a great experience though. There were amazing amphitheaters, an arena (like the colossium but smaller) and amazing rooms and caves and all sorts of things with statues, gardens, forums surrounded by (what was left of) brick and stone columns. There were also a few FANTASTIC fresco paintings and mosaics. It was so great! The only things that made me sad were all the blocked off areas that we weren't allowed to explore and that we didn't get to spend enough time in Pompeii... I suppose I'll just have to come back someday and see the plaster casts and the Villa of Mysteries that I missed. My camera was dead for most of the day so I don't have many pictures, but I'm hoping that I can get a lot of good ones from the other people in the group. We ate breakfast from a little market next door, and we're going out for pizza again tonight... there aren't many other restaurants within walking distance... My luggage is still missing and I'm starting to feel like I spend half my life on the phone with people telling me to call someone else and that it's someone else's problem... But I think it's getting close... maybe. Delta says it should be in Rome by now, and Lufthansa says they don't have a claim report for it even though they're the ones that requested it sent to Rome and even though I have a claim reciept. Oh well... I'm pretty exhausted and ready to sleep as soon as I get some good dinner inside me. I love you all and I miss you!