No riding today. For the majority it was a lazy day although one of the guides did go cycling over to Sorrento.

Others took a train to Naples for a look around, others a train to Sorrento. It seems half of us stayed in Pompeii and looked around the ruins.I was in there first thing which was a great idea as it got very hot by lunch time with all the stone absorbing heat like a night storage radiator. I wandered around for 3 or 4 hours starting with the amphitheater where I did indeed listen to Echoes by Pink Floyd as alluded to in yesterday’s post.

Pompeii is stunning in so many ways and as they continue to discover and restore I’m told it continues to change.

Moving from the amphitheater at the western end toward the forum (final picture) it became noticeably busier with at least 27 groups from cruise ships probably docked in Naples. I thought it was hard going cycling in the heat but walking around Pompeii was something else – I hope I’ll come back one day but definitely outside the summer heat.

The rest of the day was spent eating – lasagne for lunch and pizza for dinner – and hydrating in anticipation of tomorrow’s 10 mile climb. Tomorrow is a shorter day – just under 50 miles – but with some proper climbing and tunnels.