Paestum,Neptune,would,proud,Th travel,insurance Paestum Neptune would be proud
Like any American, traveling occasionally is just what I love doing and I bet you share the same stuff with me. But traveling does not mean that you would be safe. Escaping from our job and other stressful activities is just something that w Torres del Paine is among the biggest of Chiles national parks, occupying almost 600,000 acres (242,000 ha) of land in the south on the border with Argentina. It is also among the most important, receiving a significant proportion of domes
The actual site is very large and spread out,spanning what seems to be about a square mile but the actual area whichyou can explore by foot is much smaller. For people with limitedmobility or prefer to walk short distances this would be considered alight to moderate experience with 100% of the site on flat and evenground with switchback packed dirt trails connecting the three mainareas. On first glance what stands out are three massivetemples each seems almost complete from a distance. The main templededicated to Neptune is colored in deep copper earth tones and theother two are almost whitewash in color; these are the only wholestructures in the entire site, but the completeness of each one isquite impressive. Even up close when you realize that the interiors areno longer functional and the majority of the temples are now comprisedonly of the basic pieces such as the massive columns, the capital, the very top portion of a column, the arcatrave and pediment you still get a great sense of what they may have been like when they were just built. UnlikePompeii or even Herculaneum (in modern Italian Ercolano) you cannotenter any of the temples because they are surrounded by small woodenfences. You can get within 25 feet or so from each one, so close upphotography or sketching is still possible. The experienceof trying to imagine people worshiping Neptune and Athena in Paestum isquite easy with the temples but the rest of the site takes a bit ofimagination. There are very large living quarters, spread out overabout half an acre which are no longer visible except for the remainingstone walls which reach knee height. One section in the middle of thesite has a few larger walls and a single staircase but other than thatthere is little to assist in piecing together the entire colony in yourmind's eye. As you explore the site you must take the timeto go on the edges of the fenced area; there you can find theamphitheatre which seems about 20% complete. You can also see severalrandomly placed columns that may have been entrances to some olderbuildings. If you want to see the real artifacts fromPaestum you will need to visit the museum which is just across thestreet from the site. Inside you can see the detailed decorations thatcovered the façade of the temples as well as some excellent examples ofancient Greek and Roman artifacts. If you arrive on yourown by car, I suggest taking the A3 highway from Salerno and exiting atthe city called "Battipaglia" which is also highway 18, but the highwaynumber is very hard to spot. Other than the exit off the highway it'salmost a straight line from Salerno or Naples to the Paestum. If youuse GPS make sure it does not put you on 175a; which is a coastal roadthat goes along the ocean.. "What a nice drive" you might say but 175ais full of trash, transients and old and dying restaurants and shopswhich are strung along the entire route. 175a felt a little "Mad Max,Thunder Dome" if you ask me so avoid that road at all costs. Ifyou decide to take an escorted tour then the coach will bring youdirectly to the entrance. The ticket booth is very non-descript andalso hard to spot, but look for the stone archway opposite the line ofshops across from the site. Tickets are only 4 euro (2009) and you canbuy a combo ticket for the site and the museum for under 10. There isno town at the site and it's quite out in the boonies but there are afew café's and two pizzerias to quench your thirst and hunger afterappeasing the gods. There is also a smattering of your typical shopkeepers offering everything from useful information books to Paestumash trays and cup holders. While the hard core history buffor archeology student will be in heaven and I think the site is quiteimpressive; I say that Paestum is a 3rd level site of thearea. Unfortunately for Paestum you have sites like Pompeii andHerculaneum not to mention the entire Amalfi Coast, the islands ofCapri and Ischia all within easy reach of each other and all closer toget to. If you have been in the area for a while and have seen theabove mentioned; then by all means go and make sure to tell Neptune,Ceres and Athena that Rem Malloy from www.italy4real.com sent you; you might live an extra 1000 years as a gift from the gods.
Paestum,Neptune,would,proud,Th