Naples, July 14th

14th July 99 Wednesday 1340hrs. A noble’s box, amphitheatre, Pompeii.

From where I am sitting, I can see Vesuvius, shrouded in cloud despite the hot sun. The view I have evokes colourful clouds, the glint of sun on a brooch or clasp, the sound of the crowd, talking, shouting, laughing, an air of anticipation of the coming sport. The red-robed gentleman next to me passes me a goblet of wine. I taste it – it’s good. The soil around here is good for the grape...the crowd below us increases its volume as a figure emerges blinking into the sunlight. Over his shoulder are heaped the folds of a net, and he carries a trident. An answering roar from the opposite gate, and the sound of sword on shield challenges the cautious air of the Fisher...

Another group of American tourists emerges into the arena, filling the expanse where before a girl walked alone and took a bow, to be startled by my applause floating down from the top of the boxes. Grass has grown over stalls and Vesuvius is a startlingly different profile against the sky, but the imagination runs riot with the scene. Dust scurries away on the wind from the feet of the last straggling tourists in the arena. It flies over the open space in a wraith-like guise. It grows, expands, fills the air, "I am Rome!", and disperses, falls. Ash and dust in the arena.

Yesterday we went into Naples, looked around a couple of exquisitely ornate and very large churches. Wandered around underneath the city in the Sotterrenea and enjoyed a cold coffee. In the evening we went into Pozuoli to a friend of the Goddard’s – Assumpta, for an espresso, then back to near the house for a pizza in a fantastic restaurant – ‘Pommarola City’ on the edge of a dormant volcano lake, where the Romans used to winter their fleets. Marvellous day.

I’ve been here for about an hour already, and I haven’t seen any of the rest of the town. I wish I could wander at my leisure, with no times to be out by, trains to catch – this all means to much to see it, absorb it and understand even part of it in an afternoon. I realise even more now that I’m not a ‘whistle-stop tour, tick in the box’ type tourist. I want to experience everything to the full, carry it with me when I leave. I want to explore...