Day 4:  Wednesday, July 24, 2013 Herculaneum & Mount Vesuvius 
Link to Day 4 Herculaneum Photographs

The Ruby Princess is an elegant ship with plenty of staff to attend to your every need. We took the morning to explore the ship.  The food is exceptional and there is plenty to see and do.   It is a wonderfully relaxed pace that makes you feel that you are definitely  “on vacation”.  There may not be an official news blackout, but there may as well be.  Before we boarded, we learned that Great Britain had a new prince - but we are so removed from “worldly concerns” while onboard, that we may not know the young man’s name until our return.

In the afternoon, we took an excursion to see Herculaneum.  While most people think of Pompeii when they think of Mt. Vesuvius, whole other towns and villages were buried when the volcano erupted in 79 AD.  Herculaneum, which was situated on the coast, was not discovered until 1709.  The town itself is still being excavated.  What has been unearthed are amazingly well preserved villas, gardens, fountains, baths and shops.  Mount Vesuvius was once over 9000 feet; what remains now is still an active volcano that is half the size it once was and less than 10 miles from Herculaneum.  The eruption covered the town with 60 feet or more of volcanic ash and mud trapping the citizens in their homes and shops.  Yep!  More dead guys!

In the evening we enjoyed another fine dinner and music from the Beatles.