November 15, 2017
After our visit to Matera, we loved it so much, we thought we should try some other places we never knew about. Today is Paestum. While many more words are forthcoming, wow(!) is the only thing that fits here.
Jinhee and I have been to Rome twice and seen the history there, but much of that history is buffeted by the modern city built on top of and around ancient ruins. Seems pretty cool if that’s where you go first, but Paestum is not buried and offers three Ancient Greek Temples, all still standing.
Coming from Canada where we are amazed by the 300-400 year old buildings in Quebec City, seeing these temples standing for about 2500 years is outstanding.
There were plenty of ruins to see here but our drive prevented us from seeing a large part of the area. But we walked the old city and enjoyed learning about the city’s layout and inhabitants (it has changed hands many times).
As the sun began setting we hopped back in the car and headed to Salerno where we picked up a hotel room for 50 euros for the night with a sea view. Off season is awesome. No crowds and modest (or low in this case) prices!
Because there is so much to see and do, we drove into Salerno after the sun was down, but the town is a major port and is cut into the mountains. The stone work supporting the buildings is amazing, but I couldn’t see it well in the dark. The engineering is remarkable, and more so when you consider much of it was done hundreds of years ago.
This is the view from our hotel, but frankly, the interesting part is the engineering behind us that keeps this whole facade from falling into the sea. All along the coast are remarkable buttresses holding things in place.