Vesuvio

It would be remiss of me if I did not include a couple of pics of the famous (infamous) Mt. Vesuvius, which is an active volcano near Napoli that last erupted in 1944. People here say Vesuvio is ready to erupt again, because less than 10 km below the cone lies a huge 400 square km chamber of molten magma. Evacuation plans have been made, but carrying them out would pose huge problems, not only because 3 million people live within 12 km of the cone, but also because many communities are hemmed in by the Mediterranean Sea (see picture of Vesuvio I took in the seaside community of Torre del Greco). The Italian government has offered to buy out the homes of residents who lie in the path of danger, but the plan has not so far been successful. (I was told that once people vacate, another family simply moves in to occupy the vacant home.)
On our way to visit the famous volcano, sheep in Carpineto blocked the road, and rocked our car as they walked past us! (Thank goodness Vesuvio did not choose that moment to blow--we were going nowhere!)