Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

The National Archeological Museum in Naples, Italy

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

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It was a few days into our stay in the metropolitan city of Naples, Italy, when we decided to visit the National Archaeological Museum here.

I know it's an absolute heresy to say we did not go to either Pompeii nor Herculaneum.

But seriously, the trains going there were so crowded (we don't do crowds well) it felt like we were in a cattle car; Hot, sweaty, and nose-to-nose with other passengers for over an hour.

All my life I have wanted to visit Pompeii, but I had to have a discussion with myself about this.

I realized that what I truly wanted to see... were all the items that were taken out of both of these apocalyptic sites.

 Endless rows of empty buildings and vacant streets weren't going to do it for me. I wanted to experience the handiwork, the mosaics, and the marble carvings of a once truly great Empire.

The front of the museum

Getting there wasn't so easy.

It wasn't far from our hotel, and we wanted to walk. We had the location on our Google maps, so that seemed to be a snap.

But because the streets were so winding, and the buildings were so tall, we kept losing connection. Or the map would direct us one way but we'd find out we were meant to be on the next street parallel.

I'm sure you have experienced this yourself using this app.

Finally, we arrived!

Young woman carved in marble holding our tickets

The entry fee was $20Euros per person, plus an extra $2Euros to see the Greek exhibit.

This is a total of about $24USD which we paid for at the entrance of the museum.

This young woman was nice enough to hold our tickets for this photo.

The skilled use of draped fabric in this marble carving

One of Italy's most important and renowned museums, this Archeological Museum houses an exceptional collection of artifacts.

Although these pieces from antiquity come from various archaeological sites in southern Italy, most particularly this museum focuses on the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

This is why I was so keen on visiting.

Various statues of men

These statues were buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE.

Romans idealized the human body and in these statues, the musculature and the idea of male strength or female beauty were emphasized.

The detail and artistry were spectacular.

The god Jupiter and goddess Juno

In Roman mythology, Jupiter (also known as Zeus in Greek mythology) and Juno were married.

Jupiter is often depicted with an eagle who is his emissary.

He is considered to be king of the Roman gods and the eagle is a symbol of power, authority, and sovereignty.

It was believed to be Jupiter's sacred bird. 

Juno was the goddess of marriage and the protector of women.

Having said that, Jupiter had many affairs and their marriage was a turbulent one.

Hercules

Hercules is a legendary hero known for his incredible strength and numerous heroic exploits.

In Greek mythology, Hercules was the son of Zeus (Roman god Jupiter) and Alcmene, a mortal woman.

His divine parentage granted him extraordinary strength and abilities.

Another statue of Hercules

Hercules was known for his physical prowess, but he was also characterized by his bravery, determination, and intelligence.

He was a complex hero who struggled with his own flaws and sought redemption for his past actions.

A bust of Hercules

The name "Hercules" has been used throughout the centuries to denote strength and power.

And his image is frequently used as a symbol of that power in art, literature, and even popular culture.

Marble statue with detail

This is an ordinary Roman and the carving shows everyday detail of how Romans dressed at that time.

He has on flowing robes and open-toed sandals.

It was because of the high quality marble sourced from both Italy and modern-day Turkey that these intricate carvings and lifelike detail were able to be shown in the sculptures.

Roman fresco

Frescos are paintings done on walls with wet plaster.

As the plaster dries, the paint becomes permanently embedded and its longevity is ensured.

Inside hallway and outside garden

There is a lot of natural light in this museum.

Here you see the long hallway abutting the beautiful gardens outside.

There are benches to sit down and a lovely fountain.

Words engraved in a marble pillar

I am unclear if this engraving is a modern-day restoration or if it is original.

I had thought it was Latin or Greek, but it was untranslatable.

Wonder what it says?

Thoughts?

Man and woman

It's hard to know what the story is with these two people depicted here.

Are they Mother and Son? Brother and Sister? Friends? Neighbors? Lovers?

Unsolved mystery.

Carving on the side of a Roman tub

We spent quite a bit of time looking at this marvelous carving.

There is a story being told here, and one can see the god Neptune with his trident who is the god of the sea. He also presides over rivers and fresh water springs.

With this carving on a Roman bathtub, that would make sense. 

Neptune was also the brother of Jupiter and Pluto. Pluto being the god of the underworld, and with the person in front on his side, perhaps that is some story being told about Hades as well.

It's a spectacular sculpture with such detail!

Ancient Roman mosaic

Preserved by sediment or ash, this mosaic still shows marvelous detail and color.

Showing a common, everyday scene one sees fruit, bread, wheat, and other flora.

Mosaics were made from colored stones and glass and took patience, time and skill to make.

Stairwell inside the National museum

This museum had several floors and room after room of exhibits.

We probably stayed over 2 hours, and still did not see everything on display.

Billy and Akaisha in the stairwell

Here we are standing in the stairwell in front of a Roman soldier.

This was an amazing museum.

You can purchase tours online or walk about freely yourself.

Would we recommend you to visit?

Absolutely!

__________

The National Archaeological Museum

Piazza Museo, 19

Easily accessible by metro (line 1 stop 'Museo' or line 2 stop 'Cavour')

Open daily but closed on Tuesday

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

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