Italy begins lifting lockdown restrictions
John Cabot University student Federica Romeo joins Arthel Neville to discuss her experience with Italy's coronavirus pandemic and plans to graduate this year.
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The Archaeological Park of Pompeii reopened to tourists on Tuesday, once again allowing guests inside after closing in response to the coronavirus health crisis months ago.
And for one pair of tourists, in particular, the site was well worth the wait.
Colleen and Marvin Hewson, from Michigan, had originally flown to Italy in early March, and arrived in Pompeii soon afterward only to learn that the ruins were off-limits to tourists. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Colleen and Marvin Hewson were among the first people to step inside the archaeological site on reopening day, after having waited months to do so. The couple, who was celebrating their Marvin’s 75th birthday (and their 30th anniversary), had originally flown to Italy in early March and arrived in Pompeii soon afterward, only to learn that the ruins were off-limits to tourists.
Unable to get flights out of the country, the Hewsons had been staying at an Airbnb ever since, passing the time by taking daily walks through town, usually ending up at the outer gates of the ruins to peer inside, the Associated Press reported.
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On Tuesday, however, they finally stepped foot inside the archaeological park along with a scant few other tourists, most of whom were from other parts of Italy.
“Here we are, we finally made it inside. It only took 2 ½ months,” said Marvin, who had previously visited Pompeii in the ‘60s during his time with the Navy.
"It's fantastic,” Colleen added of finally seeing the ruins. “[W]ell worth the wait to see them up close," she said, per the Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“Here we are, we finally made it inside. It only took 2 ½ months,” said Marvin, who had previously visited Pompeii in the ‘60s during his time with the Navy. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
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Meanwhile, one of the many guides at the site — which outnumbered the tourists on Tuesday, per AFP — expressed sadness that so few local tourists had shown up for reopening day, especially after the ruins had just finished undergoing in a $113 million renovation that was completed right before the coronavirus pandemic hit.
one of the many guides at the site (not pictured) expressed sadness that so few local tourists had shown up for reopening day, especially after the ruins had just finished undergoing in a $113 million renovation that was completed right before the coronavirus pandemic hit. (Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images)
The renovations and restoration, funded largely by the European Union, had started in 2012 after UNESCO determined that many of the buildings were at risk for damage.
None of it was lost on Colleen and Marvin, though. The couple said that Pompeii, as well as the beautiful landscapes of the surrounding region, were enough for them to consider making a return trip.
‘’We looked at real estate. It would be a dream,’’ Marvin said. ‘’We saved a lot of money because all of the stores were closed. We really are thinking of coming back.’’
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The Hewsons finally left Pompeii for Rome on Tuesday, to sight-see for a bit before returning to Michigan.