Everyone knows a little bit about Pompeii. It's probably one of the most famous archeological

sites in the world, helped along by its dramatic origin story. When Mount Vesuvius erupted

in 79 AD, it buried the city in ash and pumice. When it was finished, over a thousand people

were dead, but the ash also created a time capsule of their life there, preserving much

of the city, and since the middle of the 18th century, experts have been carefully digging

through the layers to uncover that past. They've learned a lot about the city over the years,

but one of my favorite things is also one of the least well-known.

Gathered all throughout the city are over 80 locations known as Thermapalia, a word that

means place where hot things are sold. They are the ancient Roman equivalent of the modern

takeout restaurants, and you would know that the moment you stepped inside. They're brightly

painted walls with images of the different foods they sold almost look like ancestors

of an Austin, Texas food truck. We think we know a place, and then another piece of

the puzzle gets added in, and all of a sudden it becomes something else entirely. Pompeii

wasn't a boring city with stiff Romans walking around like worker drones. It was a town

full of life, graffiti, and places where anyone with a few coins could buy a hot plate

of what Anthony Bourdain called street meets.

Which is why I love the American state of Nevada, because it's a place that most people

think they know. Mention Nevada to most people, and they'll talk about the Vegas strip.

Lot of machines, neon signs, fake pyramids, and all you can eat by phase. And sure, that's

a part of Nevada, but it's not the entire picture.

The larger story is much older than the lights of Vegas, and much more dangerous than the

risk of sunburn or dehydration. It's a tale filled with big dreams, bigger losses, and

...