This is the big day for this trip.. and by big day I mean the most exhausting day! So let's start with breakfast! Which for Italians, isn't....that...big. It would appear that Europeans love to eat a light breakfast in the morning...which is something unheard of in the States, which I conclude is why we are fat and they are not.
After breakfast we all loaded onto the bus and went to the Colosseo, or Colosseum! Here are a few facts about the Colosseum I was able to write down:
- Largest amphitheater in the center of Roman Empire
- Located east of the Roman Forum
- The Colosseum can hold 50,000 to 80,000 people
- There are 80 arches of the Colosseum and 76 were numbered. (4 were left unmarked as sections for common people.
- The first floor was for senators, second for soldiers and horsemen of the army, third for teachers and preists, and the fourth level for women and 'poors', or commoners.
From left to right; Sarah, me, Natalie, Jessica, Ja-Li-Si in the Colosseum. This is a very sad experience because I thought about all the advancements that people made to make this structure, but then I think of all the death that happened here... It's very disheartening to me because I watch tourists, me included, take pictures and smiling at the place where literally thousands were killed... This is not to say that we're heartless or ignorant, it's just in hindsight I feel like this was a lesson in humanity.
Now that ruined the mood of this blog, let me try to bring it around to something a bit brighter.
This place was for meetings, trials against senators, and businesses. There was to be a fire burning continuously. It was to be watched a all times, however some men left their post and this is said to be what caused the great fire of Rome.
This arch is the lifeboat of history- Arch of Tidus. The man under the arch is emperor Tidus, the people on the side are the Jewish people who were conquered by the people on the opposite side, the Romans.
Below is the Temple of Romulus, also called Santi Cosma e Damiano.
This is one of the most ancient churches in Rome.
This temple was donated by Emperor Maxentius to his son Valeirus Romulus. It was then Chrisitianized and dedicated to Sancti Cosma et Damianus.
Here are few more pictures and I'll put cations under them so you know what they are:
Behind this wall is a rock that was used, to burn the body of Julius Caesar. His ashes are said to be used in the mortar of the wall constructed around the rock. Whether a myth, legend, or fact, people will put flowers on top of the rock to this day.'
Where the door of this church is, use to be where the street level was until the started digging downward looking for the ruins of the Forum. The steps and columns had to be added later for the structural support of the church.
This is the arch of Septimius Severus. It was made to commemorate the Parthian victories of Emperor Septimius and his two sons Caracalla and Geta. When Septimius died, his sons became joint emperors, that is until Caracalla had Geta killed and all of his memory, mention, and name essentially marked out of Rome's history.
Next stop Trevi Fountain!
The Trevi Fountain is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and the most beautiful in the world. An estimated 3,000 euros are thrown in the fountain each day! According to Iris the coins that euros are donated to the restoration of historical buildings and statues and the coins that are of different currency are donated to UNICEF.
The Trevi Fountain has been in movies such as: Roman Holiday (1953), Three Coins in The Fountain(1954), La Dolce Vita (1960), (And the Lizzy McGuire Movie (2003), which I've been forced to add.)
A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. Which is good because I definitely want to go back!
For Lunch: Antico Ristorante Caffe' Capranica. This place is very good; I really liked their ravioli and casareccealla gricia, which is shown next to the restaurant here.
After Lunch we investigated the area around the Trevi Fountain, through different side roads and alley ways. Somehow we came across this, what I would call, unbelievable bookshop! (Excuse me while I nerd out.) This antique bookstore has books that are, without a doubt over 500 years old. They have first editions of books from all over the world! I walked in and had to keep all my reserve to ask if it was alright if I just looked around. The older gentleman who worked the store just nodded and I was in-wrapped in the spines of books that had seen Paris in 1750 or Venice in 1490.
OK! Book nerd rant is over! (I know you're disappointed!)
The Vatican City:
The Musei Vaticani
20,000-30,000 visitors making this the most visited museum in the world. The 'country' is over 600 years old and is the smallest in the world, but certainly not the poorest!
Here are some pictures; my disclaimer is that I'm not a photographer, nor have I ever been one...
Some of the pictures have captions because I wrote it down or (through some luck) remember some vivid detail about said photograph! Godere (Enjoy)!
This a replica that is located on the third floor of the museum. |
The ball on the top of the Basilica can hold 8 people! |
Here we can see two different piece of art. The pinecone (Don't call it a pinecone; they don't appreciate that!) on the left is over 2000 years old as well as the peacock and lion sculptures with it!
The other on the right here is called, “Sphere Within Sphere” (Sfere Con Sfera) and it was created in 1990 by Italian sculptor Arnoldo Pomodoro. At first this sculpture was held within the archives of the Vatican (I'm just going to call that, and say it was in the basement...we're all thinking it...) When 911 happened in New York City, there was a similar statue at the base of the World Trade Center and the pope at the time had this brought up to the Pinecone court yard. This statue represents a new world coming from the old.
This is a statue in the Vatican Museum of a girl reading. I, in my travelers syndrome and new self awareness, like to think that she and I are alike, with our books and curious expressions.
St. Peter's Basilica
This is the main hallway, where you can fit two football fields and a 20 story building! There's music from an organ some where and the saints seem to watch as we learn about them and their past.
This picture above is the Crypt. It's the entrance to the Vatican's burial catacombs... which depending on who you are is either really cool or really creepy!
We were late getting to our dinner for tonight; we had to race across the streets and saw a couple who were taking their wedding photos on this bridge and we basically "photobomb-ed" their special moment. I would like to formally and internationally apologize for that at this time.
We had dinner at Lo Stregone.
Margarita Pizza!
Note: Olive oil is WAY better here than home.
Had my first glass of wine, and it really wasn't that great, but I had more vino to try!
We talked about Iris's trips to places, Sarah and Helen's work history, lot's of fun stories, how we make funny faces when annoyed, and first memories of grandmothers...
Below is an Entry to my journal:
"Thoughts on the day:
Helen has a device that counts your steps as you walk and today we walked over 15,000 steps!
The saying was, "When in Rome," and this what led us to drink our first wine, eat gelato at least three times today! I really like this city; it's a beautifully sad story. There is so much history here that it's hard to take it all in!