Day 11 - Europe 2010

I slept in and that was nice, except that I missed our free breakfast.  Luckily we had a lot of fruit left over from Florence so we had a breakfast of bananas, cherries, and peaches.  We headed over to the Colosseum, one of our events of the day, in the sweltering heat.  We had bought these Roma passes that allow you to get into museums for free or for a discount so we were able to bypass this huge line and go right in – yay!

The Colosseum was pretty neat, and was much bigger than it seemed the night before.  We walked around the inside on one of the upper levels, looking down into the level below the stadium where all the gladiators and wild animals would wait in preparation.  There were exhibits going around the inside of the Colosseum, showing the different types of clothes worn by the gladiators, along with some authentic armor pieces and weapons that were incredibly time worn and therefore very cool.  They had a lot of explanations about the Colosseum and the gladiators and I enjoyed reading it all and learning how it came about.

It was cool just to be there – actually it was insanely hot – and think about all that had occurred there.  I really tried to tap into the history there, thinking of the people sitting on the steps cheering on these men below who literally fought for their lives, all for their own entertainment.  I have to admit that I think I would have attended.  It sounds like they put on quite a spectacle, including the use of props to add a sense of place to the stage, and of course the gladiators themselves would be highly decorated to appeal to the crowd.

The whole place was pretty big and I wished I could see it as it was back then instead of stripped to its barest form.  It must have been such an impressive building and even more impressive when in use, holding some 50,000 spectators.  There were birds flying in and out of the place and I said, “This would be a great place to be a bird.”  Nick misheard me and said, “To give birth?”  Haha!  “Aaagghhh, this is so awesome!!!”

After a little lunch, we walked right across the street to enter Palatine Hill and the Forum.  Palatine Hill is basically where Roman nobles had built their homes so we have a scattering of ruins here today.  There wasn’t anything especially striking about Palatine Hill except for its gardens and its view of the old chariot race course, cool except there is really nothing left of it now.  There is also a museum with exhibits of sculptures from the Hill.  We enjoy looking at the dates – 100 AD and so forth – and getting an idea of the former grandeur of the place.  There were even a few well-preserved tiles and wall decorations that showed the high class nature of the place.  Very cool.

From there you enter the Forum with two arches on either end and a few other cool items in between, including some ancient temples.  There are scattered columns everywhere hinting at how awesome this place must have been in its prime.  It’s almost frustrating to think of how amazing it was, with these Romans who spared nothing to surround themselves with incredible art and luxury, and now we have only a few columns and rubble.  If only I had a time machine.  Nick was feeling it though.  He said, “I could be walking where Julius Caesar walked,” and I said, “That very well may be.”

We finished up with the Capitoline Museum, where we had to Residenz it up because we didn’t have much time left.  It was filled with ancient statues that once stood in the Forum, which was very cool, but of course the coolest was the huge statue of Constantine – you know, the one with his big eyes.  Well, all that remains is his huge head, his arm, a hand, and knee, part of a leg, and two feet.  Nick was really excited about it and we got our greatly desired pictures by it.

By the time we got home it was 9pm and we were both beat.  We were walking up to our room (on the fifth floor, remember) and I felt like the muscles of my legs and feet had been sun-dried and put back on my bones – they were super stiff – and then Nick’s knees were cramping up he had to stop and take a rest.  We got into our rooms with no residents to be seen and Nick said, “The old folks are the first ones turning in for the night… time to take out my teeth.”  I laughed because it’s a sad truth.  We feel like old people walking around all day everyday and coming home tired and beat but we’re only half the age of a lot of other tourists out here.  I said, “Sheesh, good thing we’re doing this now and not when we really are old.”  We have planned the Vatican Museum tomorrow, which covers some four square miles, plus St. Peters Basilica and I honestly don’t know how we are going to make it.

PHOTOS:

Nick and I at the Colosseum!  It's so blazing hot!

Another look at the inside of the Colosseum.  Notice the lower section where gladiators and wild animals would prepare for battle above.

Some of the types of clothes a gladiator would wear.

And there is the Arch of Constantine as seen from inside the Colosseum.

Moving on to Palatine Hill.  See the ruins behind Nick?  They were pretty extensive and hinted at a grand place that stood there long ago.

There were some gardens on Palatine Hill and I had to take pictures by the flowers that matched my shirt.  I look sassy!

This was in the Palatine Hill museum, showing works that were found in the area there.  What a cool place it must have been.

Another arch found in the Forum, the Arch of Titus.

Another ancient temple site in the Forum.

The Temple of Saturn, or what's left of it.  Awesome!

Yet another arch in the Forum.  Amazing how long it has stood.

A view from Capitoline Hill.  The Temple of Saturn is there on the right and behind that on the ground is the actual forum where orators would speak to the people.  Palatine Hill is in the background.

"Daddy?"

I should know who this is but we were running through that museum trying to see as much as we could.  I think it's Marcus Aurelius but I could be wrong.

Walks With Backpack says "How."

I thought this guy was cool.  I need him in my backyard.

This guy too.  He's a hottie.

At some point, Constatine lost his head... and arm... and hand... and kneecap.

Nick with the hand of Constantine.

His big toe could feed me for a week!

Nick lays on his lucious bed in our five star hotel.  He already ate the five truffles they'd left on his pillow.

As if the truffles weren't enough, they actually paint cool cracks on the ceiling to make it look ancient like everything else in Rome.  And check out that chandelier!  We feel so spoiled!