I'm super backed up on updating this, roughly 3 cities backed up and I'm writing this on the way to our final stop of our 13 day Europe blitz. A combination of lack of wifi, late nights and early mornings is to blame.
Anyway, we stayed in Rome for 2 days. Per usual, we targeted the tourist stops.
Just arrived in Rome and started at Capitolline Hill for a quick walk around the city.
Trevi Fountain. Unfortunately it's undergoing maintenance so no water was flowing.
Colonna of Marcus Aurelius
Pantheon
Best photobomb of the trip so far.
Josh and I with some Aussies on the trip. Our tour bus is 90% Aussie.
Palace of Justice
Tiber River
The next day we made our way to the Vatican.
This was our tour guide for the Sistine Chapel. I don't remember her name or anything she said about the chapel because I couldn't understand her. Oh well, I was there to see the art and can look up any of it if needed.
Fat head.
Early topography of Italy circa 1500 -1600. I think. That timeframe might be off. It's pretty impressive given human flight doesn't come about until 1903 and space travel until the 1960's.
Inside the Sistine Chapel. Photography isn't allowed, but when in Rome.
Early cartography tools (I think).
I spy Sumerian cuneiform. Amagi, my friends.
Exiting down this steep spiral staircase. We were supposed to go to St. Peter's Basilica, but it was closed. Later in the day it would open, but we had a colloseum tour scheduled and the line was about 3 hours long. I guess I have to go back to Rome!
St. Peter's Square.
Had an excellent cappuccino in Roma. 8.5/10.
Castle Sant' Angelo. The fortress that protects the pope.
Had some free time before the colloseum tour so Josh and I wandered.
I found il Piccolo and it reminded me of Jackie's favorite Italian restaurant in New York; Piccolo Cafè.
Bikes on bikes on bikes. And scooters.
A British icon spotted in Rome. 900cc engine, which I don't think is offered in the US.
I knew I'd see at least one sexy Italian. Jackie agrees she's a beaut. 😎
This is Elsa, our tour guide through the Roman Forum and Colloseum. The colloseum was my must see/do and Elsa made the experience all the better. After our unintelligible tour guide for the Sistine chapel, Elsa was a welcomed relief. She described the ruins in great detail and helped us understand what we were looking at, which is helpful when sometimes all you see is a pile of bricks.
The Roman Forum. This is where the people of Ancient Rome conducted their public life. It was a place to politic, bank, conduct trade, and hang out.
This is where the Protereans (sp?) lived. They were the guard to the Caesars and senate. Behind this structure is where 18 Roman virgin women would keep the flame of Rome lit. These women were rich by the time their duty was done at age 40.
This ancient building was preserved better than most because it was a church.
This was an old bank and a place for people to buy chests (vaults) to protect valuables.
Making our way to the Colosseum!
Up with Maximus, down with Commodus!
So here's something I never knew. The real name of this structure is the Flávio Ampitheatre named after the wealthy family that had it built (in 8 years, to boot!) in the year 72. It later was called the Colloseum as successive emperors used it. The Colloseum was used for about 350 years for the blood sports held inside. It's quite sickening to think people found the bloody games held inside to be entertainment. Nonetheless, the structure is a real marvel of human intelligence given the time period it was constructed. This is probably a good time to mention that had the dark ages not occurred, all of this structure and the Roman Forum buildings may still be in a more recognizable condition as they were when they were constructed in the first century. During the dark ages, these structures were raided for their marble, metal, and other rock. And despite that, they're still standing.
After the Colloseum, a group of us had an awesome authentic Italian dinner. I had bruschetta and ravioli for my main. The dish had 2 large rectangular shaped raviolis. Al dente fo sho.
We made an impromptu bar crawl on our way back to the hotel. Too many tequila shots were had.
On to Florence!
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