After lunch Mark and I braved the swarm of peddlars to make our way back to the colosseum. Peddlars hocked umbrellas and cheap souvenirs, vying for our attention by commenting on Mark's nice shoes, his beard, and asking why we were in such a hurry. Somehow they all knew to speak to us in English. (Maybe because we were hurrying past them?) We had been warned repeatedly about the pickpockets who frequent the tourist attractions in Rome, so we were prepared with a thief resistant purse for me and a neck wallet for Mark. We did not notice any criminal shenanigans the whole time we were in Italy, but we've heard enough horror stories to know that tourists must always be on their guard.
I have to say that the Colosseum was on the bottom of my list of places to see in Rome, because I didn't want to think about the horrible things that happened there, but Mark and others insisted that this is an important part of human history not to be missed.
The big surprise for me was learning that people lived in the Colosseum during the Medieval Ages. Archaeologists have discovered that the Colosseum was a bustling medieval bazaar full of houses, stables, and workshops - so the monument to cruelty and death is also a testament to the renewal of life.
After the Colosseum we looked for the Roman Forum which I hadn't realized would require another waiting line and security check even though it was included with the Colosseum entry fee. The Forum was probably my favorite part of the day. It includes the ruins of an ancient Roman marketplace and government buildings, including the place where Julius Caesar was murdered. Mark kept saying he couldn't believe we were walking on the very stones that Julius Caesar once trod. I've got to say, those stones are huge and really hard on the feet. I don't think it would matter how sturdy your walking shoes are - your feet would still be killing you.
According to world traveller, Rick Steves, we should have seen a lot more on our first day in Rome, but Rick Steves wouldn't have recommended we stay on the outskirts of the city, and he wouldn't realize how tired we were. It took us a long time to find the right bus stop to get back to Brevata, but on the way we saw more ancient ruins and the fabulous Altar of the Fatherland.
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| Photographer: Mark VanLaeys |
The big surprise for me was learning that people lived in the Colosseum during the Medieval Ages. Archaeologists have discovered that the Colosseum was a bustling medieval bazaar full of houses, stables, and workshops - so the monument to cruelty and death is also a testament to the renewal of life.
After the Colosseum we looked for the Roman Forum which I hadn't realized would require another waiting line and security check even though it was included with the Colosseum entry fee. The Forum was probably my favorite part of the day. It includes the ruins of an ancient Roman marketplace and government buildings, including the place where Julius Caesar was murdered. Mark kept saying he couldn't believe we were walking on the very stones that Julius Caesar once trod. I've got to say, those stones are huge and really hard on the feet. I don't think it would matter how sturdy your walking shoes are - your feet would still be killing you.
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| One of the Forum's garden spots. |
According to world traveller, Rick Steves, we should have seen a lot more on our first day in Rome, but Rick Steves wouldn't have recommended we stay on the outskirts of the city, and he wouldn't realize how tired we were. It took us a long time to find the right bus stop to get back to Brevata, but on the way we saw more ancient ruins and the fabulous Altar of the Fatherland.
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| The Vittorio Emanuele II Monument, also known as the Vittoriano, Il Vittoriano, or Altare della Patria, is a monument built in honor of Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy, located in Rome, Italy. It occupies a site between the Piazza Venezia and the Capitoline Hill. |
Good blog nice photos
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