(Heads up this is a rather long post, so if you don't have time, come back later and enjoy it all then.)
Waking up to the sun coming through the windows is lovely not to mention gives you a very early start on the day. After our free and very European breakfast was eaten we hoped on a bus and headed to the ancient world.
The Colosseum is sight to behold beyond anything I have seen before. So old that you can almost feel the very souls of all those who have walked those paths (and by the way Roman roads are so uneven I can't imagine them ever being comfortable to walk or ride on).
Aubrey wanted a piece of the ancient stone, but they were all to big to fit in our bags and sneak them home.
As we walked around this circle of stone you wonder how this could still be standing, how could they build with such magnificence that it remains to capture our fascination. And then you remember the horribly grotesque reason that this place was created and all the tragedies that occurred on this land. Making light of it helps quite a bit....meaning Aubrey wanted to take a gladiator picture of her killing me, but too many people were in the way, so we just imagined it.
May I recommend to all tourists to get up early and visit things before they get too hot and overly busy.
I also discovered that everyone has an Arch of Triumph, or at least every country. This one is called the Arch of Titus. I don't know who made the first one, but they are everywhere, including directly across from the Colosseum (Colosseo in Italian). It was small and cute but really neat to see the carvings.
We moved on to the Roman Forum. I would never have believed how big the ruins are if I had not seen it myself. Granted I alone would have thought that they were even bigger because in a maze like that I certainly would have gotten lost: Dad always said I have absolutely no sense of direction, but luckily Aubrey has an epic natural sense of direction and took good care of us from day 1.
Columns seem to be a well surviving piece of architecture and stuck up everywhere. Makes you wonder...
How tall am I compared to the piece of column?
A gorgeous countryside.
One of my day notes/thoughts was: What kind of a people can do all this and then just disappear? I wonder what will be left of our world for the future? How long will we last?
What will I be remembered by and what for?
Never forget the wonder of life!
The Palantine, or as I finally realize--the Palace, is right next door to all of this. The leaders certainly knew where to put themselves, dead center. My main thought however was that no wonder rich people were carried around in liters...it is a lot of walking and just plain exhausting. But I did like the flowers and gardens.
You may see umbrella pines, a specialty of Rome and very interesting to see
(certainly not like the pines in my front yard.)
You can still see so much of how things were. Living the history I have studied is more than a dream, fulfilling and joyous.
Last before lunch was the Circus Maximus which is also in this general area, but not at all what I expected in comparison to what I had already seen. Very simple, but I could still hear the horses' hooves; can you?
The only respite to the beating sun...But the graffiti was fun too.
On the bus home we saw this...
Outside the window you could also see azalea bushes that made me think of home.
Joy of joy and genius of creation: Siesta
P.S. I have never been so dusty in my entire life. I looked tan, yep me.
In the evening we went back out and explored the Basilica of St. Angelo
(which is the evil lair of in "Angels and Demons").
I have not much to say except it was simply breath-taking in view and scope. It hadn't been in our plain but we saw it on our bus into the city and wanted to explore. I never can get over just how perfectly the old world has come together in the modern city of Rome. Behind the castle was a children's playground and concert area and scarily a hookah picnic table club area.
Every turn an experience...
An ancient Aqueduct! that still has water running through it--too cool.
See what I mean about the view, it is just like a dream or a painting.
The Vatican, a whole other country within this very city.
How many times can you say you have seen an entire country at one time?
Angels mark the way.
Could not have had a better friend to share this experience with that my best friend Aubs.
Our excited faces :)
Dinner was the best pizza I have ever had! At a cute little restaurant.
The rest of the evening we wandered around the city and found neat places. It is amazing to me how safe we felt wandering the roads in the dark of night simply because everywhere you go there are little cafes and shops and people. Just amazing to see the difference in different countries and cities.
Cool open market square.
I was very proud of myself that I didn't buy anything from all the sellers.
The toys that light up and throw up in the air and then float down like a helicopter were the most tempting especially when the very smart man had it drop directly in our path.
Unfathomable beauty. Touched my artistic heart with great joy.
If any have wondered if a trip like this was worth it, I have no doubt as I hold on to my precious memories.
And finally good-night.
No comments:
Post a Comment