Had a spectacular tour of the Colosseum and Forum today. I had no idea at all how immense the Colosseum is - 190 feet high, 600 ft x 500ft. People look so tiny from across the sides! I didn’t know that so much of the ruins it was also covered in marble, mosaics, paintings, carvings and more before it was plundered for St Peter’s (to be fair this happened all the time in many places all over the world). It must have been a shiny white beacon. There were 2 levels beneath the stage for the animals and gladiators. They even found a school on the other side of the Colosseum. Funny things happen in Rome when you start digging - you find soooo much stuff. And apparently a lot of parking lot plans have been ruined b/c of ruins :). And the Forum! It’s so long. I don’t know what I though it would be but it’s many football fields long. It used to have a court building for actual trials. There was also a Vestal Virgins living quarters, garden and pools, temples and more temples all mostly gone and of course stripped of most of their marble. So much there. Back to 80 AD or further. Layers and layers of civilizations. The Forum was recently dug out I think 20-25 years ago!
But first here’s some ruins on our way to the Colosseum. People were just sitting by them on the phone, reading the paper and going to work.
The Colosseum inside and out.
These 2 levels were beneath the floor
The Forum
Had lunch and wine after then did some more walking in another part of the city. Found truly the best gelato and headed back to our hotel to pack, have dinner here on the roof top restaurant and hit the hay. 6am car tomorrow. We are a bit nervous about the Rome airport. Couldn’t check in like we normally do. Wish us luck!
Another fountain. They just pop up!
One of the few things Kirk is looking forward to is bigger chairs!
These 2 levels were beneath the floor
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