Day 12: Rome . . . So Much HistoryThe Colosseum: Once we arrived in Rome, we received our tour radios and headed to the Colosseum. Paul was really looking forward to this part of the tour, and he didn't need to wait long to be rewarded. As we exited the subway, we were greeted by a dramatic view of the Colosseum. It literally filled the entire view as we walked up to the street. It seemed surreal to have such a massive ancient building in the heart of a 21st century city. We had listened to some of Rick's podcasts on the bus ride from Florence, and while our tour guide was excellent once again, we found it very helpful to have listened to that ahead of time. It made everything much more familiar and meaningful as we toured it.
The Forum: The Forum is a rectangular area filled with the ruins of important ancient buildings as well as some intact Roman victory arches, and each one told its own story. It was fascinating to learn that the modern day image of angels came from the Roman gods of war/victory. We even saw Julius Caesar's cremation site. For Paul, who has taught Shakespeare's Julius Caesar as an English teacher, that was a thrill. City Walk: Our walk through the city was insightful. We learned about city hall and the Jewish Ghetto. It's interesting how residents work ancient ruins into modern architecture, blending the new with the old. Pantheon: The columns holding up the front of the Pantheon were massive! It was interesting to learn that these huge, one-piece columns were shipped from Africa, and that only 1 in 3 ships made it across the Mediterranean Sea. The sea bottom is literally littered with columns that didn't make it across. While the entrance is impressive, it's the inside that is especially dramatic. This first-ever dome still stands as a testament to the brilliant minds of these ancient times. These inventors also created the first concrete. Despite the fact that many other buildings from this time period were destroyed, the Pantheon still stands because it was converted into a church and was therefore spared from ruin. An Evening of Friendship: We enjoyed a group pizza dinner and had a great time visiting. We were even entertained by a guitar-playing singer who unexpectedly joined our group at the restaurant. The Trevi Fountain: The highlight of our night walk back to the hotel was a stop at the Trevi Fountain where we all made a wish, throwing coins into the illuminated water. Of course, the only wish we were allowed to make was to return to Italy again. None of us were sad to make that wish! |
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