On our way to the ruins and Colosseum area, we passed the building where Mussolini spoke (and eventually he was killed there too). The little balcony on the side of the building is where he stood:
Next we came across the Roman Forum - which, due to time and impending rain we were unable to actually tour - and I fell in love with the beautiful ruins. The overcast sky and scattered bits of sprinkles from above gave the ruins a purpleish hue that was gorgeous against the green of the trees. The beautiful hills in the distance were lovely ... I only wish the weather had allowed us to climb them!
And then at last came my favorite sight of the day: the Colosseum! When it first came into view I became absolutely giddy with excitement ... this was the real deal! I think that moment marked the first time reality actually sunk into my brain. I'd told myself again and again, "You're in Italy Bekah - you are in ITALY!" but it wasn't until I laid eyes on the outer walls of the ancient structure of the Colosseum that the surreal feeling passed and I fully comprehended where I was - Italy!
On our way inside we caught sight of the tall figure of the Arco di Constantino (see below). It was breathtaking to behold - so detailed, so regal - and left quite a memorable image imprinted on my brain.
Thanks to the RomaPasses we purchased (a must have for students on a budget with only a couple of days to tour the city) we didn't have to wait in any lines to make our way into the Colosseum. By the time we reached the site the sun had returned and brought more of that gorgeous Italian sky I described earlier.
It was breathtaking to be there, surrounded by thousands of years of history. I couldn't keep the early Christians that were persecuted there out of my head. One of my favorite books of all time is Quo Vadis - which is a must read! - the fictitious tale of a young tribune and his encounters with the early church. I kept picturing the events of the book in my head and imagining what it must have been like to live in that time. It was an amazing experience.
I'm running out of time so my commentary will be brief from here on out until I can get back to a computer! In the picture above you can see where they are beginning to reconstruct part of the flooring to help visitors visualize what it would have looked like. Below is a shot of the lovely ladies I had with me ...
A cumulative view of the Colosseum, Arch, and ruins ...
The Circus Maximus - imagine Ben Hur racing his chariot here! It felt like a park and felt so peaceful, a stark contrast to what it was actually used for all those years ago.
And here is a shot of the lovely plate of lasagna I had for dinner that night. Note the heart made out of cheese at the center ... long but funny story (to come!)!
Yet for all our marvelous travels I can't tell you how happy I was to come back to Sansepolcro ... my Italian home! Here's a shot of me with a package of Italian pastries:
Gotta run to dinner! I'll enhance the commentary later tonight if I get the chance. Ciao!Bekah
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