Buongiorno...good morning!
Here we are at Day 7...today is windy and cold and raining! Around 11degrees and Francesco is our guide for the Colosseum and Forum today.
We needed to hit the road extra early today because we were trying to get to the Colosseum before a Marathon started and all the road would be closed around it. It was a twenty year anniversary of this marathon that runs 43km around Rome!
Runners from all over Europe and beyond come for it...some 13,000 people were estimated and the marathon started at the Colloseum today!
So we made it in and the layered brick in the photo above is gorgeous, I love all the texture and look of the old stone everywhere! I can't believe I'm actually here...super surreal.
The last remaining marble seats still intact...the rest were looted and probably cut down to create tiles or steps in people's own homes...Francesco said that there was a time that people took the marble remains to recycle them for themselves.
Another selfie! A little sun shining through on us here and there during the day.
Here's Ashley, Marvin and Marissa...we loved our portraits here :)
The area with the white marble stripes is where the Emperor would sit and pass judgement on whether the loser of the match would live or die...in the end, the crowd would chant and signal with a thumbs down for death if they were not impressed with the loser...our guide said it took a long time to train the gladiators so they didn't always decree death for a lost match.
The Emperor always decided the fate of the gladiator....the people were welcome to come for free and they always made a day of it, packing lunches to enjoy for the day of entertainment.
Very slippery stones when wet...we needed to walk very carefully...some of the students weren't dressed for the weather...their clothes or their shoes...so they were very cold and wet after our touring.
Off to the Roman Forum next...or at least what remains of the Forum...if you look at it with imagination, you can see what it would have looked like in its glory days.
Another Arc of Triumph...it seems they are everywhere in Europe...they tell a story, each of them.
Don't you love all of our 'selfies'...we are getting better at them...this one has a lot of my chins but recently we are either having Marissa hold the camera and I push the trigger or vice versa :) teamwork makes them work better!
Beautiful water fountains everywhere...Gianmarco showed us how to plug the end and then water nicely arches up and out a small hole on the top of the spout...this way we don't put our whole face into the stream and get soaked! Apparently it's the way to detect tourists from locals as the locals know how to drink the water without dipping their heads under the fountain!
It is always cold he says even in the summer and always fresh.
Steps to the church with a photo bomb from Marvin...
We had to carefully cross the roads as we ventured around...runners were making their way and we were cheering them on as we saw them. What a long race, so many people of different ages it was really something to be able to see them all.
I mean look at these streets...seriously gorgeous...I can't even imagine how nice it would be to see this every day! The pace is so laid back, people sitting and enjoying their caffe with friends or even by themselves.
This is Gianmarco's favourite car...it's called a Cinquecento...it's not only cute to look at but it's also so cute to say their name...chink-ke-chento is how you would say it if I sounded it out for you:) but you need to say it really fast...they look like you might only fit one or two people in it...it's smaller than a Smart car. It actually makes a Smart car look like a SUV ;)
I had Marissa stand infront of it to show you the size...Gianmarco said the record is 12 people inside! Not sure how that was possible...it must've been 12 babies or small children!
We walked to see the Pantheon, we had to wait for Mass to end before we could have a look inside.
Next up, LUNCH and free time! Yay...Marissa, Ashley, Gagan and I found a quaint little place and had my best meal yet! I started with some bruschetta, yummmmy and then I ordered fettuccine with bacon, peas and mushrooms with a cream sauce...it was soooo delicious, I was so happy I chose it. Marissa has been fighting a cold and super sore throat so she ordered a vegetable soup, which I tried and it tasted just like someone's Grandma made it, yummy.
Wow we did a lot today!!! But we still had to make a stop to the Trevy Fountain...throw a coin in and make a wish...can't come to Rome and not visit this famous fountain can we?!!!
Cheeky Marissa has put her umbrella onto Mr. Finnigan! He didn't notice it for around 40 minutes...she said she was tired of carrying it around with her :)
Last stop, the Spanish Steps and then dinner and the hotel...phew, we are tired, lots of walking and seeing today but worth it, so glad the rain wasn't with us all day...we are heading to the southern parts tomorrow to see Pompeii, can't wait! Had to share another selfie infront of the Spanish Steps, ciao!
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