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Trojan Man!
That's what he gets for charging me 5 euros! After a nice peaceful rest I am ready for day two of roaming Rome! 😊 The shuttle dropped us off at Piazza Barberini and from there I hopped onto the subway for my first site, the Colosseum! As I emerge from the steamy, hot tunnels of the subway I am stopped in my tracks by the Colosseum which is suddenly towering in front of me. Dazed, I quickly run across the street and see a precious, scrawny trojan and must have my picture taken with him. Afterwards, I find out he charges 5 euros to take a picture but he says I can pay whatever I want (guess he felt sorry bc I was all alone and we had to grab a passerby to take my picture). I pay him 5 euros, he was sweet and anyone who wears a costume to work deserves to get paid! Ok off to get into the Colosseum! Wait 30 minutes.....................finally get in! Amazing! Crazy to think that people use to battle wild animals and gladiators to the death in here. During the first 100 days, they celebrated with battles and over 5,000 wild animals died! Who knows how many more over the centuries. After
the Colosseum, I walk over to the Arch of Constantine which is said to be one of the best preserved Imperial monuments in the area, once again amazing. I then walk over to the Roman Forum just down the street. Inside, I walk down the oldest street in Rome, Via Sacra, and pass ruin after ruin of what once was a thriving metropolis. I can't believe I'm walking where Julius Cesar, Hadrian, Constantine, Augustus, and many more legendary leaders once lived. It's just mind boggling that any of this stuff has lasted this long! And it's amazing that I haven't had a heat stroke yet! As I exit the Forum from the back I walk down the street and notice a ridiculously large roman looking building and as I come around the front it has some even more ridiculously beautiful and gargantuan sculptures. It is the Vittorio Emanuele II Monument also known as the "wedding cake" (for it's tiers) and as "Mussolini's typewriter" (I don't know). At the top of the stairs are two eternal flames guarded by the Italian Navy in memorial of the Unknown Soldier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_of_Vittorio_Emanuele_II). I then headed down the street back towards the Colosseum to take
The Colosseum
First view off the subway! some pictures of various statues of Cesar along the way...I wasn't really paying attention and what I thought was a statue out of the corner of my eye, suddenly moved and scared the sh*t out of me! It was one of those people who paint themselves like statues and have alot of time on their hands to stand still all day. How neat 😊 I'm just ready to eat and get out of the sun right now! So I hop back on the crowded subway and go back to the area where the Trevi fountain was because they had some cute shops and restaurants. Grabbed me a nice big salami sandwich from a not so nice waitress and enjoyed my seat in the shade. I finally, got off my butt and headed to Quirinal Hill which was a spot recommended in my "Let's Go Italy!" book. There I saw the statues of Castor and Pollux, pretty nice got some good money shots I'll have to wait and see if they have anything on The David 😉. (sorry mom's and dad's). Anywho! Down the street from those fierce guys are Bernini's Four Fountains. Each one is built into the corners of
The Colosseum
Waiting in line......lalala a major intersection (flashbacks of dying by Vespa!) but I survived! I then accidentally stumbled across the Column of Marcus Aurelius as I was searching for a cell phone store to buy more minutes. Nice accident! Apparently there's and internal staircase as well....talk about claustrophobia. By this point I think I've drank my body weight in water and sweat it out at the same time. I can also feel blisters about to bust under my feet, so I say farewell to the Roman sun and rest up for my third and final day! Ciao!
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