Finally getting back here to finish up!

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Geo: 41.8966, 12.477

Hello, well it's been over a month since we've been back home and I'm finally getting back to finishing up my trip report, today is May 17, 2011... it's been busy as usual but I am planning Joseph's French class trip to France so need to finish this one up before we take that trip next month!

The day after visiting the Coliseum we planned on going back to the same area and visiting the Forum and Palatine Hill. Didn't sleep well that night, the alarm went off at 6:30 and it was very hard to get out of bed but decided I'd feel better if I got up than slept for one more hour. So I got up, took my shower and checked the bus schedule/map to see where the electric bus stops should be for mom and dad, and which bus we should take for our trip to the Palatine Hill/Forum. Mom and Dad stayed at the apt and did their own thing today, I think they ended up biking around the Borghese Gardens!

We planned on leaving the apt. at 8 and ended up leaving at 10! just a little bit off! oh well, the boys were tired and we were too. We ended up walking to the Palatine Hill, we actually were very close to Piazza Venezia, then you just go on to the Colosseo and around the corner to the Palatino. Rented the audio guide for the Palatine Hill only, big mistake as there are no numbers corresponding to the indecipherable map they give you. So you have no idea what you are looking at...if I remember from last time correctly the one for the Forum was better but I didn't rent that part, really don't know why... maybe I thought they were asking me if I wanted the Colosseo? Plus you only get to keep it for 2 hours if you don't want to pay an extra 4 euros per hour since it was already a waste of money I made sure to return it on time. Unfortunately, I had to walk back the entire route we had already walked from the entrance! From there I found my way back to the guys (used the "exit" path) We had our homemade lunch in the shade near Domitian's Palace then made our way to the Farnese Garden part of the hill, then on down to the Forum. We ran into the same crazy lady Jim and I met while here last time that wanted to give us a tour. She walked off muttering something to the effect of "Barbarians being like buzzards descending on the city!" not sure if we were the barbarians or what! Exited by S. Severus' arch and went up to the Capitoline Hill museum, very nice! Great sculptures, huge!! parts of the colossal statues of Constantine that had been in his basilica in the Forum, saw the "Dying Gaul", the Tabularium overlooking the Forum (fantastic view), the bronze of Marcus Aurelius on a horse, etc.. we really enjoyed this museum.

Everyone very tired now, it's 5-5:30 so we start walking back and stop at the Gesu Church of the Jesuits. Was given a private tour by a Croatian young man training to be a priest. I walked back to the apartment alone as the guys had already gone on ahead of me. I stopped at a purse store, nothing interesting there for me so went on to the apt. Jim made some yummy pasta, the boys and I went to Giolittis, they had gelato and then we sat in the Piazza della Rotonda and watched the clown mime, Very enjoyable way to end the day!!

Will try to add some pictures in a day or two.

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