Rome Day 2

On the second day in Rome, we were wandering around when we saw a gathering going on in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri (Saint Mary of the Angles and the Martyrs), which was only about two blocks from our hotel. Although we have no idea what the purpose was, it was fun to watch the people and the band. We also ventured inside the Basilica, which of course, was beautiful.

Later in that day, we headed towards the Colosseum since we had signed up for an afternoon walking tour. Our first view of the Colosseum was as we turned the street corner and it loomed in front of us. We were to wait by the arch (which, like the many arches in Rome, was built to celebrate winning a battle) near the Colosseum for our tour guide. We went there a half hour early so that we could eat our picnic lunch (bread and cheese—same thing every day since we could pick it up at our breakfast buffets). But, it turned out that there was a communication problem between the hotel and the tour company, so our tour guide never showed up at the arch. Once we had passed the tour time, we called the tour company. (This was the first time we were really glad we had decided, before we left, to get an iPhone and turn on International service so we would have a phone in case we needed it.) We called just in time since the tour was about to start, and they wondered where we were. A few minutes later, we were with the tour group.

Originally, wooden seats covered the stone sides of the Colosseum. Also, the stage that has been built for events that take place in the Colosseum was actually part of an entire floor that covered the "dungeons" where the wild animals, prisoners, and gladiators were kept as they waited to be part of the games. Our tour guide insisted that, although it is commonly said that Christians were killed in the Colosseum as part of the games, this atrocity never happened.

After we left the Colosseum, our tour proceeded through another arch to the Roman Forum. On the way, we took the picture of the twin iron chariots on top of a building across the way. The Forum was a center of business in ancient Rome and is now a collection of pillars and foundations. The wall showing right behind the tour guides' head was covered with dirt up to where it lightens (about at the top of her head). Modern-day Romans excavated the area and revealed the whole wall as well as all the other pieces of the forum. The sculpture of a She-Wolf depicts the legend of Romulus and Remus –two brothers who were raised by a she-wolf and then founded Rome. Our tour ended at the top of a hill behind the Forum where a current government building (peach-colored building with the two sets of steps meeting at the door) and two large museums were situated. Although we understand that these two museums are especially good ones, it was already late in the afternoon, and these museums were not on our list to see. So, we walked back to our hotel.