Colosseo - Blogabond

The Eternal City

We got into Rome around midnight and decided to spend the night in the city rather then pay for a night in the hostel. We caught a bus from the airport to the city centre, as it was so late most of the public transportation had shut down so we opted for wandering through the city for a couple km to the nearest train stop that would take us to our hostel in the morning. During our wandering we happened to come upon this rather picturesque spot that turned out to be the spanish steps.

Us at the Spanish steps

Trinita del Monti, Spanish Steps

As we had walked about a mile at this point and it was hot as hell and humid to boot we decided to chill on the steps for awhile before continuing our hike. While we were there a guy wandered by selling ice cold beers....score!

“day one”

The Camping hostel... well I'll hit the bad first. No A/C, our room was a plastic building duplex, if we moved it moved and the wall was paper er plastic thin. It was very expensive there for just about everything. We arrived really early, things had gone fairly decent, we were just really tired and hot. So the no A/C bit was a huge negative, so a cool shower to rinse us off and cool us down and we crashed out for as long as we could til the day got too warm to sleep. Thus we went off for food at the local cafe and found everything very over priced. Can of sprite: 3 Euro or around $4.50 for a CAN. You get the idea. Anyways the mosquitos were quit bad and they were totally eating Amanda. They were even in our room so not much reprieve and the citronella candle we bought didn't really have any citronella in it and well wasn't much use. Ok lets go more positive. The room was private enough, warm shower, decent beds, most of the lights worked and the pool was really nice there. We ate dinner there (ouchie the price) and got some sleep because the next morning we were getting up early and checking the hell outta of there!!! Booyah on the road again.

Well the trip back into Rome city proper was sooo much smoother on the return trip. Got easily back to town and to our next hostel, checked in and our gear unloaded and it wasn't even 11 AM yet. We got our bearings and walked to the Colosseum. Saw a lot of very interesting ruins along the way. Like the Domus Aurea.

Domus Aurea

Ruins

Colosseo

Finally arriving at the famous gladiator battle grounds it was worth the trip. The history is so amazing here. The games lasted around 100 – 117 days during which time 5000 animals and I believe it was 9000 gladiators fought and died there during each of these games. That's a ton of combat and to think how many years that went on. Lots of blood has spilled here and so much history. It's really a shame that it's in the condition its in due to plundering over its lifespan. However it's good to know most of it's precious materials were moved right down the road to help build stuff at the Vatican. Insert angry face here... James dislikes the Vatican but we'll get back to that later. We didn't go inside the Colosseum, it was really busy and we just felt like wandering the streets. Walked by this area Arco di Tito

Arco Di Tito

These are the older city ruins. Amazing how much they built, just mind boggling to me. They're still currently excavating this area as well.

We continued our journey up to the Monumento a Vittorio Emanule II and then over to Campidoglio. I'll be honest, I'm not sure what these places really are but the first one is HUGE with all white stone and then there blue angels on chariots on various points of the building. The latter was like a palace courtyard, I think it was all museums now. We just walked through looking really. Then we decided to head over to the Trevi Fountain.

Trevi Fountain

Fontana di Trevi

Incredible artwork with the stone. People were there tossing coins over the shoulders into the fountain by the hundreds. They even have police that sit there all day just watching the fountain and keeping people from getting in it. Lotsa coins in there.

BTW Gelato = the win. We've eaten a ton of it and I love the lemon by far. Doesn't help they have it at every corner either. We decided to head back to the hostel for some free dinner. Which wasn't bad by any means. Salad, pasta, cheap wine decent enough I reckon. Showered up, and then we went back out to see Trevi fountain at night.

Fontana di Trevi aka Trevi Fountain

Amanda had foreign guys throwing roses at her while at the fountain. Well, it was more like guys selling roses and they try to shove them in your hand so you then feel obligated to buy them. Didn't work on Amanda though, also didn't help they hit her booboo hand with the rose. Poor guy... It was just as busy if not busier at night there at the fountain. Even had a guy walking around selling camera stands. They walk around and sell anything here. No lie on that. Rave lights, camera stands, roses, beer, hats, towels, clothes, coconuts, jewellery, umbrellas, small children and miscellaneous other stuff. Most of them aren't Italians either. The children part was a lie far as I know. Well after enough of that we had some of the more expensive coffee in town at 5 Euro for cup, it was ok, no way worth 5 Euro. Figured we'd done enough and went back to the hostel in preparation for our next day at the Vatican. Will post that later... I wore a kilt ^_^

Our first real day in Rome

Rome, Italy

Heading South?