September 3, 2019

After we had made it to all 50 states we had set our sights on something much more grand – the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Our first Wonder of the World that we made it to together was Chichen Itza in Mexico for my 30th birthday. Earlier this year for our 5th wedding anniversary we went to Thailand – and on the way home we made a quick pit stop in China to see the Great Wall.

That brings us to current day – yesterday we got to see the Roman Colosseum. The Colosseum was built in 72 AD – it only took 10 years to construct. WOW! Once you see it – it takes a lot of imagination to really wrap your arms around how many people that took to build it. Most of the people who built it were Jewish slaves.

We got there shortly after opening – and again, if you are following this blog and thinking about planning a trip to Rome I would highly recommend getting reservations or getting there early. On our walk to the Colosseum we walked past the Roman Forum – and until we visited it – we really didn’t understand how large the area was. (But I’ll save that for later).

The Colosseum is so large – it is said that it could hold up to 50,000 visitors and that they could all exit within 10-15 minutes. Most of the seats are gone – they did recreate one small area to help visitors help imagine what it looked like in its prime. Additionally, we used the Rick Steves audio tour again – and learned a lot about the history. One of the things that stood out to us was that they used to actually have workers spray perfume to mask the smell of blood and death for spectators.

They got unique with the games that were played there – they would transform the floor of the Colosseum to fit the theme of the event. They could even flood it! They brought in exotic animals that they had brought in from all over the world – lions, tigers, bears, hippos, etc. The crowd was relentless and wanted to see the gladiators die. It was free for all – but depending on your class you were ale to sit in different seats and parts of the Colosseum.

We were there for roughly 2 hours and then we departed for the Roman Forum. Now this, this was exceptional as well. There were so many different buildings that had been there for so many centuries. It was unbelievable. There were parts that had been restored or recreated – and others that were still the originals. We probably spent about an hour and a half here – but I think we could have spent more time there if it hadn’t been so hot and the terrain so hard to navigate.

At the top of Palatine Hill – we were given another fantastic treat when we got to see all of the Roman Forum from above. Rick Steves had another walking tour of this one too – and it was great to learn about the different buildings and structures in the area. We learned about the Vestal Virgins – and had to use our imagination trying to envision their home – and where they tended to the eternal flame of the city.

Courtyard of the Vestal Virgins

We also saw the Temple of Romulus – the door was an original (built in the 4th century) – and it still works! (Not that we were allowed to touch – I’m just referring to the sign that I read).

Temple of Romulus

At this point we were dripping in sweat and had worked up an appetite. We decided to walk a bit away from the Colosseum/Forum to try to get out of the deeply touristy area. We found a place where we could get a quick bite and something more refreshing to drink.

Jon had found a place for us to get gelato – Giolitti. It was so good! I had learned my lesson from the day before and had decided that I would indeed stick to the more fruity flavors. I got raspberry and watermelon. Delicious!

On the way back to our hotel – we stopped to visit the Pantheon. This is a 2,000 year old temple that now functions as a church. The original temple had burnt down – and when it was rebuilt it was destroyed again after a lightning strike. The temple that stands today was built between 118-125 AD.

The dome in this building was amazing. It has an oculus which is the only source of light. It was stunning. Thankfully – the rain that was forecasted stayed away – because if it had rained it would have fallen into the building. The dome is very symmetrical it is as wide as it is tall. It makes for a wonderful visual impact.

We decided we were all pretty tired – so we went back to the hotel for a quick rest. After we rested we went back to our hotel’s rooftop bar. We discussed what we had wanted to do for dinner – we decided we wanted to stay local. The bakery across the road did not have great seating options – so we asked the gentleman at the front desk for recommendations. He told us about Emma. They didn’t open until 7 – and another couple had shared with us that they went last night and didn’t have reservations. They got turned away. We walked over there and realized that next door they had a wine shop.

The lovely gentleman there recommended a bottle for us – we were able to sit in this tiny wine shop and have a glass of wine. He brought out a plate of cheese and balsamic oil. It was so delicious. We told him our woes about not having reservations – and he walked over to the restaurant and arranged for us to get a table right when it opened. Italians don’t like to eat that earlier – but of course we were hungry. He got us right in – which we were really grateful for. The food was fantastic – we finally had our first couple of pizzas.

We went back to the room to pack up – we are taking the high speed train on Wednesday up to Florence for the next leg of the trip.

Up next: Florence