Rome, Italy

Rome is huge. The history is long and complicated.  The ruins are large and complex. It is an amazing and wonderful place.

We left our ship early on the 1st and had a long taxi ride to our hotel. Luckily the rooms were ready and we could get settled before our first tour.

We walked to the Colosseum to meet our guide. The streets were absolutely packed with people, motor bikes and cars. The colosseum was extremely crowded. We were overwhelmed by the size of this place. We were regaled with stories of the gladiators, executions and other bloody sports that occurred in this place. It is the largest amphitheater ever built.  It was built in 8 years from 62 to 70 AD. It held 65,000 spectators.

From the Colosseum we went to the Palatine hill. This area is considered the center of Ancient Rome and was the place where emperors and highly ranked citizens lived.

Most of Rome is a “lasagna” of layers with temples replacing ancient houses then palaces built on temples.

The Forum sits just below the Palatine hill. It was the center of religious, political and economic center of Rome. It was first developed in a marshy area that was paved in 600 BC. It became a square where roads converged, a market place developed and slowly emerged to be the nerve center of Rome.

Our first day in Rome was overwhelming. It took us a while to get our bearings and adjust to the many visitors here. It was All Saints Day and a jubilee year and people were out to celebrate. We are looking forward to our next days here to see and learn more.Læs mere