Pagan day Tour--Colosseum and Roman Forum

Oh what at hot day it was! Especially with a little, sweaty heater strapped to your stomach. Back at the end of May we had our final tour with Joe around the ancient pagan sites, this one only to last 4 or 5 hours. No that that was insufficient!

We covered a lot of ground and the girls especially were troopers. They rode in that hot stroller and listened to big people talk for a very long time! Now since a lot of the details of the sites are a little mashed up in my head, I'll just share some of the pictures, with less talk. :) 

Mixed up building: Ancient foundation from 2 different eras, with a medieval turret and a Renaissance bell tower. (right?)

Roman homes/ neighborhood

The guide and crew in front of the Palatine hill.

Just a piece of a temple.

Scattered columns in the Roman Forum

The oldest house/houses  in ancient Rome

Not just blocks. Blocks that really, really old people lived in. 

Palace

The Colosseum

The original Roman roads.
(Not very suitable to strollers. We carried them through most of those)

Sign on the cross within the Colosseum

The maze of rooms beneath the floor.
For keeping the animals, and unfortunately some people.

I was relentless with capturing photos for Laura. :)

But I did want a few myself, too

For her travel memoirs.
Your welcome :)

Hearing about the triumphal arches...and more!

Inscription at the top of the arch. It used to have brass letters inset, but those were taken out over time.
You can tell by the holes in the letters. Where the holes don't match up, there was some editing with different letters.

Overlooking the Forum

Inside the Colosseum, busts of all the Roman emperors.

Hadrian, Roman Emperor

Julius Caesar and company

That's it. :) And more to come!...

(p.s. forgive the inaccuracy of the details. Feel free to leave comments with your corrections.)

6 Hour Tour of Rome

A big thanks to Joe Rampino who showed us the city like we've never seen it before. It was certainly a treat for Laura, but also for myself, having lived here for 9 months and done very little in the way of learning about the city.

He asked us how long of tour we felt up for. I said, "Bring it On. We can handle it."  So he led us on a 6 hour tour! It was amazing! We paid him in quiche.

I had never before seen the Basilica of St. Cecilia and now it's at the top of my list of favorite churches in Rome. On the outside it features a beautiful courtyard and a medieval bell tower.

The Basilica of St. Cecilia

Inside of the Basilica of St. Cecilia

Mosaic in the Apse of St. Cecilia

Gettin' the low down on church mosaics

Neat Fact: Square halo means he was alive during the construction.
He holds the church in his hand because he helped to make construction happen.

The cosmatti mosaic is one of my favorite designs in church architecture. But I particularly like it in twisted pillars and candle holders.

Cosmatti Tile Pillar

Next church stop was the church where St. Benedict stayed and prayed with a very unassuming exterior.

San Benedetto in Piscinula

Inside San Benedetto

I know our apartment is humongous by Roman standards, so it's basically a palace by Benedictine standards.

Room of St. Benedict, where he wrote the Rule

You probably didn't already notice this, but it's all pretty old, huh?

Door to Saint Benedict's monastic cell, on right

Laura needed lots of proof of her visiting Rome. So I insisted that she stand in front of everything that I wanted a picture of.

Tiber River

While our tour was mostly hitting some of the big Christian monuments, you can't help but pass by the ancient pagan temples on the way.

Strong peeps by Hercules' Temple

Skull of St. Valentine
*kiss kiss*

Old rich people's private church, back in the day

Very Famous Monument

Can't think of the name...

It was a riduculously hot day, but we stayed hydrated and lived to get another tour by Joe: The Pagan Day Tour. Stay tuned for more!

*I can't figure out why I didn't take more pictures of this day* It's our special present, I guess...no more for you!

Spanish Steps, Many Churches, and Shopping

Laura and I were able to hit the town in a way that I've never done before --without a stroller! So we aimed our feet toward the Spanish Steps and wandered wherever we wanted to go.

I was expecting a lot more out of the Spanish Steps. But its claim to fame is that it's the widest staircase in all of Europe. The tallest would be impressive, but as it was we were a little underwhelmed. But we climbed them anyway!

View from the top of the Spanish Steps

The church at the top was undergoing repairs. And not too impressive either. But we went in anyway!

Looking out from the church at the top of the steps

Inside, it was clear that the church needed some repairs. There was lots of chipping paint and worn down altars.

What was most impressive was that Laura carried Stella on her back all the way up the stairs and throughout the the city.

Stella has the best seat, yet again.

Blurry, but it gives you an idea of the church.

You see so many frescos (and churches in general) that the really unique ones become the only ones that you remember. I like this particularly striking fresco in that church. Even though the demon is clearly not the best.

I love violent art

Just outside of the church we found another obelisk! Yay!

We love obelisks!
...Emma tries to scare obelisks

Yes, I know what you're thinking...

"Whoa. Those are some wide stairs."

We had a snack on the stairs and called it good. All the rest of the churches we saw that day had some very nice features. We both loved the green and red swirled marble on the walls of this church: SS MA Trinita. (The Most Holy Trinity)



Genuflecting is still required of tourists...

After everything that we saw in the Vatican museums it was clear that not all the art in the city was created equally. There were clearly better artists. Maybe at the beginning of the year I only saw the work of the better artists. But on this trip in particular I happened to notice some art that was by the newbies.

Middle of the road fresco

Of course, subject matter counts for something...

More violent art.
Who wants to be saint?!...Fortunately we're not all called to martyrdom.

Just as we leave, its good to get the door, or else there no remember what the church is called.

Church number 2 also had some of the red and green marble. It must have been popular in this district of Rome. I found some nice statues here.

David with his harp(?)

And a young saint with a temper...

Anyone?

We also ran into the heart of Saint Charles. But I couldn't figure out which Charles that was.

In the church with the heart...

Massive. Lots of stripes. 

And I found my homegirl/patron saint: Helen of the True Cross!

This was an enormous altar.

Musicians. Always important.

Angel band.

Ok, I forgot to get the door of this one, but I really liked it. It was beautiful.

Then we searched out the store called "Da Da Da" in which Laura had seen a dress that she really liked. Were we surprised to see that it cost 200 some euros? Not really. It's Rome. And it was on the Corso.

Oooo! Pretty!

Desigual is a really neat store with everything in bold geometric type patterns.
We like them because they give us balloons.

Emma does not approve of this.

This particular day, with Laura carrying Stella and myself either dragging or carrying Emma through the final streets to the bus stop was quite exhausting. It was hot. We were sweaty. And it was time to go home. This was our final stopping point, just outside of bus stop. It looked impressive and a little communist.

"And that's a wrap!"

After that, of course, we all napped. Because there is no kicking-it in Rome that doesn't take it all out of you! Whew!