Roma (Rome) ~ October 17 - 20, 2022

 Roma (Rome): October 17 - 20, 2022

Monday~ From Firenze to Roma

Jeff insisted on setting our alarm for 7:30 a.m. to begin our journey from Firenze to Roma.  Our train was to leave at 10:38 a.m. and arrive in Roma Termini at 12:10 p.m.  We dragged our suitcases up the street to the tram stop and boarded our tram for one last time.  We got to the station quite early, so we located a place to sit and have a coffee (me) and an apple-filled croissant (Jeff). Eventually, our train was called, and we made our way to the right track, boarded effortlessly, and were off for Rome.

I didn't do any blogging this time as I wanted to take in the countryside.  It was lush and green with many vineyards and many tunnels.  The train was high speed and traveled at 150 miles per hour.  It was very clean as well.  Most people wore masks - in fact, we've noticed a lot of mask-wearing on our travels.  We arrived on time at Rome Termini and then set about the work of getting from there to our hotel, the B&B Tuscolana San Giovani.  We found a train and purchased the ticket and then waited for the platform to be posted.  We hurried as fast as we could (while lugging our two carry-on-sized suitcases and dodging the crowds of people), and just as we finally got to the platform (which was probably half a mile away), we watched the train leave the station.  The next train was an hour later.  We waited patiently (NOT) and got on the train (using the tickets we had purchased and hoped for the best if a ticket checker came around since the tickets clearly said valid only for the date and time printed).  But ... we were only going one stop, so it wasn't a problem.  Next, we got off and lugged the luggage out of the station, down the street, and then up a very very long hill to the hotel.  Tired and sweaty -- Rome is 80 degrees - we each took a shower and had a much-needed nap.

The lobby of our hotel -- note the mural on the wall - there's one of the Colosseum behind our bed!

After a lovely nap, we walked a short distance to a wonderful neighborhood place, Sacco, for dinner.  Our waitress was absolutely charming.  I heard her speaking Spanish to a couple who came into the restaurant, and she also speaks French fluently.  Her English was spot on!  She gave us some great suggestions for things to try.

We were immediately served a basket of house-made potato chips and a glass of Prosecco - both of which were delicious (as the above-left picture attests).  For a starter, our waitress suggested rice balls stuffed with mozzarella and tomato sauce.  Oh my goodness!  They were so very, very, very delicious.  I am definitely going to try to make them!  The picture above on the right is of the rice ball that I have cut into.

For my dinner, I had the Straccetti di manzo con funghi e pomodori secchi (literal translation:  Rags of beef with mushroom and dried tomatoes).  Jeff had a hamburger with cheese, salad, and bacon.  Both of us raved about our meals.  

Jeff had the cheesecake with "red fruits," which was also delicious (I had 2 bites).  It was lemony and light, and the fruit on top was just perfect.  When I opted out of dessert, saying I'd just finish the wine as my dessert, our waitress brought two biscotti (cookies).  "For to dip in the wine," she instructed.

It was a wonderful way to end our first day in Roma!

***

Tuesday in Roma

Yesterday I forgot to mention that we had decided to go to the Colosseum, the Forum, and then the Trevi Fountain for our adventure today.  We booked tickets to the Colosseum and Forum online, which enabled us to go to a very short line for each venue and get right in.  The Forum archeological site was truly fascinating, and we spent a good 90 minutes there before heading over to the Colosseum.  Getting there was a breeze ... we walked down the hill to the main road (Tuscolana) and (after purchasing transportation tickets) boarded the #85 bus that took us right to the Colosseum.  The Forum was just a short walk away, and since we were early for our 12:50 entry time to the Colosseum, we decided that we would start there.  We set an alarm to remind ourselves to get down to the Colosseum at the right time, and then we entered the archeological park.

Roman Forum

First off, it is impossible to capture the scale of this place in pictures.  It truly is jaw-dropping - even in its ruined state.  The Roman Forum is a rectangular forum or plaza surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of Rome.  

For centuries the Forum was the center of day-to-day life in Rome. It was the site of triumphant processions and elections, a venue for public speeches, criminal trials, and gladiator matches.  It was also the center of trade.  Statues and monuments commemorated the city's great men.  Today the Forum is a sprawling ruin scattered with architectural fragments and intermittent archaeological excavations. 

Arch of Septimius Severus with an unknown dome in the background

Arch of Septimius Severus

The Arch of Septimius Severus is at the northeastern end of the Roman Forum.  It is a white marble triumphs arch dedicated in 203 A.D. to commemorate the Parthian victories of Emperor Septimius Severus and his two sons, Caracalla and Geta, in the two campaigns against the Parthians of 194-195 A>D> and 197-199 A.D.  After the death of Septimius Severus, his sons were initially joint emperors. Caracella had Geta assassinated in 212 A.D.  All of Geta's memorials were destroyed, and images or mentions of him were removed from public buildings and monuments. 

Ornamentation in the Roman Forum

There is scaffolding everywhere - a necessity for maintaining these ancient structures that date back 2500 years or more!  You can buy a ticket for 200 euros per person and get an in-depth, inside view of the archaeological aspects of the site.  In the photo above, there are people high above us who have climbed up a series of ladders to get to the top of the obelisk under restoration.  I can't imagine doing that!

The photos above show workers doing repairs to several structures.  The one on the left is of a woman worker.

Temple of Saturn

An ancient Roman temple to the god Saturn stands at the foot of the Capitoline Hill at the western end of the Roman Forum. The original dedication of the temple is traditionally dated to 497 BC!  

Temple of Castor and Pollux

The Temple of Castor and Pollux was originally built in gratitude for victory at the Battle of Lake Regillus.  They were the mythical children of Zeus and Leda.  As the myth goes, Zeus fell in love with Leda, the swan, and transformed himself into a swan to consummate his love.  Castor and Pollux always accomplished their deeds together.  Castor was a tamer of horses, and Pollux was valiant in boxing.  Both were considered beneficial and saving deities.  They were protectors of sailors in storms.  Among their many good deeds, they freed their ten-year-old sister Elena who had been kidnapped by Teseo; they participated in the expedition of the Argonauts and went hunting the Calydonian boar.  In the most popular myth, Castor (who was mortal) is killed and Pollux (who is immortal) begs his father Zeus to allow him to die to be with his brother.  Zeus allows Pollux to give up half of his immortality in favor of his brother.  Thus the two live together alternately one day in Olympus and one day in the realm of the dead.

Oh, how I do love Greek and Roman mythology!

The Temple of Vesta housed Vesta's holy fire, a symbol of Rome's safety and prosperity

The headless Vestal Virgins

The Vestal Virgins were priestesses of Vesta, goddess of the hearth.  The College of Vestals was thought to be fundamental to the security and continuance of Rome.  They were charged with keeping the sacred fire, which was never allowed to go out.  They were aristocratic girls, chosen when they were between 6 and 10 years old.  They were not permitted to marry or have children and took a 30-year vow of chastity in order to devote themselves to the study and correct observance of state rituals that were forbidden by the colleges of male priests.  They became quite wealthy and privileged as a result of their service.

Temple of Antoninus and Faustina

The temple was constructed by Emperor Antoninus Pius beginning in 141 AD.  It was initially dedicated to his deceased and deified wife, Faustina the Elder.  Because of this, Faustina was the first Roman empress with a permanent presence in the Roman Forum.  When Antoninus Pius was deified after his death in 161 AD, the temple was rededicated to both Antoninus and Faustina by his successor, Marcus Aurelius.  There is a dedicatory inscription saying "Divo Antonino et Divae Faustinae Ex S.C." (For the divine Antoninus and for the divine Faustina, by decree of the Senate.)

I'm not sure what building this statue is atop, but I loved it, so I had to capture a photo from the bus on our way to the Trevi fountain.

It was a warm and sunny day - temperatures over 80 degrees, but with a lovely breeze from time to time.  After thoroughly enjoying the Forum, we walked to the gate cafe and enjoyed bottles of water before making the trek over to the Colosseum.  We have been taking precautions against pickpockets.  Years ago, on our first trip to Italy, I purchased a money belt that attaches to Jeff's belt and can be tucked securely inside the front of his pants.  We leave all valuables locked in the hotel safe and tuck a credit card and some euros into the money belt.  I tuck a second credit card into my bra, and off we go.  Police are very visible in these areas, but that doesn't deter the scammers (who try to sell you a ticket - bogus, of course) or the pickpockets, but at least we are as careful as we can be.

Once again, pictures cannot begin to show the scope and scale of the Colosseum.  According to Wikipedia, it is the largest ancient amphitheater ever built and is still the largest standing amphitheater in the world.  Construction began in 72 AD, and it was completed in 80 AD under Titus, his successor and heir.  Modifications were made during the reign of Domitian.  These three emperors, patrons of the work, are known as the Flavian dynasty.

It is built of travertine limestone, volcanic rock, and brick-faced concrete and could hold between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators, with an average attendance of 65,000!  Today they only allow 3,000 visitors into the Colosseo at one time.  Although there were a LOT of people inside while we were there, I don't think they reached the 3,000-person cap.  The Colosseo was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as animal hunts, executions, reenactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Roman mythology.

Although we didn't see them, we did see evidence of a colony of feral cats that live in the Colosseo.  The staff takes care of them, feeding them, ensuring that they have sufficient clean water and some shelters here and then.  I spotted what appeared to be a veterinarian in the process of either taking blood or giving vaccinations or medication to one or more cats who had been captured by staff and brought to her.  We were in a crowd of people, so I couldn't stop to get a photo.  There are warning signs along the way telling folks to "leave the cats alone."

After walking all the way around the massive structure, both on the first and second levels (fortunately, there is a lift for those over 65 or with disabilities), we decided we had seen just about all we could.  We left and found bus #51 to take us to the Trevi Fountain.  If we felt crowded at the Colosseo, believe me, it was NOTHING compared to the crush of people at the Trevi Fountain.  Anyone who knows me knows that I detest crowds, and this was no exception.  We managed to get close enough to snap a few shots before I said, "Enough!"

Altare della Patria in Piazza di San Marco

The Victor Emmanuel II National Monument, also known as Vittoriano or Altare Della Patria, is a large national monument built between 1885 and 1935 to honor Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy.  It occupies a site between the Piazza Venezia and Capitoline Hill.  I did not capture a photo of the Palazzo Venezia, which is a magnificent building formerly known as the Palace of St. Mark.  The original structure was a modest medieval house intended as the residence of the cardinals appointed to the church of San Marco.  In 1469 it became a residential papal palace after having undergone a massive extension, and in 1564 Pope Pius IV gave the mansion to the Venetian embassy in Rome on the condition that it would be kept as a residence for the cardinals.  It currently houses the National Museum of the Palazzo Venezia.

Column of Marcus Aurelius

The Column of Marcus Aurelius is a Roman victory column in Piazza Colonna.  It is a Doric column featuring a spiral relief.  It was built in honor of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and modeled on Trajan's column.  The original dedicatory inscription has been destroyed, so it's not known whether it was built during the emperor's reign or after his death.  However, an inscription found in the vicinity seems to indicate that the column was completed by 193.  It stands 130 feet high in total.  The Carera marble is carved in a spiraling picture that tells the story of Marcus Aurelius' Danubian or Marcomannic wars, waged by him from 166 to his death.  It shows his army crossing the river Danube.  A victory separates the accounts of two expeditions.  I would have loved to have viewed this up close rather than on a bus drive-by.  Next trip!

Trevi Fountain

We stopped in a cafe/ristorante for a late lunch.  We both had salads - Jeff chose the Caesar Salad with chicken, and I had the Nicoise Salad with the most delicious tuna.  It also had small bits of red onion that had been pickled in red wine - very mild in flavor and very delicious (something I am going to try since I find raw onion too sharp).  Cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, cubes of tomato, and a quartered hard-boiled egg.  There was a balsamic vinegar that had been thickened to a glaze-like consistency (just the way I like my balsamic) that I poured over the salad as a dressing.  It tasted heavenly.  We had a basket of fresh bread and a couple of glasses of overpriced wine (based on what we have experienced so far), but we were in a touristy area ... and that is what you get.

From there, we found our #85 bus and headed back to the hotel for a nap.  

We exited the bus at the foot of the street our hotel is on and passed by this Pesce Fresco shop (fresh fish).  Fresh fish of all kinds are on display.  Oh, how wonderful it would be to be able to walk down the street and buy fresh fish and fresh vegetables for dinner!

After a long nap (Jeff) and a short rest (me), we decided to enjoy a bottle of wine (7 euros at the front desk), a packet of bruschetta "chips" purchased at the front desk, and the cheese that we had purchased in Florence and brought with us.  That was really all we wanted or needed for dinner, so we took it outside into the courtyard and had just a delightful evening talking about all we had done today and making a plan to visit a quieter fountain tomorrow and perhaps go to either the Parthenon or to Saint Peter's Basilica.

Our "feast" on the Courtyard!

Buona Notte da Roma!

***

Wednesday in Roma

Well ... as we were drifting off to sleep last night, Jeff's phone rang.  He jolted upright, stood up, and ... yes, you guessed it ... triggered an episode of vertigo.  We turned his phone off, and he managed to get a good night's sleep, but upon waking this morning, he is still dizzy.  And so I sit, updating this blog while he remains sleeping.  I am grateful that if he had to have an episode, it happened today rather than tomorrow morning.  And I am hopeful that he will feel well enough by tomorrow morning to fly home.

So ... I will post this and update it later if anything exciting and blog-worthy happens later on today.

***

Jeff slept the day away while I took several walks around the neighborhood and went to the bank ATM to acquire some additional euros for a taxi to the airport tomorrow morning.  I spent some time reading in the courtyard and in the lobby.  

Some of the gardens along the center of the boulevard on one of my walks about the town are pictured below.

While sitting in the lobby next to the window, I heard a rapping on the window pane.  I looked up to see an Italian young man blowing me a kiss and continuing his way down the street.  It certainly made me laugh!

By late evening, Jeff felt well enough to walk back over to Sacco, the restaurant we visited on our first night in Rome, where we had a light dinner.

There was a birthday party going on inside the restaurant.  I snapped this photo when the staff was presenting the birthday cake.

Tomorrow we wake at 6 am for the long trip back home.