Colosseo & The Forum

When people think of Rome, there is one thing that often pops into their minds: the Colosseum (Colosseo). Today Rania and I visited what is considered one the the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering.

We started the day with a free breakfast from our hostel and then made our way into the city centre. The weather wasn't very pleasant at all (it was ten second soaked type of weather) so we quickly stopped to get a couple of umbrellas and did our best to continue on with our day. From Termini Station we walked through the back streets of Rome until we hit the centre of Ancient Rome marked by the ruins that appear everywhere. The first thing we noticed was the Momument to Vittorio Emanuele II (aka. The Wedding Cake) and passed by the balcony where Mussolini used to give his speeches from. I'd like to say that I did my research but really we just overheard this fact passing by a tour guide. We got onto Via Imperiali and walked all the way down until we hit the Colosseum. Having no real knowledge about what we were about to see, we decided to join a tour that included an hour at the Colosseum and an hour at the Roman Forum. The Colosseum was vast and striking, and our guide showered us with information about the elliptical amphitheater. 

After the Colosseum we went to the Roman Forum and got lost in the rich history of the oldest part of Ancient Rome. It was for centuries the center of Roman public life: the site of triumphal processions and elections, venue for public speeches, criminal trials, and gladiatorial matches, and nucleus of commercial affairs. Here statues and monuments commemorated the city's great men. Although much of the area has been restored over the centuries, there original "main pathway" still has its original stones.  

Tonight Rania and I are going for dinner at the pizzeria in Trastevere that I found on my first day here. Night plans are still TBD. 

xoxo

Alexis