Bridie's arrival in Rome occurred without a hitch. We met up at Stazione Termini and went out for dinner. Dinner was antipasti and insalada caprese (love the buffallo mozzarella) along with some garlic brushetta and quite a few glasses of italian rose wine.
The next day was a big day. We had Roma passes to activate and use (€30, valid 3 days from date of activation-free transport on all public transport, free entry to two sites and discounted entry to the rest). It paid for itself in one day and it let us skip the line at the coloseum (which was a looong line).
Being inside the colosseum is surreal. The scale of the place makes people look like ants. The interior used to be lined with marble on the floor (and in the rich seats). Parts of it still remain (including marble where the A-listers would have hung out).
Next stop with the Palentine hill and Roman Forum. This place houses the arch if Titus (which commenerates his victory in Judea and bringing back the menorah) and the temple of Romulus on the sacred road. Some columns still exist. Scattered amongst the ruins are these water fountains which provides fresh drinking water from underground springs. You get the feeling these are the same that existed back in the time of Augustus. The water is cold too so more often than not I was using these springs to drench my hair and clothes in an effort to cool down. I think a combination of yesterdays adventures in the sun and further time in the sun at the ruins meant I had a minor case of heatstroke to contend with. I have never drunk so much water in my life!
After a bit of a sit down to get our bearings and stop sweating, we visited the Capitoline museum. This is one amazing museum. They had an exhibition of documents from the vatican library including the letter from Henry VIII to the pope seeking to annul his first marriage, a letter which was the first example of Mongolian writing (which letter was intended to give the bearer safe passage through the lands), a book that weighed over 67kg (and was about 2feet high), depositions from trials during the inquisitions, a letter written in gold, a letter condemning gallileo for his sun-centric idea...the list goes on. If these gems are what are on display, imagine what else there is hiding in the bowels of the vatican.
The museum also boasts renaissance art collections-the painting are pretty impressive and many are of a biblical theme, and a collection of Roman art. Some pieces are wonderfully intact including the bronze life size Marcus Aurelius on a horse, romulus and remus suckling a she wolf. There are also parts of what must have been oversize statues of emporers, it appears that the head and hands often survive. To give an idea of scale, the hand was nearly twice my height. There were also some Greek vases and, my favourite....the bust of Commodus. I wrote about this guy in my 7th form classics bursury exam. And there he was in all his glory! With his lion skin headress and club in an attempt of emulate hercules and his feats.
My camera is now full of pictures of naked men (and a few women) granted the men are made of marble (with the odd bronze or gold covered one). You can tell which statues were subject to being made 'modest' during those serious times of religion (cant recall the dates) as many marble statues are missing an important appendage. Some paintings also had drapery painted over the naked woman, which paintings have been restored to their former nudity.
You cant help but marvel at the skill required of a sculpter to complete such beautiful works of art.
After this we went to the Pantheon. As it was taken over as a church at a very early time, the building and interior is virtually pristine (just with the slight amendment of statues of important christian figures, rather than the olympic gods). The occulus is impressive, it would be interesting to see what happens when it rains. I ended up taking a video of it as the entire inside is decorated.
Rome is full of anazing architcture and works of art and we are matbe half way through the main sights (plus still to see the vatican). It will be another long day to make our way around the rest!
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