Tie Me Down to this blog.: Be patient ... Rome wasn't burnt in a day.

When I plan trips, I tend to do a fair amount of research about what I'll see so I can better enjoy the sites. In regards to Rome and today's visit of the Colosseum, that meant watching Gladiator at least twice. The line to the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater) is supposedly one of the longest in Rome, however a great hit from the pocket guidebook that a family member gave me for Christmas was to get a 'Roma Pass' at the tabacchi booth at the metro station that allowed me to fly through the ticket queue. I got the one that included a full day of metro and bus use even though today's sites were all reached by walking, though I kept it until I got back to Rome a week later to check out some of the sites on the outskirts.

The Flavian Amphitheater is a grand structure, however it has seen some better times. It is still indeed quite impressive and took quite a while to circle the place on multiple levels. Though I didn't make it to Greece, from what I understand the ruins in Rome are similar, except that some of them are still standing. I took some time to wander various displays, however the most part was spent overlooking the interior and imagining the spectacles witnessed here. Some estimates indicate that over 500,000 people and over 1,000,000 animals were killed here for sport and show. I probably stood at various places just completely the structure in my mind's eye for quite a while and learned a bit more by listening in on various tours as they went by.

While it did feel authentic inside, even with the decay, just outside the gates it was very different. There were a lot of 'gladiator copy' actors standing around calling people over for pictures, for which they would charge handsomely. They were not at all the epitome of the idea of a gladiator with most simply wearing plastic armor and helmets and seemed to be reluctant to get off the cell phone and put out the cigarette whenever they had to pose and were very pushy, but some people seemed to enjoy the attempt at a posed photo, so I'm glad they were able to get that kind of memento. I wandered around for a little bit and hit a couple

of geocaches (including one at the site of the earliest known cartoon in history) before having a quick lunch with a glass of wine that was nearly in the shadow of the grand structure.

After finishing, I headed over the the Roman Forum. While I loved the architecture of Rome and all the various churches and sites, this place held the most allure historically for me.

It was pretty much the central point of the empire and was of great importance to everyday life with its proximity to the Senate, Emperor's residence, Circus Maximus, and Flavian Amphitheater. With the help of the guide book and especially the audio guide, I really enjoyed walking through and imagining how life would have been over 2000 years ago. Even with just portions of a structure remaining and often mere stones scattered around, I was wholly impressed by the grandeur of this place, essentially the economic, judicial, and executive hub of the empire. I was especially taken aback by the remains of the Basilica of Constantine. Only a part of an alcove still remains, and even that was immense. I've never really studies engineering, but even with my rudimentary modern knowledge I can barely fathom how these structures were built. I suppose that access to tens of thousands of slaves from conquered lands can be an aid to creating anything. The site of Caesar's funeral pyre (though he was killed elsewhere in Rome) had fresh flowers and a somber atmosphere.

After finishing the forum I headed up Capitol Hill to take in the views and walk through one of the Italian history museums. After that I headed to the Circus Maximus that, though once the most grand of race tracks, is barely recognizable even by topography. The track is well worn from daily use by joggers and football players, but nothing of the structure really remains. I headed over to Palentine Hill to few the ruins of the emperor's residence and wandered the gardens for a while. I especially liked the overview of the Roman Forum and could readily imagine how it would have looked if the structures were still there today (though probably made easier with the use of CGI in movies such as Gladiator).

After another hour or so hear I just wandered the city a bit without any particular destination. I found my way at the Tiber River and crossed over it next to the last remaining arch of the Pons Aemilius, the first stone bridge in Rome. I wandered over to the Tiber Island down to the water level to enjoy the passing water. As I walked beneath one of the bridges I thought to check my GPS and was glad to see a geocache less than a hundred feet away, which I found and snagged a couple of travel bugs as well. I walked through the Jewish Grotto for a bit as it got dark. I finally made my way back to the Colosseum to enjoy another gelato and take some night shots which seemed to have come out decently well. It was nice to sit on the nearby pedestrian bridge and simply think for a while and enjoy the cool ambiance of an historical existence among modern life.