Entry 1
This morning/afternoon is going to be tough to beat. We started out by taking the train to the Colosseum. The Colosseum is the first thing that seemed proportional. What I mean by that is that its size and slight separation from the surrounding area make it seem like a separate monument. The inside was incredible. It reminds me of Fenway Park, but on a much greater scale. We had a tour guide who did a good job of hitting all the high points of the history of the building. The tour itself was short, but fun. She focused quite a bit on the labyrinth of passageways below the arena. I can only imagine how hot and uncomfortable it must have been during the games. It was too bad we couldn't go down and see them up close. We only stayed for a little while in the Colosseum , but it was enough for me to get slightly lost. This is one of the prices of modernity. In ancient times, the Colosseum could be filled and emptied in minutes because there are so many entrances and passageways laid out in a clear way. Now, many are blocked off to keep people from sneaking in. It's a shame. From there we proceeded to the Church of S. Pietro in Vincoli by way of the street where Tullia ran over her father's body. The church/basilica was magnificent. It was surprised at how few pews were in the church and also by the imagery containing the angel of death. I was also surprised how close were able to get to the chains of St. Peter and the sculpture of Moses by Michelangelo. Now, after I've finished eating, I'm sitting in the Forum Romanum. This is just amazing. I've been strolling the same streets Cicero used to walk. I've gotten as close as I could to the place where he gave so many amazing speeches, though the comitium area is closed. I feel so immersed in history right now. I think I'll stay a little while longer.
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