We started off the hot morning taking our first ride on the subway, which spat us out right neat the colosseum. Walking past that, and several gladiators (whom I shot Alissa with), we made our way down to the Imperial Forum. Several of the emperors loved to show their power through architecture, and what remains was not a whole lot, but quite beautiful. Poppies littered the floors of the forum, growing between fallen columns and the pieces of the marble floor.
Next up, I revisited the familiar column of Trajan, with St. Peter now on the top. We marveled at more of the forum floors for a while, taking pictures in the sun. However, when we got to the Vittorio Manuel II, known to Italians as “the wedding cake” and other more crude names, much was to be said. One of Mussolini’s big building projects, the hill it is on had to be partially carved out to fit its massive structure. Near the top of many stairs was a tomb of an unknown soldier, with guards and changing shows, similar to that in Washington DC.
We adventured in and around the wedding cake, hugging the cold marble to cool us off before heading out to lunch. We found markets and a pizza place as long as a sandwich shop. There was a square covered in fruit stands and tourist tees, and several streets leading away with several clothes shops. A few of us wandered off after lunch to shop, and I purchased a cute small lacy top for just a few Euros. Many of the street shops here are affordable, similar to street stands in New York.
After lunch, we made out way back towards the wedding cake, meeting at the bottom of the Capitoline hill, at the Campodoglio. Wandering up the stairs, we looked at various statues in the square, and continued on to the Roman Forum.
This was where we spent the rest of our afternoon. Though our energy was waning, and a thunderstorm was slowly crawling our way, we got to listen to the first of the in-site presentations about one of the many forum structures, as well as wander around and take pictures of temple ruins. Many of us sat in the shade for a few minutes, writing in our journals about the space, and what it must have felt like when the buildings were not yet destroyed. The garden where the Vestal Virgins stayed was by far one of the most beautiful spots.
Before dinner, several of us set out to find a local supermarket. After asking around, it was fairly easy to locate and close to campus, where many of us bought snack foods and drinks. Breakfast, we learned, is not a big thing for Europeans. Though Shannon was able to locate orange juice, many of us were left puzzled on what to eat on early mornings that we could make quickly.
Stopping at the dorms to drop our snacks, we headed home to get ready for dinner. Alissa and I gathered a group of people who wanted pasta, and with Jackie, walked up the Spanish steps and around to our restaurant. I passed by my old hotel and a favorite lunch spot of ours from three years ago!
After eating some delicious pesto, many of us could not finish our rich meals, and we asked to take it home. Apparently, I learned, this is a no-no for Italy, and most of Europe. I’m not quite sure why they are ashamed of this, but they are embarrassed for us Americans (hey, I have no shame). Though I shortly discovered they put it in a metal tin I could not use in the microwave, and I had no fork – so alas my leftovers were thrown out. Though the subway shut down on us and we spent a long painful walk getting back (and getting lost), dinner was great, and I spotted some awesome looking shoe stores along the way. More places to bookmark!
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