"As Long As The Colosseum Stands, Rome Will Stand"

"Even when they have been felled, let along when they are still standing and fighting, they never disgrace themselves.  And suppose a gladiator has been brought to the ground, when do you ever see one twist his neck away after he has been ordered to extend it for the death-blow?"  Cicero

The apartment came with a concierge, Claudia, who proved to be invaluable.  She got us tickets for key places, and set up a couple of tours with Cecilia, who turned out to be in the top tier of guides we’ve ever had.  (More on those tours to come).  

A note to those inspired by this blog to head to Rome – you need to buy your tickets in advance for a specific entry time.  (Add sentence ON HOW FAR IN ADVANCE TO BUY).  There is a more costly way to get in by showing up and paying higher prices to join a tour, but why bother – if you are going to Rome, it shouldn’t be hard to figure out when to go.

Claudia secured us 9am tickets for the Colosseum, and then 10am tickets to what is confusingly called “Arena entry,” which actually gives entry to the sights next door to the Colosseum, both the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

The Colosseum took us 20 minutes or so to walk to.  The line for entry was non-existent, so we went right in.  There isn’t much to see on the first level after entry, so the key is to head upstairs, either getting your stair workout in by climbing, or taking an elevator.  We took the stairs.  (I couldn’t have done it without the knee replacement surgery in May, so thank you Dr. Azer, even though you won’t be reading this blog.)

Then you work your through an exhibit of ancient artifacts from the many excavations at the Colosseum, all with good English write-ups next to the Italian descriptions.  

Eventually we made it to the main event – we went out to the terrace which is immediately crowded with people getting their first (spectacular) views from the highest level people are allowed.  As you work your way clockwise around, the immediate crush to get the Instagram photo thins way out, and there are easier access to excellent views the rest of the way.

This is my third time to the Colosseum (and to Rome. . .more later).  But I think I got the most out of this visit.  In 1984 I was 22 years old and I was training/hitchhiking around Europe for my first trip ever overseas – I had been to Canada on my motorcycle a couple times, but that’s not exactly overseas.  Anyhow, I was too blown away to fully comprehend it all.

The second time was 2007 with the family, and since the girls were ages 14, 12, and 10, I was more focused making sure they were having a great time.  Plus, well, read this blog post to see how I managed to get our worst tour guide ever.

It’s a remarkable structure, built to hold 50,000 spectators.  Built at peak Pax Romana in AD 80, it is the most representative structure of the great era of Rome.  That’s taking nothing away from the stunning Pantheon, but to Colosseum sums up emperors, gladiators, chariots, thumbs-up/thumbs-down.

(Editor: I haven’t been in many of your posts this trip, but I will say “peak Pax” is pretty powerful alliteration.  Writer: Thank you, and sorry you’ve not been a major factor, we were so busy on this trip I scarce can do it justice, much less focus on my strange humor.)

It’s amazing to remember that one of the primary purposes of the Colosseum was to making death a spectator sport.  The Colosseum was made when the Romans put two semicircular theaters together to creat a four story high, six acre mega-stadium.

The three lower stories are a series of open arches with half columns.  The arches are stacked one atop the other, and columns line up as well, making for a visually arresting sight. The exterior is Travertine marble that took 200 ox drawn wagons going back and forth every day for four years just to bring the stone from Tivoli to the job site.

Only one third of the original Colosseum remains, as earthquakes destroyed a small portion, but otherwise the precut stone was taken during the Middle Ages and Renaissance eras for other buildings.

There were an estimated 250 amphitheaters in the Roman Empire, but this is the biggest and best of them all.  Carol and I have seen other Roman amphitheater (such as in Verona this spring), but nothing else comes close to the massive size of the Colosseum.

By the way, the hallways leading to the seats were called “vomitoriums.”  At the end of the day’s spectacle, the Colosseum would “vomit” out the people, giving us the English word which is a synonym for “college party.”  It’s estimated that a full house could exit in just 15 minutes, which is as long as it takes to travel ten feet in your car when leaving a football game at Giants Stadium or whatever FedEx Field is called now.

Anyhow, after we traveled around the second story, gawking at the views, taking selfies and non-selfies, we came to the view of the Arch of Constantine, which is currently. . .wait for it. . .under scaffolding!  (Yea!)

We then spent a short, desultory time in the gift shop before trying to leave.  First, we headed to where we came up, which meant we had to thread our way through people going through the exhibits before heading out into the arena.  Then, after we got down, the route to actually exit is the most circuitous route possible.  We made right turns, left turns, and nearly ended up on the floor of the Colosseum (btw, you can tour the floor, where they show you trap doors and where they kept the lions before unleashing them on gladiators.

At one point the exit signs point through another viewpoint crowded with people.  Then, where it’s chained off, you have to ask a guard to let you out.  But even that didn’t mean we were out.  It’s probably the weirdest, least logical exit of a major site I’ve ever seen.

(Editor: Wow, you’re really fixated on the whole exit strategy, aren’t you.  Writer: It was kind of funny.  Basically the Hotel California on steroids.) 

Photos From Our Colosseum Visit

First the selfies:

This is us in the Colosseum.

This is us in the Colosseum.

(Non-selfie division)

This is us in the Colosseum.

This is us in the Colosseum.

By now, you know the caption.

And because it's The Colosseum here's some more photos, but this is the non-selfie division:

This ancient sculpture of a wild boar is, um, wild.

My Gryphon is Gone.

The underbelly of the Colosseum,

where trapdoors released lions 

and tigers and bears oh my.

The regal Seagull of the Colosseum.

(You know what they are called on

the Chesapeake?  Bagels!)

The Arch of Constantine.  It's covered

in scaffolding, he notes archly.

Talk About "Wake Up The Echoes!"

Going to the Colosseum reminds me of one of my most enduring memories of my month-long travels through Europe in May-June 1984.  I literally had a budget of $20 a day, and that was for lodging, food, and anything I wanted admission to – everything was cheap then, but still. . .I had to make choices.

Anyhow, I happened to be in Rome the same time as the Liverpool-Roma 1983-84 European Cup final was happening. . .in Rome.  I remember seeing the Liverpool and Roma fans drunkenly serenading each other with bawdy soccer songs.  

Somebody at the hostel I was staying at mentioned that the game would be broadcast on massive TVs for free at Circus Maximus (the ancient chariot track).  So I went down there on my own to join the crowds.

It was shown on this massive series of large screen TVs that somehow was engineered to show one huge picture – think of blocks each showing a small part of the game, but somehow they were able to display the whole picture as one across the entire sets of blocks (TVs).  I didn’t know that could be done in 1984, but they must have the best AV person in all of Italy handling it.

A bank was sponsoring it and they gave out little paper brochures taking credit for it.  As darkness fell (it was May 30th, which meant it stayed light for a long time), people started lighting their rolled up brochures so it looked like they were carrying torches.  As the paper quickly burned down, people dropped their burning brochures on the grass as to not burn their hands.

As there is no event in history known as the “Great Moron Soccer Fan Fire of 1984" with a death toll in the hundreds, somehow the grass (and people) didn’t catch fire.

Liverpool won 1-1 (4-2) on penalty kicks (I know deciding a championship by penalty kicks sounds kind of boring, and it is).  The place fell deathly quietly.  And remained quiet as we all walked through the eerie light past the Colosseum.  It’s one of the most memorable and goose-bump inducing walks I’ve ever taken.  At the time, I thought, “talk about wake up the echoes!”

The next day, as I was walking around Rome, people would yell at me from their cars or as they walked by.  I would point and shout “Americano” – and they would yell an apology or wave as if to say “sorry.”  I’m sure it didn’t stop them from yelling at the next non-Italian white person they saw, but I found it all quite amusing.

Keep in mind, this is at time when countless American students traveling in Europe would sew Canadian flags on their backpacks so as not to get chewed out for whatever American thing Europeans didn’t like (it was a long list).  

It turns out I picked a pretty good day to be an American in Rome in 1984.

A Brief Note On Our Apartment

I had found a three BR/3.5 BA apartment in Campitelli, which is part of the former Jewish ghetto.  It’s not far from the Monument to Victor Emmanuel II, Largo Argentina (where Julius Caesar was murdered by the members of the Roman Senate – “Et Tu, Brutus”), and Capitoline Hill.

The bedrooms were nice, and it was great having Maria, Van, our daughter Julia, and of course Carol and I all in one unit, rather than across three hotel rooms.  Up on the building’s third floor (remember, it’s Europe, so it’s actually the fourth floor) the place had a wonderful, large outdoor patio as well as another smaller patio up a flight of metal stairs.

The main patio has a grill which, sadly, went unused, a large outdoor table, and a spacious comfortable conversation area with padded chairs.  It was surrounded by herbs, lemon trees, and other greenery.  From that patio, we could see the historic synagogue in one direction, and a church dome 90 degrees in the other direction.  It was great sitting out there in the late afternoon before dinner, especially when the church bells rang.

The upper patio had both of those views, as well as a view of the dramatic top statues on the Victor Emmanuel II monument.  The upper patio had a small hot tub, which Carol and I availed ourselves one night.  (The jets felt great after another 20,000 step day, but the water went from hot to cool very quickly, so we only used it once.)

The shared open plan space inside was also large, and was comfortable for sitting in when it got too cold to be outside (which happened most nights).  A full kitchen, sitting area, dining table, and a small desk all fit with lots of leftover space.  All in all, it felt like our home away from home for a fantastic week in Rome.

Our view of the Synagogue.  It's not historic

(built in 1904) but it is beautiful.

The dome of our next door

neighbor, the Church of Santa

Maria in Portico in Campitelli

The top of the Victor

Emmanuel II monument,

visible from our rooftop

deck. 

The seagulls not only posed for photos,

but they also made the loudest cries.

They are the roosters of Rome!

(Side note I found interesting in the Rick Steves book on Rome: The word “ghetto” comes from the Italian word “geto,” which means “foundry.”  It was first used in Venice to describe the part of the city where Jews lived near the copper foundry.  Initially the term meant only Jewish neighborhoods (think of the Warsaw ghetto uprising of 1943), but it later came tomean any neighborhood where a single ethnic group is segregated.  

I’m old enough to remember when “ghetto” was used to describe poor black neighborhoods in American cities, including that Elvis Presley song.  For better, “ghetto” has fallen out of favor and is, as far as I know, not used any more except in historical contexts such as Rome’s Jewish ghetto.)

Simply The Best Pasta I've Ever Had (I Kid You Not!)

I’m not one for writing about our meals when we travel, unless there is something exceptional about them.  Well, for two reasons, there was something exceptional about each dinner we had in Rome. 

(Btw, if you are traveling to Barcelona, I did write posts on all the great, and okay, restaurants we ate at there and would be happy to send you the blog posts.)

The first is that its hard not to find fantastic food in Rome (well, Italy, for that matter).  The second is between Maria and I, we worked hard in advance to put together a strong list of reservations for our time there.

Maria’s second cousin is a well-known sneaker designer and he has lots of business in Italy.  (I’m guessing you are not shocked by the fact that because of my lack of fashion awareness I’ve never heard of him.)  So he supplied a list of restaurants.  In addition, I did my own research and got advice from friends on where to eat.  We didn’t really worry about lunch, figuring we would find a place nearby.  But we did have dinner reservations every night but one.

In addition to word of mouth from friends, I also checked into Michelin restaurants.  My secret is to look NOT at Michelin Star restaurants, but instead either Michelin Bib Gourmand or Michelin Recommended restaurants.  Those two categories are nowhere near as expensive as Michelin Star.  Instead they are the price of a regular meal at a nice restaurant, but the food is always top notch.

Our first meal with Julia in town was lunch.  Billed by one source as the best pizza in Rome, we went to Forno Campo di Fiori, which, as you can probably tell by the name, is in Campo di Fiori.  The pizza was nothing exceptional. If it’s the best pizza in Rome, don’t get pizza in Rome. 

Later, in Piazza Navona, we stopped for a snack at Tre Scalini, which is famous for their tartufo. Maria is a conessiour (SPELLING) of gelato, but she never had tartufo before.  She approved of it.

That night, we had dinner at one of my Michelin Recommended finds, Luciano Cucina Italiana, just an eleven minute walk from our wonderful apartment.  I chose one of the five pasta dishes (it's NOT a big menu).  I expected it to be very good, but it turned out to be the best pasta I’ve EVER had.  That’s not an exaggeration.

From the menu:

Tagliolini del Nostro Pastificio Aglio, Olio, Peperoncino e Vongole ................. 22 Homemade Fresh Egg Pasta “Tagliolini” | Garlic, Oil & Chili | Clams

Yup -- that's a world class entree for just 22 Euro.

When I started eating it, I wasn’t sure I believed my opinion.  I didn’t want to share that opinion with the other four, but as I dined, I had to tell the others.  Wow.  The flavor is incredible.  The others enjoyed what they ate, but none deemed it the best they’ve ever had. 

I usually don't take pictures

of food, but I had to take

a photo of the best pasta I've

ever had.

(Note: I don't include a lot of links, just because that's a few extra steps.  I do NOT get paid a fee for everyone who clicks on it.  I'm bad at capitalism, because I do this blog and make no money on it -- just the satisfaction of documenting our trips and doing the occasional clever writing. 

"It's Just A Flight Of Old Steps. Way Over-hyped" (Not!)

The headline is from a TripAdvisor one star review of the Spanish Steps.  I had zero inspiration for a headline, so I googled "quotes about the Spanish Steps" and found that one.  (Remember, not everything is for everybody, but yikes!)

Now, back to our regularly scheduled blog post:

Our final two stops on the Rick Steves’ “Heart of Rome Walk” were the Column of the Immaculate Conception and the far more iconic Spanish Steps.

The first (quick) stop is in a long piazza just next to the Piazza di Spagna, which is at the very bottom of the Spanish Steps.  In the preceding long piazza, the Spanish embassy towers over the piazza, with not much of a view of the Spanish Steps, so named because of their proximity to the embassy.

The door to the Spanish

embassy.  Yes, it's

absolutely huge.

At the base of the Immaculate

Conception.  I couldn't find

Franco Harris though.

Mary at the top of the column.

The column has Mary with a ring of stars for a halo, and she stands on a crescent moon atop the earth, which is crushing a satanic serpent.

Then, it’s just a short walk to the Piazza di Spagna and the 138 steps that make up the Spanish Steps. Partway up, the stairs split around a terrace, creating a butterfly shape, as stair climbers can go up either to the left or right.  At the top, the steps meet at the obelisk, neatly framed in the middle by the two Baroque church towers.

The church proves to be underwhelming inside, so it is much more famous for its placement at  the top, split down the middle by the obelisk, than by the interior.

Rick Steves’s guidebook claims that police will fine people sitting on the steps a steep 250 Euros as a way to cut down on the crowds.  We saw plenty of people sitting down on the stairs.  Perhaps the fine proved to be impractical, or perhaps the law is only enforced from May 1 to the end of October, or some such time period.

At the bottom of the steps is the famed “Sinking Boat Fountain,” designed by the famed sculptor Bernini’s father.  It’s built low deliberately, as the water pressure is low, so the water can’t shoot very high in the air.

Halfway up.  Looking down.

Also halfway up.  Looking up.

There is definitely a buzz surrounding the Spanish Steps, nearly as packed as the Trevi Fountain.

The Sallustian Obelisk (bet

you didn't know the name either)

was first mentioned in the 4th

century, and was moved to it

present location in 1789.  It's

from Egypt originally, but not

from the times of the Pharoahs.

The hieroglyphs were not

engraved until AFTER the

obelisk reached Rome.

The famed and popular Sinking Boat

Fountain.  You know what the next

sentence is: A fountain in Rome that

still has water!

Two domes from the top of the

Spanish steps.  The further

dome is St. Peter's, which

means you can Holy See

a whole other country from

the top.

The one worthwhile thing to photograph

in the Trinita dei Monti church at the top

of the steps.

And a close-up of the one worthwhile

sculpture worth photographing.

Maria & Van with hundreds of

friends at the fountain.

Even Under Repair, Trevi Fountain Is Undefeated

With the big Catholic church Jubilee year starting December 24th, huge swaths of Rome are behind scaffolding and under renovation.  I've lost track of the number of churches that are closed.  

Even worse?  As previously mentioned, many of the fountains are behind plywood while being gussied up.

(Editor: "Gussied up?"  What is this, 1880s Arizona?  Writer: I write what comes to mind when it comes to mind.)

Trevi Fountain is not only being cleaned, but the authorities are trying to figure out better ways to manage the crowds, many of whom come seeking Insta-fame.

We were concerned that visiting Trevi Fountain would be a total dud, but we came away with a completely different opinion.

Yes, it's dry.  Yes, you have to wait in line to be allowed on the ramp that they've built to have the crowds walk past the fountain.  The ramp is elevated.  There's no pushing/shoving to strive to get up front.  As it turns out, this system is fantastic.

Even though it seemed long, we didn't have to wait very long in line, as they keep it moving.  At yet, when we got right on top of the fountain, we didn't feel rushed.  We had plenty of time for selfies (which is ALWAYS important!)

I hope they keep this system.  You get a LOT closer now than before, with an elevated perspective on the fountain.  Not having the water wasn't even that much of a bummer, as we could see more than we could if there was water in the fountain.  

We had seen some negative reactions to it on Twitter, but all five of us found it to be wonderful.

One of the six people in this photo

were not with us.  I will let you

guess which person photobombed.

And now for some pictures without people.

In the next photo, this angel is on 

the left at the very top of the photo.

The ramp isn't obtrusive

when you are on it.

The insignia of the Popes

since the 14th Century.

The center figure is simply

named "Ocean."

A Triton blows his conch.

A rare sight in Rome

-- a worker working!

Taking A Proper Gander At Propaganda

Just down the road from the Parliament Building and Obelisk is Piazza Colonna and Via del Corso, which features a massive column dedicated to Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his victory over barbarians around AD 170.

Except the Romans didn't really win this.  The barbarians were winning, kicking off Rome's three century fall from glory.

Interestingly, in the great movie "Gladiator," Marcus Aurelius is played by Richard Harris.  He's the emperor whose murder begins General Maximus's downward spiral (I won't spoil the rest of the movie, because apparently there are at least five people in this country who haven't actually haven't seen this Oscar winner for Best Picture).

The column is nearly 100 feet tall, is twelve feet across, and is made with Carrara marble (which is even better than rich Corinthian leather -- IYKYK).  It's not a single piece of marble, but 28 blocks stacked on top of one another.  A carved frieze runs bottom to top, showing heroic scenes from the "win" -- a "win" just like Vietnam was a "win" for the U.S.

The statue of Aurelius has been replaced by Paul, who lit the fire that brought Christianity to Rome.  

The piazza includes the headquarters for the prime minister's cabinet, and the headquarters for the Il Tempo newspaper.

This is a longer post than I expected to write for this little stop, so let's end the post with a couple of photos and get on it.

The column celebrating

a victory that wasn't.

Regardless, the carvings that nearly

1900 years old are pretty amazing.

And we'll end this post with one of

the few working fountains in Rome.