I know you’ve been anxiously awaiting to find out when we’d be coming back to Rome… well, tada! We met back up with Steve (who was exhausted and voiceless from Yacht Week) outside the Colosseum, where we had tickets (booked in advance, duh…) for the DUNGEON TOUR! We then migrated over to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill (Palatino). Then just spent the rest of the day roaming around Rome. I know, I know… so clever. Obviously no one has thought of that one before…

Miles walked:        13.5
Miles driven:        ~180

The Colosseum!

From the outside:

Cool contrast between restored and original:

You can see the restored outer layers on the left. Imagine how much bigger the Colosseum would be if those layers still existed!

Inside the Colosseum, on the “restored” arena floor. Feeling (and looking, of course) very gladiator-like:

Where the rich and fancy (important people) used to hang:

You can see the stairs that would have led up to the upper tiers (where the common folks sat):

Samsonite is a true gladiator at heart:

Into the dungeons – the “rooms” under the arena floor where the fighters, animals, slaves, etc. would await their turn to be raised into the arena to fight!!

They created a replica of the lift mechanism that would raise the competitors (humans or animals) into the arena:

The trap door under the arena floor:

it would take 8 men (4 on the top, 4 on the bottom) to turn this in order to lift, say, a lion up through the trap door:

This obviously awesome girl was on the tour with us:

Dungeon walkways:

Cool view of the arena seating from inside the dungeons (as in, UNDER the arena floor):

Some great views of the arena floor and dungeons from the higher tiers:

You can see “Libitinarian” Gate, or Gate of Death, straight across (the gate we had walked in through earlier) – This is where dead/almost dead warriors would be carried out to their burial:

Laziest gladiator ever:

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Palatine Hill (Palatino) – The “Bel-Air” of Ancient Rome

A fancy town square? Or the personal gardens of some rich dude’s palace? I can’t remember. Take your pick.

The ruins of someone’s mansion, probably:

A massive foot:

Classic Steve:

More ruins:

An ancient bird:

The community gymnasium:

Beautiful gardens looking over the Roman Forum:

Fancy water:

Samsonite made a friend!

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Roman Forum

Cool views of the Forum from the Colosseum:

Support systems of ancient Rome?

Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine, the largest building in the forum:

And some more nice views of the forum from the Palatino gardens above:

You can see St. Peter’s Basilica… wayyyy back there:

Now from down on the Forum floors, you can see where we just stood up on Palatine Hill:

Temple of Antoninus and Faustina:

Some cool shots of the Forum:

Another shot of Palatine Hill:

Ugh, they should really clean up around here. I mean, broken pieces of history just left lying around like that… Gross. (I’m being facetious, for those who are reading this and thinking “what a brat”)

And finally, this awesome shot: