Monday 14-07 - Coluseum

Today we set off early. We picked up our free pastry and drink from the place down the road and started to walk towards the coliseum. We wanted to get there soon after it opened to beat most o the crowds. We got there at 9-30 and joined the reasonably long queue. It took about 10 minutes to get in. We couldn't have arrived any later. When we left the queue was at least 4 times as long and curved around the outer walls. Plus now we had time to do other things.



The coluseum was large and old. Much like I expected it to be. It was too hot to stand to ever in the sun. I spent much of the time retreating to the shady arches. Its quite a spectacular sight, to think about all the people who fought and died there. Kate got really into the idea that thousands of years ago people were standing right where we had been. They had come to see blood and death. They would be loud and rouckus, throwing their hands up as the wild animals entered the ring. They were cheer as enormous set were hoisted up from the maze below, in which to act out famous battles.





By the coluseum stood the arch of Constantine. It sat on the edge of the forum. There were 3 arches in all, and they all looked the same.



Next was Palatine hill. It was nice, with some miscellaneous old buildings. Apparently they were the palace and imperial court. Not looking terribly regal any more though. Some of the courtyards and mosiacs remained.

The best part of palatine hill was the Domitian stadium. It was a stadium at survived remarkably well. You could see where all the people used to do their sports.



Next was the Roman forum. It was a huge. Relics and ruins from every era stood side by side. I read through our guide book as we went,get the most out of this oppurtunity. We got to see the house of the vestial virgins and temple of vesta. They would be burried alive if they both their vowels of chastity.

The arch of Titus was a nice piece. It had decorations depicting the jews being brought as slaves and carrying a big menorah on their backs.





It was hot and being in the sun was getting to us. So we sat for a while before heading off.

We walked a short way to the old synagogue, There used to be 5 in one giant building until it became unstable. So in 1904 they buillt this replacement over a block of the Jewish ghetto. It was thr oldest synagogue I´ve seen, save old city of Jerusalem. It was also the biggest. Bigger than the Polish one.

We went through on a small tour. I was so amazed that it survived all this time. It was saved by the churches agreement with the nazis to spare all old monuments in Rome. I´m so glad it did survive and I got to see it. One of the rooms had exquisite torah covers along the walls. They wouldn't look out of place in some of the palaces we have been to. They were all made with second hand materials, op shopping being one of the few occupations allowed to the Jews at the time. The tour guide said the shule museum had 800 beautiful torah covers. I couldn't fathom that many in Italy, let alone in one building.

The synagogue itself was decorated like a church. Granite walls with gold trimmings, frescos over the walls and paintings of the night sky on the ceiling. At the top of the 48 meter tall temple was the dome, with cupolla blanketed by the colours of the rainbow.

My heart was warmed to see so much care taken to create a miraculous space for prayer, but not a church. I´ve never seen an over the top shule like this before and I loved it. Maybe this is how the Christians feel in all the gorgeous churches around? Not just an appreciation of the architecture,but a proud connection to the meaning behind the beauty.

For lunch we ate at a kosher fast food place in the ghetto. The lamb kebab was tasty,if not incredibly spicy. Then we had artichokes, which are a traditional Jewish-Roman food. Then to get cake and coffee.





Knowing that Rome was a very expensive city and we were touring it with others, I long decided that I would not be strictly budgeting over these four days. Having decided that, I havent really thought about it that much while here. So we have been going out to eat alot, instead of bringing sammiches and things for lunch.

We stopped at a small piazza cafe. We wanted cake and tea/coffee ut took a long time to find a place that would do it. This place had these tiny, awesome cakes. Strawberry and pistachio and cannoli. Plus chocolate rolls and custard filed treats.



There was this French speaking guy sitting at the next tiny table, head down into a photocopied university reader. He looked like a student, and wasn´t bad looking. Kate started a conversation with him in what she knew of French. Which turned out to be much more than even she thought she knew. We were giggly after that.



I got a sunburn on my left shoulder. Why always that shoulder? I never get burns on both at once. Same thing in Israel. I put some aloe on it, but not yoghart. We sat with our books in the common room area near reception, chilling on the big, red cushions.

Out behind the reception desk was a blue tub. The tub was filled with sangria. The guy on duty offered us cups of sweet red sangria with big orange slices floating in it. I had a good few cups.



More people turned up to talk and sip sangria. Very soon there was a small party happening. Everyone was introducing themselves to each other and inquiring about past and future travels.



There were a few Newcastle kids, some Americans and some Australians. One Australian guy in particular was so very annoying. He kept making sexist and homophobic comments to everyone. Only a few years younger than us but so unpleasant. No one wanted him around but he kept blabbing on to everyone. It kind of made sense that he was from Crunulla (location of the race related violent beach riots).

Later in the night the staff brought out tequilla shots, lemon and salt for everyone there. I thought, what a great hostel this is. They really know how to get things happening.



At half ten we realised we hadn't eaten dinner. With alcohol not a good move. So we walked down our street to find pizza we could bring back to the party. On the way Kate was forcefully pulled into a restaurant by the propriety. I wouldn't have stood for it, but turned out to be really nice. We got marinara and margarita pizzas to go.



Then they shooed us off to bed. We couldn't even stand in our next door neighbours room in silence. They seemed uptight for a hostel that earlier had got us all liqueured up. Thee hostel man instead, so we said we would sit on the outside steps. He said no, thats not allowed either. So we sat on nearby steps. We talked loudly and enjoyed ourselves there.