Rome : Piazza Venezia & The Colosseum!

Rome : Piazza Venezia & The Colosseum!

Sunday (16th December), Steve and I had a majorly lazy sleep in. We'd both had a busy week at work and felt we both needed some extra sleep to recharge. Probably not the best day to choose to sleep in as we had an entire new city to explore. Having slept in, we had missed the hotel breakfast and had to go in search of our own. A bit of a challenge if you haven't explored the city prior! After walking around in a circle for a bit, Steve and I came across the Golden Arches (McDonald's) just a skip from Piazza Della Repubblica. Our stomachs were growling by then and the prospect of searching longer for a place to eat just seemed a nuisance and Steve risked me getting grumpy if I wasn't fed soon! So we decided to just skip breakfast completely and plough straight into Lunch!

The menu at McDonald's in Rome presented us with varying options. The Quarter Pounder did not exist here, it seemed to be replaced with a Crispy McBacon Burger as well as offering a couple different types of Panini instead. There was no sign of a breakfast menu and limited options to accompany the main burgers. It was in this McDonald's I made an attempt to order our meal in Italian. A challenge even after learning the language at school (with exceptional teachers) for close to 7 years, it certainly put my memory to the test! Somehow I managed to fumble my way through and we ended up coming out with an extra batch of fries after trying to communicate to the counter assistant that we didn't want a meal. ;o)

From our nutritious breakfast/lunch destination, Steve and I headed for what we thought was towards the Colosseum. Along the way, we came across Palazzo Delle Espozioni (Palace of Exhibitions). This building was built in 1877 by Piacentini and inside you can view exhibitions in industrial art, sculpture and architecture. A bit of a stroll down the road, took us to the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II. This whopping structure is 70 metres high and 135 metres wide! On the top of the monument, there are two statues of the goddess Victoria riding quadriga (a four horse drawn chariot) THAT takes the complete height of the building up to 81 metres. The building of this mind blowing monument began in 1911 and was finally completed in 1935.

The monument also houses the Museum of Italian Reunification. This unification was a political and social process which unified the different states of the Italian Peninsula into the single nation of Italy. As a number of other significant monuments around the world (like the Arc De Triomphe in France), also contains the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Steve and I spent a considerable amount of time at this monument which can be found in between Piazza Venezia and Capitoline Hill. We had a browse through the museum, most of which was presented in Italian with the occasional plaque written in English. Before we knew it, the day had run away from us - The sun was setting and it was getting colder outside. Funny enough, they have placed a toilet and a cafe on one of the terraces of the monument. Steve and I decided that we needed a snack and a warming drink, to warm up our tums for our walk and pursuit of the Colosseum later.

After ordering a Cafe Latte and una Ciocolatta Calda (Hot Chocolate) for myself, we sat down at a table directly under one of those gas lamp type heaters. I looked down at my hot chocolate and thought "Mmm, that looks dark - Hope it isn't too strong" For those of you who are regular hot chocolate drinkers, know that traditionally it is a considerably milky chocolate drink, just warm and when it cools you get that milk skin on top - Right? Well, as I discovered that the Italian's do it a little differently. What I tasted that afternoon, was possibly the most exquisite hot chocolate ever. It almost tasted like PURE melted chocolate. I know it wasn't but it had a thickness and a richness that was whole new taste sensation if you will. I am sure there was SOME milk in it, but very little I think. As it cooled, it thickened but not completely.. and guess what? No yucky milk skin on top either! Mmmm Mmmmm!

Feeling a bit recharged, Steve and I checked out our map and headed towards the Colosseum. . Obviously neither of us were very good map readers that late afternoon because we seemed to wander further away from it.. You would expect us to find it fairly easily considering the size of the thing right? Eventually, after walking for what seemed like ages, we finally found our way back to the Colosseum. Il Colosseo - as the Italian's call it. Quite a spectacular piece of architecture really... my interpretations of it? I guess, after only reading about it in books, learning about it at school (in my Italian classes - THANKS to both Mr Tripodi & Ms Buckley) it is kind of almost a dreamy feeling looking up at it. I feel perhaps you need to pinch yourself a few times just to make sure you aren't dreaming!

The idea that you are standing on the same (well slightly weathered after a couple of thousand years), that the Emperor Vespasian may have walked during its construction between 70-72 AD. The Colosseum was not completed until 80 AD during the rule of Titus. The Colosseum had once been called the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin : Amphitheatrum Flavium) after the Family name of Flavius of Vespasian & Titus. Originally, the Colosseum had a seating capacity of 50,000 spectators and was used predominantly for Gladiatorial contests and later on as housings, workshops, and quarters for Religious orders. It remained in use for around 500 years last recorded activity being in the late 6th Century.

By the time we had scaled the Colosseum, the sun was well set behind the horizon and the temperature was certainly testing our (OKAY, MY!) resilience. We were both feeling hungry, tired and the darkness outside was limiting our ability to continue our exploration of Rome. For those of you that have not yet been to Rome, it I spose you could say is a ground scattered with old ruins and obviously some pretty spectacular monuments which really should be admired during the light of day...

So, Steve and I slowly made our way back to our hotel room, trying to find somewhere nice to eat along the way. Our walk took us almost ALL the way back to the hotel just on the other side of the station ROMA TERMINI, walking down one of the side streets we were almost ambushed and ushered into a restaurant by an English speaking and cheeky fellow. I can't complain the food was lovely, the table service very good - but this fellow had an infectious arrogance about him. I was puzzled by his fluent Italian and at a moments peace I asked him where he was from originally. He told me he was from the Philippines and had been in Italy for 2 yrs. Interesting! Anyway, after a good hearty meal Steve and I retired back to our hotel room for a goodnight's rest in preparation for our excursion to the Vatican City the next day....

For our photos from the first day in Rome : http://picasaweb.google.com/hillsj/Rome

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