“... The profusion of light and color combine to make this a temple of enduring fascination…”
The Pantheon photo courtesy of Dave
“The joy of such plays is that they can be presented as elegant stage productions (which you can watch from a comfortable seat).”
"... so Peter's burial site has never been a secret. In fact, it became a place of pilgrimage almost from the day it was dug"
The photo shown is the burial site of St. Peter in the center of his own basilica. Here, was the main sight most people flocked to. We saw some people blessing themself, some in the middle of prayers, and others just taking in the site.
“Comic actors playing stock characters”
This photo shows examples of some of the designs of stylized masks used. They have a fair amount of detail allowing us even today to match the emotion with the mask.
“Almost everyone, in Rome, and in the whole empire, supports one or another of these.”
At the Circus Maximus, we took a VR tour of the construction of the site. At the last part of the tour, we actually saw a chariot race! Once the team of blonde horses won, we saw them parade around the arena filled with audience cheers.
“Horses are rare, and generally used only by the imperial post and the army”
On our trip, horses were also a rare sight. They were only seen during our day trip to Florence. There, they weren’t like the bus in the way that anyone and everyone could hop in the carriage. They were reserved for those who paid a fee and only had them for a limited amount of time on a preplanned drop off point.
“The reservoirs at the end of the journey store the water for release into pipes that deliver it to almost every street corner in Rome.”
These water fountains were a saving grace throughout our trip. They were perfect for hot days when we toured archeological sites or the city itself!
“The Romans appreciate the importance of clean water, good diet, and healthy exercise.”
One of the best desserts were chilled strawberries on a hot day. They were so refreshing and hydrating that our entire group agreed we could spend all day snacking on them.
“Food is important to the Romans”
We couldn't have a photo journal without at least one food pic. This is the appetizer plate served to us on our last day. The fried dough was something we never tried prior and one of the best new foods we tried.
“Roman society is made up of interlocking networks of such friendships, and the favors that Romans do for one another are the societal currency of Rome.”
Throughout this trip we made connections that will last a lifetime. We had the best days and some days we struggled. No matter what, we always had someone checking in on us and brightening our day.
“... specialist shops cater for all particular needs…”
In Sorrento, one of the main exports was a drink known as limoncello. You could buy bottles of all sizes, and other lemon merchandise.
“Roman does not have a police force”
It is interesting to look back and see how much has changed throughout history. In today's time, there are two types of police, the regular city police and the Carabinieri, which is the militaries police force.”
“Augustine’s Confessions tell of a friend named Alypius, who avoided the arena.”
Unlike Alypius, everyone in today's time flocked to the Colosseum. In fact, a guide mentioned it was one of the only sites where you needed online tickets to book reservations.
“Every street has some little shrine, and temples are almost as ubiquitous as tarvens.”
A shrine with cherubs surrounding on a street corner near our hotel.
“... and towards the centre of civilization, the bathhouses become larger and grander.”
This is a beautiful mosaic that served as an entrance to a bathhouse in Ostia. Each tile was handlaid.
”With tens of thousands of spectators flooding into the stadium, it is important to approach from the correct angle to begin with. Each ticket was marked with the appropriate entry gate.”
The colosseum was bigger than any picture can do justice. This view from inside helps capture just how large it actually was.
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