Arriving mid-morning, Stacy, Ben, and I made for our hotel on foot through wide bustling boulevards instead of cramped Florentine streets.
Our hotel was in the midst of street vendors selling everything from zucchinis to flip-flops. The window and shutters opened to the street market three floors below. The day was partly sunny and cool.
A short hop on the graffiti gilded subway train brought us to the foot of the Colosseum, a startling sight as we emerged from the subway tunnel.
The gate to the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum was a short walk. Tickets in hand, we entered to encounter the crumbling brick edifices and broken marble columns of ancient Rome.
Like a deep deja vu, the ruins pricked a residual collective memory. More than just remembering from books, there was the foreboding sense that this is us, with the same familiar streets, houses, and shops. This skeleton of Rome is a reminder that our own civilization may only have a few short fragile years.
Here are some photos of our 36 hours in Rome. This first is a glance across one of the Roman arches towards a Baroque era church that sits just above the forum. The church facade uses the architectural elements found in these Roman structures.
The interior of the Colosseum.
Trevi Fountain.
The Pantheon.
Interior of the Pantheon (now a church).
Rome landscape with Vatican dome in background.
The Vatican.
After two days of marching about the city, we were beat. A last meal before heading back to Florence.
1 comment:
Wowza! Incredible sights to see - thanks for sharing them. I can't imagine how amazing it must be to be imersed in such history.
I, of course, am also thrilled to see my fav Stacy making her first appearance on Globalog. Hope it's not the last. :)
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