David's Diary: Thursday, June 27, 2002
Rome - Part I
Coliseum Remaining Wall
We traveled from Porto Ercole to Marina di Roma near the city of Ostia at the mouth of the Tiber River yesterday. We left Dragonsinger securely moored and traveled into Rome on the train from Ostia. We plan to spend two nights and three days exploring the wonders of Rome.
After finding and settling into our hotel near the train station, we left for a walk through the city. We found a local cafe, only eight meters wide, where we had lunch while sitting at a tiny table in the back. After lunch we wandered through the streets until we came upon the Coliseum.
Even after 2,000 years the walls still impress you as you look up into the sky to follow the lines of the original construction. Inside, you imagine you can hear the crowds roar as you picture the bloody contests of ancient times. The coliseum has changed little since Karalee and I last visited it fifteen years ago. A platform has been built across the floor so that you can walk across and look down into the pits that would have held man and beasts waiting for the next contest.
For more pictures of the coliseum and this day in Rome, visit our Rome pictures Web page. After looking at the pictures use your back button to return here.
Arch of Septimus Severus
After the coliseum, we visited the Palatino. According to legend, the Palatine Hill is where Romulus and Remus were discovered. The area was the site of an Imperial Palace and gardens. From the hill you get views of Rome and the Forum.
The Roman Forum is located right next to the coliseum. But because we arrived at the Forum from the Palatino, we got a different viewpoint from the more usual entrance right across from the coliseum. As the center of religion, politics, and commerce for twelve centuries, the Forum was really the heart of Rome. Today, little remains of the original buildings, but with a little imagination it is possible to picture the activity of influential Roman people living and working in the area. We spent a few hours wandering around in the 30C heat, before walking the two or three kilometers back to our hotel.
TV: A Real Treat
For those that are not boaters it may be hard to imagine how little things make such a big difference to your life. Rome was hot and we appreciated the air conditioning. The boys do sometimes miss not having a TV on Dragonsinger and they quickly settled in to watch a program, only to discover that except for the news, none of the channels were in English. It didn't matter, they still found a program to watch as Karalee and I settled down with an English newspaper. Our hotel came with a large bathroom, complete with jacuzzi tub and a shower with lots of hot running water. Karalee even got to enjoy her first bath since she was back in Vancouver last January.
Allen Worn Out
We had take-away chicken and salad from the deli down the street washed down with a bottle of Chianti for dinner. Then it was time for an evening stroll through the streets near the hotel. We took in fountains, traffic, buildings, and nightlife. Allen kept up well, but as stopped for a drink around midnight he gave in to nature and fell asleep in my arms. What a satisfying start to our visit to Rome.