So got to the city and had to get a train to colloseo station. Got there in plenty of time, only took an hour today compared to the four hours it took to get from the airport to the campsite yesterday!
The colosseum was of course breathtaking. Such a huge, magnificent ancient structure. We were 2 hours early for the tour so we walked past the colosseum to have some breakfast/lunch. Had a nice bowl of fruit salad and Edward had bruccetta (I ate most of that) and a pizza. Then we shared some nutella crepes.
Went back to the meeting point for the tour. Our guide was really good. We were under the impression that the tour was just for the colosseum and roman forum - but turned out that it took us to trevi fountain, pantheon and piazza navona too. The info about the colosseum was very interesting - its just the shell that it is because after the roman empire fell it was used as a quarry for the marble and iron in it. We walked through the Arch where the gladiators entered from. So scary to imagine what it would have been like.
We then made our way to the roman forum, which was like a huge pile of ruins. Made you appreciate the great condition Pompeii is still in. All the temples and the guide told us about the young virgins who would have to keep the flame in the temple alight. And also the punishment for of they lost their virginity - buried alive and the man would be flogged to death. Lovely.
Our guide kept telling us how Rome is an archeologists dream (she used to be one herself) as the deeper you go the older everything is because everything was built on top of each other. For example near the roman forum was a church and you could see the the bottom half of it was a bit different and looked older - the church was built on top of a jail back from roman empire times.
Went to the trevi fountain then, and even though we had been it was interesting to hear the info about it. Like if you throw three coins into the fountain you will marry an Italian boy/girl and live in Italy (but the guide said, you don't want to marry Italian men - they are mummas boys - the worst!)
Next was the pantheon. The guide told us all the structural details about it which Edward the engineer enjoyed. The columns out the front which are huuuuge were from one piece of marble brought over from Africa. Bloody hell.
And we finished at the piazza navona. We then walked to the Spanish steps to get the train back to the bus pick up. We went down the via de condotti - the street with all the expensive shops. Edward could not believe the prices on the things in the window. Prada, Gucci, Dior, Valentino, jimmy choo, Cartier, hermès, bulgari to name a few. Speaking of which, the guide had told us earlier - all the policemen look so handsome because the local police uniforms are designed by Armani and the national police uniforms designed by Valentino!
Got back to the campsite and got some stuff from the shop, then had an average dinner then showered, packed and went to bed.
Please note Edwards filthy feet at the end of the day!!
