Pictures of 06.27.00 -- Suzanne's Birthday in Rome -- The Ancient City and the Piazza

It was our first full day in Rome. We woke up and when the buzzer rang, we came out to meet our guide Laura who was to take us on a walking tour of Ancient Rome. On the way to our first stop, the Arch of Constantine, ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270001 she told us the history of the founding of the city and gave us the background we would need to put the Forum, ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270006 Palantine, and Coliseum ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270002 into the proper context. We couldn't help but take a lot of pictures of the Arch ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270003 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270004 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270005 As we marched on, we also saw remarkable views of the city ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270007 which our presence only enhanced ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270008 This is one of the best preserved buildings we saw ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270009 with the original doors (and rumor has it that the original key is also around). This all made us ready for the next arch ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270010 and a look into the old ruins in the area ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270011 followed by yet another forum of columns ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270012 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270013 which Jane and Benjamin enjoyed ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270014 Next we saw the place where Julius Caesar was cremated ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270015 though we were told that he actually wasn't assassinated here. This is a memorial to him. ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270016 There followed more pictures of columns ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270017 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270018 Those of you who endured our Egypt series will be grateful that there are no hieroglyphics in Rome. Next we saw the so called mile marker ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270019 Since all roads lead to Rome, there needs to be a place in Rome from which their distance is measured. Well, this is it. There followed more arch pictures ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270020 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270021 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270022 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270023 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270024 This column ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270025 gives a sense of just how high the mud rose during the years the Forum was abandoned. We again peeked out to views of Rome ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270026 before visiting the rooms of the Senate ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270027 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270028 Then, some last pictures of columns ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270029 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270030 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270031 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270032 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270033 before heading up to the Palatine for an overview ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270034 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270035 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270036 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270037 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270038 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270039 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270040 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270041 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270042 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270043 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270044 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270045 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270046 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270047 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270048 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270053 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270054 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270055 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270056 We also paused to take pictures of the remarkable palace on the Palatine ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270049 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270050 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270051 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270052 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270059 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270063 including the dining room ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270060 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270061 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270062 not to mention pictures of some of us ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270057 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270058
On the way to the coliseum, we paused for a food break ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270064 from these guys who had good hot dogs. When we got there, the gladiators ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270065 welcomed us at the outside structure ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270066 but we quickly went inside ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270067 and took pictures of the area (formerly underground) where the gladiators warmed up ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270068 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270069 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270070 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270072 and of the stands ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270071 where Jane sat ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270073 and chatted with Benjamin ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270074 and watched Sarah and Suzanne ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270075 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270076 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270077 as they all waited for things to start. Eventually we made our way to the area ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270078 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270079 where people must have snuck out for a smoke.
After lunch, we stopped on the walk home to get gelato ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270080 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270081 and then came home for naps.
Eventually we headed back out but some of us made it across the avenue and had to wait for the others ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270082 On our walk, we passed people staging a sit in for this cause ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270083 this car ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270084 that the kids love and this artifact ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270085 of America. Eventually we got to the Piazza Navona ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270086 with this wonderful fountain ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270087 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270088 ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270092 this obelisk ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270090 these people on stilts ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270089 and this King Tut impersonator ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270091
We ended the night with dinner at a cafe nearby. This person ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270093 kept her phone call going for our whole meal. And we ended the night with a picture ../../../Sabbat/Pics/06.27.00RomeDay1--AncientRome//P6270094 of the birthday girl.