Walking Rome

Tuesday we had planned on going to the Colosseum. We had so much trouble trying to get guided tickets to the different levels that we were just going to buy them at the entrance. Cameron had another go early this morning and finally got them for Wednesday, so our plans changed and we decided to walk the streets. (I took the guide book and Cameron was in charge of the map).

First stop was these ruins. Largo di Torre Argentina (used to be 4 temples, behind which was a theatre, Julius Caesar was killed here in 44BC)

Sant Andrea della Valle

A church with only one angel on the facade. The story goes that when the sculptor finished the first angel the pope of the time criticized it and the sculptor said "If he wants another one he can make it himself." 

Piazza Navona

The Pantheon was next on our list. Very impressive.

Raphael's tomb is also in the Pantheon.

Bernini Elephant with Obelisk

Another story of artistic temper. Bernini was asked by a pope to design the base for the obelisk, for which he designed the elephant. It was then decided to change his original design, which Bernini did not like, so the altered design went ahead with the elephant facing outwards, thus pointing his rear end at the church and monastery 

(full story at http://roma.andreapollett.com/S1/roma-c1.htm)

Trevi Fountain

We headed off for lunch after the Trevi Fountain, finding a great pizzaria down the street which also had tuna salad (delicious, amazing how much I enjoyed this over pizza or pasta). Then it was back to walking.

Palazza Venezia

We then reached "Ancient Rome,"  and the forum of Julius Caesar

All the way down to the Colosseum

  the Arch of Constantine

 and the Circus Maximus

Amazingly enough, Matthew still had enough energy to climb down the hill and back up again. Cameron and I rested on the bench, just watching him.

We stopped at the Piazza Santa Maria in Cosmodin for another rest

Then it was over the bridge to the island in the middle of the Tiber (Tibernia)

Pausing to see the Ponte Rotto (broken bridge) and Ponte Palentino

Before going around the corner, along the tram lines

And home.

Exhausted.