Our first day of exploring Rome



We begin our tour with a
listening device



Ah, Rome. We started our day with a trip to Vatican City and a tour of the many, many museums displaying carved stonework from the ancient Greek and Roman eras. Our guide was especially helpful with understanding the symbolism of Michaelangelo’s panels in the Sistine Chapel as well as the Rafael Rooms, which are almost entirely covered with Rafael’s frescos. Although picture taking and even talking are discouraged while in the Sistine Chapel, we found that most people were doing both, even while the Vatican guards were clapping their hands and saying “No photos!”

They eventually moved everyone out of the chapel, but not before we were able to capture the one image most people think of when they see the beautiful paintings on the ceiling.

Our tour continued to the magnificent Colosseum, which was begun around AD 70 by Emperor Vespasian. Denna accurately described it as the “Super Bowl” of all the sports arenas. Although it has lost quite a bit of its original seating and flooring, you can still look down on the maze of tunnels and shafts through which animals and gladiators were brought to the stage from the distant pens.

By the time we explored the Foro Romano (Roman Forum), most of our group was feeling the heat of the day and exhaustion from our travel over the last 3 days. We heard that the site of Forum was, according to legend, where Romulus founded Rome in 753 BC. We saw the eight-columned Temple of Saturn, which is one of the Forum’s oldest temples and was built around 497 BC, and the very impressive Temple and House of the Vestal Virgins. And lastly we viewed another major monument before the Colosseum which was the Arco di Tito, which is Rome’s oldest triumphal arch (and there are quite a few!) built in AD 81.

We will all sleep well tonight :). We would like to load more photos, but we're having a bit of a problem with that - so more later, we hope.  Tomorrow we board the bus for Naples and then a tour of Pompeii. Buona sera!