Yoo 645 - Caesar Shuffle

The Caeasar Shuffle, comprised of the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, the Roman Forum, and the Capitoline Museums, filled our next day in Rome. There was a 100% chance of rain for the first two hours of the day, gradually lessening to 90% for the next couple hours, 80% for another, and on down to 20% by night fall. Well guess what? The forecast was accurate.

It started pouring right after breakfast, as we were packing our day bags in the hotel room. We sealed all our important gadgets in dry bags, zipped up our rain coats, and opted for the sheltered three-minute metro ride instead of the 12-minute walk.

The rain continued with purpose but we only had to share the Colosseum with a handful of other people! We found a covered staircase to sit under while we listened to an audio guide detailing the history and events that took place there.

So, lots of people and animals died, is what I got out of that. Not a fan. But the architecture is cool. The fact I remember most is that the English word "vomit" comes from the Latin word "vomitorium" which is what the passages behind the seats are called. When an event would end, it's estimated that the 50,000 to 80,000 spectators could exit thru these in 15 minutes. Like the colosseum was vomiting them out.

If I was in ancient Rome, I think I would have been far more fascinated by the logistics of the Colosseum, especially underground, than anything happening on the arena floor.

Also, I probably would have ended up getting eaten by a tiger. Either on the arena floor for getting caught trying to free all the animals or just by the animals in the process of freeing them.

There wasn't much camera action because of the rain. I was freezing. Some girl walked past me wearing just a tank top. She had to be out of her mind. 

But despite the poor weather, the Colosseum lived up to the hype and we had fun exploring.

The hike up Palatine Hill, however, was the low point in the day. It was still pouring and I was still freezing and questioning my itinerary and whether we really needed to visit all the planned places.

We tried to push on and follow the kindle guide that I had downloaded on my phone. Pretty soon we came to our senses though and sought out the museum and its movie room, complete with benches and heat. We watched the film in Italian and English and I'm still confused about what its purpose was. The day recovered from there so that's all that matters.

For the record, Palatine Hill is one of the seven hills of Rome and right at the center. Legend has it that Remus and Romulus ("founders" of the city), were found in a cave there by the she-wolf Lupa. Did I know this before going? Nope. But I'm sure glad I found out about it then because it explained a lot of the statues and paintings I'd be seeing later in the Capitoline Museums.

Greg acted like I had been living under a rock when I asked him about Remus and Romulus. Whatever.

The ruins are from the massive palace that stood there and housed several emperors. Massive is almost an understatement. And other prominent Romans had houses around and on this hill. So it's fancy.

Another place that would have been awesome to see in its heyday.

Also, it stopped raining!

Drinking like a Roman.

On to the Forum and another audio guide.

More ruins with a ton of history. Julius Caeasar was assassinated and buried here. The Vestal Virgins lived here. Government happened here. People gathered here to celebrate and to condemn and to elect and to observe and to worship. This was the heart of ancient Rome.

Imagine you're riding your chariot, filled with the spoils of yet another conquest, into the center of Rome, the world's super power. Hordes of citizens are cheering you on. White sparkly marble surrounds you.

Just kidding. I'm not the audio guide.

 

Where Caesar was cremated.

 We got photobombed!

The shuffle continued that afternoon up Capitoline Hill to the museums. More museums! I got in my long-distance run state of mind. Well, first I complained about their baggage policy and the fact that we had to pay another stupid euro to buy a locker after we paid a bunch of stupid euros to get in. Then I realized that we'd get the euro back when we left and felt stupid and stopped complaining. Come on, Teagan. It's a euro.

At what point in this lifetime will these situations stop phasing me? Probably never.

Long-distance run state of mind.

I had a really great line about this statue being a quarter horse and Greg just gave me a look and then declared that it was a bull. Give me some credit! It's clearly a bull from this angle, but the angle at the room's entrance is much more horse-like. And it was funny.

Commodus as Hercules. Ever seen Gladiator? That's the guy. Not Russell Crowe but the creepy emperor. He thought a lot of himself and his physique. The real Hercules statues were bigger though...

High-five, Constantine.

Dogs!

Another dog! I want this one. Except, with his ears.

My opinion on these toilets: nope. I either want to be in a full squat or sitting down, none of this hovering business. Especially when I'm super tired from standing/walking all day!

WHAT THE??? Oh yeah, Remus and Romulus...totally normal.

Duck sconce! Unfortunately it shared a room with Bernini's Bust of Medusa and I just couldn't bring myself to give that statue its due stare. 

Would you look this ripped on a tapestry?

What the? Oh yeah, Remus and Romulus again. On the ceiling. They're everywhere!

Brief pause on the rooftop. Leave us rain clouds! Then I lost it in the painting gallery. But I summoned my strength to bring you the important parts.

Dogs!

Another dog! Believe it that I will be taking a picture with Roscoe just. like. this. one.

A painting bigger than our house.

We'd been museuming for hours when we finished the first building and realized there was a second. Down a huge flight of stairs, under the piazza, and up another huge flight of stairs.

I hit The Wall. After a few sculptures with dogs, Greg noticed how one statue looked like it was holding a lightsaber. Then they were all holding lightsabers. Afternoon officially gone. We had blown thru our museum capacities.

You never knew Darth Maul had a wife!

And I'm done. We're children.

Food was quickly becoming critical path again but we passed by the Colosseum and had to stop and take a bunch of photos. The lighting was awesome, there was a Christmas tree and this time it wasn't raining!

Then, pizza. We traipsed up several more blocks than the app told us we would have to, but it was worth it. 

We killed the evening just wandering around. Found the church of Santa Maria Maggiore and sat there for a while.

Then more wandering, a grocery store stop for chocolate, and "home". We'd been out and about for 14 hours!

Even though we died in the last museum, we had a lot of fun with the day. I learned a ton. And visiting historic places always makes the history come alive. Horizons broadened. Whoop!

Have a great day :-)