Day 3, Rome Continued, The Forum

 WOW!!  This was so much more than I anticipated.  Our "regular" tour day had ended.  But, optional #2 (Guided visit to Colosseum & Roman Forum) was still on for the day.  Cost 54.00 Euros (per person remember things on tours are per person costs).  Well, yeah, we were in Rome naturally we wanted to see The Colosseum and Forum.  We started first thing in the morning remember with walking tour, Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Bramante Stairs, Trevi Fountain and The Pantheon....but we signed up for this optional.  

 I would have enjoyed it more had it not all been the same day.  Really...lots of walking (more than I had been able to do since breaking my foot), and it was HOT!  But, we'd travel just under 6,000 miles I think the flight monitor said to get to Rome...........so.  Here were are.

 Look how well preserved it is, and how large in scope.  Keep in mind....there are still excavating, not all is exposed yet. The Forum is a rectangle space in the center of what was Ancient Rome, a marketplace.  A political space, a religious space.  It's believed that the first public open air meetings took place about 500 BC.  This low land, flat space is between the Palantine Hill and Capitoline Hill and visited by about 4.5 million people annually. 

 Accepted legend has it that two brothers, Romulous and Remus founded Rome about 753 BC.  That Romulous killed his brother Remus and named himself King and named the city Rome after himself.  The legend goes onto say that Romulous made an alliance with Titus Tatius, and that this space ...The Forum was neutral territory.

 I mentioned excavations continues, in 2009, Food and pottery was found which might date Rome's beginnings to the 8th or 9th century, which is earlier than previously documented.

 Our local guide Ziggy was still with us, like a walking encyclopedia.  It's not possible to absorb all the knowledge she tried to impart on us that day.  Still, I found her remarkable.

The size of this space took me by surprise.  I wasn't expecting something so broad, or so large.  You can see people on the top of that structure...that should give you a feel for size.

As we toured, I couldn't but think how things we build today simply don't last and here these buildings are 2,000 years old........mind boggling.  How did they do this, they didn't have machinery, computers...they did slave labor and lots of it; but even with that........someone had to have the know how.

There is much to see and absorb here, if you go to Rome...make plans to visit; but perhaps on a less busy day.

Thought I would participate in Thankful Thursday today:  I am thankful I got to go to Italy, it's been on my list for years!! 

**Next up The Colosseum.........a shower and a late dinner.  Remember your walking shoes...leave your flip flops at home.  The amount of walking you do is substantial, the hills up and down, the cobblestone.