I am just posting the remaining entries now (June 12). I have always blogged our trips in the evening after dinner, when everyone used to settle down after a long day of exploring. But now that Sarah and Sam are adults, we've taken to eating and staying out late (When in Rome....), and by the time we get back, I don't have the energy to write and find photos on everybody's phones. So the rest of the trip's posts are to the best of my recollection (when I can recollect at all!)
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While we were on the cruise, I booked us tickets for the Pantheon and the Colosseum. When we walked near these the first time last week, we saw hundreds of people waiting in line, just to buy timed tickets to get in later in the day.
So I scored advance tickets for the Pantheon in the morning, and the Colosseum in the afternoon. Smart, eh?
The Pantheon features a big dome ceiling with a hole in it. Never did find out why. Inside paintings and sculptures of historical Roman figures surround an open floor, that is tipped away from the center so rain water will run to the drains on the side. Would have been easier to cover that hole, I'd think.
We left the Pantheon and found a sandwich shop Sam says is world famous via TikTok.
Roman flatbread and all types of combinations of ingredients all prepared in a hectic and frenzied tiny storefront.
We had some time to kill before our Colosseum entry, so we scouted around central Rome. I had seen a Salami shop earlier so we checked it out. Wall to wall cheeses, salamis and preserved sausages in casings, and hanging from the ceiling. We sampled some (quite a few actually) but declined to buy any due to weight restrictions on the plane tomorrow (Our luggage, not us, thank goodness!)
Yum!
Found a store selling me!
Then it was time for the Colosseum! A 15 minute walk later we arrived at the plaza where people wait for their ticketed time to enter.
Once we got through all the ticket and security checks, we followed the huge crowds up and around the ancient building, or at least what's left of it. Random pictures follow.
A few hours of fighting tourists and shoulder to shoulder crowds was all we could handle, so we left and found a posh restaurant facing the back of the Colosseum, and had some food and liquid refreshment. Hot day, but we scored a table in the shade.
Caprese salad served in a frisbee!
Our tickets also included a separate entrance in to the Roman Forum (right next to the Colosseum) so we ventured over there and admired the ruins of the original old historical city, which have been built over and torn down countless times.
Map of the Forum
After a long and tiring day, we opted for a less formal dinner near the apartment that seems to cater more to locals than tourists. There was a birthday party with some local kids carrying on like kids do everywhere, but we enjoyed a more down to earth meal of pizza, salad, and a local wine.
Our time in Italy about over, we went back and started packing. 5:45am cab ride to the airport tomorrow!
Arrivederci, Roma!
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