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Rome was everything that I expected it to be, except for the smell of dog and horse poop, and the noise.

Everything that “they” warn you about is true: the men will try to seduce you; pickpockets abound; and you’re going to eat your own weight in food: mostly gelati and some mega carbs.

In the heart of Rome, I had the chance to snap photos of:

• Piazza Venezia
• The Fountain of Trevi, and
• Navona Square (Piazza Navona) with the Sant’ Agnesse in Agone, Santa Maria dell’Anima

The tour guide, after a long list of all the bad things that could happen in Rome, brought us to the metro where he started up with another list of things to be afraid of.  Stories of machetes, stolen backpacks, and (beware!) getting separated from the group.  By the time I got on the train I was terrified, glancing at everyone around me suspiciously.  When I got off the train, I realized that it was no different to rush hour in Montreal.  Go figure.

Not wanting to put my heart through such an intense situation again, I decided to continue my exploration of Rome for the rest of the day on foot.

First stop? The Coliseum! La piece de resistance!  I had to fight back the tears of emotion when I saw it.  I was so moved.  Plus there was a good looking couple taking their wedding photos right outside the gates, which was nice.  No student prices were offered, but I would have paid much more than the 8 euros that I was charged.

Once inside, I was slightly disappointed by the major reno project underway.  The Italian government was setting up the ancient forum to be able to host modern day events.  No more gladiators wrestling with exotic animals; the Coliseum was gearing up to host rock stars and other such beasts.  There was scaffolding everywhere.

After wandering around the site, I joined a walking tour of the old part of town.  Starting at the Coliseum, the tour made its way past the Arc of Constantine (Arco di Constantino) and into the ruins of the Roman Forum.  The ruins were great, covering a great amount of land.

Fast Fact: The Arc of Constantine was built to set a foundation for Christianity in Rome.

Ruins in Old Rome

Rome’s greatness is partly due to the fact that it has tried to remain as true as possible to its very powerful past.  All of the old buildings, no matter how worn down, are still in place, with modern constructions built around them.

The Pantheon is compltely gutted of all pagan relics and statues.  Another bi-product of the Roman conversion from pagan to Christian state.  It is still beautiful, with its external columns reaching a depth of 3 meters underground, and an opening in roof to allow sunlight in.  The architect knew that any windows on the walls would weaken the building’s structure, and therefore allowed only the skylight in the building’s structure.

I can’t even get into the details of the food!  I think this may need a completely different entry, with loads of photos… Next time!

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