First stop for the day is the "Bocca del Verite" or the mouth of truth. Originally a market place, you would be asked to place your hand in the mouth to show you were telling the truth about the goods you were selling. If in fact if you were lying or 'misrepresenting' the quality of your goods you could be bitten by one of the scorpions that the priests put in there. Obviously I am quite confident that I have told no lies...
Second stop the Circus Maximus.
Second stop the Circus Maximus.
Here Anna and Riccardo stroll purposefully toward the only patch of shade.. it is still early... maybe 9:30 am and already hot.
I have to run around the Circus Maximus...
and photograph the gravel underfoot... centuries of roman crumblies.
Next stop is the Palatine Hill.
I have to run around the Circus Maximus...
and photograph the gravel underfoot... centuries of roman crumblies.
Next stop is the Palatine Hill.I have just discovered that these trees are called pins parasol.
All our New Zealand pine trees grow tall and straight, branching is actively discouraged.
Umbrella pines are such a great idea when shade is needed. And the cicadas love them too!
Wildflowers grow amongst the ruins on the Palatine Hill.
Carefully recovered and restored paintings inside the Domus (House of) Augustus, Palatine Hill.
Archaeologists at work carefully washing thousands of pot shards.
Palatine Hill: really old Roman brickwork.
The Foum: Looking down from the Palatine Hill.
Constantines Arch: The Forum
The Forum in the heart of old Rome.
Excavations at the Forum are ongoing. An archaeologist working in a shady corner.
As if the ruins of Rome's ancient city centre isn't enough we catch the metro to Rome's old port, Ostia Antica for an afternoon of exploring and discovering... without the crowds.
Walking down an ancient Roman thoroughfare in Ostia Antica, Port of the city of Rome, from the days when "all roads lead to Rome" and Roma ruled the world.
In this shop/ restaurant you can still see the menu on the wall above the bench.
This is all amazing and original and thousands of years old!
After 2000 years this bar looks as good as new! We really loved Ostia Antica for the welcome break from the seething crowds of Rome.
Our best Roman Statue poses.
The ampitheatre, Ostia Antica... being set up for a Jethro Tull concert?!
These giant amphorae must have been found in the mud at the at the bottom of the port as they were encrusted with sea shells.
Mosaics from the floor of the baths.
From the baths at Ostia Antica we went off looking for a swim. After all the sea wasn't far away.
Umbrella pines are such a great idea when shade is needed. And the cicadas love them too!
Wildflowers grow amongst the ruins on the Palatine Hill.
Carefully recovered and restored paintings inside the Domus (House of) Augustus, Palatine Hill.
Archaeologists at work carefully washing thousands of pot shards.
Palatine Hill: really old Roman brickwork.
The Foum: Looking down from the Palatine Hill.
Constantines Arch: The Forum
The Forum in the heart of old Rome.
Excavations at the Forum are ongoing. An archaeologist working in a shady corner.
As if the ruins of Rome's ancient city centre isn't enough we catch the metro to Rome's old port, Ostia Antica for an afternoon of exploring and discovering... without the crowds.
Walking down an ancient Roman thoroughfare in Ostia Antica, Port of the city of Rome, from the days when "all roads lead to Rome" and Roma ruled the world.
In this shop/ restaurant you can still see the menu on the wall above the bench.
This is all amazing and original and thousands of years old!
After 2000 years this bar looks as good as new! We really loved Ostia Antica for the welcome break from the seething crowds of Rome.
Our best Roman Statue poses.
The ampitheatre, Ostia Antica... being set up for a Jethro Tull concert?!
These giant amphorae must have been found in the mud at the at the bottom of the port as they were encrusted with sea shells.
Mosaics from the floor of the baths.From the baths at Ostia Antica we went off looking for a swim. After all the sea wasn't far away.
We were in for a surprise.
The beach was straight across the road from the station but we couldn't actually see the sea for buildings and fences and car parks and stuff. We headed through one car park to a gate only to be told this was a private beach for the military.
We walked on a little further and tried another club. This time we would be able to go in but for 3 euros each. We tried to explain that we did not need deck chairs, cabanas, umbrellas, showers, lockers, anything. We just wanted to walk on the beach and swim in the sea.
The overdressed woman on the gate was not swayed... if we would not pay we would have to walk 30 minutes ( about 3 kms) down the road to find a free beach.
We gave in and payed.
It was worth it to see kilometers and kilometers of deck chairs and umbrellas. And the people... of all shapes and sizes... all tanned a uniform glossy chestnut brown. The water was warmish and pretty grotty with plastic bags and other rubbish in it. I guess with a sun loungers 20 deep every metre for kms thats a lot of people and a lot of rubbish.
A drink at the bar across the road and back into Rome.
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