All -Covered a lot of ground today including criss-crossing the Tiber River a few times. After stumbling through the Colosseum, Palantino, Roman Forum, and Musei Capitolini yesterday, I was ready to clear out of the part called Ancient Rome today. But then I realized I had missed Circo Massimo and Bocca della Verita so I had to pass through one more time this morning. For those of you who don't know what all that stuff means, my Italian still ain't so buono.
By the way, my room has a boo-day. No clue how it's spelled but that is how it sounds. That is an accident waiting to happen as I have almost sat on it twice in the past 24 hours. Although, if my luggage had not arrived that could have cured the clean underwear issue.
So, Circo Massimo was a much bigger colosseum. 250,000 spectators. However, there is almost nothing left standing. Instead what once held a 600m race track now looks like a NATO used equipment expo. Military Maximo. A bunch of castaway US and British planes and armored vehicles surrounded by what looks like US Reserves but are probably Italian regulars. If you took your eight year old to this air show he would be sorely disappointed.
Rolled past that one and checked out the Bocca della Verita. People who saw Roman Holiday will recognize this. I assume no man has seen or will admit to having seen that movie. Basically, legend has it that this item is a finger guillotine for liers. In reality, it is just an ancient manhole cover (but don't tell the ladies this).
From the Bocca I went off-the-map because, quite frankly, it is too hard to look at the map because it looks like every block there is a church or other old place of interest. I figured my discriminating eye could pick all this out. I headed towards the Tiber. Passed on ancient temple. Passed another ancient temple. And saw the Ponte Rotto (Italian for busted up old bridge). I had walked two blocks. Going off the map means you see things and don't know what you are looking at until you read the map.
Accelerating forward... walked through the Jewish Ghetto, jumped into the Mueso di Roma, and put my head down to trudge to St. Peter's. I ended up at Castel San't Angelo. Off the map also means you miss your target destination by four or five blocks. Italian side streets are very tight and turning so it is tough to keep you sense of direction. However, if I had asked for directions I probably would not have seen the Castel which was so cool (yet another reason to never ask for directions).
The Castel was supposed to be a mausoleum for Hadrian but ended up Pope Clement VII hid out in while Rome was sacked. He probably had a good view. I wonder if the bar at the top was there? I bet the Pope could have used it.
St. Peter's is huge. It looks like it would fit two or three National Cathedrals. Every cubby hole has some major work by some major artist. It is the New York Yankees of cathedrals. I covered the Plaza, the basillica, did the dome, saw the Museo Storico Artistico, and rushed through the grottos. I spent 5-6 hours there and then realized I still had not seen the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums! So with the sun down I decided to at least see where the entrance was. It is a long, long way around a corner along an imposing wall. I am not looking forward to that walk.
Italian cars sound like mopeds.
On the way back I passed through Campo de' Fiori. It's a main square that is hopping with activity. Very cool. Should have gotten food here but saved myself to enjoy some sort of sewer carp (think Potomac catfish but not as clean or tasty) next to a chain smoking Frenchman and his elfin girlfriend. Yum.
Ok, every Police Station here has a lot of people with a lot of time. All the people look like a cross between Hill Street Blues and Life on Mars. How do these people have so much time to mingle with all the polizia constantly running though the town with their siren's on?
Anyway, I'm exhausted. That's all I can write today.
Hank
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