"I found Rome built of bricks; I leave her clothed in marble."--Augustus
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Day 6
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Ancient Rome then off to Volterra |
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We gathered our group together following another great breakfast, and after a quick buddy check.....yep there's Brian and Josie, we climbed aboard our luxury bus heading north to Volterra. But first we stop to see, feel, and relive the Roman Empire which conveniently just happened to be located right in the middle of Rome. The Colosseum and the Roman Forum were everything I expected and more. This is what I think of when I picture Rome. History you can walk through and touch. History brought to life by our guide, Ilaria. History that was much bigger and more compelling than I ever imagined. The Colosseum was a marvel. They've done a great job explaining how the original structure may have looked and the purpose behind each area. To be able to walk through it, climb the steep stairs, touch the stone walls, and peer down into the ominous lower chambers was thrilling.
The Colosseum |
Did you know? The Roman Colosseum held 50,000 people, could be emptied after the games within 10 minutes, and had NO bathrooms.
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The ForumIlaria herded us past the Arch of Titus and into the wonderful ruins of Imperial Rome. The buildings of varying age, purpose, and design were scattered everywhere. In certain areas you could see the layers of buildings constructed one on top of each other over the past two thousand years. We were able to walk through the ruins, touch the downed pillars and crumbling walls, and with a little help envision the Forum as it might have looked during the height of the Roman Empire. Under the shade of an olive tree we gathered to hear the stories of Caesar Augustus, the Vestal Virgins, and others. We saw the exact spot on which Julius Caesar's body was cremated. We marveled at the huge green door to a temple that still uses its original key and whose lock still works after a mere 2,000 years. Now that is true craftsmanship.
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"Great empires are not maintained by timidity"---Tacitus
Off to Volterra |
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Andiamo Italia
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Our first bus ride was smooth and comfortable. We were headed north into Tuscany on the A1 Autostrade. It felt good to sit down for awhile. Most of our group chose to pass the time by napping or reading up on our next destination. Caterina tried to teach us the numbers in Italian, so we could request the room key at our next hotel. We stopped for lunch at one of many "comfort stations" that straddled the autostrade which provided an amazing variety of food and snacks. The four hour drive went by quickly and soon we were exiting the freeway and entering the beautiful Tuscan countryside. The gently winding road through countryside covered in vineyards led us to the hilltop town of Volterra.
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Did you hear the one about the Italian chef that died? He pasta away.
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VolterraIt was late afternoon when we arrived in Volterra. We checked into our charming hotel, Hotel La Locanda inside the walled city, then regrouped for our "buddy speeches". Caterina tasked each of us with coming up with three special things we learned about our buddies. The speeches were hilarious. Our group dispensed with the usual "where are you from" and "what do you do." NO....our group generally delved a little deeper. We discovered an Elvis impersonator in our midst, along with a former college baton twirler, and a champion yodeler. Our group included teachers, ranchers, lawyers, surfers, (actually a surfing lawyer), nurses, accountants, and the perpetually cheerful retired folk. We then wandered up the road a bit for a delightful group dinner at Ristorante Enoteca Del Duca. We ate, we drank, and we sang "Happy Birthday", in Italian, to the chef, Genuino Del Duca. It was an enthusiastic, if off key, rendition. The tears in his eyes suggested that he was either touched by the sentiment or suffering greatly from our singing. Regardless, it was a great night.
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In Hindsight: When we return to Rome (not if, but when) we will spend more time at the Colosseum and the Forum. It was an amazing place. Too much to see in a few hours time.
