Rome II

The  last day was reserved for exploring the history of a grand Empire. The Colosseum has some fun background that I was unfamiliar with, my favourite being that before the warehouses underneath the arena were made, they could flood the entire thing and have ship battles. The Palantine Hill was perfect. The sun shone above the ruins as a slight breeze whispered past, and I was able to lazily meander the secluded paths in peace. Easy to forget you are in the heart of Rome with lime trees and gardens to walk through.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was more spectacular than the Italian parliament (or the Viennese beauty I pass by so many days). After visiting the Vatican and Colosseum, you might think that it is no longer easy to be overwhelmed by massive buildings. The scale is hard to fathom. Instead of posting any of my own pictures, I give you:

Yes, those little dots are soldiers. No, the full building is not shown in this image.

This experience was even more endearing, for the socializing I was able to do. On the observation level, I asked a gentleman where he had purchased the poppy adorning his collar (this being but a few days before Remembrance Day). He replied that he had purchased it in London. After he ate with his wife in the café, he gifted it to me, saying he would find another. My panini purchase had netted me a great meal, and also a Brazilian tablemate from the line. A lawyer on a language learning vacation, she was a delightful companion to wander more ruins and share stories with. (She saw Richard Gere at the Vatican apparently.)

Despite feeling immensely better than the day prior, the cold was yet settled in my lungs. I still wonder at the thoughts going through her head, and those around us, when upon entrance to a massive cathedral, my body was wracked with spasms and I was forced to run out of the church like an exorcised demon. She gave me a cough drop.

Back at the hostel, the American soldier shared his appreciation for Tim Hortons and showed some plastic currency he carried in his wallet. Excited to see the new bills, Canada!

Ciao!