Roma , CIAO!

When in Rome...do as the Romans do and all roads lead to Rome...well that certainly gives one ample leeway on the freeway! We have had quite a Roman Holiday if I do say so myself. We have toured the city and had many laughs with good friends and family. The people here are very expressive and wear their emotions on shirtsleeves, something we have witnessed in a variety of situations.
The first night we arrived we strolled about and climbed the Spanish Steps that were designed by Francesco De Sanctis in the early 18th century. Lots of people were out and about and climbing the steps. The steps lead up to terraces and the top terrace has a distinctive balustrade. There is a church at the very top named Trinita dei Monti built for the French King Louis XII . They say that in May there are beautiful azaleas that can be seen near these steps. We noticed many trendy shops along our the way with all of the latest fashions. We also ate tasty pasta at a local restaurant.
We awoke the following day and had the typical breakfast of cafe and croissant. Off we adventured on a bus tour that took us to many historic sites. The first being the Trevi Fountain. At the center there is a statue of Ocean being pulled in a chariot by two Tritons into a basin that represents the sea. It is an old custom to throw a coin into the basin so that you will one day return to the city. There was a man dressed as a Roman guard by the pool and he seemed friendly and wanted us to take his picture with one of our group. When finished taking the photo, he demanded money. We gave him 2 euros and he became indignant and wanted 10 Euros. We told him no and he claimed it was no problem for us. We had an introduction to hustling at its finest. The umbrella hustlers were making big bucks as the rain was falling steadily. As our good friend Franz says " roses by night, umbrellas by day." The evening before, as we were climbing the Spanish Steps, there were young men milling about with bunches of roses as they tried to charm the tourists into purchasing for more than they were worth.
Onward we proceeded to the Colosseum. Because there was a great statue of Nero known as the Colossus, near this ampi-theater, it became known as the Colosseum. This structure was finished in the year 80 by Emperor Titus. This structure could house 50,000 spectators as they watched various games and some were beyond cruel. They would have slaves, known as gladiators fight wild animals that were captured in the far reaches of the Roman Empire. Christians were also put in the center of the theater and wild lions were brought in to actually eat them. There are 80 entrances all around the perimeter so that the spectators could easily arrive and depart. What we see there today is only a portion of what once existed. Because of earthquakes and the raiding of man for the materials, it is only a shell of the once magnificent structure.
The Circus Maximus was next on the tour and that was referred to as "the Roman Nascar" by one of our group....in other words, here the Roman chariots would race around a long track. The area is still open and lots of people were walking along the track. We proceeded on to see the church of S Maria where the famous Mouth of Truth is displayed. If you ever watched Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday, you will remember when Gregory Peck put his hand in the mouth and pretended that it was cut off. It is a legend that a witness who was suspected of bing less than truthful would be discovered if they placed one hand in the mouth of the mask and it was indeed bitten off. Lots of people were lined up to have their picture taken with their hand in the mouth. The church itself is quite old , 6th century.