This morning, we woke up and headed down to the Colosseum area to take a tour of the interior and learn a bit more about its history. Thanks to the insight of many friends, we went straight to the tobacchia and picked up a Roma Pass for 30 Euro, which gives free access to 2 historic sites in Rome, free transit for 3 days, and a handful of other perks. When we got to the line for the Colosseum, it looked like it would be almost 3 hours before we got to the front of the line, but thanks to Roma pass, we were in within 10 minutes. The Colosseum was incredible. I had brief recollection of Roman history and their ability to build perfect amphitheaters, arenas, and basilicas but this couldn’t even compare. When we reached the lower level of the Colosseum and could see the dungeons and tunnels (called the hypogeum) that revealed the animals and gladiators throughout the events, all I could think about was NOT having the History Channel through my childhood. I needed a 3D predictive model made from thousands of dollars of research and a few hundred archeologists that studied every inch of that building. Unfortunately, PBS wasn’t sponsoring that sort of technology in my childhood, so I watched every episode of Arthur out there. If you’re reading this mom and dad, I’m not holding that over your heads, but I think we all need a bit more History and Discovery in our lives. All that time outside didn’t get me a professional contract.

Our next stop was Palatin Hill. This was an area I knew little about without the help of James Smith, a friend and mentor of mine. Greek mythology states that Romulus and Remus were found by the she-wolf that kept them alive in a cave on Palatine Hill. An argument between the two years later after they killed their great uncle caused Romulus to kill his twin, hench how Rome was named. This area was the top-estate of Rome and most coveted area to live in. The palace of Tiberius was the first to be built here.  You could get lost in all of the ruins that make up this area, but it’s amazing to see how far ahead of their time the Romans were. It takes a great imagination to enjoy this area, but it’s a must see, along with the Roman Forum; the once-center of Rome that was filled with palaces, and temples. The ruins range from 500BC to AD 400.

All of the history that we were encountering started to take a mental toll on two Ohio kids that never really took much of a liking to world history as students. We took the recommendation of my friend Theresa and headed down towards the Pantheon to check out Il Caffe di Sant’ Eustachio. The cafe was founded in 1938, floors and furnishings remaining the same since then. What makes them so famous is their secret blend and unique wood-fire coffee roasting. My drink had the best crema that I’ve had in my entire life; their foam is not made of milk, but by the coffee whipped with the sugar that is placed at the buottom. I noticed a screen between the espresso machines and the customers, wherein lies their secrets that they wish to reveal to no one about their espresso process. The crowded space was a two-fold process: walk in and place your order, then grab your receipt and fight through the crowd to hand off the receipt to a barista who serves you up at the bar. This isn’t the kind of cafe where you pull out a book or laptop, but a great experience and the best coffee I’ve had in Italy so far (sorry Nespresso).

proof on their cafe walls

Our final historical stop was the Pantheon, built in 126 AD as a temple for the gods of Ancient Rome. This was the most perfect example of Roman mathematics, the height of the opening to the sky and the diameter of the inner circle at the base are exactly the same size. Since the Renaissance, the Pantheon has become a tomb for famous people including Raphael, the famous painter and two kings of Italy. The writing near Raphaels tomb says, “Here lies Raphael; while he lived, mother Nature feared to be outdone; and when he died, she feared to die with him”.  I stood in the middle of the Pantheon and just looked up in disbelief that this was put together by human hands, under the authority of Roman leaders who have maintained it and it still stands preserved.

As we made our way back towards our house, we ran into numerous monuments, churches, and tons of ancient ruins. This city is filled with history, so much that you almost have to keep your iPhone out to notify you when you are walking up on amazing world history.

For dinner, we spotted a 1-plate buffet & drink combo at a restaurant with an outside patio right next to the Colosseum. After finding the incredible cafe atop the library in Florence, it only seemed right to enjoy a meal right next to an international landmark. We loaded up our plates with a variety of foods, some Roman and others, not so much. It was an unhealthy disaster ranging from swedish meatballs to bruschetta; various cheeses and buffalo wings. But for 10 euro and the best seat in the area, we couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction.

Tonight, our night took an exciting turn after finding the delicious buffet outside of the Colosseum. We rested up for about an hour to regain some energy, do some writing from the past few days, and then challenged ourselves to get out of the apartment for a little run and race action. We put on the running shoes and took off on what we hoped to be a Roman Run 5k, inspired by the many races done by Dave Parsons and the MVNU Running Buddies. The intended plan was to run from our house, near the Colosseum and to make check-ins at the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps before heading back. A few odd turns took us the long route, but we ended up sticking it out to see the Colosseum,  Monument of Victor Emmanuel, Roman Forum, and Arch of Constantine. Overall, we did about 8 kilometers, much more than we had expected. But the beautiful night, wonderful scenery, and great run may have created a new tradition for us in the remaining cities, Venice and Paris.

Tomorrow we head out to explore a few more areas of Rome including Vatican City and St. Peter’s Basilica.