AT PLAY

For the home enhancers, the foodies, the wanderers

Climbing the colossal Colosseum…

Hard to believe the Colosseum, or Ampitheatre Flavius, was opened in20110515-093951.jpg 72AD! And that some 5,000 wild animals were put to death in the 100 day opening celebrations; that 70,000 people could be seated within 20 minutes; that awning segments were hoisted across the roof to provide shade…and that most of the marble facade was pillaged to build St Peter’s Basilica. Yes, we are in awe of the brilliance of Roman construction.

View the Circo M20110515-094011.jpgassimo, originally used for Chariot Races, now the venue for all celebrations including Live Aid.

Freeze our butts off in the Catacombs of Domitilla, an underground Basilica comprising some 17km of galleries and corridors spread over four levels, housing almost150,000 burials. Descending into its bowels, we giggle with thinly veiled fear at the prospect of getting lost in there for days, helpful for losing a few of kilos but ever so cold and a tad scary. The cold would have been most welcome yesterday as we were slogging the kilometers that make up the Vatican in 35 degree heat!

20110515-094042.jpgFinally back to the Piazza Navona which sits over another ancient stadium, to view the magnificent fountains there then make our way to our guide recommended restaurant for lunch. It’s vegetarian…and a smorgasbord…Ducky has a mild panic at the thought of ‘eating at the trough’ and ‘no meat’ throws him into a total tailspin. Never the less, he perseveres and we compensate by agreeing to eat at  ‘guaranteed meat’ Hard Rock Cafe this evening.

We make a feeble attempt to trawl shops but the cobbled roads become too slippery from our first rain. Fifi’s hawker purchased umbrella starts disintegrating and poking people’s eyes and her shoes pose the risk of face planting her in the gutter…time for home…there’s a Hard Rock Cafe beckoning.

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Three coins in a Fountain…

Meet our delectable private tour guide, Massimo…sparkling white teeth, crisp white shirt, Gucci loafers, rather cute… board the big black van, get thrown i20110515-043755.jpgnto chaotic traffic and arrive intact at the foot of the magnificent Vittoriano or National Monumento, dedicated to the fallen soldier, one of the newest buildings in Rome, opened in 1927. View the remains of the Roman Forum, temples, house of the Vestal Virgins and Basilica Aemilia from Palatine Hill then on to the Pantheon followed by the Trevi fountain…

20110515-043925.jpgBeautiful, strangely displaced amongst dense buildings, and crowded with fellow tourists. Shed a tear in fond memory of Pixi’s last visit with Kent and a happier time when we tossed a coin and promised each other we would be back. Instead, posing on the rim we reserve a space between us for our mighty fallen, now with us spiritually, throw our coins in the fountain then join the masses to pose on the famous Spanish steps.20110515-044017.jpg

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Lunch off the Piazza Navona then on to the Vatican. Sistine Chapel, hall of maps and the Basilica …the privilege of a private guide giving us instant access ahead of a crowd that stretches around the block, hot patient punters.

Conclude the day by viewing Rome – past and future – from a hilltop, before throwing ourselves back into the chaos of streets blocked by a protest march, exacerbated by the heightened security around the American Embassy opposite our hotel, a potential target for retaliation after Bin Laden’s demise.

In lieu of seeking one of the many ‘hip’ local eateries, relive the day via our iPad photo downloads, grab a meal in the hotel, retire to massage tired feet, guess our way through Italian dubbed movies and sleep…

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Shopping in beautiful Florence…

Dicky and Ducky take well deserved ‘man time’ on a Golf Course while Fifi, Bella and Pixi take well deserved retail therapy in Florence. As our villa is in country Tuscany, we take a 50 minute train in then jump on the big red get on-off bus to absorb the soft atmospheric palette and gentle majesty of this beautiful city.20110513-104539.jpg

Home of Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Brunelleschi to name a few, the Statue of David, the Uffiziand the incredibly enormous, multi marble Duomo cathedral dominating the centre…and not to forget the famous Ponte Vecchio over the River Arno, home of little overpriced jewelry shops which of course we can’t resist trawling…followed by the leather markets.

20110513-104450.jpgA €7 cup of tea…tis a tourist trap after all…then on the train home to regroup, share room service and sigh… exhausted and satisfied with the day’s haul of little gifts, cheap handbags and Bella’s lovely piece of bling.

A big day tomorrow…navigating into the very busy Rome for our next adventure.

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