We're still whizzing along on the train not far from Padova and it's dark outside so can't see anything of the countryside. We should be in Venice in about 25 minutes.
to continue .... Sunday day 3 in Rome - Colosseum day - YAY!
We'd briefly talked about going back to the Parthenon to go inside but decided against it and head down to the Colosseum early and it was just as well we did.
There were so many people everywhere there and we had no idea where to go. However, a guy touting for people to do a tour asked us, and when we said that we were booked already, he then directed us to the entrance. Once at the entrance, well, I mean when we could see the entrance, there were so many people and because we'd been told that we didn't have to queue, we weren't sure where to go. Again, we were helped - this time, by a guy who asked us where we had to go and when we told him we were picking up tour tickets he shoved his way through the crowd with us tagging close behind and got us inside and going in the right direction. By this time we were walking along past the mile long queue of people waiting to pay to get into the Colosseum and which was hardly moving at all. And then we found ..... our queue! What! Yes! We had to queue in the queue for picking up tickets booked for tours. That is - join the queue that wasn't supposed to be there. As far as we could tell everything was very orderly, only one person tried to push in in front of me and she got told that pushing in wasn't an option and to get to the back of the queue, . She did what she was told without fuss, thankfully and we made it to the ticket man, got our tickets no problem.
Next stop was the toilets and of course, seems like it's a world wide problem, not enough toilets for women so there was a long, long, queue. Barry trotted in and trotted out in quick time and so I decided to go where he went. Another lady, about to join the women's queue said she'd come too, so we went over to the men's to be met by her brother coming out who told her that ii "wasn't very nice in there" so she fled back to the women's queue,and left me going on my own. Next thing two old geezers come along the hall and told me "No! No! Señoras go over there". I grabbed Barry's arm and we went in together. I did what I had to do and was out before any guy realised I'd been in there and off we went to find the tour meeting place.
No problem and when the tour guide arrived we asked her if Barry could join my tour, which was perfectly ok with her.
We set off, walked a little way behind the stadium, turned right and walked into the Colosseum - mind blowing. What an amazing experience, what a magnificent place. I don't have the words to describe the feeling that came over me when we walked in and there I was - inside The Colosseum! It was all around me, rising up and up. It took my breath away, I had tears in my eyes. SIMPLY STUNNING
Have to have a little break because we are in ...... VENICE
Taking the tour was well worth while. The tour guide was very good and gave us heaps of info with a good sense of history and humour. Turns out that no Christians got fed to the lions here but in another place. And, turns out that the reason why so much of it is missing is because, over time, most of what's missing got taken away to build other buildings after things changed and it was no longer used. For example, most of the marble, including all the seating, got taken off .... to build St Peter's in the Vatican! How about that!
First we down into the tunnels and then climbed rather a lot of steps up to the 3rd tier. The tour took about 11/2 hours and then we wandered about and sat for a bit trying to take it all in, not wanting to leave. After about 4 hours we managed to get ourselves out and onto the street.
I'm not going to attempt to describe what we saw and heard because it's impossible. I could write thousands of words and not even come close to saying what I really wanted to say so here are some photos to have a look at.
Goodbye Colosseum
We decided to walk back to the Parthenon to have a look inside, stopping off on the way for a pizza and beer lunch. But no, thwarted again - another mass was going on so we weren't allowed in. Seems like decision to have a mass is random, there's no timetable. This time we just wandered about nearby forba while and then went back. This time it was open and it's free to go inside. Another incredibly amazing place albeit on a much smaller scale than the Colosseum. There were a lot of people inside, and it was easy to listen into tour guides imparting their knowledge to their group.
one part of one side of the Parthenonthe Parthenon one very old thing and a couple of not so old things
From the Parthenon we walked to the Metro and went underground to the main railway station to get tickets to go to Naples and experienced a classic case of pickpocketing but from my bag not pocket. A crush of people crowding and pushing to get into carriage and a young girl pushes up against me as I was almost in the carriage, I had my hand up on the side of the door and said to her to just wait, she apologised and then Barry said that he couldn't get on and as I turned away she pushed under my arm and onto the train and off she went and we waited for the next train. At some point I realised that my shoulder bag was open and, sure enough, my little red Zaragoza purse had gone. Bugger! I knew immediately what had happened, scummy tart. But, guess what - it had no money in it, not one penny! Ha! This trip is our first trip that Barry has had all the cash in his wallet so she lost out big time.
At the station Barry decided to use the automatic self-service machines to get our train tickets and as he was working out which buttons to press for what a guy came up and offered to help him. There was nothing on him to say that he was a station employee and it all seemed rather suspicious so Barry walked away. Maybe we were being over cautious but too bad. Better safe than sorry.
That night Barry booked our tickets on-line, no problem.
The day had turned to night and it was cold and wet so we got subway back to our neighbourhood, dinner and home.
Another great day.
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