Italy - Day Two

There were a lot of TV stations in our hotel room, but all speaking Italian. Not very hospitable, I don't think. And I can't help but notice there is a dearth of Diet Pepsi/Coke. There is a lot of Italian coffee, which people seem to not be able to get enough of. Coffee is bad in any language as far as I'm concerned.

This will turn out to be my favorite day of the trip. It starts with the Coliseum. I was in Italy once before, so this wasn't brand new to me, but I liked this time better that that time. Our guide was better, and I remember last time spending too much time at the Coliseum.

It could seat something like 50,000 people and they say it could be evacuated in 5 minutes. I don't buy that. I was at a Cleveland Indian game that too like half an our to make it out of the stadium. I can't believe the Romans had advanced technology in leaving places. You just walk out. But with 50,000 people around you, you won't be walking very fast. And can you imagine the parking lot with all the horses and chariots? It would have to be a nightmare.

The last time I was here I didn't go into the Forum. I guess I didn't think that was allowed, which is odd as there are like a bazillion people here now. This small area was the center of the world for a centuries. You have to really use your imagination now to see it that way. Its all torn down now. Invading hordes of Visigoths with do that to you. There is enough left, though, that you can imagine how great it once was.

Favorite Caesar? I'm going with Tiberius. He had to follow Augustus. That would be like the guy that followed Vince Lombardi, or John Wooden, or Abraham Lincoln. Who followed them? That's right. No one remembers. But Tiberius? The Tiber River goes through Rome. How many people have a river named after them? Anybody else? I can't think of anyone. Least favorite? That's a tough one, because there are a lot of candidates. Nero wasn't as bad as people think. He probably didn't fiddle while Rome burned or feed Christians to the lions. He was a jerk, but a lot of Caesar's were jerks. Caligula maybe or there was one named Caracella (or something like that), that would be candidates.

In the afternoon it was to St. Peter's. This is six days before Easter and in what they call Holy Week. So pretty crowded. It reminds me of tours of the U.S. Capitol. I get a little claustrophobic and I just don't care for people in a general sense, so not a perfect experience. I did get to see the graves of a lot of popes, though. Score.