The train to Rome begins in Viterbo so there were no passengers onboard when we boarded. The trains were running a normal schedule in spite of it being Christmas Eve, but unlike Amy's and my previous trip, it didn't fill to overflowing as it progressed. The train is a double decker and we settled in the upper portion, all facing forward on the side of the train with the best views.
We took the train all the way to its terminus at Ostiense and then transferred to the subway at Pyramide for a two stop ride to Colosseo. We walked the quarter mile to our hotel for the night and, as our rooms were not ready, left our luggage at the desk. The information we had was that the archeological sites would not be open on Christmas Day, so we made our way back to the Roman Forum and made our way down. For a long while, the forum was free to enter, but several years ago they fenced the whole area off and began to charge admission to generate more income to maintain the site. The most economical way to see it is to get a combined ticket for the Forum, Colosseum and Palatine Hill. Unfortunately, they have closed most of the Forum off for general wandering about, but they have also opened a number of sites that were not accessible before. Here Mom exits the site of the House of the Vestals.
Next up was the Colosseum.
With the standard picture of the picture taker.
Our tour of the ruins took several hours and once it was over we made our way back to the hotel for a well deserved lunch at a restaurant around the corner. After a brief rest, Mom and Jim headed out on their own for parts unknown. They were out walking for over four hours during which time they managed to find the Trevi Fountain, find but not climb the Spanish Steps, wander past the Tomb of the Unknown at the Vittorio Emmanuel Monument, circle the Forum, pass the Circus Maximus and then come back past the Colosseum. They managed to get lost, but also managed to become found and made it back to the hotel without even considering resorting to the cell phone we gave them to ask for us to find them.
While Christmas Eve had been overcast and drizzly, Christmas Day was postcard perfect. We began the day on one of the bus tours which circles through the city in order to get an overview of the sites we had yet to find. We had planned to get off at the Vatican on the second time around, but the crush of the crowd at St. Peter's for the Pope's address put a damper on that. Mom was able to view the basilica from the end of the road, but didn't make it in to the actual church. I suspect she is saving that for next time! After a very nice lunch in the Jewish Quarter we struck out to walk to an evening appointment for cocktails with the family of a student. On our way we passed the Largo Argentina, a collection of four temples which also serves as a subterranean cat sanctuary, which caught Mom's eye.
Next up was a visit to the Pantheon. It is closed on Christmas which is a bit unusual since it is a functioning Catholic church. However, you could still take a picture of the outside!
A few block from that is the Piazza Novona. Below, Mom and Jim pose by the main fountain in the center of the square which represents the four major rivers of the world (known at the time of the fountain's creation). The figure in the background with a draped head is an allegorical representation of the River Nile. The head is covered since the source of the Nile was not then known. The picture is remarkably deceptive. It would seem like Mom and Jim are the only people around in an otherwise deserted piazza. Nothing could be further from the truth. There was a huge Christmas Market ongoing (well worth the visit) and several thousand people milling around. The miracles of perspective.
We spent a second night in the city and made our way back to Viterbo the following morning. It was interesting, but exhausting. For those of you keeping count, Mom covered 8-10 MILES walking across the two days.
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