First issue, I decided to use my blow dryer with the adapter I brought with us. Only to blow the fuse in the adapter! Damn. So my adapter is useless, thankfully I can still use the USB device to charge my phone. Damn... I will need to get another adapter later. Gee guess I shouldn't of used it with my blow dryer. -- Footnote I did get one later across the street at a small store for 10 E with multiple adapters and the instructions say don't use with blow dryer.
After showering and having a light breakfast we went down to the coffee shop nearby to get our cappuccinos. We followed the locals advice and stood at the bar and enjoyed them for 1.50 E each.
Today we are doing all Ancient Rome sights. We booked prior to arrival the Colosseum upper and Lower tour thru Ticket Italy - you can find links here.
We arrive at the Colosseum about 40 minutes prior to our scheduled tour time just to be safe. We go thru security and then we have to go to the ticket office to pick up our tickets. Normally this would be a long queue but it is early so we are good. We are given our Colosseum/Palatine Hill/Roman Forum tickets and then a sticker to wear for the 9:20 Underground/Upper Level tour. Then we are told where to meet for the tour.
Since we still have a bit of time we start Rick Steve's Podcast about the Colosseum and learn a bit before we start the tour.
Antonio is our guide and he leads us behind the scenes and down to the lower level. We come out on what would of been the floor of the Colosseum.
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| you see the platform on the ground with the group, that is where we were. |
After we are lead even further down to the lowest level. We are shown where the animals would of been kept. Where the Gladiators entered and where they went if they lost. No most of them were not killed.
We are shown the aquaducts where water flowed into the stadium for not only the animals but for the people. Locals would come here for the day (free to enter) and they would watch the show.
There were many of these wenches that were around that would be in action by 8 slaves turning the wheel around to raise the animals, gladiators or whatever they were showing. This is a replica.
We are lead up to the public area where most people only see and then up another flight of very steep stairs to the third level. The fourth level is pretty much destroyed. This is one of the pathways where visitors for the day would go for food, water, washrooms etc.
From the very top we get an amazing view.
After the tour we head down to the second level where everyone is and we restart the podcast and follow Rick Steve's guide.
After about an hour we decide to head out and cross the roadway to the Forum. Our ticket gives us access for the day to the three sites.
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| ticket booths at Forum - a lot less lines than Colosseum so come here if lines are long at the Coliseum |
We turn on Rick Steve's guide, note I found it helpful to keep his guide book handy too as a resource to make sure I was in the right spot.
There are a few areas that are being worked on so we had to take that into consideration and having the book helped.
It is one pm and we are needing lunch so we decide to exit right near the Capitol Hill Exit. I am glad we did.
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