Roman Monday

I stayed awake as long as I could last night, but eventually gave up and caught up with 10 hours of sleep.  The hotel has an American-style breakfast buffet, so I loaded up on non-gluten things, spent some time looking at maps, then headed out for today's adventure.

So it turns out that when you book a Perillo tour, you're not going with a group of people from one place to another.  What they do is book things for you, but you're on your own to get to the meeting points for each trip, so today I had to get to the Colosseum.  I could have walked 30 minutes from my hotel, if I didn't get lost, but I decided to walk 15 minutes to the Metro Termini station, where the two main subway lines cross.  I managed this successfully in a more or less straight shot from the hotel, and managed to buy a 3-day pass after going to the wrong window twice.  From there, there are only 4 directions the trains can take you and the maps are clear, so it wasn't hard to manage the two stops to the Colosseum (although the trains seem to be very crowded and a seat is just wishful thinking).  I found the tour I was specifically assigned to (the same tour companies run multiple tours with multiple guides each hour) and got my sticker and headset.  The headset is a lovely idea, so the tour guide can speak in a normal voice from 30 feet ahead of you and you will clearly hear her.  The next 3 and a half hours were spent walking, climbing stairs, standing in the hot sun, walking more, climbing more, and gawking at ruins.  There is nothing I can add that you can't find online, so here are pictures. 

What you see when you get out of the Metro stop and you are waiting for your tour.  Enterpreneurs are trying to sell you water bottles, selfie sticks, and acrylic blocks with some local landmark etched inside.

Some pillars are held together with chains.

This gate was originally for removing the losers of gladiator battles.  She said.

There are taps like this all over Rome - spring water that is clean for drinking, and nice and cold.

Typical cobbles.  The old Roman roads used much bigger slabs and the cracks between them are treacherous.

Something old.  I think this was part of the gym where the slave gladiators trained and lived.  You can't scratch the ground here without something ancient turning up.  This has put a crimp in the scheduled building of the third subway line.

Reconstructed seats for big shots.

What lay below the arena floor.

The underneath layers from another angle.

I have no explanation for the giant pomegranate.

More old things.

It's hotter than I expected - had to be in the 80s today.  It's a fine balance between not becoming dehydrated and being able to wait for the next bathroom to show up.  But unlike when my parents visited long ago, they now refrigerate soft drinks and water and serve them to you cold.

After the tour (which included the Roman forum and a view from the top of a large hill), I headed back to the Metro and found my way (once I sat down and compared the map carefully to the actual streets) to a restaurant recommended for gluten-free.  The tips from the tour company suggest that restaurants expect you to order at least two courses (not including dessert), and they seem expensive - first courses (pasta, mostly) run up to 18 - 22 euros, with second courses even higher, and 5 euros for a Coke.  You could easily spend 50 euros for a dinner.  I need to find some cheap place, and some gluten-free pizza, and invest in some more snacks because at this rate I will run through what I brought.  At least I will walk it off.  I ordered pasta with ham and peas and rosemary (the ham seemed to be bacon) and an "old Roman recipe" lamb stew.  I should really know not to order lamb - it's nothing but gristle, but between the few bites of meat and the potatoes, I filled up.  After lunch (it was 4 pm by the time I was done) I walked back to the Metro, passing this fountain:

Some fish dude with enormous nipples.

The Trevi fountain is down that street, but I was tired and sore by then.  Got back to the Termini metro and walked back to the hotel, passing this:

I guess if you can't find a bridge on which to attach your love locks, wolf teeth will do.

That's all I can handle today, at least until I stop sweating and get hungry.  I'll need another water bottle for tomorrow after losing today's - this will be a trip to Tuscany.  I have to get to the departure point by 7:15 am (which means no time for breakfast at the hotel) once I figure out how, then they will walk us all over Tuscany, including an abbey, vineyard, lunch, and wine tasting, plus "visit of Pienza on your own", wherever that is.  I think the rest of the night is best spent online looking things up and resting my feet and knees.

Birding - so far, lots of pigeons, seagulls, non-native parrots, and hooded crows.  A few starlings, and nothing else I can get close enough to identify.