August XVII: My adventure to Rome
Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 04:17AM We started in Gaeta and took a bus to Formia, then a train to Rome Terminus, then a metro two stops to the Colleseum. We walked toward the Pantheon. On the way, we stopped and drank from cool water fountains that were shaped like wolf heads. Wolves are important in Rome because there were two brothers who were raised by a she-wolf. The wolf let them free, the kids got in a big fight about what the city was going to be like, and one brother killed the other. The city was named after the brother who won the fight, Romulus.
Italians like to eat their pizza folded in half. Graeme and I had pizza for lunch and ate like Roman-Italians. The pizza is very good here because it is where it was invented. The main difference is that there is more crust,and less cheese and sauce. It is SO good! Since it was so good, we eat lots of it and try to decide which is best.
Now to the Pantheon. The Pantheon is a temple for many gods. It is the only building still alive today that was still like it was when it was built. The reason why it is still standing today is that a Pope decided to turn it into a church. It is still a church today. We went out of the way to see it first, so that when we saw other Roman ruins we could understand what they must have looked like.
Next we went to get some ice cream. It was pistachio and chocolate. Pistachio was my favorite (second to my biggest favorite, coconut). The first ice cream I ever had in Europe was raspberry, and it tasted like real raspberries, but I have blogged about that before.
Back to Rome. The a bunch of statues and a bunch of them are nude. Modern statues are wearing clothes. We thought the nude ones were pretty funny but surprizing.
We went to the forum next. There was a temple for Saturn. Inside, there used to be a statue of Saturn (maybe he was nude). At Christmas, you could go in there and pour olive oil on people. Saturn is the god of harvests.
Moving on to the next spot in the Forum, we saw the Temple of Vesta. It was taken care of by the Vestal Virgins. If the vestal virgins misbehaved they got buried alive with a loaf of bread and a candle. The candle was there to give light but also to burn up the oxygen. This happened to 22 people. The Romans were pretty crazy.
Then we moved on to the Colleseum. The first thing that struck me was the view. They took out the floor so you can see the underground where they kept the lions, tigers, cheetahs , and the gladiators. Sometimes gladiators fought eachother, other times they fought animals. Then se moved on to another spot where the emporer would sit. It was near the door where the carriages would come out and scoop up the dead.
They used to all speak in Latin. Now they speak in Italian. The date that I wrote this (above) is in Roman Numerals. Sometimes the old houses have a date, and I am the one who has to read it. I is one, V is five, X is ten, L is fifty, C is one hundred, D is five hundred, and M is one thousand. I figured out that this year now is MMXI.
Today we are resting. We are going to Pompeii tomorrow.
That is it.
If you want a postcard, repond to me and send your address on email. I will write you a postcard that I got (20 postcards for 1 Euro). That was a very good deal. In Majorca, I got one postcard for 75 cents.
Reader Comments (7)
Aethan, I really enjoyed reading about your adventures in Rome and the history of the places you're seeing. I agree with you about how good the ice cream is there. I was in Rome 42(!) years ago and I still remember how yummy it was. I'm looking forward to hearing about your adventures in Pompeii.
Did you know that we had a 5.8 earthquake here yesterday? It was centered in Virginia in a small town northwest of Richmond, but it was felt from South Carolina to Boston and Toronto. I was driving to the Silver Spring Library at the time and was really disappointed that I didn't feel anything. I think most people in the area did feel something. Buildings were evacuated in DC and some are still closed today being checked for damage. DC and Prince George's schools started Monday and they are all closed today. Some of the finials on towers at Washington National Cathedral fell and there are cracks in one of its flying buttresses.
Kay Oshel
Hi aethan. I love pizza! You are so lucky to have the real thing. My mom lived in Italy for 4 months and it's one of her favorite places on earth. My dads family is from Italy, Milan to be exact. I hope I can go there one day.
School starts soon and I'll miss you.
Hey Aethan,
That is so cool! Someday I want to go to Rome and pour olive oil on stautes!
Sorry I haven't written much but we were traveling. We just got home from Colorado -- we drove up over a mountain in a jeep, I kicked my shoe into a waterfalls, and I almost got tampled by a bighorn sheep - it was awesome! (and a little scarey) I'm at a camp Calleva this week where we get to swim, kayak and rock climb.
That is really funny that there are nude statues. We were on a jeep ride in Colorado and we saw a nude lady standing in the window, we almost crashed the jeep! We rented an RV and I loved it - I got to stand up while we were driving.
I got a new puppy this summer - her name is Hobbes (cause my mom thinks I'm like Calvin). She is really sassy and funny -- she likes to chase ice cubes around on the floor.
I gotta go eat - talk to you soon.
Ben B
Hey Aethan - I loved Rome when I visited. Uncle Rod's favorite gelato is nociola - hazelnut. Mine is straciatella - chocolate and vanilla. I would love to get a post card - Your dad has our address. I am in Florida right now - working on getting the house renovated so you all can visit us here in the winter in 2012. Seems like a long ways away - but not really. Love to you and Graeme! xo Unc
Hi Aethan! The pizza sounds really good! I would love to be where you are right now, and so would my mom! Please send us a postcard.
School starts Monday, we will miss you and Graeme at the bus stop. We hope you are having lots of fun.
Love, Caroline and Caitlyn
Hey Dude;
Finally starting school, I have Ms.Schaufelberger, I am excited. I also have new glasses, will send you picture. Really cool places you have been!!! We maybe going to Europe for the winter holidays??? crossing my finger.
Later, Elizabeth
Hi Aethan, your trip sounds like quite an adventure and it also sounds like alot of people wish they could be with you. Seeing the Greek and Roman ruins and Pompeii were always dreams of mine. I'm glad you can see them. What did you think of Pompeii? I probably will not get to Italy but Uncle Don and I may go back to France again. We just got back home yesterday from France. And guess what, there are alot of Roman ruins in France too. I wish we could have met you in France as you sailed by but I think you were there before we even got there on September 18th, grandmom's birthday. It is really neat that email travels all over the world. Loved reading about your trip and what you thought of your experiences. I will check your website again soon.
Love, Aunt Ann