I'm Gonna Have the Best Looking Legs and Butt

On Sunday we literally walked our butts off. We went on a free walking tour that JCU offered and it was so informative. We learned more about the Jewish Ghetto that we had walked through the other night and saw where there used to be a gate that kept the Jews apart from the other citizens. We also found out that Italy has the oldest Jewish population besides Jerusalem.

We found out more about the ruins we had stumbled upon on our quest for dinner and that it was once a theater. It was also dedicated to Octavia, Marc Antony's Wife and Caesar's sister. Right by that was what used to be a theater that actually served as a model for the Colosseum. There was the remnants of Apollo's temple as well as medieval houses too. It is so interesting how there are layers to the city. The street level is from one period, and down below you find ancient ruins, and on top of buildings are houses and buildings put up at different points. All I kept thinking on this tour was how lucky I am to be here in Rome. We stopped at the Capitol Hill which basically separates old Rome from new Rome and it had a very interesting museum there too. One museum is actually having a Vincent Van Gogh exhibit. From that point we moved on to see the Roman Forum and eventually the Colosseum!

Quick Tip: if you ever get to Rome, don't take a picture with the people dressed as gladiators because you will get charged 5 euros. I must say, coming up to the Colosseum and standing next to where democracy was born was breathtaking. All along the way we kept seeing the letters SPQR engraved in columns and on sewage covers. It stands for Senatus Populusque Romanus which means The Senate and People of Rome. It is the official signature or emblem of Rome, so I am going to try to take pictures of everywhere I see it.

After having walked all that way, we then had to rush back to go on our bus tour. It wasn't really much of a bus tour as it was a get on the bus and then walk some more tour haha. But honestly, despite my legs screaming at me, I am extremely glad that I went on the tour, it was so worth it. We went up to the Vatican and went into St. Peter's Basilica. They still also have their Christmas tree and nativity scene set up. Unfortunately my camera died half way through, but I was able to snap a few pictures. Walking into the St. Peter's brought tears to my eyes because it was so beautiful. All of the marble and mosaics were so ornate and intricate. Apparently you can hike up to the top of St. Peter's dome for 5 euros, and my roommates and I plan to do so. I also found it interesting that Swiss guards are the ones who protect the Pope and the Vatican.

After leaving the Vatican we got on the bus and went to one of the 5 catacombs that are open to the public. We went into the first two levels of the catacombs. Apparently many martyrs and Popes were actually buried there along with other Christians dating back to the 5th century. The catacomb was actually ransacked when Rome was sacked. In response to that, the Catholic Church has collected the bones of Popes and martyrs and now keeps them at the Vatican. The other bones were collected and moved to another part of the catacomb that was sealed off in the 9th century. It was amazing to see the various frescoes of different tombs and what marble plates are still left. The area above the catacombs was beautiful and green with many Cyprus tress and orange and olive trees. We were exhausted by the end of everything, but if I keep doing all this walking, my legs and butt are going to be in excellent shape! There's a reason why Italian women can eat all those carbs and still look great.