Rome 2

 Monday, October 13 

THE COLOSSEUM

7:48 am.

We are preparing breakfast. 

We bought our supplies from Carrefour.

Cold milk.

Sausages and ...

bacon.

The kitchen ...

smells incredible.

Crack some eggs.

Bon appetite.

10.08 am.

We are ...

taking a ...

bus to to the Colosseum.

10.41am.

 

I see the word FREE

 

from where I am sitting. 

Always nice to see FREE.

10.41 am

 

Decode : 

 

42

 

21 

 

Nice.

 

(10.41 : the time recorded in my photo gallery) 

We get down from the red bus.

Here is the Colosseum.

The construction of  ...

this famous Colosseum in Rome ...

was completed in the year 80 A.D.

making this structure ...

an astonishing 1,953 years old!

I find it hard to comprehend how ...

this structure can stand there in all its glory ...

and still glowing in the sun after almost ...

TWO THOUSAND YEARS ...

when our buildings back home already ...

start to look dilapidated and worn out after ...

some 50 years. Or less.

Seriously, does it not make you wonder ...

exactly how skillful were the architects ...

and the engineers and the builders back then?

The Colosseum ...

was also known as ...

The Flavian Amphitheatre.

Emperor Vespasian started the works ...

and Emperor Titus completed the Colosseum.

It can fit 50,000 (sit) to 80,000 (stand) spectators.

The Colosseum is the biggest amphitheater ...

built by the Roman Empire, ...

and the largest in the world.

It was originally used for ...

public entertainment ...

including gladiator combats, 

wild animal hunts and public executions.

Trained fighters would fight to their deaths, 

wild animals were senselessly slaughtered by ...  

gladiators, up to 10,000 animals in a single day ...

and condemned prisoners were ...

mercilessly executed as part of entertainment.

The Colosseum remains ...

an enduring symbol ...

of the power and grandeur ...

of the Roman Empire ...

and is one of ....

Italy's most popular ...

tourist attraction.

A devastating earthquake in 1349 

 

that struck the Colosseum 

 

has caused significant damage, 

 

and has profoundly weakened 

 

its structural integrity, 

 

leading to the famous collapse,

 

particularly to one side. 

 

This is the famous ruined structure

 

 that millions of tourists 

 

visit the Colosseum each year. 

 

Debates are on-going as to

 

 how best to preserve the 

 

historical authenticity of the ruins 

 

whilst restoring the structure. 

The Arch of Constantine.

The Arch is our view from the Colosseum.

It was built in 315 A.D. to commemorate ...

the victory of Emperor Constantine I ...

 at the Battle of Milvian Bridge.

 

This Arch is famous for its 

 

historical significance 

 

as the LAST and LARGEST 

 

triumphal arch in Rome.

Triumphal ...

 

 

because it was built to celebrate 

 

 

the victory of the Emperor Constantine

 

 

over Emperor Maxentius.

 

  

 

Maxentius defeated body was 

 

 

found in the river 

 

 

after the bridge collapsed, 

 

 

and his head was paraded in 

 

 

the streets of Rome. 

 

 

 

 This victory was a

 

 

major turning point for

 

 

Christianity,  

 

 

as Constantine attributed his success 

 

 

to a divine vision 

 

 

and began to promote the faith,

 

 

 eventually leading Christianity's rise 

 

 

as the dominant religion of 

 

 

the Roman Empire. 

  

Historical sites around the area.

Tiddis Roman Ruins (right).

Bryan is taking a shot ...

as he turns around ...

on a spot ...  (11:09)

Remember this t-shirt.

 

 

JOKING 15. 

 

I find myself reaching for my 

 

 

handphone to snap a photo.

 

 

15 is Daniel's age when he left 

 

 

for Heaven.

 

 

It is also angel number 4.

 

 

Joking? 

 

 

Hmm. 

 

 

Like laughing?

 

 

Something funny?

 

 

 

 

11:09 ...

 

 

Decode : 11

 

 

No. 

 

 

No message at this point in time.

 

 

 

 

I'll just keep the JOKING 15 

 

 

photo and see what happens.

 

 

 

 

Joking 15 @ 11.09 am

 

to show ...

the ...

surrounding area.

11.08 am.

We have ...

certainly covered ...

all ...

the ...

possible ...

angles. 

Close proximity to Colosseum.

Tiddis on left. Arch on right.

11.17 am. Walking along ...

11.19 am. Ahh. 

11.19 am.

 

A bus appears immediately after 

 

I see the FREE word 

 

on the ground.

 

The FREE word is on the bus.

 

1119

 

Decode : 12

 

21

 

Nice. 

11.19

11.19

We see a long line of tourists on the way.

11.25 am. Will read when have time.

12.20 pm.

12.46 pm. We arrive at Trevi Fountain.

Oh no no no!!!

What happened to you, Trevi?

Still, we have to ...

take some photos.

I tell Bryan ...

they are preparing ...

the fountain place ...

for an Opera performance ...

later this evening.

I'm not normally updated on the latest news ...

but that info somehow appeared ...

in my google news that morning.

They are just ...

cleaning up the pool ...

and will be refilling with fresh water ...

in a bit.

We will be back later.

Murano glass shop nearby.

We are ...

now ...

heading to ...

the next ...

historical site ...

The Spanish Steps.

We pass by ...

this beautiful ...

church.

Jaw-dropping ...

and mind-boggling interior.

There is a man watching over the tourists.

This shrine is absolutely ...

out of this world.

All the churches ...

in Europe ...

have that same Baroque design.

The details of the shrine is ...

so intricate ...

and so elaborate.

How absolutely lovely is this.

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Miracles.

The outward appearance.

More glass crafts from Murano.

2.33 pm.

We are walking towards ...

the Spanish steps. 

Beautiful weather.

The roasted chestnuts are huge. Like Milan's.

The shell comes off easily.

Walk walk walk.

Stop and pose.

The Spanish Steps.

2.37 pm.

That's the famous Spanish Steps.

Fontana della Barcaccia.

I am munching on a chestnut.

You know how some people ...

are able to have food in their mouth ...

and still take a decent photo?

I'm not one of them.

Spanish Steps' Boat Fountain.

The appetizer to Trevi.

It is just right in front of ...

the Spanish Steps.

Don't give me any more chestnuts.

I am ...

climbing ...

up ...

the ...

135 stairs.

The Spanish Steps ...

built between 1723 - 1726 ...

lead from the ...

Piazza di Spagna at the bottom...

(named after the Spanish Embassy) ...

to the French Monastery ...

Trinita dei Monti (1502 - 1587) at the top.

The Spanish Steps is dedicated to ...

the Holy Trinity ...

because their tiers symbolize ...

the Father, 

the Son ...

and the Holy Spirit.

We are walking up ...

to the ...

church.

There is a row of metal bars that look like a ...

barrier to stop tourists from approaching the altar.

 

 Or so I thought.

 

After checking on google, 

 

at the time of blogging,

 

I learn that the steel bars are most likely 

 

a structural reinforcement 

 

to support the aging structure 

 

of the church, 

 

which was consecrated in 1585.

  

We are ...

walking down ...

the steps ...

now. 

Filmed in 1953.

At the Spanish Steps.

"A film that sparked global success."

Interestingly, 

 

Roman Holiday won 3 Oscars 

 

with Audrey Hepburn for Best Actress.

Walking along the row of shops.

3.31 pm.

We stop by ...

this cafe ...

to recharge.

3.50 pm. 

 

No idea what this is. 

3.58 pm

The Pantheon, Rome.

That's the Fountain of the Pantheon, on the right. 

The Pantheon is a miracle ...

in terms of ancient architecture.

The Pantheon's dome 

 

is the largest un-reinforced concrete 

 

dome in the world.

Here is the ...

Piazza Navona.

It is one of the most beautiful ...

and famous squares ...

in the center of Rome.

The original function ...

of this square was ...

as a stadium ...

(Stadium Domitian) ...

for athletics competitions.

This is the ...

Fountain of Neptune.

This elongated (original) stadium ...

could take up to 20,000 spectators.

Navona in ancient Latin : "competition arena."

TREVI FOUNTAIN

5.01 pm.

Hurray!

The Trevi Fountain ...

is now filled with water ...

right to the brim.

We are so ...

excited.

Toss a coin ...

into the fountain ...

to ensure we will return to Rome.

My turn. My turn.

Be sure to toss the coin ...

over your left shoulder.

There. Stick to tradition. Lol.

Our return to Rome ...

is now secured ... 

assured ...

guarantee!

The Trevi Fountain ...

was built between the years ...

1732 - 1762 (30 years to complete).

It was designed by Nicola Salvi, ...

and completed by Pannini. 

Its name comes from ...

the Italian word "tre vie" ...

which means 3 ways or 3 roads ...

as it is located at the ....

intersection of 3 streets.

The water that ...

fills the ...

fountain today ...

is the same water ...

that was supplied to Rome ...

 since 19 B.C.

Doesn't that make you wonder

 

just how advance and accomplished

 

their construction and building 

 

experts are during that era?

 

I can't even comprehend  just

 

how long ago is 19 B.C.

 

I had to ask google.

 

Google search says :

 

"746,121 days."

 

I type : "in years."

 

Out pops the reply: 

 

2044 years 

 

approximately.

 

OMGosh! 

 

2 X 44

 

Double Nice. 

5.42 pm

 

 

 

After Trevi Fountain,

 

 

we are browsing around the shops,

 

 

when I suddenly spot that 

 

 

white t-shirt with the words

 

 

JOKING 15.

 

 

(as I saw it originally this morning) 

 

 

I did not think twice.

 

 

I grabbed my handphone

 

 

and quickly snapped a photo.

 

 

 

Gosh.

 

 

What are the chances of seeing

 

 

that t-shirt again.

 

 

 

There are hundreds,

 

 

no, thousands, of tourists walking about here. 

 

5.42 pm

 

Decode : 11

 

OMG.

 

Wow! 

 

Now it makes sense. 

 

The message is clear.

 

This morning, I saw :

 

JOKING 15 at 11:09.

 

 

Decode : 11

 

 

Both times ...

 

 

11   11 

 

 

  Is that not Angel Number No. 

 

4?

 

 

Suddenly, I just - knew.

 

Hahahaha.

 

Yeah yeah.

 

That was funny.

 

Bryan and myself

 

tossing our coin in the fountain.

 

Hahahahaha.

 

True. True.

 

We were giggling 

 

and

 

we couldn't stop laughing 

 

as we went through all the motions 

 

of holding coin in the right hand 

 

and tossing it over our shoulder

 

 with our right hand.

 

Chuckle.

 

Also, not forgetting that car 

 

with the 44 number plate,

 

the one in La Spezia,

 

2 days ago ...

 

Car #44 was following Bryan 

 

from behind ...

 

Remember? 

 

... because he was walking in the 

 

middle of the road.

 

Hahahahahaha.

  

We were laughing so much 

 

at that one too.

 

 

(Pause to reflect.)

 

 

Wow. 

 

Seriously,

 

 

JOKING 15.

  

 

Nothing is impossible.

 

 

I LOVE ROME!