Day 5: Rome

On to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum.  We were pumped and couldn’t wait to get there.  Our tour started at 8.30AM and it was already near 30 degrees and very humid.  The tour was with Walks of Italy, and our guide was “Australian” with an annoying habit of speaking with a partial Italian accent.  She was great and so knowledgeable but where the bloody hell was Giorgio or Alessandro?  First stop, the Colosseum.  Again wow.  It was magnificent and made me want to hire out Gladiator again.  The scale is so impressive and the travertine is just beautiful. Part of it was covered with scaffolding for restoration but it didn’t detract. I pinched myself again. I cannot believe we are in Rome.  The history is amazing and the stories were fascinating.  We bought a kids book on Rome reconstructed and it really helped the kids (and adults) to visualize what it would have looked like all those years ago. On to Palatine Hill and it was hot, hot, hot.  There is little shelter particularly through the Roman Forum and by the end of it, the kids were melting but holding it together. It was actually becoming a little unbearable and poor Zachie complained of feeling sick.  I think heat stroke was setting in.  Note to self, do not come to Rome in July.  The crowds were everywhere and still piling in. As incredible as it was, we’d had enough and were happy to head for some lunch back at Travestere, this time at Mr Clood, a restaurant recommended for home made pasta.  And it didn’t disappoint.  Tony, Mark and Chontelle joined us while Sandra and Catherine did some sightseeing.  We headed home via the supermarket and stocked up on beer and antipasto.  We settled in for the afternoon.  I was thankful to be in the cool and to just catch our breath and recharge.  Rome has been very good to us and I feel like we have seen enough, given the heat and the kids.