Roma Day 2!!!!

Today I believe is our first official full day in ROMA. We started off by stuffing our faces with a delicious breakfast…European style. Which was tasty and interesting all at the same time. First Item on the agenda….The Borghese (Boar – Gay - See) palace. We got lost and separated from the group along the way but no fear we all made it safe and sound. The best part about going to the Borghese is that you have to walk through this beautiful park that was more like a mini central park with lots of Roman appeal and classical elements! Borghese palace was so interesting and had really great art work as well as a lot of the original detail. We saw original Raphael paintings and art by some of the greatest renaissance artists. They had their very own gardens there with shrubs and trees all grown and landscaped in beautiful patterns. Fountains and flowers bringing a sweet thrill to the senses. After Borghese it was of course time for a gelato break! Which by the way is so delicious I have eaten it every day except one. I have not had a flavor I did not foodgasm over yet! Back to the Colosseum to go inside….holy mother of pearl it is HUGE! I am not exaggerating here. Over 50,000 people could fit comfortably in this gorgeous giant! Interesting things we learned… over 5,000 animals were killed in the first year due to entertainment purposes, woman always had the worst seat in the house unless they were a virtuoso, everything was cased in marble…I can tell you from experience that marble is extremely slippery when wet. I also think that it must have seemed a glorious sight when shining in the hot Mediterranean sun. Well as I am sure most of you know it is no long cased in marble it is the skeleton of what once was. Ancient Rome you see is big on green design. They recycle their resources. So almost everything of worth was ripped off and put into other temples and projects the current roman emperor felt was necessary to his legacy.
We met up with a fabulous tour guide who took us to four amazing churches; one was a church that had been built up on top of it three times. Meaning they were able to hollow out the two previous churches under it and you can tour all three. Back down to the level of Rome back over a thousand years ago. The next three all had very significant things about them like Michelangelo’s Moses, and the Ecstasy of St Teresa by Bernini, and finally one of the four holy churches the pope can administer mass from. We also learned about the holy door that only a pope or a cardinal can open for Jubilee. This is every 25 years. Between that time they brick up the inside and it is not touched until then or after. As we made our way to the one and only trevi fountain...we passed the presidents palace. No worried it was two blocks long! He and only he lives there….what does he do with all that space? We happened to come upon the changing of the guard, they have a military band, and flags and guns and all sorts of uniforms…it was sort of boring but interesting at the same time. The Trevi fountain brings up one of my favorite things about Rome. They have natural springs and freezing cold water just continuously pouring out of spickets and fountains all over the city…that you can drink and wash in …..for FREE! It is some of the best water I have ever tasted and they always look great. Pouring into a giant marble tub from antiquity or our of the mouth of a lion…So cool. Well the non drinking fountains like Trevi are everywhere and make even the busiest trashiest streets seem serene and beautiful. Trevi was of course packed and we of course ate it up. The god of Neptune is my friend. There is a myth about the trevi fountain that if you throw in one coin you will come back to Roma, if you throw in two a roman will be nice to you, if you throw in the three you will fall in love with a Roman. I threw in one because I am in love with a Provoian. Everything about water makes you feel like its cooler outside, even when it is not even close!
For dinner we ate a really great restaurant. I had Pumpkin Tortelli with a butter mint Sauce. It was Divine and for desert…Tiramisu! Good, but mom yours is better! We then meandered our way around some really great shops and so not so great tourist shops and went home. It was a lovely day and even though it was crazy busy, after a nice hot shower and clean pj’s, there is nothing better than days like this!