Rome – May 1, 2018

Breakfast this morning was tended by a real nun, so there are some around.

We walked on stone worn smooth by the legions.

After 9 we set off for the Colosseum, soon in a light drizzle. There was quite a crowd there already, bolstered by a large number of African men selling umbrellas.  Guess you have to make a living somehow.  The area around is excavated ruins (including the Roman Forum), most of it behind an 18 € “Roman Pass” fence.  Actually most of Rome seems to consist of old ruins, or buildings headed that way.  It must limit municipal development to have so much space that cannot be built on, but must be maintained.  But it brings in the tourists.

Didn’t notice the graffiti with that handsome face in front of me.

We walked up to Piazza Venezia for a coffee and a chocolate pastry, practicing the fine Italian art of NOT being in the designated crosswalk when the high speed car arrives.   Then on to the Pantheon with more huge crowds.  The crowds are only at the major attractions – the rest of Rome is quite reasonable.  The hole in the Pantheon roof was still there, allowing rain to fall onto the central floor of the Basilica.  It MUST be more impressive in sunlight.

The Pantheon has a hole in the ceiling, and it was raining!

It is May 1, Labour Day in the world outside North America, and a holiday, so that could explain some of the crowds.  Most things are open, contrary to what we expected.  Most piazzas and intersections have a military vehicle and two soldiers with automatic rifles.  Is this in honour of potential May 1 riots, or is this what the Italian army does?

As we wandered around we stopped at numerous churches to admire the fabulous marble carvings and paintings.  The churches were all open and well patronized.  It has to be said that the Italian painters of that era (late 1500s, early 1600s) used entirely too much black.

The crowds at the Spanish steps.
Azaleas in full bloom at the Spanish Steps.

Lunch was another pizza and wine.  It turns out that Italians actually eat pizza. 

By the time we got back to the Spanish Steps (more huge crowds) it was 5 PM, and with 13 km under the feet, it was enough for the day.  Time for a rest and prepare for supper.  We got sucked into an unprepossessing frontage that turned out to be good, but more up-market than expected.  Eating in Rome is proving to be expensive.