Kim's Impressions

Here I am in my favourite city! I cannot believe that yesterday I walked the ancient pathways of the Roman Forum, once magnificent buildings, covered in gold and marble. Our Dutch guide explained that the ruins were preserved by being coated in layers of dust and earth. The Romans built on top of these ancient buildings and only later were they excavated. (Yes I was paying attention despite the jet lag). I hear the facts but my mind can't actually absorb this! I mean this lasagna effect, as the guide calls it, boggles my mind. Today you are standing in a valley looking at ruins at eye level upon later constructions of churches built on top of these ruins.

The guide showed us pictures of the elaborate palace on the Palentine (palace) hill where Augustus had a lovely home surrounding a court yard with fountains. The Barbarians (those who spoke baa baa) looted the gold and marble. And later once the palace was abandoned, the marble was recycled for other buildings.
What a pleasure to be whisked ahead of the lineups into the Coliseum. I think you can buy tickets in advance for this. Our guide recreated for us the majesty of the shows from ancient times. In the mornings there were shows with animals and in the afternoons the gladiators fought. Many of the animals became extinct from this time. Their bones were later found lying around the Coliseum.

I had my first espresso in a cafe tucked behind the Coliseum and my first Roman pee (b.y.o.t) bring your own toilet paper, and then push the pedal to turn on the tap. After that a quick visit to Trevi, where we found some cute Canadian boys, who took our picture. I showed them your pics, Allie and Carly.

Bubba Davis would have been proud of me. Last night we were instructed in the fine art of pasta making. Our chef Francesca cajoled us with her rolling pin and plastered us all in flour while we kneaded and rolled and cut at outdoor tressle tables.

I am glad that dinner started with a selection of antipasti as the main course was our pasta, laced in pork cheeks, which we watched the chef saute on an outdoor skillet. I wasn't sure which end the cheeks were from!

Chef Marco felt very torn last night. Should he forgo dessert for an earlier ride back to the hotel? Whew the driver, who was summoned to pick up 4 weary travelers, took enough time to give Marco a taste of his dessert, which he ran back for.

Okay I am now nauseous from writing this en route to the Vatican!