Our 1st Full Day in Rome

If there hadn't been a cut-off time for breakfast I think we may have slept the day away! We had all been so tired! But we got up, quick got dressed and made our way to the breakfast room at our hotel (Hotel Genova). We enjoyed our continental breakfast with a European vibe (the cappucino was especially awesome) and then we were ready for the day.

First thing to do was check the Gate 1 sign posted downstairs with our schedule for the day. We weren't meeting until later for our tour for the day so we decided to explore the neighborhood by the hotel.

We were not quite 5 minutes from the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. 

Right across the street I used the few words of Italian I knew to order us our first taste of pizza in Italy.

And then after lunch we met up with our group and made our way via bus to the Colosseum. It was actually at the end of the street from our hotel! About a 20 minute walk. Hubby had been really excited to see where the gladiators fought.

Our tour company used these radios with earpieces so that the guides could talk to us without having to yell or be disruptive.

We learned a lot about the history of the Colosseum. Like it was provided to Romans for free by the wealthy who wanted votes. And since women couldn't vote they weren't really wanted there so they had to stand all the way up at the top. LAME! The best seats were down below...there were nets so the animals couldn't get to the spectators. And there's just a section of what the flooring used to look like over the system of tunnels below where animals used to be.

After the Colosseum we walked a few minutes to the Roman Forum, once the seat of the government of the Roman Empire.

Below Little Man and I are sitting beside the Temple of Julius Caesar.

Little Man took this photo of Hubby and I.

There are hundreds of fountains all around Rome where you can get a sip of fresh water from the ancient aqueducts.

After the Colosseum and the Roman Forum we had free time so we left the group and made the trek to the Mouth of Truth. We waited about half an hour for our turn to prove we're not liars (back in the day there was a man behind the mouth that cut your hand off if you were suspected to be lying).

After tons of walking it was time to eat again! I had risotto, but Little Man was all about the pizza! After he raved about it Hubby and I tried some and we all agreed...BEST PIZZA EVER!

Then, while we were sitting outside under a canopy it downpoured and we had to run back to the hotel where we arrived sopping wet! At least we worked off dinner!