Roma diem tres (Rome day 3) by Christian

On day 3 of the rome trip, we had a guided tour of the Forum and the Colosseum. Our tour was guided by an archeologist that had dug in the part of the Forum that we were going by. Christian asked all sorts of smart questions on the tour. His questions were answered most times with . "I was hoping that someone would ask that very question." For lunch we had some very good burgers. After that in the Colosseum, we were able to go almost to the ground floor, where we could see all of the trapdoors that the gladiators and the animals that were going to fight were placed. We also were able to see the inside of the Pantheon. Tonight, for dinner, we ate in the room. We got some pizza from a bar that had some people dancing the flamingo [editor's note:  that might be flamenco]. Those people had some spanish dancing musicing and a TV camera pointing at them.

N on the main ancient roadway (down which Caesars, generals, soldiers, and vanquished peoples would march in Roman victory parades).  In the background is the Basilica of Maxentius (which became the Basilica of Constantine).

M in front of the Temple of Jupiter in the Roman ruins--the end point of all Roman parades

C and M before the Roman Senate

Steel drumming buskers playing in the piazza in front of the Pantheon

N and C in front of the Pantheon

Us at the Roman Forum

The Colosseum

C overlooking the interior of the Colosseum

C's favorite--a Ferrari you could drive for only 120 euro for 15 minutes

Fake Buddhist monks who use poorly-hidden braces for apparent feats of strength