Final thoughts on this trip

We hadn't been to Rome in since 2008. But it is Rome, so not much has changed. They have added some pedestrian streets (that, since it is Rome cars still drive down) and there are some new restaurants (or maybe we just didn't know about them earlier). It was still sunny and warm, the traffic was still heavy, the people are still stylish (at least the Romans. Tourists, not so much) and the ice cream was still delicious.

We found getting around easy - though we mostly walked. We got stood up by our prearranged car to the airport, but since I am so paranoid about such things we still got to the airport on time by grabbing a cab.

Rome has not changed as much as Paris has over the last 15 years. There are no  Russian oligarchs buying up properties near the Spanish Steps. The little local shops are not being driven out of business. It still feels, at least when you get away from the most touristy parts, like a real city.

The airport was a big, big mess, but still only 1 hour from when we were dropped off until we were through security. (I do have mileage status on United, though the slow line didn't really look much slower)

Our connection in Chicago was way too tight for my taste, but that was my own fault. We walked through a very long security line and then got right on the plane. Too close! Too close!

And it takes about a week to get fully over the jet lag, whether you take Ambien or Melatonin.

Go if you haven't been. It is quite a place.

Ostia Antica

We have always wanted to head down to Ostia Antica to visit the ancient Roman port that has been excavated there. This year we finally made it.

It is an easy half hour train ride (well, maybe 45 minutes) and a short walk over to the site.

As with most archaeological sites, there are a lot of small walls:

 

and, of course, sarcophagi:

 and other burial sites:

because you have to take care of your dead:

Lots of details:

and lintels.

The original of this statue, of a winged Athena. She usually doesn't have wings:

You can still see the ruts from chariot wheels. Isn't that cool?

Columns!

 Mosaics!

Lots of old rooms that have been excavated. Some are shops, some are warehouses. This was a port, after all.

a Lion/Sea Monster (Not a Ictheocentaur, but not far!)

I think this was the stable.

Work going on!

 Be careful, don't trip!

 Doreen for scale!

Some of the paint was still on the walls.

Detail of the mosaic tiles. I think that some of these were put in place by Mussolini. He pushed really hard to excavate this site in the 1930s

 a stairway

Doreen, for scale, by a wall.

SP by the theater.

Mosaic of elephant

My shadow

 Theater heads!

 The Theater. I am down there on stage:

Here I am climbing back:

The Galleries around the theater:

And the backside:

Big Urns

The Three Muses. Also known as the attack of the callipygian women.

Detail on a sarcophagus

 sarcophagus

Lots and lots and lots of archaeological detritus:

A big jumble of numbered bits:

and they try to put them back together:

It was so urgent that nobody was there:

It was a good day. We took the train back and got off early and walked back to the apartment. We walked, and walked, and walked.

Ambling about Rome

Seeing that this is the Expedition to the Sarcophagi, here is one more. Wouldn't this look good on our graves? 

It wasn't cold, it wasn't dark, and it wasn't night. But here are the Spanish Steps:

The Boat Fountain there has been refinished:

This is a pretty famous fountain. It is very odd:

We of course walked by the Pantheon:

and even walked inside:

and up to Mussolini's Typewriter:

And over to Santa Maria sobre Minerva, with Bernini's Elephant:

Over the Forum (but not in it):

Saw Baby Jesus's manger:

 The Four Fountain:

And if you look closely, you can see Romulus and Remus:

You can see our balcony here. The second building:

This Doll Shop was right down the street from us. It is very disturbing.

 This was our route, more or less