The Roman Experience

Rome is a city I never knew much about, besides what I'd seen in magazines, movies and the Travel Channel. I had always been told it was a city of great history but I never fully realized the extent of that until I went there this weekend. The first thing I couldn't get over was how big everything was. The city itself you could walk around for days without a moment of boredom. Some parts were obviously more appealing then others, but my travel group mainly stuck to the tourist areas. We must have stood out like a sore thumb in some places now that I reflect. Taking 10 minutes to figure out how to purchase a train ticket, moving people aside to take pictures of passing monuments, and using our barely-there Italian to ask for directions...the list continues. I boarded the flight back to Venice with not one regret. I saw everything I wanted to, from the Roman Forum to Trevi Fountain, I'd call it a successful vacation. What impacted me the most was my experience at the Colloseum. Being told that only 8% of gladiators survived and then stepping into that same arena was mind blowing. It wasn't creepy like I expected but eye opening to how much society has changed today. Was I standing on the same ground as a man who was awaiting his death moments later? It was an indescribable feeling, but I really enjoyed the experience. Not to mention the shape the architecture is in today. I felt the same way when we saw the Sistene Chapel. Did these artists know that their work would be as incredible today as it was back then? Did they even think it would still exist? These are all questions I still left with unanswered but it was inspiring to see the magnitude of such works. I wonder where the motivation to do something so grand stems from.