When In Rome (I)

1am flight on 15th October.
The 12 hours 40 mins flight awaits.


On our way back to Hotel




Our 4 Star hotel, pretty conveniently located; nearest Metro @ Barberini Station.
In fact, we are able to walk to many tourist attractions within minutes :)


My pre-planned Itinerary! I took almost 3 months to complete this pile of notes. A very important item to bring everyday.



Brunch to keep us energized before we head off for a long day!



1. Fontana Delle Api - Fountain by the bees
Along uphills of Via Vittorio Veneto. The dirty water is actually for public and their animals. Eeew
3. Fontana Del Tritone - marked by MerMAN on 4 dolphins, artpiece by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.It's actually right infront of Hotel Bernini too
4. Also known as the Capuchin Cemetery.
In 1870, Capuchin monks used bones of 4,000 brothers to decorate the interior. As cameras were not allowed, didn't get to take any photos. Attached a copy of photo taken off the web.It's quite creepy though.

A morning's stroll at Villa Borghese Gardens.





Gotta walk back to take the Metro for our afternoon tour @ Colosseum + Palatine Hills + Roman Forum.

The main square near the Metro is also known as Piazza Barberini.

Piazza Barberini - This is where unidentified corpses are displayed for identification during the 18th Century.


The medieval "cheese" of Rome; you see many holes in the pillars made of Travertine stone as the iron clamps that were used to hold them were "robbed"!

The Colosseum, host of many spectacles they say. Mainly used to entertain the public, sometimes to display wild animals or to be used as an arena for Gladiators to compete for power.

The Colosseum can house approximately 50,000 spectators. That's considered a great feat given the laidback technology available.



Ipogei - underground chambers; miniature mockup of the pulley system used to hoist animals and people.

The wild animals are usually locked in the dark dungeons with no daylight and food for at least a week before released for fights.

Top photo: "The Arena" was derived from the Latin meaning, Sand.

Originally, the floor deck was made of wooden planks and sand, which is said to prevent slip and also to soak up blood during the fights. You can see the newly restored partial floor deck on one side.

Shows a closer view of the underground cubicles, where Cavea: Knights and common man on the lowest tier while the elite of the society on the top tier.

Emperors and VIPs are seated on the Podium.


Sometimes, condemn prisoners (murderers, or people who committed major offenses) are thrown into the arena to fight for their survival with exotic wild animals such as lions and tigers, or even crocodiles and elephants.

If they can walk out alive, they can leave the prison.

According to our guide, it has been said that the great Titus (Roman emperor during AD 79), staged the battle with 12,000 men and animals which he won then. It was a symbol of power, a time where people were fearful of him.

Little that they know that these thousands of men had their legs or arms broken, and animals drugged before released for fight with Titus.





The Roman myth: this is the place where Romulus and Remus were found by a female wolf that kept them alive. A shepherd later took in the two infants and raised them as their own.

When Romulus grew up, he chose this site to build the city of Rome.

You can see the ruins Basilica of Maxentius on the left (3 hoops of columns), standing at about 35m tall, the biggest structure of the Roman Forum.

Arch of Constantine straight ahead, in clear sight were two huge statues of goddess Victoria, riding on a chariot led by 4 horses on the white building - the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II.


This cordoned off area is the place where the imperial guards and noblemen held celebrations, parties and dinners for private affairs.

Colorful frescoed walls and mosaic flooring, many imperial palaces were built on the Palatine because of "the cleaner air atop the hill"



After the long tiring walk through of the Roman history, we've decided to search for our next location for dinner, at Trastevere.


Along our lost directions, walked by Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II. This is to honour the first king of a unified Italy during the 20th Century.


Finally here @ Ponte Sisto bridge! There too many bridges around, and honestly, they all looked exactly the same. You wouldn't find out the name of the bridge until you're right infront of it where you see the sign.



Finally here for our dinner.

Trastevere is the heart of Rome, where the night life is.
Somewhat similar to what we have in boat quay, with long stretch of food places and bar, night markets and street performers.

They entertain crowds into the wee hours; singing, juggling, dancing, etc ANYTHING!


Shrooms and mozzarella ham pizza + The Roman Calamari!