Here Comes A New Shelmet

Since this was our last full day in Rome, we decided to head towards Vatican City. After crossing a bridge, we made our way down the steps to follow the Tiber because Zoe wanted to explore closer to the water. Approaching the Vatican, we stopped just out of smoting range, for Cheryl's protection, before deciding that the view from the gates would suffice. From there we decided we would head out to try some very highly recommended pizza from Bonci. Zoe had to make a stop along the way for some gelato and a bathroom break, which was great because it took an hour to get our food. That being said, it was totally worth the wait! The pizza was amazing and the deep fried pasta balls were bizarre and delicious. While Cheryl was waiting, Zoe and I bought from fresh fruit and vegetables so that she would have something to eat. After a late lunch, we decided to make our way home. As we were about to cross the river, we passed Castle San Angelo and decided to make a stop. Thi...

We woke up this morning with tickets for a 10 am tour of the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Roman Forum. After a late departure, an emergency bathroom stop, and navigating Republic Day preparations, we made it to the meeting spot in the nick of time to join the tour. Putting our headsets on, we made our way to the first stop, the Colosseum. As we approached it, we took a few pictures to try and capture the size, but, like most things on this trip, it was impossible. Crossing the street, we passed by Ludus Magnus, the gladiator training facility that was connected via an underground passageway to the Colosseum. You can still see where the gladiators would live and train to fight for the amusement of others. From there we moved into the massive line to get into the Colosseum, which went much quicker than we expected, thanks to our tour group. The guide did an excellent job describing the history of the place, how it was built, when it was used as an open air quarry, and the...