The optional tour had ended and we drove into central Rome to start our afternoon of sightseeing.  The  main attractions were the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. It was about 30 degrees but the humidity was cruel. We had the same tour guide , Patricia, and she sought out shade for us to stand in while she explained the history of these two incredibly ancient icons of history.

The Colosseum is an oval amphitheatre and is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built. Construction began in the year 70 as a free standing structure of stone and concrete. It seated 50,000 spectators who were shielded from the sun by a massive retractable awning, operated by the Roman navy. There were 80 ground level entrances to control congestion. It offered spectacular entertainment from hand to hand combat between gladiators and contests between slaves and wild animals. The games was bloody and gorey and not for the faint hearted, but the people loved them because they were free and demonstrated the power and prestige of the Roman Empire. In medieval times all the marble seats and outer marble cladding disappeared as the site was treated like a quarry for a 1000 years. Preservation began in the 1820's.

Forum was the centre of a Roman town, it served as a public area in which commercial, religious, economic, political, legal, and social activities occurred. Fora were common in all Roman cities, but none were as grand as the fora of Rome itself. It was here that the Roman Senate sat and the Vestal Virgins watched over the sacred flame. Today the Forum is a confusing boneyard of history. Marvelous to think that you are walking in the footsteps of so many famous people.

 We were back at the hotel by 2.45 as another optional tour was starting at 5.00. We had not booked any other optional tours in Rome, so we wandered down to the local MacDonald's for an early dinner. We also checked out the Metro Train Station which we will be using tomorrow. Last stop was a mini mart for some drinks and biscuits and then back to our room for a shower and an easy night.