S P Q R reads Senatus Populusque Romanus and means The Senate and the People of Rome - appears on inscriptions on monuments and public works around Rome. Just so you know - I was trying to guess what it stands for since I arrived. Loon treated me to a trip to Rome - partly to celebrate our 6th anniversary. :) We went on Boxing Day - it was raining but it did not dampen my spirit to walk north south east and west - the surprising part was my normally walk-lazy husband was walking around happily despite the drizzles!
We stayed in Donna Laura Palace Hotel - perhaps about 1/2 hour walk to Piazza Del Popolo, the entrance to all the other famous Piazzas ie Piazza Navona (Julius Caesar was killed near here), Piazza Venezia, Piazza Colonna, Piazza Di Spagna (Spanish Steps) etc. The hotel was very comfortable and food was no problem (pizzerias and cafes behind the hotel). We ate pizzas, peppers, mushrooms, gellatos everyday!! yummy! Pui liaw...
Piazza Del Popolo, above and Piazza Navona, below
Piazza Colonna - the obelisk of Marcus Aurelius detailing his Roman campaign. He is depicted in the movie Gladiator, the emperor who was murdered by his own son.
We have divided our Roman trip to 4 - Eternal Rome, Imperial Rome, The Vatican and Pompeii.
ETERNAL ROME
I have always admired Samantha Brown's job in Passport to Europe - perhaps my imaginations of Rome were mainly derived from her show. High on list of my must visitsis The Spanish Steps, the most famous square in Rome with its 136 steps and the fountain of the Barcaccia by Bernini, who also designed Piazza San Pietro, the colonnades in front of St Peter's in the Vatican. Loon said "Hamik lai? Lau tui nia ler!"
Of course, a short walk away, we reached the Fontana Di Trevi - it's more beautiful in real life than in TV. Loon spent quite sometime just taking pictures - hamik angle tu hip!
We also visited The Pantheon - according to our tour Vatican tour guide, the Romans believe, those who have come to Rome and not visit the Pantheon are jackasses. Most buildings in Rome are very grand - I went to Paris, I admired the grandeur of the architectures, it is really beautiful there too but the fact that most of the ginormous and beautiful Roman buildings are constructed and completed and refurbished more than 1800 yrs ago, some even Before Christ. The Pantheon's "how-did-they-do-that" is its dome. It is stated that the upkeep and maintenance of the dome are only made possible by skilled rock climbers. It is the largest unreinforced concrete dome.
Augustus (some say Hadrian)'s Pantheon and its dome, below.
The Pantheon was the oldest temple for pagan worship, burned down twice and refurbished by the Emperor Hadrian, now commissioned a church - Santa Maria Dei Martiri. Also buried there are 2 kings of Italy, Vittoro Emmanuele II and Umberto I. There's a golden lamp above the tomb which burns in honor of Victor Emmanuele III, who died in exile in 1947. It also holds the mortal remain of Raphael, the great artist and his fiance, he died before they could marry.
Piazza Navona is built on the ancient site of Roman Stadium of Domitian, in the centre, there's Fountain of Four Rivers, Fontana Di Quattro Fumi, which was used in Dan Brown's Angels and Demons as one of the Altars of Science.
IMPERIAL ROME
If you are not too fond of all the Piazzas and fountains and paintings and frescos and statues and obelisks which can be seen all over the city - you must be gobsmacked by The Colosseum, The Palatine Hill, The Capitoline Hill and the Roman Forum. After seeing Imperial Rome - Loon said "Wa ai ki China!" He's convinced The Imperial City is much more impressive - we have yet to see.
The Colosseum - if you can afford to pay for a private tour - do so. For 25 Euro each, you get to enter The Colosseum, The Palatine Hill, the Roman Forums and a tour guide. The line is long (perhaps an hour or even more) if you decide to queue even as early as 9am and you will be a bit lost walking around not knowing what is this and that - even after you've watched Gladiator 3 times. Loon and I decided this time that we won't save on tours - coz' I really would like to know the insights through somebody who is more insightful. The Colosseum is as impressive as I imagined it to be. Even at its much decayed stage now - compared to its magnificent original self during the Flavian Empire, it is still very grand. Fully marbled, sat 50K Romans easily, the Colosseum was constructed by Emperor Vespasian 72AD for gladiatorial spectacles - most famously depicted in the movie Gladiator starred Russel Crowe.
Inside the Colosseum. Ancient Roman could not see the columns/passages we see today as the arena was covered by a big stage made by wood for gladiatorial spectacles.
There's an eerie feeling though when you walk around the Colosseum, it was estimated that 500,000 people and over a million wild animals died in the Colosseum games.
Every good Friday - the Pope leads a torchlit procession towards a cross in the north wing of the Colosseum, where the Emperor used to sit - grand stand.
I spent quite sometime there just admiring how smart people were even at that time - fire and safety was thought rather carefully, entrances and exits, very cleverly positioned - but the thought of human ingenious and labor used for cruel and wild human games - so cultured but yet so uncultured.
Md Nor (Loon's Skot)'s wife and kids and Maximus' Skot
The Imperial Rome tour educated Loon and I about the Roman Empire. Some of the most famous ones (which I've never really heard considering the only history I've ever studied and tested was Sejarah Melayu about Hang Tuah and Melaka, now even Hang Tuah is taken out of Sejarah Melayu - why the hell did I bother study Sejarah Melayu in school!) - Emperor Vespasian (Flavian Dynasty) and his 2 sons, Titus and Domitian. Vespasian built the Colosseum and Titus commissioned the Colosseum. The Flavian rulers are considered to be good emperors who cared for the people. I always tend to ask "So is the king good or bad?" You never know at those times - obviously siaw lang also can rule. Nowadays, there's no obviously siaw lang rulers not even dictators.
You also have Emperor Nero - obviously siaw lang - spent so much until the empire was in debt by the trilions - thinking about it - maybe there are obviously siaw lang presidents and prime ministers living in our world today taking into account how debt ridden we are. Nero was so hated by the people and the senate that his statues were disfigured and records re-written to erase him from history - the only bust statues of Nero is kept in the Palatine Hill in Mussolini's villa.
Us in front of Mussolini's Villa (he considers himself an Emperor, so chose the Palatine Hill as his residence), the white slabs behind us are marble slabs dating back to the first century.
Of course you also have Emperor Augustus - the loved and simple emperor. To show how simple a life he lived, you can visit the Casa Augustus in the Palatine Hill - which we did not due to long queue and we had to meet Md Noor, Loon's scot in front of the Colosseum.
The Palatine Hill, the most important of the seven hills (according to legend, Rome was build on 7 hills) and where the imperial palace was build with a surface of 80,000 sqm. You can only imagine how magnificent and beautiful the imperial palace was - only ruins now although you can see some original marble slabs here and there. It even held a private stadium for the emperor. According to records, archeologists believe there are many floors still unearth but they fear the whole hill will collapse should they dig deeper.
these marbles decorated the entire walls of the imperial palace
the whole vast area used to be covered
We also visited the Roman Forum - social place for the Roman politicians - where you can also see the Arch of Titus, Constantine Basilicca, Temple of Vesta, Temple of Caesar, Temple of Vespasian and Titus and the residence of the Vestal Virgins. The Vestal Virgins were priestess to maintain the fire of Vesta and considered of high status in the Roman society. They were chosen from respected families from the age of 10- their service 30 years. There goes the saying - life begins at 40!
Overlooking the Roman Forum
Me standing in front of Constantine Basillica (Ancient Roman Bank)
It is very exciting to see all the Ancient Roman ruins, discovered by chance many of them. I wonder how it is building a house/doing extension on your house and while digging, you hit something - very likely you'll discover something from Ancient Rome - in your backyard.
To be continued... The Vatican and Pompeii
We stayed in Donna Laura Palace Hotel - perhaps about 1/2 hour walk to Piazza Del Popolo, the entrance to all the other famous Piazzas ie Piazza Navona (Julius Caesar was killed near here), Piazza Venezia, Piazza Colonna, Piazza Di Spagna (Spanish Steps) etc. The hotel was very comfortable and food was no problem (pizzerias and cafes behind the hotel). We ate pizzas, peppers, mushrooms, gellatos everyday!! yummy! Pui liaw...
Piazza Del Popolo, above and Piazza Navona, below
Piazza Colonna - the obelisk of Marcus Aurelius detailing his Roman campaign. He is depicted in the movie Gladiator, the emperor who was murdered by his own son.
We have divided our Roman trip to 4 - Eternal Rome, Imperial Rome, The Vatican and Pompeii.
ETERNAL ROME
I have always admired Samantha Brown's job in Passport to Europe - perhaps my imaginations of Rome were mainly derived from her show. High on list of my must visitsis The Spanish Steps, the most famous square in Rome with its 136 steps and the fountain of the Barcaccia by Bernini, who also designed Piazza San Pietro, the colonnades in front of St Peter's in the Vatican. Loon said "Hamik lai? Lau tui nia ler!"
Of course, a short walk away, we reached the Fontana Di Trevi - it's more beautiful in real life than in TV. Loon spent quite sometime just taking pictures - hamik angle tu hip!
We also visited The Pantheon - according to our tour Vatican tour guide, the Romans believe, those who have come to Rome and not visit the Pantheon are jackasses. Most buildings in Rome are very grand - I went to Paris, I admired the grandeur of the architectures, it is really beautiful there too but the fact that most of the ginormous and beautiful Roman buildings are constructed and completed and refurbished more than 1800 yrs ago, some even Before Christ. The Pantheon's "how-did-they-do-that" is its dome. It is stated that the upkeep and maintenance of the dome are only made possible by skilled rock climbers. It is the largest unreinforced concrete dome.
Augustus (some say Hadrian)'s Pantheon and its dome, below.
The Pantheon was the oldest temple for pagan worship, burned down twice and refurbished by the Emperor Hadrian, now commissioned a church - Santa Maria Dei Martiri. Also buried there are 2 kings of Italy, Vittoro Emmanuele II and Umberto I. There's a golden lamp above the tomb which burns in honor of Victor Emmanuele III, who died in exile in 1947. It also holds the mortal remain of Raphael, the great artist and his fiance, he died before they could marry.
Piazza Navona is built on the ancient site of Roman Stadium of Domitian, in the centre, there's Fountain of Four Rivers, Fontana Di Quattro Fumi, which was used in Dan Brown's Angels and Demons as one of the Altars of Science.
IMPERIAL ROME
If you are not too fond of all the Piazzas and fountains and paintings and frescos and statues and obelisks which can be seen all over the city - you must be gobsmacked by The Colosseum, The Palatine Hill, The Capitoline Hill and the Roman Forum. After seeing Imperial Rome - Loon said "Wa ai ki China!" He's convinced The Imperial City is much more impressive - we have yet to see.
The Colosseum - if you can afford to pay for a private tour - do so. For 25 Euro each, you get to enter The Colosseum, The Palatine Hill, the Roman Forums and a tour guide. The line is long (perhaps an hour or even more) if you decide to queue even as early as 9am and you will be a bit lost walking around not knowing what is this and that - even after you've watched Gladiator 3 times. Loon and I decided this time that we won't save on tours - coz' I really would like to know the insights through somebody who is more insightful. The Colosseum is as impressive as I imagined it to be. Even at its much decayed stage now - compared to its magnificent original self during the Flavian Empire, it is still very grand. Fully marbled, sat 50K Romans easily, the Colosseum was constructed by Emperor Vespasian 72AD for gladiatorial spectacles - most famously depicted in the movie Gladiator starred Russel Crowe.
Inside the Colosseum. Ancient Roman could not see the columns/passages we see today as the arena was covered by a big stage made by wood for gladiatorial spectacles.There's an eerie feeling though when you walk around the Colosseum, it was estimated that 500,000 people and over a million wild animals died in the Colosseum games.
Every good Friday - the Pope leads a torchlit procession towards a cross in the north wing of the Colosseum, where the Emperor used to sit - grand stand. I spent quite sometime there just admiring how smart people were even at that time - fire and safety was thought rather carefully, entrances and exits, very cleverly positioned - but the thought of human ingenious and labor used for cruel and wild human games - so cultured but yet so uncultured.
Md Nor (Loon's Skot)'s wife and kids and Maximus' SkotThe Imperial Rome tour educated Loon and I about the Roman Empire. Some of the most famous ones (which I've never really heard considering the only history I've ever studied and tested was Sejarah Melayu about Hang Tuah and Melaka, now even Hang Tuah is taken out of Sejarah Melayu - why the hell did I bother study Sejarah Melayu in school!) - Emperor Vespasian (Flavian Dynasty) and his 2 sons, Titus and Domitian. Vespasian built the Colosseum and Titus commissioned the Colosseum. The Flavian rulers are considered to be good emperors who cared for the people. I always tend to ask "So is the king good or bad?" You never know at those times - obviously siaw lang also can rule. Nowadays, there's no obviously siaw lang rulers not even dictators.
You also have Emperor Nero - obviously siaw lang - spent so much until the empire was in debt by the trilions - thinking about it - maybe there are obviously siaw lang presidents and prime ministers living in our world today taking into account how debt ridden we are. Nero was so hated by the people and the senate that his statues were disfigured and records re-written to erase him from history - the only bust statues of Nero is kept in the Palatine Hill in Mussolini's villa.
Us in front of Mussolini's Villa (he considers himself an Emperor, so chose the Palatine Hill as his residence), the white slabs behind us are marble slabs dating back to the first century. Of course you also have Emperor Augustus - the loved and simple emperor. To show how simple a life he lived, you can visit the Casa Augustus in the Palatine Hill - which we did not due to long queue and we had to meet Md Noor, Loon's scot in front of the Colosseum.
The Palatine Hill, the most important of the seven hills (according to legend, Rome was build on 7 hills) and where the imperial palace was build with a surface of 80,000 sqm. You can only imagine how magnificent and beautiful the imperial palace was - only ruins now although you can see some original marble slabs here and there. It even held a private stadium for the emperor. According to records, archeologists believe there are many floors still unearth but they fear the whole hill will collapse should they dig deeper.
these marbles decorated the entire walls of the imperial palace 
the whole vast area used to be coveredWe also visited the Roman Forum - social place for the Roman politicians - where you can also see the Arch of Titus, Constantine Basilicca, Temple of Vesta, Temple of Caesar, Temple of Vespasian and Titus and the residence of the Vestal Virgins. The Vestal Virgins were priestess to maintain the fire of Vesta and considered of high status in the Roman society. They were chosen from respected families from the age of 10- their service 30 years. There goes the saying - life begins at 40!
Overlooking the Roman Forum
Me standing in front of Constantine Basillica (Ancient Roman Bank)It is very exciting to see all the Ancient Roman ruins, discovered by chance many of them. I wonder how it is building a house/doing extension on your house and while digging, you hit something - very likely you'll discover something from Ancient Rome - in your backyard.
To be continued... The Vatican and Pompeii
