I'm a Faun!

It has been spectacular discoveing/re-discovering Roma Antica. I had already been to the Colosseo and the Foro Romanum before, but it was exciting to be back having studied ancient society. On Primo Maggio I had planned to visit the three archeological sites of Roma, but being Primo Maggio, they were closed. So we were only able to see everything from the outside and afar. I was a little disappointed that Mother wasn't able to see the things that she wanted to see, and I was a little sad that I was not able to re-enter with a learned mind. It was postcard perfect, though, being able to take panoramic photos of the Forum, as there were no people walking around. I was really looking forward to being Mum's tourguide in the ruins, but becasue we couldn't get in, I just had to give her the history lessons that she never had from the outside.

We also went to the Ara Pacis Augustae, which I really wanted to see. I was stoked that it was open on Primo Maggio, and that it was only €1! The Ara Pacis is beautiful! It really was marvelous. I felt like a child at Christmas, that's how excited I was!

I was determined to give Mum the holiday that she wanted and we decided to return to the site the following day. I had also checked with the tourist office before going to ensure that we'd be able to enter. We had spend the earlier parts of the morning exploring other places, but at about 1130 we enter the one hour line for Il Colosseo. It was definitely worth it, just to make Mother happy. There was also an exhibition on about Nerone, which made the wait more worth it for me. Having studied Nero, and included aspects of his life in essays, it was great to be able to see real artefacts from not only his life, but in relation to his time as Emperor of Rome.

After about 45minutes in the Colosseo, we moved on to il Palatino. Here I recounted the foundation of Rome, and explored the hill that I had not already been to. I was happy to be exploring somewhere in Rome that I hadn't already been. I was most looking forward to seeing Casa di Livia, and Casa d'Augusto. I studied the whole Augustan era of Rome, so anything that realates to that period I am especially eager to see. There were more parts of the 'Nerone' exhibition at the Palatine Hill, and were were able to see a newly excavated statue, capital, coins, and other peices of Neronian Rome. The theme of Nero was then taken to Foro Romanum, my favourite part of Ancient Rome, and in there were numerous busts depicting Nero and his famiglia.

Continuing with the theme of antiquity, currently I am sitting in a garden in Pompeii. We arrived yesterday, after a cruzey 1hour EuroStar train journey from Rome. I wasn't planning on heading into Pompeii Scavi until today, so that I had the whole day to look around, however, we ended up going in there after we checked-in to our hotel. I was nearly peeing my pants in excitement to be walking around Pompeii. I studied Pompeii last year for 12 weeks, and it definitely topped my subjects for the semmester. Frank Sear was the lecturer and he is amazing, once you get over the typical English professor facade. He was part of the 'A day in Pompeii' exhibition at the Melbourne Museum, and has taken part in many of the digs at the Pompeii site. He instilled in me a passion of this particular part of Ancient Rome, so to finally be here meant so much, especially since i was deliberating whether or not to make Pompeii part of my trip.

Anciet Pompeii was bigger than I thought it would be, and we did get lost... we ended up at one end of the town about three times. It was so easy to just wander from house to house, and not worry about reading the map and finding the things that I wanted to see, becasue around evry corner and in every house there was something to see and something to read*. It was hard, yet fascinating, trying to imagine how the town really was. I even struggeled to do that in class when we looked at images from the city. Sometimes it was easy to see the houses or buildings that were double-storey, becasue a few of them still had the second level of columns standing. I was most excited to see a few things there, and seeing them made me feel like my visit was complete.

1) Pipes running through the ground, and the water towers in the town: these were parts of Pompeii that I studied, and wrote about in my essay. Frank has done a lot of studies on the water supply, so it was a bit special to see these and link them to someoneby whom I was educated.

2) Casa del Fauno: all I can say about this house is that it is AhMaZing! Really, it is. I want to live there, pre destruction of course. Again, I did a lot of study and reading about this house, so I was extra special to see. I was very content to finally see the little bronze statue of the Faun (of which the house is named after), even if it is only a replica. Walking around the Peristyle was surreal, and being in the Atrium was again, specail, to be with the Faun. Another very amazing thing about this house was to see the replica of the Alexander mosaic. It is a very large, detailed mosaic depicting Alexander the Great. It was grand in print, but it is piu grande in real life!

3) The Villa dei Misteri was another beautiful place to see, with the room decorated in the painting of a mystery cult/celebration. Just like the Alexander Mosaic, the room with the painting was more beautiful in realty. I was just really annoyed that my camera decided to die about 20metres from the entrance to the villa, so I had to use Mum's camera. It did the job, I hope.

Today, we had a full day in Pompeii, and we dicided to take the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento, along the Bay of Naples. It was a very pretty, hilly, seaside town. It was quiet, but it is very obvious that during July and August that it would be crazy busy. We walked from one side of the town to the other, down to the docks, to where heaps of boats were, and then back up the hill. We didn't know that there were stairs down to the dock, and ended up walking on a road, with crazy drivers, fearing for our lives. All though Pompeii we have been fearing for our lives, as the drivers kind of just drive all over the road, around turing cars, park over ped. crossings, and, generally, do whatever the hell they like. Actually, Rome was pretty much the same. While on the topic of cars and driving, I'd like to congratulate Archie on doing a great job of ensuring I get leared at my a number of passing cars. I have been tooted at, and kissed and, and leared at, with one driver doing a triple-take! I ignore their admirations. Mostly, I am just embarrassed, but Mum and I have a little chuckle about it.

Back in Rome we also visited Vatican City. We took the subway there, and out of two lines, going 4 directions collectively, I managed to not only take Linea B, instead of Linea A, but also in the wrong direction. I was looking forward to getting into the Basilica and seeing art of the Rinascimento and the grand Sistine Chapel, but due to the Beautificazione of Pope John Paul II, the Basilica was closed. It was frustrating to have two things closed, and ever more because they were two things that Mother really wanted to see. She was still happy to get to see Vatican City. While we were on that side of the Fiume Teverei, we ventured down to the Trastevere, on a resturante recommendation from Evan. It didn't open until dinner, but it was lovely walking around that area. It was much more peaceful than they other side.

Trastevere

Tomorrow we will take the train out of antiquity, and move forward in time to the 'Dark Ages', aka, the 'Middle Ages', and to the home of the Renaissance, Firenze.

XX Em

*meaning to look into the detail, not literally read, silly!