A Roman adventure - part 3

After exploring the Palatine Hill Laura made her way down to the Roman Forum.

The Temple of Romulus looked intriguing and Laura discovered that she could go inside.  A long time ago it was converted for church use, which is partly how it survived 2,000 years

Roman statues and monuments were on display in the Temple of Romulus, Laura also saw both Roman and Christian frescoes on the walls.

Laura could see the Temple of Antonino and Faustina, it had a lot of steps and a big door which was closed and a metal barrier across the lower steps, so it wasn't one she could explore inside.

Laura started climbing the steps anyway to get a better view of some of the other ruins

The steps were made for longer legs than Laura's legs

It was a bit of a scramble to get onto the step

However Laura succeeded in standing up just behind the barrier!

She found some much shallower steps nearer the forum and Curia

Laura admired the amazing, crisp stone carved flower on a piece of ruined temple, the flower was as large as Laura because it would have been high up above the columns so needed to be large to be seen, now it lay forlornly on the ground within easy reach of a curious Sasha doll.

Laura and her girl rested on some broken masonry from the Basilica Julia

A good rest was definitely needed because the site was vast

Laura discovered a slide shaped piece of masonry from the Basilica Julia and had some fun pretending to slide (she was careful not to slide as the stone was rough enough to damage her Vintage Sasha dungarees).

Laura looked at the remains of the Basilica Julia towards the distant ruins of the Temple of the Vestal Virgins and tried to imagine what this once enormous building would have looked like when it was standing.

Laura was pleased to discover that in the garden of the Vestal Virgins it was possible to grow roses, she had thought the soil looked too light for those clay loving plants.

In the garden of the Vestal Virgins Laura discovered a plinth which was missing its statue

She decided to join the line up of Vestal Virgins on their plinths as she stood on the empty plinth.  She was glad to not be missing her head like some of the statues.

When Laura and her girl eventually finished exploring the Roman Forum she stood on the steps at the Colosseum end of the forum for a long look at the site.  It was too late to gain entry to visit the Colosseum by the time she came out of the Forum and she was very tired after a long day discovering the glorious Roman ruins of the Palatine Hill and Roman Forum.  

At the hotel Heidi sat patiently on the bed which had been carefully remade while Laura was out exploring

Heidi was delighted to hear all about Laura's adventures when Laura joined her on the warm comfortable bed at the end of day 2 in Rome.

(see also Part 1 of Laura's adventures in Rome and Part 2 when Laura visited the Palatine Hill)

A Roman adventure - part 1

Laura was very excited, she packed her trunk and rucksack, encouraged Clemence to settle into her new handbag (from Henry), put her travelling clothes on and made sure her camera was handy then climbed into her special travelling bag made by Lorraine.  This was going to be the biggest adventure yet and she was glad to have the company of her new friend Heidi the cuddly Glorex doll whom Theresa had given to our daughter at the Chat 'n Snap in October.

It was a very early start on the Monday morning (the taxi arrived at 3:25 am!).  Soon Laura and Heidi were waiting at the airport for the plane to be ready.

Laura waited for bag check in to open, it was still dark outside

Laura and Heidi supervised some colouring in while waiting to board the plane

Laura and Heidi cuddled up in their plane seat waiting for the plane to taxi to the runway for takeoff

On the flight there was a wonderful good morning view from the plane of the snowy alps between France and Italy

Laura and Heidi's first glimpse of the Italian coast near Rome as we came into land

After landing and collecting bags, Laura and Heidi boarded the Leonardo Express train to Rome from the airport.  The trains were double deckers and very smooth on their rails

Heidi was fascinated by the balcony gardens en route to Rome

Laura took a photo of the graffiti alongside the train tracks, later she even saw many of the trains covered in graffiti (though not the Leonardo Express)

Laura's photo of graffiti alongside the train tracks

When she got to the hotel near Termini Station in Rome, Laura was tired from all the travelling.  She and Heidi had a rest before Laura decided to venture out and explore Rome in the late afternoon.  Her first visit was the nearby Santa Maria Maggiore Basillica.  Inside it was very ornate, filled with marble, gold leaf, rich mosaics and paintings.

Laura viewed the large decorated canopy over the altar

There was a large brass bell near the altar, was this for ringing the Angelus?

Laura could see a pipe organ in the apse behind the altar

All around the sides of the church were large wooden confessionals, Laura was intrigued and peered through the grill to where the priest would sit to hear confession

Santa Maria Maggiore has a vast nave with a marble floor

Laura liked the different decorative marbles used in pattern to make the floor

In the piazza outside Santa Maria Maggiore is a large fountain with lovely fresh water.  As the last of the afternoon light was disappearing the porch of the church was lit up showing the rich golden mosaics in all their glory

While walking through the streets Laura came across St Paul's in the Walls (American Episcopal Church), it was still open and no one was there.  It was much smaller than Santa Maria Maggiore and was also richly decorated.  The tower outside reminded Laura of Westminster Cathedral in London which she visited in the summer.

St Paul's in the walls

Laura saw that the side chapel in St Paul's was much simpler in decoration than the main nave

At first Laura thought these were paintings however she soon discovered they are actually mosiacs made with very tiny brightly coloured tiles

Laura was delighted to find the church welcomed younger visitors who like to do art, she was soon colouring in a picture of Moses in the bull-rushes

Laura did a great job of Miriam and Moses

Soon it was time for dinner at a nearby restaurant then return to the hotel - it had been a long day and Laura and Heidi were very tired.