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)