My Roman Holiday

by

Kelly Kent

Well, this is the only day of the trip that I do not have any notes from, but don't worry (…Krissy) because I have a photographic memory and will remember every minute detail from the Saturday we spent in Rome. Our day was similar to Audrey Hepburn’s wonderful day in Roman Holiday: We saw many historic points of interest, ate gelato, and fell in love with Gregory Peck look-a-likes. Not!! However, we did feel like princesses all day long!

I woke up with two body wounds from the previous day: a black and blue mark on my arm from a traumatic experience in the shower -- suffice it to say, I now understand what is meant by the Relief Society wave-- and a swollen foot from annoying coral. I had difficulty putting on my right shoe that morning! Carla and Mossimo arrived at Hotel Lancelot promptly at nine o'clock to take us to the Colosseum and wherever we chose to visit in the Eternal City.

Before we entered the strange lines for the Colosseum, Carla told us about the nearby Arch of Constantine. The Arch was dedicated in 315 AD for the victory over co-emperor Maxentius. Constantine claimed the victory was due to a vision of Christ. However, the Arch was not decorated with any Christian statues, relieves, or medallions; they were taken from earlier monuments. Carla also told us that Roman tradition calls for couples who have just married to take photographs at every important monument throughout Rome. Later in the day, we witnessed exhausted newlyweds taking pictures in front of the Arch.

The Colosseum, originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, was commissioned between 70-72 AD by Emperor Vespasian. The majestic amphitheater was completed in 80 AD and inaugurated by his son, Titus. The Colosseum granted free admission for gladiator and animal fights. Contrary to popular belief, Carla said gladiator combats did not occur regularly, only once every few years. Fifty-thousand to 55,000 spectators entered through one of the 80 arched entrances and sat according to their social class during the entertainment. The removed portion of the outer wall was used to build several palaces, bridges, and parts of St. Peter's.

Unfortunately, we did not see Joaquin Phoenix at the Colosseum. However, I did not want to see him he if he looked as creepy as he did in Gladiator! Just like in Gladiator, prisoners of war, slaves and criminals fought to their death. A wounded gladiator’s fate was determined by a thumbs-up sign or a thumbs-down sign from the emperor. Carla felt the film was accurately made. Gladiator fights were approximately banned in 404 AD. A few years later, the nascent organization of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called for the banning of animal combats. Had Joaquin Phoenix been alive at this time I'm sure that he would have protested the animal fights along with PETA.

The top of the stage or arena (83 metres by 48 metres) is no longer present, but you can see the passages, barracks, and lifts that were underneath the arena. A winch was used to hoist caged animals up to the arena level.

We viewed the Temple of Venus and Roma from a lookout point in the Colosseum. The temple dedicated to the goddesses Venus Felix and Roma Aeterna began construction in 121. Hadrian inaugurated the temple in 135 before its completion in 141 under Antoninus Pius. After fire damage occurred in 307, restoration and alteration took place under direction from Maxentius.

Instead of pulling out guns and shooting people during drive-bys, we pulled out our cameras during our drive-bys, and took pictures of many sites in Rome. Mossimo put on the hazard lights as we came to a complete stop in the middle of traffic near the Victor Emmanuel Monument. We stopped by the remains of Circus Maximus, the mass entertainment venue of Ancient Rome. An estimated 250,000 spectators attended events such as chariot races. Carla said the chariot race seen in Ben Hur was filmed in Circus Maximus.

I was unmoved by the Spanish Steps designed by Francesco de Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi in 1726. According to Carla, the Spanish Steps are a place for people to sit and watch people who have just spent an excessive amount of money on foofaraw from Gucci and Louie Vuitton stores. More importantly, Audrey Hepburn’s haircut in Roman Holiday was filmed in a shop near the Spanish Steps.

My mommies were skeptical about placing their hand in The Mouth of Truth, a sculpture (possibly a drain cover from the fourth century) of a human face thought to have been a River God. Legend holds that the Mouth of Truth will bite off a liar’s hand. Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck proved their honesty in quite possibly the most famous scene in Roman Holiday.

Mossimo drove us through one-way streets that were filled with walking tourists. He parked the car on that side (middle) of the street while we ate at L'Arle Della Pizza. Carla picked an Americanized fast food pizza joint in order to ensure a quick meal. Carla theorized why Europeans do not put ice in their drinks over lunch. She said European's tend to have poor dental care and consequently have teeth that are more sensitive to cold. Near L'Arle Della Pizza’s, we guaranteed our return to Rome by dropping euros in the Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain began construction in 1732 under the direction of designer Nicola Salvi. Upon Nicola Salvi’s death in 1751, the Trevi Fountain was completed in 1762 by Giuseppe Pannini.

On our journey back to the van, we could not pass up the opportunity to buy a hair straightner at a local beauty supply shop. So if anyone needs a straightner with European capability, feel free to borrow ours!

Mossimo drove us to Piazza del Campidoglio where we looked at the Forum from a lookout point. Michelangelo designed the facades of the buildings and the geometric paving in the Piazza. The Forum in ancient Rome was the meeting place for legal, commercial, religious, and political happenings.

At Piazza Navona, Carla could tell we were becoming saturated, so she decided to let us look at all of the trinkets being sold by the illegal immigrants. There was a very distinctive fountain in the middle of the large piazza named the Fountain of the Four Rivers. Erected in 1651, the fountain depicts four people who represent the great rivers for the known continents at that time. Each figure represents a different river: the Nile in Africa, the Ganges in Asia, the Danube in Europe, and the Río de la Plata in America. Each figure had weird physical bodies and facial expressions. Bernini gave the figure representing America incorrect racial characteristics.

The Pantheon, literally meaning “Temple of all the Gods”, was originally a pagan temple. The empty oculus in the center of the dome lets the sunshine and the rain come into the best preserved building in Rome. The drainage in the marble floors was inventive! Raphael chose to be buried in his favorite building in Rome. I can see why the magnificence, beauty of this building captured the artist's heart!

You don't quite capture the awe-inspiring size of the Pantheon until you are inside!

I have to mention Mossimo drove us to a lookout point of the city. As exemplified by a couple in a nearby car, it was clearly “make-out point.” We were a little creeped out when Mossimo told us that he loved to bring his wife here!

Our last stop of the day was at some church, I will take a leap and say that was a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, to see Michelangelo’s sculpture Moses. Mossimo was familiar with the church because he was on the committee that placed a ramp on the entrance way stairs. A forlorn Moses can be seen who has just departed from God’s presence with the tablets. Moses is depicted with horns on his head. This was the result of a wrong translation of the Hebrew word ‘rays’. It was supposed to be rays of light.

We said goodbye to Carla at the church and headed back to our hotel. We relaxed for a little while before dining out. The adventurous epicurean eater that I am, I ate a ham-free ham calzone for dinner. Nicole was very disappointed that we were not going to the opera while we were in Italy, but she should be happy to know that we got a sufficient dose of opera from singers at an outdoor restaurant near the Colosseum.

Interesting fact: Italy abolished capital punishment in 1948. The Colosseum has become a symbol for the campaign against the death penalty. The lights illuminating the Colosseum at night change from white to gold whenever a person that is sentenced to the death penalty anywhere in the world is executed or released.

To be continued. . . Tuscany!

©K. Kent Last Updated: January 7, 2008 Email Kelly Kent