Our Italian Honeymoon: The Colosseum

Update:  I also never got around to posting this one about visiting the Colosseum on our honeymoon!  One of my favorite parts!    

I was the most looking forward to seeing the Colosseum.  Having read about it in books, I couldn't wait to see what it really looked like today and learn the history surrounding it.  Previously, the Colosseum was in the center of the city.   Now, I would say its on the far side of the city just outside of the Roman Forum.

We ate lunch right outside the Colosseum that day.  Yes, it was very touristy and overpriced.  But sometimes you just need to do all the touristy things.

After lunch we headed to explore the Colosseum.  Jeremy is super-responsible and an incredible planner (that's one of the many reasons he's perfect for my unorganized self :) )  He ordered our tickets to everything way in advance.  I was so grateful because the line for tickets to the Colosseum was super long.  We just got to bypass everyone :)  Think Fast Pass at Disney World :)  So if you ever visit Italy, order your tickets in advance!

The Colosseum is so much more than I imagined.  It's huge.  Huge!  It's amazing to think of how incredible the Romans were.  They were WAY before their time.  It could hold between 50,000 to 80,000 spectators.  That's as large as most football stadiums.  

The Colosseum served as a source of horrendous entertainment for the Romans.  They would hold gladiator contests, mock sea battles, executions, animal hunts and classical mythology.  Aqua-ducts ran to the Colosseum not only to provide public restrooms, but also to flood the stage for the mock sea battles.  Can you imagine?  When they would do animal hunts they would bring in vegetation to portray the animal's natural habitat as the hunters would hunt them.  

Beneath the stage, they housed prisoners and fierce animals who would participate in the events.  A series of pulleys and levers would bring the animals up to the unsuspecting captives to fight them off.  

Later on, the Colosseum served as the scene of the re-enactment of the Passion of the Christ.  Ironic, isn't it?  There are drawings on the walls of scenes of Christ's death.  If you look very closely, you can see the place of the three crosses etched in the wall.

In it's splendor, the Colosseum and the rest of the buildings of Rome were covered in marble.  These buildings were later stripped of their marble to finance costly wars.  The holes that cover much of the building surface serve as a reminder of the marble that once graced the exterior.  

The stairs were extremely steep!  They were a workout to walk up and down.  I picture the ancient Roman women walking up and down them in their long dresses and sandals.  I don't know how they did! 

We could have easily spent multiple days walking around the Colosseum, there is so much to explore.  It's a shame that a large portion of it has been destroyed by natural disasters and wars.  I'm sure it was beautiful in its time.  

A friend had studied abroad for a summer in Rome and urged us to visit the Colosseum at sunset.  We made sure to make our way back near the end of the day and were so glad we did.  If the Colosseum is beautiful in the day, it is purely magical at nighttime.  

Photographers line up in droves, hoping to catch the perfect image.  This will probably forever be my favorite picture of our honeymoon.  I love this man!

Although it was and still is beautiful, there is a feeling of eeriness that surrounds the Colosseum.  It's impossible to walk around a not feel it.  A place of splendor, representing the greatest Rome had to offer that was also the scene of such torture, such barbarism is hard to imagine.  Christians were martyred there.  Innocent lives were taken from them, all for the pleasure of the entertainment of the Romans.  A cross now stands were paganism once ruled.  Part of the beauty of God's grace.  

What type of society existed, so shortly after Christ walked the Earth that found pleasure out of murder, out of torture, of misery?  Found entertainment in other's meaningless deaths.  It is hard to picture such a time, but I feel it is a part of what led to their demise.

Our Italian Honeymoon: Vatican City

Vatican City sits within the city of Rome and is the world's smallest State.  It is home to the Pope, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museum.

We spent nearly an entire day exploring Vatican City.

The Papal Swiss Guard, who protect the Pope and Vatican City.

The Sistine Chapel

"Without having seen the Sistine chapel, one can form no appreciable of what one man is capable of achieving."

-Johann Wolfgang Goethe, 1787

The Sistine chapel is absolutely breathtaking.  Everywhere you look paintings grace the walls and ceiling depicting historical events, primarily, historical Biblical events.  It was inspiring to view these events as the artists who lived before viewed them.  

We were not allowed to take any pictures once we were in the chapel, so I had to steal this picture from Google so I can remember the magnificence of the place.  When you think of the Sistine chapel, the famous Michelangelo's paintings "The Last Judgement" or "The Creation of Adam" might come to mind, but there are so many other marvelous works that also line the ceiling and walls.  You neck starts to hurt from looking up so often.  

One of the aspects that I loved about Italian culture was the respect they have for the many chapels and churches that dwell in the city.  In the Sistine chapel, you are forbidden to talk.  Even whispering will draw an angry eye from the guards that line the room.  You also must dress modestly, girls cannot wear shorts or have their shoulders showing. 

Would you believe that every time, I mean EVERY TIME we decided to visit a church that day I happened to forget my cardigan.  I bought several for the occasion and left every one of them in the hotel room (and one I accidentally left in the seat of a Taxi)

So that's why I'm wearing lots of lovely plastic "shawls" in all of our pictures.

The Vatican Museum

The Vatican Museum leads the way to the Sistine Chapel.  It houses many great pieces of art, sculptures, artifacts and other regalia.  It's beautiful.

Mummys in the Vatican Museum

The crazy thing about Rome is you become so accustomed to seeing God's creativity.  It's present in the architecture, the people, the sculptures, paintings.  It's everywhere.  God is an artist.  I think I took it for-granted while I was there, because, like I said it was everywhere.  Now looking back on pictures, can I really appreciate the beauty we were allowed to see.  

  

This is a picture of the many Bibles that have been used throughout the centuries by the various Pope's.

This is a painting by Raphael called "The Disputation of the Last Sacrament".  It depicts many historical figures such as popes, cardinals and Dantes.  

St. Peter's Basilica

St. Peter's Bascilica is considered one the of the largest churches in the world, and one of the holiest Catholic sites.  It is the burial site of St. Peter, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus.  

  Us, in St. Peter's Piazza

Can you imagine the excitement to stand in St. Peter's Piazza this past March when Pope Francis was announced as the newly elected Pope?  What a day to be in Vatican City.

To say St. Peter's Bascilica is huge would be an understatement, it's massive.  I've never walked into a church anywhere near as large.  

This picture does not do it justice.  Each hallway on the side goes into another area that is just as large as the first.  

Known as the "Apse".  The golden clock behind it is magnificent.  

Behind us, in the distance is the altar where St. Peter is believed to be buried beneath.  

What is absolutely amazing about Italy is that everything holds historical significance.  Every piece of art, architecture, and ruin.  The Italians live among history and do not bring attention to it.  They leave it be, and let the history speak for itself.

For example,  Jeremy knew the "Pieta", Michelangelo's famous sculpture of Mary holding Jesus, was housed in St. Peter's Basilica, however we did not know where.  We were determined to find it and as we turned a nondescript corner, there is was.  Simply named "Pieta".  That's all.  No description.  No pomp and circumstance.  Perhaps one of the greatest sculptures we will ever experience, and the Italians just let it speak for itself.

Everything in the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's Basilica was truly heart-stirring.  The grandeur and splendor was like nothing I had ever seen.  It really made me think about heaven.  If places this spectacular exist on Earth, what will Heaven be like?  How beautiful and awe-worthy will the place where our Lord dwells be?  I know it will lead us to worship.  

“You are worthy, O Lord our God,
    to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things,
    and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

Revelation 4:11

Our Italian Honeymoon: Rome, The City

I'm not sure exactly what I envisioned in my mind when I thought of Rome.... sand and ruins maybe?  What I did not picture was a large city, but that's just what Rome is.... a HUGE city!  New buildings built directly next to old buildings, and in between sit ancient crumbling ruins, touched only by the wars that led to their demise.  Alleys that lead to more alleys with Piazzas (Plaza's) in between promoting local art, wine, olive oils, and of course Gelato :)

We could have spent weeks roaming the streets of Rome and still not touched most of the city.  We learned that in order to truly appreciate the value of the Italian life, you must do as the Italians do.  Sleep in late.... stroll through the city investing in whatever catches your attention, and then enjoy slow, conversation filled dinners.  Oh... and you must eat Gelato as often as possible.  The limon is the best, in our opinion :)

I thought the climate of Rome was very strange.  VERY hot.  So, So, So hot.  No need to wear makeup because you would sweat if off the moment you walked out of the hotel.  It was very rare to see an Italian woman dressed up like we do in the South.  They were very natural, no make-up, natural hair.... My hair stayed up in a bun practically every day.  I should have brought more headbands :)  Also, they have palm trees and other vegetation that you would expect to see near an ocean, yet they are still 2 hours from the coast.

 Many of the aqua ducts that once brought the entire city of Rome indoor plumbing still work and run through fountains throughout the city.  You just bring a water bottle and can have icy cold, clean water from the fountains all day long.  It was really neat and definitely needed with the hot weather!

Italians are CRAZY drivers!  Like... hold your breath and say a little prayer that you don't die kind of crazy.  I felt like our lives were at risk each time we stepped into a cab.  They don't obey the laws of traffic.  They don't stop at red lights, stop signs are non-existent, and I did not see a single speed limit sign in the entire city.  Another thing about Italian driving is they drive super-small cars, think Fiats, and they will park ANYWHERE they can!  When you walk next to the cars you can see that they are all banged up from trying to squeeze into so many tight parking "spots".  

Everything is Italy is small and compact.  Even the hotels.  It really made us realize how much luxury we have in America that we take for-granted.  Like big elevators....