After a long flight over the ocean we made it to Rome just in time to get a good nights rest. We were about to hit the ground running trying to see what felt like 1000 things in a very short amount of time. We awoke and headed off to explore Rome. Our first stop, after getting lost on the subway system for a minute, was the Colosseum. Now call me a tourist, but this was one of the sights I was super excited to see. As the Colosseum came into view, it's largeness (I know, not a word) literally amazes you. The thing is huge! I could not even believe I was standing there in front of it. . .in front of the place where so many movies and events have happened. It was so cool and it just may have made me feel way more special than I actually am. Like "Hey hey, look at me! Yeah, I know. . .I am in front of the Colosseum!" Anyway. . .
So they started to build the Colosseum in c.70AD and they finished in c.80AD. Good gracious that thing only took 10 years to build. . .talk about some seriously busy Romans!
There was a little bit of a wait to get in but it only gave an opportunity for the excitement to build. And there was no let down when I walked in. When you first walk in you are at ground level and can see all the different tiers where people would have been seated. Back when it was first built it was all done in marble and I can only imagine how beautiful, and uncomfortable, that probably was. Not exactly like the comfy seat cushions with your team logo on it, if you know what I mean.
Years ago they excavated the floor to reveal what was underneath (which, essentially is what excavate means.) They uncovered the 6 acres of it to show all the tunnels and rooms where they kept the gladiators and animals waiting to fight. Pretty cool.
And this is me, right as I walk into the Colosseum. (I never know what to do with my hands. My own little prom pose.)
It goes without saying that the different levels meant your ranking in the social aspect of the Roman Empire. First was the Emperor, obviously, then the second level was like other important people, and then the third level was for landowners and such. And then the upper level was for poor women. Nice, can I get a shout out to all the ladies up in the nosebleeds? They wouldn't even be able to see how cute Russel Crowe was from way up there!
It was very easy to just pay attention to how big and majestic this place is and forget about why it was built. They say that nearly 1 million people died there durning the years it was used and over 5000 animals were killed in just one day. Criminals and Christians were tortured and executed in the Colosseum and Gladiators fought to the death. I read that in just one festival they killed 2,000 gladiators, 70 lions, 40 wild horses, 30 elephants (how sad is that?), 30 leopards, 20 wild assess (ha ha), 19 giraffes (Is that fair?Can they even fight back?), 10 antelopes, 10 hyenas, 10 tigers, 1 hippo (what the?), and 1 rhino! Holy cow! Who thinks this is entertainment? I am not a member of PETA or anything, but that seems a bit cruel.So yeah, here is where all the people, and beasts, waited to fight. . .and die a violent and brutal death. . .and I am up there happily snapping pictures not even thinking about what the history of this place really is. Seems a little uncaring on my end.
A couple of weeks after we got home I heard a news story that was saying that they had begun to allow tourists to walk though those tunnels. That would have been spectacular. I was a little jealous.
They showed all different styles of armor and how different levels of being a gladiator was rewarded with more, and stronger, protection. Some of it was really pretty. . .some of it would be very scary to have to wear out to fight in. . .not to much protection. . .pretty much a guarantee you weren't coming back, or in other words, tiger food. But let's be honest, if you had to say "Hail Ceasar, those who are about to die solute thee!" you have to know you have made the wrong career choice!
The Colosseum has survived 2000 years, fires, earthquakes, and pillaging (The steps to St. Peters is actually made from marble that was taken from the Colosseum) and as we were leaving you can't help but notice (and the tour guide points it out) the outside tunnels that were knocked down during one of the earthquakes. You can see where there should be two more rings around the whole building. (And those cute little Roman Soldiers outside the Colosseum are nothing short of con artists and thiefs! They're shifty, that's what they are.)
So we head out of the Colosseum to a wonderful photo op. Now I am not going to claim to be a professional photographer, nor do I claim to even be a good photographer. Sure I get a pic here and there that I think is snazzy but they are not going to win any awards or get published in a book. The next Ansel Adams I am not, but I like to think I can at least line up a photo. 
Not bad. . .a little cooked, but the Colosseum looks good. . .So I try again.
Mike's a little off center, but again, not bad. So we hand our camera to the tour guide (yes, I said the tour guide. A professional who brings people through daily who want their pictures taken in front of the Colosseum) and she cuts the top of the Colosseum off. OFF! I was so annoyed. That top tier that slopes down is like the most iconic part of the whole structure.
So we had her try again and she did much better. I was much happier with this picture so I don't have to travel back to Rome to get a much better picture. (I'll just go back for the pizza and gelato!)
Some of our Young Living friends we spent a lot of time with and it all began in Rome.
Whitney and Wade Winegar, Doug Nelson, Jess, Sally Nelson, Riley Corrigan, Rex and Rebakah Nixon, Doug Corrigan, and Mike and me. Our dear, dear friends. 
I loved seeing the Colosseum. Can you tell? I could have left Rome right then and would have been happy and satisfied. But the glorious thing was there was still so much more in store for us to see.
A couple of weeks after we got home I heard a news story that was saying that they had begun to allow tourists to walk though those tunnels. That would have been spectacular. I was a little jealous.They had quite a bit of artwork, artifacts, and armor in the tunnels on the edge of the Colosseum which was so interesting.
They showed all different styles of armor and how different levels of being a gladiator was rewarded with more, and stronger, protection. Some of it was really pretty. . .some of it would be very scary to have to wear out to fight in. . .not to much protection. . .pretty much a guarantee you weren't coming back, or in other words, tiger food. But let's be honest, if you had to say "Hail Ceasar, those who are about to die solute thee!" you have to know you have made the wrong career choice!
The Colosseum has survived 2000 years, fires, earthquakes, and pillaging (The steps to St. Peters is actually made from marble that was taken from the Colosseum) and as we were leaving you can't help but notice (and the tour guide points it out) the outside tunnels that were knocked down during one of the earthquakes. You can see where there should be two more rings around the whole building. (And those cute little Roman Soldiers outside the Colosseum are nothing short of con artists and thiefs! They're shifty, that's what they are.)
So we head out of the Colosseum to a wonderful photo op. Now I am not going to claim to be a professional photographer, nor do I claim to even be a good photographer. Sure I get a pic here and there that I think is snazzy but they are not going to win any awards or get published in a book. The next Ansel Adams I am not, but I like to think I can at least line up a photo. For example: Mike in front of the Colosseum.
Not bad. . .a little cooked, but the Colosseum looks good. . .So I try again.
Mike's a little off center, but again, not bad. So we hand our camera to the tour guide (yes, I said the tour guide. A professional who brings people through daily who want their pictures taken in front of the Colosseum) and she cuts the top of the Colosseum off. OFF! I was so annoyed. That top tier that slopes down is like the most iconic part of the whole structure.
So we had her try again and she did much better. I was much happier with this picture so I don't have to travel back to Rome to get a much better picture. (I'll just go back for the pizza and gelato!)
Some of our Young Living friends we spent a lot of time with and it all began in Rome.
Whitney and Wade Winegar, Doug Nelson, Jess, Sally Nelson, Riley Corrigan, Rex and Rebakah Nixon, Doug Corrigan, and Mike and me. Our dear, dear friends. 
I loved seeing the Colosseum. Can you tell? I could have left Rome right then and would have been happy and satisfied. But the glorious thing was there was still so much more in store for us to see. 