Trip to Rome (part 3)

This post is a mix of Saturday June 8Th and Sunday June 9th.

Okay, I will no longer go backwards as I have fixed the order of the photos after much labor on the University of Maryland's Wam Lab computer.

Saturday: Well... Saturday was indeed interesting. On Saturday morning we woke up, went to the Great Synagogue for about 10 minutes of the Torah reading and then left to find the Pope! We were in Rome and already we wanted to convert (it was the money wealth calling us). We get to the Vatican and unfortunately we have to wait because President Bush is coming to visit Paul Benedict XVI (I think that is his name...). Yes, well after an hour or so extra we finally arrive and go on a tour of the palace and the basilica. It was pleasant enough, the Church clearly has a lot of money, and I'm jealous of those Swiss guards and all the attention that they receive.
Well after the uneventful tour we all decide to eat lunch at the coliseum... our mistake for we end up walking into an anti Bush and Prodi parade! Pictures are below, but based on circumstances in our country at the present I do not feel safe commenting on my blog right now :-).

Sunday:
Sunday we were supposed to meet Randall at the Colosseum. After arriving late, I buy a ticket from a guide to get past the ticket line. The Colosseum was simply amazing, for about 4-5 minutes. We enter and see where the gladiators fought, the underground tunnels, and the view surrounding the Colosseum. I take a bunch of pictures inside and out. At the same time, because Professor Cooperman told us to, I begin to imagine what life was like back during the time of the Romans....

"Argh, today I am a Jewish Gladiator...."
"So my name is Shimon ben Lakish and I am also known as Resh Lakaysh. Just the other day I met with Rabbi Jochanan and am considering to get away from this occupation. I mean it does feel good to go around and beat people up... but yeah... maybe I will become someone great in the study of Torah!"

Woah!?! Where was I... okay, now that I am back to reality I remembered that after the Coliseum we visited the Roman gardens. I saw the Arch of Titus (which I might have walked under by accident) and thought that was very interesting to see some proof of a nice menorah back from the olden days. We then traveled to the well known Pantheon and then the Triveri fountain. I of course threw a coin in hoping to come back to Rome one day. After speaking with my Grandmother recently though, who had also gone to Rome and thrown the coin in, she said that she had never gone back.... :-(



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