We set off today to see the location where the movie Gladiator was set.  An ancient structure, the sheer size of the Coliseum is breathtaking.  Closer inspection makes me marvel at the engineering which went into building this thing 2000 years ago.  While the floor of the Coliseum has long since wasted away, the basement corridors and openings where the Romans would send up the wild animals into the arena or the gladiators or Christians would be sent up to fight and entertain the masses are visible. 

After spending the morning at the Coliseum, we returned home to our historic district apartment or flat, and it was like we walked from the movie set for Gladiator onto the set for Westside Story.  That description accurately portrays the feel of our little apartment here.  An inner courtyard where everyone looks at everyone else and everyone knows everyone else’s business……except their business is all in Italian and we are just barely squeaking by in that regard.  As you can see, it’s laundry day for us and the neighbors!