A Sporting Try!

So today I was on my own again and overall I think I did pretty well getting around by myself! ...sort of...

First, after getting up and making myself another delicious omelet for breakfast, I headed out towards the Circus Maximus which is just across the river from our neighborhood of Trastevere.

The bridge I crossed was different from the one we usually take to get to school and such, and in doing so I got to see the cool little Tiber Island which used to house a temple to Aesculapius (the god of healing), but has since been replaced by the Basilica di San Bartolomeo all'Isola.

Also, there was this really cool ancient ruin of an arch that used to be part of a stone bridge from the 2nd century: the Pons Aemilius (now called Pons Rotto or 'broken bridge') - it's the oldest stone bridge in Rome and I just loved the way it looked, isolated and overgrown...

Finally I made it to the Circus Maximus and though there isn't a whole lot left of the original, massive arena, it still was awesome to walk around in what is now just a long stretch of public park...

...I tried to imagine the chariot racers coming down this turn and spraying the audience with grit and sand kicked up from their spinning wheels and the horses' hooves.....just like in Ben-Hur!!

...this was all that is left of some of the entrances to the 150,000-seater!!

...and now it provides nice grassy hills perfect for an altogether different kind of sport! haha!

So after my jaunt around the gigantic stadium, I caught the metro and headed towards the district known as EUR or Esposizione Universale Roma. It was a site chosen by Mussolini for the 1942 World Fair and the place were he would celebrate the 20 years of Fascism in Italy. Now it just has some cool museums and basically looks like a business district that could fit into any American landscape.

But I, obviously, came for one of the museums - the Museo della Civilta Romana (or the Museum of Roman Civilization).
Unfortunately I took a few very wrong turns and ended up on the other side of the district in the opposite direction. I tried desperately to not look like a lost tourist, but without a map that reached to this area of town, that's exactly what I was...
However, despite my frustrations, I did stumble upon some interesting sights that I would not have seen otherwise! For example, I saw the huge sports arena known as the PalaLottomatica which held basketball tournaments for the 1960 Olympics! And their extensive water-feature out front was quite impressive!

Also, I stumbled upon this outdoor lake complex that had a kayak club practicing...and alongside the water were some lovely magnolia trees!

I even stumbled across this very interesting sculpture...

...not entirely sure what this is supposed to commemorate, but I would guess it also has to do with the World Fair. It also kind of looks like something an Italian Futurist artist would do....lol, listen to me being all art-history nerd.

Anyways, after my wandering adventures and the odd looks by people I passed several times after walking in circles ("why yes, it's me again...please just continue with your business now"), I FINALLY made it to the freaking museum!

It was pretty cool, I have to admit. They had copies of all sorts of important artworks and artifacts from ancient Roman history that were very cool to see in chronological order. However, some of my favorite items were the numerous scale-models! They not only had important sites, but models of weapons, ships, houses, and more!

...battering ram...haha, get it?!

...and they even made one on wheels! You sneaky Romans!

...model of Pont du Gard Aqueduct in France - hope to see this in person when we get over there!

Colosseum!

...so cool!

...the main gladiator training school in Rome - the Ludus Magnus

Domitian's Stadium - this was what that oblong piazza I mentioned in an earlier post would've originally looked like!

Arch of Titus

Hadrian's Villa (I think we're going there near the end of this week!)

...just look at that detail!!!

The Pantheon

...miniature model of a Roman military victory procession

...model of a Roman house

...I love those tiny pots!

And then the main attraction...a huge, floor-covering model of the city of Rome as it would've appeared during the reign of Constantine in the 4th century!!

Circus Maximus!

...and here's that island I mentioned earlier - featuring that original temple!

Besides the models though, the museum also housed a collection of plaster casts of the relief carvings from Trajan's Column. It was very cool to see them all so close!

Also, there was a room set up to look like an ancient Roman library - very neat!

Unfortunately, I couldn't stay for very long since my time being lost ended up only giving me an hour to go through the museum. So with the guards yelling at me to get out, I hustled through the last few exhibits and then headed back to the metro. 

When I arrived back in more familiar territory, I took the long route back home, stopping by some more interesting sights on the way! 

...got to sneak a peak into where this unique sculpture rests: the Bocca della Verita (or 'Mouth of Truth') - supposedly if you put your hand in it and you tell a lie, it will bite off your hand! It was featured in the fantastic classic movie, Roman Holiday, for any of you Audrey Hepburn fans out there... :)

...the Mouth lies inside the covered portico of this church: Santa Maria in Cosmedin

Then, right across the street is the Temple of Hercules Victor - the oldest surviving marble building in Rome!

And right around the corner from that lies the Temple of Portunus (the god of keys, doors, and livestock...not sure how the last one fits in, but hey, it's the Romans)...but it too is old - built probably around the 2nd century - and very cool to look at!

So, after my historical excursions, I continued on the long path home and snapped some of these pics of our awesome, extremely-picturesque neighborhood!

kitty chillin' in the summer sun!

Indeed the day seemed quite perfect. 

At least it was until, after picking up some groceries, I tried to get back into the apartment and simply could not open the door. Oh yes, it was bad. I tried at least a hundred times but the thing would not budge so, heavy groceries in hand, I wandered around trying to find a landlord...but to no avail. Plan B was to find a payphone but turns out you need a special card to make calls. Went to the nearest Tabacchi (like a mini convenience store) and had a super-fun time trying to tell the lady what I needed when she couldn't speak any English and I only knew a handful of words in Italian. Finally though, a gentleman behind me helped out and I got what I needed. Then I headed back to the payphone only to be told it didn't work.

Meanwhile my arms are about to fall off and I'm sweating through my tank top...

But eventually I found another payphone and surprise! that one didn't work either. 

So I found ANOTHER one and joy of joys it worked! But I only had two numbers with me - an emergency number and the office number of our school. Well the office was closed on weekends (20 cents lost) and the emergency number didn't answer on all of my 3 tries.......great system guys.

Oh and did I mention I had two Italian fellows checking me out and yelling Ciao in my face this whole time? 

Anyways, eventually I made it back to the apartment and just happened to stumble upon some folks coming into the complex. Again with broken Italian, small bits of English, and emphatic hand gestures, eventually we came to an understanding and they promptly pointed out that they didn't have the super's number and even if they did, he couldn't help. Awesome. 

Thankfully, however, one of the men - I think he owns the art studio downstairs - asked if he could try the door himself and can you guess? Yep, he got it on the first try.

He was very sweet though and made sure to watch as I tried it myself a few times before he left chuckling. 

Yay for being the idiot American girl!

Ah well....now I have a phone card and a real good understanding of the payphone system in Rome!

I'm just glad that it all worked out and now I can sit and laugh about it - not break down and cry as I was coming close to doing.

Just another day in Roma!!

Luckily Sabrina, after her day in Pompeii, came in saying her feet hurt and she plans on going to the beach tomorrow to relax....think I might just join her.... ;D