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We walk as they walked.

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Started the day with an unusually nice breakfast, nothing heavy because there was plenty of walking to do. Headed out with a guide towards the Roman forum, over roads that were at least two thousand years old. I was actually fairly surprised by how ramshackle most of the buildings were. Some had been reduced to just shards of marble and brick by "quarrying" Romans over the ages. Rome had gradually eaten its ancient heart, breaking down and reusing the stony core. It was beautiful and a little bit sad. The guide took me through the Roman forum, narrating all the way as we passed the pyre of Julius Ceasar, the ancient temple of Hestia where the vestial virgins tended the city's flame, and Sevrus's triumphal arch. Stepping through Tidus's triumphal arch, we moved on to the Flavian Ampitheater (the Colliseum). Hard to imagine how much blood hit sand when you look at just the skeleton of the place. It has a certain ruined and strangely temporary beauty to it. After touring the Palatine hill without the guide, I tromped off to the Pantheon. And got completely lost in Rome's hodgepodge streets. Probably the most scenic streets to get lost on in the western world, but that doesn't make me anymore grateful. I was stunned though, when I passed church after enormous church. It hit me right then that I was missing most of Rome. In fact, I've managed to basically miss Rome. I've only gone to a few "necessary" stops. I haven't toured the city at all, and I feel like I've cheated myself. I never meant to be a tourist. All I've seen of Rome is the streets and a few little buildings. It is a terrible feeling. This has been a trip full of strange little revelations, and it is useless to describe what I saw in detail because it is like a tidal wave of pictures and sound. Maybe the Lady can help me piece these images into a whole. She's been so supportive even though she's having rough time right now. I love her.
WT