Colosseo

I wasn’t honestly intending to post anything today, but my day today, or rather what I saw today, was far too epic to *not* devote an entire post to it.

The Coliseum, or Colosseo in Italian, was by far the COOLEST monument I have seen here in Rome so far. I didn’t honestly think it was going to be nearly as amazing as it actually was. It was cliché. It was overdone. Everyone, even those not in some sort of architecture field, knew what it was and its purpose. It was important in its time, but now, it was merely a monument of what life used to be. It no longer related to life today.

This is, undoubtedly, the worst assumption I have ever come to about anything.

The Coliseum sits at the end of Via Labicana, one of the busiest and widest streets I have seen in Rome. It is surrounded by various arches and the Roman Forum. Even though there are signs of Ancient Rome all around it, you are almost surprised by it as it sits there on the skyline. It seems out-of-place and yet elegantly perfect for that one spot. In the mornings (the only time I have seen it), the sun and the dust in the air force the person walking down this main street to have to squint to actually see the Coliseum. Even then, they can only actually view its outline, which in all honesty, is the most important aspect of the entire structure. I probably didn't even need to go inside. The exterior facade was spectacular. This piece of architecture reigns far superior over any other monument I have ever seen. The dramatic shift in scale (although Rome is still a large and tall city within itself) screams Ancient Rome while at the same time, it forces you to wonder how the builders actually constructed such a precise and proportional structure. 

It's my first jumping picture. Don't judge me!

By the way, Paprika Pringles...best thing since...*ever*!