Headed for Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano (St. John Lateran’s Basilica) in the morning, it is the oldest of the four major basilicas of Rome and houses a collection of impressive towering sculptures of the apostles.
Going into this building makes you feel like a hobbit, it’s like the Cosco of basilicas.
I don’t know why there’s military everywhere in Rome? Are they expecting a riot to happen at any moment? And they are not all doing their jobs anyways, haha.
You can see the massive apostles along the two sides down the main section and a beautiful golden ceiling.
Of course the keylluminati is present everywhere, it was the Pope’s main place of worship until the 14th century.
Left: St. Simon Right: St. Jude
I love this sculpture of happy dancing angels, everyone looks so gay (in a happy way) unlike all the other solemn and unhappy Christian artworks.
There was a random festival or something outside, like an international Christian gala or something.
Leaving the basilica, we head towards the Flavian Amphitheatre, or the Colosseum as it is commonly known. We had booked a tour that takes us down to the Hypogeum and to the highest tier of the Colosseum inaccessible to the general public unless you join the tour.
Passing by an obelisk, according to the tour guide it was “recycled” from the Egyptians by the Romans and the Romans inscribed their own random Egyptian hieroglyph onto it, like square eye eye bird triangle, LOL!!
Rushed lunch: salad (fresh mozzarella + sundried tomato + lettuce + croutons) and Chinotto (Italian softdrink)
“Oh noooo~~~ Why is everything under construction when we come to Rome!?”
Luckily it’s perfectly fine on the other side.
Entering through the exit they used to carry out the dead bodies.
One of the exclusive areas, you can see the Hypogeom clearly underneathe.
Looking up at the stands from the middle of the Colosseum, this is how Russell Crowe must’ve felt, haha.
Down in the Hypogeom, this was basically the backstage area underneath, back in days when the Colosseum was still in business this area would be full of slaves and pulleys working trapdoors and lifts, etc.
View from the top tier of the Colosseum: Arch of Constantine.
View from the top tier of the Colosseum: Temple of Venus and Rome.
Looking down into the Colosseum, definitely the best view.
Arco di Costantino (Arch of Constantine), built in the 4th century, the youngest arch on the block.
Roman Forum, a huge area of ruins to explore, but we were too dehydrated.
After the tour, we headed to San Pietro in Vincoli (Church of Saint Peter in Chains) most famous for Michelangelo’s sculpture of Moses.
Moses just chilling in the middle. You can really see the difference between the work of Michelangelo and other people.
I guess this must be St. Peter’s chains, lol!
Awesome sculpture of death. 💀
MOAR gelatoooooooo~~~ 😍 This was honey+rice + apple + caramel (maybe). I love in Italy how you order the smallest size and you still get to choose 3 flavours.🍦🍦🍦
Woodfire pizza for dinner, CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF ITALIAN FOOD!! And also fried mozzarella + carbonara.
Around ½ of The World in 80 Days 