Rome certainly is a beautiful city, with winding lanes of anquitiy and huge avenues of grand designs that it staggers the imagination that a race of people many thousands of years ago for saw that space was needed as much as housing.
My earlier experience of the train station should have prepared me for what was to come but in my mind I still thought that there must be somethings that are cheap or free here in the city.
First stop was breakfast and as I had to pass a McDonalds on the way to going anywhere I ducked inside and enjoyed a breakfast, only wishing that their hash brown was a little less oily, but still a good hot and quick meal.
Having decided to leave my Lonely planet guide to Europe back home to save weight, without the internet in my hotel room ( I was unaware at this time that in order to receive a signal you had to go to the lobby ) I had nothing but a map and my instincts to guide me but I knew that the Colossium was a place that when you went to Rome you had to visit. What I wasn't expected was a long queue and a 12 euro entrance fee that wouldnt accept credit card.
Knowing how little actual cash I had on me I was not in a hurry to splash out so much so soon, regardless of what it was being spend on, and so I just contented myself with a leisurely walk around the outside and taking plenty of photos, whenever passing tourists gave me the chance.
It was fun to see some of the local tourist guys dress up like Ancient Romans but I would have preferred it if someone was to dress up like Asterix, Obelix or even Geriatrix and come kick some legionaire butt.
Alongside the actual Colossium is an avenue and high on the hillside is another set of roman ruins so I thought I would go take a look at them instead, only to find the same thing ... 21 euro entrance fee and no credit card accepted. I could not believe how much they are asking for and that yet despite the millions of tourists that pass through here they havent thought to get a credit card scanner working in the entrances!
It was not until much later that I learned of the 7 day Archaeology ticket, that for only 23 euros allows you access to the top 9 historical sites of interest, or even of the Roma Pass which lets you visit the first two places for free.
On the map I saw that there was a small fort and pyramid a little further down the road, so I went awalking and the further away I got the better view I got of the ruins on the hillside that I had just been denied access to, and in the end I found the perfect place that offered such a magnificient view just outside a metro station entrance that I am shocked they have not built a small viewing platform and started charging.
Again up ahead was a much older set of ruins at Caracalla, or at least they appeared that way on the map, and when I got there they were certainly impressive but gated of and again an entrance fee of 6 euros which considering how tired I was was just too rich for my blood.
Heading back towards the metro line I found that I had done a huge loop and was right near the Colossium again but as my hotel was a little further north I was still going to take a 1 euro metro ride than do any more walking.
Back near my hotel I stopped to have a bite to eat and found a delightfully decorated yet modest restaurant where the owner was friendly and the service prompt. I am not sure if I like that it was 4 euros for a can of drink but as they took credit card it was not all a total waste.
By the time I got back to my room it was still early but I was tired and wanting to check messages and much around a bit with the photos so I called it a night, only right before bed finding out that I could get wifi access in the hotel lobby.
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