Roma

We caught a bus down to the Colosseo (Colloseum, for you non emersed in another language folk) and took a tour with a guide.  It meant that we completely avoided the huge cues and walked up and into the amazing structure.  It originally was like a rugby stadium holding 70-80 thousand people and much the same as in the look of the

Gladiator movie.  It is built of huge blocks and columns fitted together with iron pipe sections, much like lego.  It was built as a theatre starting around 70AD and use to have plays and productions as well as the sport killing of infidels.  The guide told us that it was opulent with marble floors and walls and carvings and gold panels and statues, but that after an earthquake in 1349, it was damaged and then sections of it weakened by needing the iron pins that held the structure together.  After parts of it fell, it seems there was a free for all, with bronze, marble, gold and more iron pins being taken out.  It appears much of it was used in the reconstruction of other buidings about the place and apparently the Vatican has a heap of it.  The building has scaffolding around parts of it because they are 'washing' it for the Pope to do his thing Easter Sunday

The internet is stupidly slow and these photos have been loading all day, so I am sending this now!