A hot day in an ancient city

Hello everybody.

Today has been action packed, very hot, and rather busy.

After a continental breakfast at the hotel we set off on the Metro for the Colosseum. For many of the students it was a breathtaking example of Rome's might, and her ability to astound with the sheer size of the architecture.

Ben F summed it up nicely when he said, in astonishment, 'It's amazing to think this was built 2000 years ago, it's still here today, and here I am now! That's real skill, isn't it Sir?' Absolutely. And once we were inside the arena the gripping views of this macabre temple to the basest of human emotions, framed against a cloudless blue sky, made for a sombre vista. It's reckoned over 500,000 people lost their lives inside the Colosseum and the sheer scale of the place brought most students to a stunned silence. We did make a video clip but the intense heat seems to have melted my little Flip camcorder! If I can revive it then I'll put the video online as soon as possible.

After the Colosseum we headed off to the Palatine and the Forum, but not before we were presented with community worship of a somewhat more contemporary kind. The European football cup final takes place in Rome tomorrow, between Manchester United and Barcelona. The city is filling with fans and we were able to see the magnificent cup on show. Although we're leaving Rome tomorrow lunchtime we're hoping to catch the match on TV at our new hotel in Sorrento. The charged atmosphere was a reminder of the heady emotions whipped up by the roar and pomp of the Colosseum in times gone past.

We moved through the Forum at a fair pace as the heat was rapidly becoming too much. Instead, we moved on the area around the Pantheon, the only surviving intact Roman temple. It's all the more remarkable because it's a perfect spherical shape, and that was achieved 2000 years ago without computers or precision tools. An opera singer was giving a recital when we arrived, and it provided a suitably dramatic atmosphere.

Lunch was taken at delightful restaurant, where the service approached the speed of a slumbering snail! However, since the Monaco grand prix was playing on the overhead TV most people seemed happy to take a break away from the heat.

Finally we walked up the Spanish steps, pausing for a group photo. By this time we were ready for a shower and a break, so we abandoned our plans to head on to the Piazza Navona and instead took the Metro home.

Dinner was filling - more pasta, a beef dish with croquette potatoes and salad, followed by ice cream.

To end the day we had an excellent quiz, compiled by Mr Stuart and Mrs Francis. It was a great event, with all the teams showing a rather determined competitive streak.

And so on to tomorrow morning, our last one in Rome. We're off to the Vatican first thing, to see St Paul's, then returning for lunch at the hotel, before the long drive south to Sorrento.

In Rome I've had excellent reception for the Mobile Broadband USB key I purchased in the UK. I'm hoping the same will be true in Sorrento but won't know for sure until we get there. So, don't panic if I fall silent for 24 hours. It will be because I can't get onto the 3 Italia network and will need to make the nightly dash to the town's only internet cafe (which is nowhere near the tourist areas).

We've all got through the first day with a better sense of what the Romans did and the reasons why. We've also practised our Latin on the Metro, much to the amusement of Italian passengers, and one or two people have realised that trendy shoes give you nasty blisters if you walk too far in them. Rest assured, all tootsies have been tended to and the wearing of 'sensible' shoes will be enforced tomorrow!

I've posted a small selection of photos in the post below, but I must publically thank Ben P and Tom, who have taken hundreds of stunning photos using my camera kit today. Once we're back I'll put them onto the school network so that you can see them all. There are some stunning shots in there. We hope you enjoy them.

Until the next posting, take care and arrivederci!

Mr vS