ROME--NEVER A BAD DAY THERE

The Coliseum, the Fountain at Trevi, the Seven Hills, the extreme heat. Well, I guess no place really has it all.

We had a few firsts this time in Rome. We had never been inside The Coliseum before. Lines and time had prevented us on one visit; restoration on the other. But it was magnificent.

To think that recycling of materials during some down economic times resulted in the current shape of the edifice. I had always thought it was just time, but no, some misguided leaders decided to use the materials for additional building. Thank goodness they didn't have a stimulus program or there would be even less of the Coliseum.

Another first was to see the spot where Caesar was assassinated. "His own son Brutus even helped to kill him," our miss guide told us. Having taught the play for a few years, I choked and wondered what else the heck she didn't know and was spreading to the tourists.

The fountain is always quite a site. I don't mind re-visiting some places like that. My memory's not great and I had, in fact, forgotten how large the fountain is.

Huge crowds, it was a Saturday, and a lack of enough time along with some extreme heat were the downsides, though in Rome, there are few. Sometime I want to have enough time just to take it all in. Just amble around the circus, the forum, the old structures and not have to be rushed.

One of my wife's favorite locales is Paris. For me all roads still lead to Rome. For one thing, they have a way of making a pretty good pizza.