FRIDAY 
ROMA

If you were an ancient Roman, you used to arrive at the Colosseum via this Metro station.
I tried to go in the direction of the Domus Aurea but I just ended up walking through the Parco di Colle Oppio. Next to this house in the park is what I assume is a bocce court.
I didn't see too much of interest in the park (and to be honest it looks a bit dodgy) but there were some ruins of the Trajan Baths.
The Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli, or St. Peter in Chains.
Looks a lot like the other churches I visited.
And here are the chains. There are actually two allegedly famous chains here. One held Peter when he and Paul were held in the Mamertine Prison and the other is from when Peter was jailed by Herod in Jerusalem. Boy, Peter sure seemed to get himself arrested a lot.
The ceiling painting depicts the power of the chains, healing a possessed person on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica.
This was a scaled-down version of what supposed to have been tomb of Pope Julius II, who of course was the inventor of the Orange Julius. It was done by Michelangelo. Julius originally wanted a big tomb in St. Peter's Basilica, but then he changed his mind and instead had Michelangelo paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. There never was a big tomb for Julius, just this little practice version.
I don't know who this is, but it has skeletons. Ooh, scary!
Some Metro trains were newer than others. This was one of the nicer ones.
Waiting for a train in the Termini Metro Station.
There is a part of a street named for the victims of terrorism. They must not have much terrorism in Italy because it is not a long stretch of road.
The Stadio delle Terme di Caracalla. I have no idea if this is of any importance, but the sign does have Olympic rings. I looked up online that gymnastic events were held at the Baths of Caracalla, so I wonder if they were held here.
Practicing the field events.
The Terme di Caracalla.
This massive complex was inaugurated in the reign of Emperor Caracalla but completed after his death in 217 C.E., which is why it is called the Baths of Caracalla.
Aww, another kitty cat.
This sign points to the Bathrooms of Caracalla.
The only surviving remains of one of the two libraries. Looks like a tunnel.
The Frigidarium was a monumental hall similar to a basilica. It served as a meeting point for visitors and contained the covered cold baths. If they wanted to get a cold beverage, they would have gone to the Refrigidarium.
Big hunks of mosaic tile work.
I can go to Lowes and get a roll of ceiling border paper but nothing this fancy.
Seriously, this place is huge. Just imagine what it must have looked like in the 3rd century.
A couple of the apodyteria, or dressing rooms.
I expected there to be something more at the Circus Maximus site, which was adjacent to the Palatine Hill, but there really wasn't. It was just a long oval space. It does appear that they are doing some excavation work here though. The Circus Maximus was where they held chariot races.

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