On Saturday, although it was supposed to be a difficult day, since we had done a lot of things extra on Friday, Saturday was supposed to be shorter and easier. It was both of these along with tiring and stressful as well. We took the metro to OSTIA which is pronounced like Austria Germany, but isn't the same at all. This is the ruins and old port from ancient roman times. It's crazy to imagine that this city/ruins (which was huge) used to lie on the bank of both the Tiber riveer and the coast line. Now the coast is many miles away and the river never touches the ruin city. This used to be a major trade and military outpost for Rome, because Rome couldn't feed it's entire population, so it needed food to be shipped from elsewhere and the only reliable means was through ship. The town doesn't seem like it would have been much different from Rome today. When you enter, the cemetery/tombs greet a visitor, and the closer you are to the gates, the better off your family must have been. Funerals and graves were used for showing off social status or groups/associations one was involved in. Once passing the gates, there were trading markets, stores, bars, showers, a theater, temples and other such places. All which current roman cities have. All that is left is some of the ruins, but many are said to still be needing to be excavated, although there is a lack of money and curiosity to complete this task in ostia. If an area was import it was roped off, but besides that, one could go wherever one wanted amongst the ruins, amid the rocks, stones, and buildings. There were many tour groups, and school groups, the children were using it like a giant playground. But to still be there and touch stones from who knows how long ago,...crazy. After ostia we were allowed to go do our own thing, so the entire group went on a hunt to get train tickets for both the beach, and unsocial tickets for some to go he Florence. It took 3 hours, one stop for flood at a pizza spaghetti place (I had delicious spaghetti) and back tracking to get us our tickets, plus long talk with the ticket seller. But we did it, then Kate, alex, and myself, metros and bused back to our apartment, where we chilled for a bit then headed to the supermarket and to go shopping. None of the clothing shops were open unfortunately. It's funny how in America. Our shops are open later on weekends, but here they close earlier. We did find an Asian sresale shop where we bought flip flops for the beach. Nothing major happened at the supermarket. Instead of relaxing, like our plan. We ended up going to the colosseum and seeing it all lit up at night. It was fun taking pictures. And we met more of our group there. And when not trying to yell at the millionth peddler walking by. We were kinda loud. We had finally asked someone to talk our group picture, and two cops come Up, and one of the girls was like, we aren't in trouble are we, the cops thought that was funny, because they laughed out loud. Then they "photbombed" another of our pictures, by standing in the background and smiling while the picture was being taken. After that a few of us went and got gelato, and came home. It ended a good day,although we had stressful moments throughout it.
Pic 1.my friend Kate and I outside the colosseum at night
2. My laundry!!!
3.entire group in the theater at Ostia!
4.me outside colosseum at night!
5.me In front of ruins at Ostia
6. Me and more ruins
7.friends outside colosseum
8. Imperial forum at night
9. One more picture of the colosseum
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