This morning we wandered around the Colosseum area, near our hotel. This giant arena (the world's first superdome) was used about 70 A.D. to stage violent games, with gladiators fighting each other, and animals, to the death. It could hold 50,000 spectators, from all walks of Roman life. Each class of people watched from one of four different levels.

Only about 1/3 of the original structure is intact. One of the things that impressed us about it was its complexity. There are hundreds of subterranean cages and mazes. The Romans devised elevators to transport animals from one level to another (an invention that apparently has not caught on in hotels here).

We also visited the Roman Forum, the ancient marketplace and commercial center of Rome. In fact, Italy's Capitol Building is still here, right next to the Forum. This area is also the site of the prison where St. Peter was held.

It was our plan to move on to Venice today. When we got to the train station, the agent told us that all the trains were full today, and she could not sell us a reservation. Unbeknownst to us, Monday is Italy's Independence Day, so this starts a three day weekend.

She was willing to sell us a ticket, though, without a reservation, and told us to take our chances. We joined in on the pushing and shoving, and managed to get onto the next train to Venice and stood in the hallway for a while, until we got our luggage awkwardly situated in the walkway, and actually found a couple of seats. We weren't even sure we were on the correct train, but no one threw us off, and we enjoyed the ride through many mountain tunnels and scenic Tuscan towns.

Six hours later we arrived in Venice's Santa Lucia Station. A water ferry brought us near our hotel, and we carried our luggage the rest of the way (another 100 or so steps up and down bridges and up to our room). Tomorrow, we'll explore.