The street sounds around the hotel are quite loud and the piazza acts like an amplifier. Thankfully, I brought along my sound machine – you know those little gadgets that make rain sounds, waterfalls, sea shore, etc. I planned to use it only on the ship. I’ve had too many trips lately where I’ve been awakened at 2 am by rude drunk people in the ship’s hallways. Without the machine sleeping would not have easy or restful.

We’re off to the Forum.

I should have known better than to take the hotel recommended tour. The minute we set foot on the gigantic Appian Way tour bus I knew it was a mistake. Our guide was an elderly Italian gentleman who while very nice was difficult to hear and understand. Touring the forum en masse with 42 other people is never a good idea. After doing a very abbreviated Forum tour I told the guide that the girls and I were breaking off. He seemed disappointed. We wanted to explore on our own and hang out at the Colosseum. It turned out to be a real popular idea because three nice people from St. Louis joined us and we hung out for a few hours. We learned all about the gladiator battles along with lion and tiger tales.

While leaving the Colosseum quite the commotion was happening on the street outside. When I saw the rainbow colored flags I knew it was a Gay Pride parade of some sorts. And, what a parade it was! Tens of thousands of gays, transvestites and lawmakers marched to festive club music and danced on floats. The group was marching from Saint Paul’s Gate to the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, the official seat of the Pope as Bishop of Rome to urge the Italian government to fast-track plans to grant homosexual couples legal status. Along the route we saw some really gay gladiators along with some Cher, Madonna and the Spice Girls look-a-likes, what fun!