Today we take a day trip to Ostia Antica, the ancient seaport which connected Rome to it's Mediterranean empire. We walked down to the Colosseum to meet our coach driver, Marco. We also met our Ostia tour guide, Antonella. The ride took about 45 minutes. We first entered through the Necropolis which would have been right outside the city. We saw the tombs and sarcophagi that lined the road. Then we passed the ruins of the old city gate, the "Porta Romana". Then we passed warehouses and came to the Baths of Neptune. The mosaics were beautiful. Next we visited the theater ruins, the Square of the Guilds that also had beautiful mosaic floors, the Forum and the Latrines! After the tour, we had a lunch break. Next, Antonella had Marco drive us to see the Mediterranean Sea. We got out of the coach and walked the beach. Next, we stopped at the Catacombs of San Sebastian along the Appian Way to tour the catacombs. There were no bones. We saw niches in the stone where bodies would have been buried. The tombs of the wealthy contained frescoes. No pictures were allowed below ground, but we could take pictures in the church above. I got a picture of Bernini's last sculpture, "The Savior" that he sculpted when he was in his 80's. Marco then drove us back to the Colosseum. The rest of the afternoon was free time. I decided to see "The Mouth of Truth" and Saint Peter in Chains. Walking back to the hotel, I visited Trajan's Baths in Parco del Colle Oppio which was just up the hill from our hotel. It was a wonderful, full day!

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